NFL Playoffs 2009

Really, the Steelers wouldn't be a hard pick when looking at the brackets from the get-go. The Cardinals are a bit of a shocker, with a 9-7 record coming into the Playoffs. I think they have made believers out of some people. The Cardinals are going to be the underdogs in this matchup, which shouldn't come as to a surprise to anyone, especially since the Steelers have the #1 defense.

Quick Pick for the Super Bowl: Cardinals (why not, right?)

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NFL Playoffs 2009

Here's my Quick Picks on who will be heading to the Super Bowl:

• Ravens against Steelers: I like the Ravens.
• Eagles against Cardinals: I like the Cardinals.

Birds in the Bowl? Well, there will be at least one team that has a bird logo... 75% of the remaining teams have a bird in their logo. The home team has won 3 of 8 times... with only three more games to play, still, with the Super Bowl considered a neutral location and that they "assign" a home team, should it really count in those standings?

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AFC Championship Game

The Ravens are one of two #6 seeds in a Championship this weekend. Could it be a Super Bowl filled with two #6 seeds? And it just scratches my head to see a #4 seed hosting a conference championship. It's just weird, yet intriguing. The Steelers won both meetings this season, the first in overtime and the second by a 13-9 margin on Dec 14th.

Quarterback Comparison

Name	QB Rating	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-Int	Fumbles
Joe Flacco	80.3	257-428	60.0%	2,971	14-12	11
Ben Roethlisberger	80.1	281-469	59.9%	3,301	17-15	4

Flacco is 20-45 in the postseason with one touchdown and no interceptions. He has 296 yards in two playoff games. Roethlisberger went 17-26 against the Chargers and has a 98.4 QB rating in the playoffs.

Rushing Comparison

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Catches	Yards	TDs
Le'Ron McClain	232	902	10	19	123	1
Willie Parker	210	791	5	3	13	0

Parker rushed for 146 yards in one game thus far into the playoffs. If the Ravens are going to win, they do need to stopthe run enough to force a passing game. They have the pass coverage that can grab the well needed turnover.

Receiving Comparison

Name	Catches	Yards	TDs	Fumbles
Derrick Mason	80	1,037	5	2
Mark Clayton	41	695	3	0
Todd Heap	35	403	3	1
Hines Ward	81	1,043	7	1
Santonio Holmes	55	821	5	2
Nate Washington	40	631	3	0

Hines Ward has 70 yards receiving and Heath Miller has a touchdown and three catches.

Defense Comparison

Name	Tackles	Sacks	Ints-TD	Deflections
Ray Lewis	117	3.5	3-0	9
Ed Reed	41	1.0	9-2	16
Terrell Suggs	69	8.0	2-2	9
James Farrior	133	3.5	0-0	5
James Harrison	101	16.0	1-0	3
Troy Polamalu	73	0.0	7-0	17

Ed Reed has two interceptions in the post-season with one returned for a touchdown. Suggs has two sacks. The Raven defense has a total of five interceptions this post-season. Larry Foote has an interception, the only one for the Steelers thus far in the post-season. LaMarr Woodley has two sacks.

Forecast: I don't want to pick the home team for the sake of picking the home team. The Ravens have a good thing going, and so it would be just as easy to pick them over the Steelers as it would be the Steelers over the Ravens. I like the Ravens pass defense. And even though the Ravens have lost twice to the Steelers already this season, the have the better pass defense... and they lost both of those games very closely. And so I pick the Ravens to upset the Steelers with a close game here, as well. Score: 16-13.

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Divisional Playoff Brackets

Divisional Games:

• Saturday: Baltimore at Tennessee (3:30 CST)
• Saturday: Arizona at Carolina (7:15 CST)
• Sunday: Philadelphia at NY Giants (Noon CST)
• Sunday: San Diego at Pittsburgh (3:45 CST)

Quickpicks? Baltimore, Carolina, Giants and Steelers.

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Wild Card Game: Ravens at Dolphins

The Dolphins finished with an 11-5 record and they are facing the Ravens who are also 11-5. The Dolphins have won their last five and Baltimore has won their last two. Miami is 5-3 at home, with one of those loses going to the Ravens. The Ravens went 5-3 on the road this season.

Quarterback Comparison

Name	QB Rating	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-Int	Fumbles
Chad Pennington	97.4	321-476	67.4%	3,653	19-7	1
Joe Flacco	80.3	257-428	60.0%	2,971	14-12	5

Pennington is the better QB. It really does go without saying, though.

Rushing Comparison

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Catches	Yards	TDs
Ronnie Brown	214	916	10	33	254	0
Ricky Williams	160	659	4	29	219	1
Willis McGahee	170	671	7	24	173	0
Le'Ron McClain	232	902	10	19	123	1

It's not often I enclude two rushers from each team, but I felt it necessary. These two teams are very evenly matched with a good pair of rushers per team. The Dolphins use the passing game with their 'backs, more than the Ravens and that is the only edge I can give between the two teams.

Receiving Comparison

Name	Catches	Yards	TDs	Fumbles
Ted Ginn Jr.	56	790	2	3
Greg Camarillo	55	613	2	0
Davone Bess	54	554	1	0
Derrick Mason	80	1,037	5	2
Mark Clayton	41	695	3	0
Todd Heap	35	403	3	1

Ravens appear to have the upperhand in the receiving side of things.

Defense Comparison

Name	Tackles	Sacks	Ints-TD	Deflections
Yeremiah Bell	120	1.0	0-0	10
Joey Porter	47	17.5	0-0	1
Andre' Goodman	39	0.0	5-0	19
Ray Lewis	117	3.5	3-0	9
Terrell Suggs	68	8.0	2-2	9
Ed Reed	41	1.0	9-2	16

I just don't know if there is a better pass coverage than what the Ravens. Ed Reed has NINE picks with two touches. Their pass rush isn't as good, or as good as the Dolphins, but I think they make up for it in spades with the pass coverage.

Forecast: I am so impressed with the Ravens pass coverage, so impressed, that I really believe that can be the difference. The difference between a win and loss... Ravens take this one, 27-16.

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Wild Card Game: Falcons at Cardinals

Atlanta is 11-5 and is the visitor in Arizona, who is 9-7. Atlanta is 4-4 on the road and the Cardinals are 6-2 at home, so this should be an interesting matchup.

Quarterback Comparison

Name	QB Rating	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-Int	Fumbles
Kurt Warner	96.9	401-598	67.1%	4,583	30-14	2
Matt Ryan	87.7	265-434	61.1%	3,440	16-11	4

Cardinals have the better QB. Warner has more TDs, fewer fumbles, a higher completion ratio and over a thousand more passing yards.

Rushing Comparison

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Catches	Yards	TDs
Edgerrin James (Cards)	133	514	3	12	85	0
Tim Hightower (Cards)	143	399	10	34	237	0
Michael Turner	376	1,699	17	6	41	0

Falcons have the better running game. That really goes without saying when you look at these numbers. The Cardinals have two runningbacks and nothing to show for it.

Receiving Comparison

Name	Catches	Yards	TDs	Fumbles
Larry Fitzgerald	96	1,431	12	1
Anquan Boldin	89	1,038	11	3
Steve Breaston	77	1,006	3	0
Roddy White	88	1,382	7	1
Michael Jenkins	50	777	3	0
Jerious Norwood	36	338	2	0

Cardinals have the better receivers. Three receivers with over 1,000 yards is impressive. Very impressive. And the Falcons can't compete with that.

Defense Comparison

Name	Tackles	Sacks	Ints-TD	Deflections
Karlos Dansby	119	4.0	2-0	5
D. Rodgers-Cromartie	42	0.0	4-1	19
Chike Okeafor	60	4.5	1-0	3
Keith Brooking	102	0.0	0-0	3
John Abraham	38	16.5	0-0	1
Chris Houston	61	0.0	2-1	16

It appears that the defenses are pretty much the same, however the Cardinals do not have the pass rush that the Falcons do. They have better pass coverage, though, which is what makes it a little more even.

Forecast: I like the Cardinals in this one. I am not really sure why I like them more than the Falcons, but it just makes sense to me. So, Cardinals win this one 24-20.

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Wild Card Game: Eagles at Vikings

The Vikings finished with a 10-6 record while the Eagles finished 9-6-1, and scraped into the playoffs with a huge upset over the Cowboys. And that is why I want the Vikings to win... but I will try to be unbiased.

Quarterback Comparison

Name	QB Rating	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-Int	Fumbles
Donovan McNabb	86.4	345-571	60.4%	3,916	23-11	7
Gus Frerotte	73.7	178-301	59.1%	2,157	12-15	4

McNabb is the better QB.

Rushing Comparison

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Catches	Yards	TDs
Brian Westbrook	233	936	9	54	402	5
Adrian Peterson	363	1,760	10	21	125	0

Westbrook is more versatile, however Peterson is invaluable as a rusher. I would pick Peterson between the two.

Receiving Comparison

Name	Catches	Yards	TDs	Fumbles
DeSean Jackson	62	912	2	1
Hank Baskett	33	440	3	1
Kevin Curtis	33	390	2	0
Bernard Berrian	48	964	7	0
Bobby Wade	53	645	2	2
Visanthe Shiancoe	42	596	7	0

Vikings have the the better receivers, more impact players who score touchdowns and get the needed yardage.

Defense Comparison

Name	Tackles	Sacks	Ints-TD	Deflections
Asante Samuel	36	5.0	4-1	24
Darren Howard	26	10.0	1-0	3
Quintin Mikell	93	2.0	3-0	9
Jared Allen	54	14.5	0-0	3
Antoine Winfield	95	2.0	2-0	11
Kevin Williams	61	8.5	0-0	5

Jared Allen also has two safeties.

Forecast: Eagles or Vikings... Vikings or Eagles... This one is a tough decision. Will Peterson or McNabb dominate? What if they both do? What defense will step up? I like the Vikings pass rush over the Eagles. Let's go with the Vikings on this one, but a close game, with a score of 37-35.

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Wild Card Game: Colts at Chargers

This is a rematch of the game played on November 23rd. The Colts won that game by 3 points. The Chargers have won their last four games to make the playoffs, entering the postseason with an 8-8 record. Indianopolis finished with a 12-4 record. The Colts have won their last 9 games. And who is going to pick a team who is 12-4 with 9 wins in a row entering the playoffs as a STRONG wildcard? Well, it would just be foolish... to pick the Chargers.

Quarterback Comparison

Name	QB Rating	Comp-Att	Comp %	Yards	TD-Int	Fumbles
Peyton Manning	95.0	371-555	66.8%	4,002	27-12	1
Philip Rivers	105.5	312-478	65.3%	4,009	34-11	8

Wow, based on statistics, Rivers is the better QB. He has more TDs, fewer interceptions, just a little more yardage and a higher QB rating. He has eight fumbles, four lost, which is a lot more than Manning, who has one fumble that wasn't lost.

Rushing Comparison

Name	Carries	Yards	TDs	Catches	Yards	TDs
Joseph Addai (Colts)	155	544	5	25	206	2
Dominic Rhodes (Colts)	152	538	6	45	302	3
LaDainian Tomlinson	292	1,110	11	52	426	1

Tomlinson is better than the Colts rushers combined, except when you consider the catching part of the game, then the Colts rushers are better. Still, I would personally like to have Tomlinson over the Colts rushers. But that is just me.

Receiving Comparison

Name	Catches	Yards	TDs	Fumbles
Reggie Wayne	82	1,145	6	0
Dallas Clark	77	848	6	2
Anthony Gonzalez	57	664	4	0
Vincent Jackson	59	1,098	7	1
Antonio Gates	60	704	8	1
Chris Chambers	33	462	5	0

The Colts have the better receivers. Although Vincent Jackson is a serious threat for the Chargers. Whatever game Jackson has for the Charges is going to determine the way that San Diego will go... and the same goes for Wayne and Clark for the Colts.

Defense Comparison

Name	Tackles	Sacks	Ints-TD	Deflections
Kelvin Hayden	42	0.0	3-1	12
Robert Mathis	47	11.5	0-0	3
Dwight Freeney	28	10.5	0-0	0
Eric Weddle	127	1.0	1-0	5
Quentin Jammer	88	0.0	2-0	19
Shaun Phillips	76	7.5	0-0	4

I like the Chargers defense on this one, at least the pass rush. Pass defense? It's about the same. Forecast: The numbers tell me San Diego, of all things. But my gut tells me that the obvious thing is to go with the Colts. It just makes sense to go with the Colts. And that is what I will do. Colts take this one 27-13.

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NFL Playoffs 2009

How will the playoffs go? Well... let's see the obvious.

• Titans will be one and done.
• Vikings will drop the wild-card game, thus sending the Eagles to play against the Giants.
• Arizona will also will be one and done.
• Panthers take out the Falcons.
• Giants vs. the Eagles... I will take the Giants, although I am tempted to pick the Eagles.
• Ravens vs. Dolphins... I am trying to care. Ravens have a better team. Ravens.
• Colts vs. Chargers... Chargers.

That's going to be the extent for now. I'm still sick from the Cowboys loss.

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Sunday Football - Bears vs. Panthers

Sunday Football – it’s the game that could divide my home. Panthers vs. Bears. I root for the Panthers, have since they came into existence. The owner is a former player, and to be honest, the logo is just that cool.

A look at the schedules of the two:

Carolina: (12-5)
9/11: New Orleans L 23-20
9/18: New England W 27-17
9/25: at Miami L 27-24
10/3: Green Bay W 32-29
10/9: at Arizona W 24-20
10/16: at Detroit W 21-20
10/30: Minnesota W 38-13
11/6: at Tampa Bay W 34-14
11/13: NY Jets W 30-3
11/20: at Chicago L 13-3
11/27: at Buffalo W 13-9
12/4: Atlanta W 24-6
12/11: Tampa Bay L 20-10
12/18: at New Orleans W 27-10
12/24: Dallas L 24-20
1/1: at Atlanta W 44-11

Playoffs:
1/8: at NY Giants W 23-0

Chicago: (11-5)
9/11: at Washington L 9-7
9/18: Detroit W 38-6
9/25: Cincinnati L 24-7
10/9: at Cleveland L 20-10
10/16: Minnesota W 28-3
10/23: Baltimore W 10-6
10/30: at Detroit W 19-13
11/6: at New Orleans W 20-17
11/13: San Francisco W 17-9
11/20: Carolina W 13-3
11/27: at Tampa Bay W 13-10
12/4: Green Bay W 19-7
12/11: at Pittsburgh L 21-9
12/18: Atlanta W 16-3
12/25: at Green Bay W 24-17
1/1: at Minnesota L 34-10

Well, here’s my thought on it, logically (and not that sports strictly follows logic…). Chicago has a record of 2-3 against playoff teams this year and they average only 16 points per game and give up more yards than they themselves gain per game. Margin of victory for them is 4 points. The Panthers, however, have a record of 3-2 against the teams who made the playoffs, had a harder schedule than the Bears, and posted a shutout in the playoffs. Average margin of victory for the Panthers is 8 points and score close to 25 points per game while giving up only 16, a little more than the Bears 12… of the five Panther loses, none were more than 10 points. The Bears have three over 10, one at 14, one at 17, and the last game of the regular season which was 24 points (arguments can be made about resting players, blah, blah, blah). I can now start spouting of clichés of “the game can most likely be decided by who wants it more…” and garbage like that, but really it boils down to 11/20. The two played each other then and Chicago won and by 10 points, actually. It wasn’t really a true blowout in my mind. But it is going to be in Chicago, a bye off and they have beat Carolina earlier this year. A lot of intangibles pointing to Chicago… and that is why I am really starting to think Carolina in all this. I mean, they handed a shutout to a playoff team, on the road, and (let’s be honest) in New York. I mean, who likes to play in New York, in any sport, for that matter. Now they head to Ditka land and even though Mike isn’t there, he’s always there. I think this is going to be a really fun game to watch, especially since I may be having friends and family all around cheering for the “other” team, but my honest to truth gut says Carolina over the Bears with a score of 20 to 13.