NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

The first round of the NFL playoffs was very disappointing. Each game was lost because of a lack of discipline and enthusiasm. The Patriots, the Bengals, and the Eagles were disinterested embarrassments. The final game of the weekend (Packers at Cardinals) proved a Madden-like scoring bonanza, with an added bit of controversy when the officials missed a final-play face mask penalty. Today, the final eight enter the tournament.

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is coming in very hot, and the Saints have turned it off the last three weeks. I remember watching Warner during his "Greatest Show on Turf" in St. Louis, and I disliked his attitude and lack of toughness. This is the case of the unstoppable force and immovable object. Drew Brees and the Saints offense get hot in the second half but early sacks and turnovers haunt them.

The Cardinals win, 31-21.


Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have gotten grief for turning it off this year, with the possibility of repeating mistakes of 2005, 2007, and 2008. Quarterback Joe Flacco deserves a world of credit for guiding him team deep into the playoffs in his first two years, and he does more at this point in his career than Ben Roethlisberger. During the Colts' title run in 2006, Manning beat the Ravens, relying mostly on his defense to force Steve McNair's red zone errors. In fact, he Ravens don't have a lot of success against Manning to this point at all.

But I see the Ravens steeling a victory in overtime, 20-14.


New York Jets at San Diego Chargers

Mark Sanchez has struggled since Week 3, and his exuberant SoCal personality by a dour frown. ("Mark Sanchez face" is the expression a quarterback has when a poor offensive coordinator shits in his cereal.) Norv Turner has proven to be a great hire for a Chargers franchise that needed a smart, big-picture head honcho. They exploit the weaknesses in the Jets offense and don't give up easy first downs by playing undisciplined defense (as the Bengals did). The Chargers win, 37-10.



Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

Give credit to Brett Favre: he picked a vehicle with speed and power as a final career moment. The Vikings great defense, though aged, have been overlooked in the ongoing Favre debacle. Before last week, Dallas had not won a playoff game since 1996. The Cowboys start another losing streak. Vikings win, 20-6.