So this was another week of NFL playoff football. I thought this weekend was much better than wild card weekend. The teams were more competitive for the most part. Here is my take on each game:
Redskins Vs. Seahawks: This was a matchup where the Redskins were fortunate to even be in the game. They didn't even belong there, so they went further than anyone would have expected. I picked the Seahawks to win by 10 before the game even started. And sure enough, the final score was 20 - 10. The Redskins were lucky to even get one TD off that deflected pass. The disappointment of the game was Shawn Alexander. He totally buckled under the pressure. It was fortunate for the Seahawks that they were playing the Redskins, and that Hasselbeck was able to bail them out. If Alexander doesn't show up big next weekend, the Panthers will be going to the Super Bowl. Overall Quality of Game: B
Patriots Vs. Broncos: God I loved this game. It felt so good to see the crybabies of the NFL lose. The Broncos looked stiff and nervous during most of the first half of the game. Then, they exploded right before halftime with 10 points off turnovers. From that point on, they never looked back. Brady still has the ability to make big plays for the Patriots, but they are not what they once were. They are not the NFL champs anymore. Thank God! Don't forget about Denver creating 6 TURNOVERS either!! It was hilarious watching the Patriots cough it up.
Denver was more physical. The Patriots are just a good football team now that will probably fight to get into the playoffs each year, but keep coming up short. There were two big questionable calls during this game. One was a pass interference on the Patriots. I liked the call because the DB was blocking the WR from finishing his route. The ball wasn't even around them when he was blocking the WR. But of course, it is a reviewable play that is open to interpretation. The second call was the Champ Bailey fumble at the 1 yard line. There is no way that was fumbled in the endzone. Belickeck was just trying to take away a great play that happened against his star QB. Great hustle on that play by the Patriots TE, but the call on the field was right. I liked both calls. Even if the Patriots didn't get those calls against them, they would have lost that game. I loved listening to Brady after the game talking about how "they just didn't play well enough". BS. Somebody needs to tell him that that's what happens when you LOSE! Another team plays better than you. The Patriots are washed up. Overall Quality of Game: A+
Steelers Vs. Colts: This was the shocker of the weekend. Who would have thought that the Colts wouldn't show up to play? They were dead for 3 quarters. They looked like they were laying down waiting for it to end. Then, out of now where, they turned it on in the 4th quarter. But it was the same old "too little, too late" story. I think the personal problems from Dungy were weighing heavily on that team. They just didn't have any intensity. Oh yeah. What the hell kind of kick was that at the end by the Colts? It looked like he totally missed it on purpose. It was WAY wide right. My brother said it looked like he threw the game on purpose. Was he paid off or something? That kick was horrible. I think the Steelers are 60% attitude, and 40% real talent. They have maybe two stars on defense and two stars on offense. If Denver shuts their attitude up, the Broncos will go to the Super Bowl. I would put the Steelers right behind the Patriots on the "Bad Attitude" list. Or "Poor Sportsmanship" list. If you shut them up, they will pout and show their true colors. Also, this game had another questionable call. The Steelers had what looked llike an INT, but they ruled it an incomplete pass. I thought it was another good call because the DB looked out of control. He never made a "controlled move forward" with the ball. Overall Quality of Game: C- (except the 4th quarter which was an A.)
Panthers Vs. Bears: This was a decent game. Steve Smith. What more can you say? The guy is the best WR in the NFL. No question about it. If Steve Smith went down, the Panthers would be nothing. They would lose in a heartbeat. The Bears were one of those teams this post-season that looked like they didn't belong there. They trailed the whole game, and fell apart in the end on defense. And the Bears' defense is supposed to be great. They looked average tonight. Their young QB played pretty good for a young guy. He only made that one mistake at the end by throwing the INT. The Bears' defense let them down in that game. They didn't look like they belonged there. Some of these teams must have had some really easy schedules. This game had another questionable call. It looked obvious that the Bears fumbled the ball into the their own endzone, but they somehow avoided it. It really didn't matter because the Panthers still won, even with the questionable call. Overall Quality of Game: B
So the Panthers look real. But they rely WAY too much on Steve Smith. If Smith holds up for two more games, they could be the Super Bowl champs that they almost were a couple years ago. If Alexander has a big game and faces the adversity head on, then the Seahawks may be able to hold the Panthers off though. That will be either a really close game with the Seahawks pulling it out, or the Panthers will beat them without too much concern.
As far as the AFC, the Steelers have one style of play. It is mostly attitude. They let you know what they will do. They will run the ball. They will run Bettis on 3rd and short. They want the lead so they can milk the clock. If the Steelers come into Denver and make the game their style, they will win. If Denver shuts their attitude up, and stops the run, then it will be a good game with the Broncos winning it pretty easily with only a few close calls.
On to next week... Championship week! :D If I had to pick now, I would pick the Panthers Vs. the Broncos in the Super Bowl.
Redskins Vs. Seahawks: This was a matchup where the Redskins were fortunate to even be in the game. They didn't even belong there, so they went further than anyone would have expected. I picked the Seahawks to win by 10 before the game even started. And sure enough, the final score was 20 - 10. The Redskins were lucky to even get one TD off that deflected pass. The disappointment of the game was Shawn Alexander. He totally buckled under the pressure. It was fortunate for the Seahawks that they were playing the Redskins, and that Hasselbeck was able to bail them out. If Alexander doesn't show up big next weekend, the Panthers will be going to the Super Bowl. Overall Quality of Game: B
Patriots Vs. Broncos: God I loved this game. It felt so good to see the crybabies of the NFL lose. The Broncos looked stiff and nervous during most of the first half of the game. Then, they exploded right before halftime with 10 points off turnovers. From that point on, they never looked back. Brady still has the ability to make big plays for the Patriots, but they are not what they once were. They are not the NFL champs anymore. Thank God! Don't forget about Denver creating 6 TURNOVERS either!! It was hilarious watching the Patriots cough it up.
Denver was more physical. The Patriots are just a good football team now that will probably fight to get into the playoffs each year, but keep coming up short. There were two big questionable calls during this game. One was a pass interference on the Patriots. I liked the call because the DB was blocking the WR from finishing his route. The ball wasn't even around them when he was blocking the WR. But of course, it is a reviewable play that is open to interpretation. The second call was the Champ Bailey fumble at the 1 yard line. There is no way that was fumbled in the endzone. Belickeck was just trying to take away a great play that happened against his star QB. Great hustle on that play by the Patriots TE, but the call on the field was right. I liked both calls. Even if the Patriots didn't get those calls against them, they would have lost that game. I loved listening to Brady after the game talking about how "they just didn't play well enough". BS. Somebody needs to tell him that that's what happens when you LOSE! Another team plays better than you. The Patriots are washed up. Overall Quality of Game: A+Steelers Vs. Colts: This was the shocker of the weekend. Who would have thought that the Colts wouldn't show up to play? They were dead for 3 quarters. They looked like they were laying down waiting for it to end. Then, out of now where, they turned it on in the 4th quarter. But it was the same old "too little, too late" story. I think the personal problems from Dungy were weighing heavily on that team. They just didn't have any intensity. Oh yeah. What the hell kind of kick was that at the end by the Colts? It looked like he totally missed it on purpose. It was WAY wide right. My brother said it looked like he threw the game on purpose. Was he paid off or something? That kick was horrible. I think the Steelers are 60% attitude, and 40% real talent. They have maybe two stars on defense and two stars on offense. If Denver shuts their attitude up, the Broncos will go to the Super Bowl. I would put the Steelers right behind the Patriots on the "Bad Attitude" list. Or "Poor Sportsmanship" list. If you shut them up, they will pout and show their true colors. Also, this game had another questionable call. The Steelers had what looked llike an INT, but they ruled it an incomplete pass. I thought it was another good call because the DB looked out of control. He never made a "controlled move forward" with the ball. Overall Quality of Game: C- (except the 4th quarter which was an A.)
Panthers Vs. Bears: This was a decent game. Steve Smith. What more can you say? The guy is the best WR in the NFL. No question about it. If Steve Smith went down, the Panthers would be nothing. They would lose in a heartbeat. The Bears were one of those teams this post-season that looked like they didn't belong there. They trailed the whole game, and fell apart in the end on defense. And the Bears' defense is supposed to be great. They looked average tonight. Their young QB played pretty good for a young guy. He only made that one mistake at the end by throwing the INT. The Bears' defense let them down in that game. They didn't look like they belonged there. Some of these teams must have had some really easy schedules. This game had another questionable call. It looked obvious that the Bears fumbled the ball into the their own endzone, but they somehow avoided it. It really didn't matter because the Panthers still won, even with the questionable call. Overall Quality of Game: B
So the Panthers look real. But they rely WAY too much on Steve Smith. If Smith holds up for two more games, they could be the Super Bowl champs that they almost were a couple years ago. If Alexander has a big game and faces the adversity head on, then the Seahawks may be able to hold the Panthers off though. That will be either a really close game with the Seahawks pulling it out, or the Panthers will beat them without too much concern.
As far as the AFC, the Steelers have one style of play. It is mostly attitude. They let you know what they will do. They will run the ball. They will run Bettis on 3rd and short. They want the lead so they can milk the clock. If the Steelers come into Denver and make the game their style, they will win. If Denver shuts their attitude up, and stops the run, then it will be a good game with the Broncos winning it pretty easily with only a few close calls.
On to next week... Championship week! :D If I had to pick now, I would pick the Panthers Vs. the Broncos in the Super Bowl.