The regular season is over and the post-season is upon us. In the AFC the San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens will be enjoying their bye week as they await the winners of the Wild Card Weekend. On the NFC side, the bye week winners are the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. All four teams are guaranteed their place in the Divisional playoffs as they rest up and prepare. So let’s turn our attention to the teams that will be battling it out this weekend to join them.
- Saturday, January 6, 2007
4:30pm EST on NBC
Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts
Colts advance by a hair in this high scoring game.
The first thing that comes to my attention in this game is the Colts 8-0 record at home. In their dome, they are undefeated and looking to stay that way as they host the Chiefs. Peyton Manning will be on his best game, still hunting his elusive Superbowl appearance. The Colts offensive line will give Manning all day long in the pocket as he systematically picks apart the Chiefs pass defense. Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes will get their carries and between the two of them they may break the 100+ yard mark, but I wouldn’t guarantee it. Colts will dominate with their passing game. Don’t count out the Chiefs however. I said this game would be high scoring and I meant it. Look for a 30+ to 30+ game. Where Manning may take to the air all day against the Chief defense, Larry Johnson will shatter 100+ yards against the Colts horrible run defense and probably see the endzone himself about three times. Trent Green won’t see as much success. Having trouble at first with his passing game, it may open up for him late in the game when the Colts defense is sucked tight to the line of scrimmage in a desperate attempt to stop L.J.
8:00pm EST on NBC
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks
Cowboys end Seahawks playoffs in their own home
On one hand, the Seahawks stumbled into the playoffs losing three in a row before finally taking a “W” in their last regular season game. Cowboys on the other hand, were looking as if they would have the NFC East before Philadelphia beat them on their home field. Then to follow it up with an awful loss to Detroit who dominated them in the final game of the regular season. On those notes, it made this game a tough one to pick. Neither team looked good finishing their final games. Tony Romo and the Cowboys #5 ranked passing offense should be able to advance the ball over the Seattle defense. If Terrell Owens shows up to play and not pout, the Cowboys should be able to take a lead that even Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander won’t be able to overcome.
- Sunday, January 7, 2007
1:00pm EST on CBS
New York Jets at New England Patriots
Patriots hold on for a victory
I honestly found this a hard game to pick. When the Patriots visited the Jets early in the season, they defeated the Jets 24-17. Later this year, the Jets came to Foxboro and defeated the Patriots 17-14. Now here we are, round three, back in Foxboro and the only deciding factor I can think of in this matchup is Tom Brady. I don’t like the Patriots, and would love to see them loss, but I’m no fool, I know a great Quarterback when I see one, and Brady is among the best on the field today. The Jets will throw Leon Washington at the Patriots run defense full force and Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery will look to make the big plays, but in the end I think Tom Brady will be just too much. Brady will find the receivers he needs and Corey Dillon will switch out with Laurence Maroney to establish a run game. That will be enough to finish with a victory.
4:30pm EST on FOX
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles advance over the Giants
After the Giants had stumbled and fell, they somehow find themselves in a playoff spot after winning their final regular season game against the Redskins. That’s reason to celebrate if you’re a Giants fan, but it will be a short lived celebration as the Giants must travel to Philadelphia to take on a red hot Eagles team. Even with their star studded team including Eli Manning, Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress, and Jeremy Shockey just to name the offense, I don’t see how they could pull it together enough to defeat the Eagles. Undisciplined and unable to get their chemistry to mix without exploding, the Giants are a team that really needs to take a look at their organization this off season. Philadelphia on the other hand taken the bad news of Donovan McNabbs injury and turned it into old news. Jeff Garcia has taken the field by storm. His completion percent has been 61.7% as he’s thrown for 10 TDs and only 2 INTs. Brian Westbrook will continue to pound the yards away on the ground as Reggie Brown and Donte’ Stallworth make the big plays from the air. This one will be all Eagles, all day.
That concludes my Wild Card Weekend Breakdown. Let the Superbowl race begin!
Silver Dragon
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