My predictions for all four of this week's playoff games will be announced in just a few paragraphs. But, first, with Tom Brady set to play his 19th career playoff game this week, I think that its appropriate to address my hatred for this Patriots QB of which I have since I could remember watching football. For years, I have hated the man with a passion like Louis C.K. hates Sarah Palin with a passion, and I can't put a finger on why. Now that I think about it, maybe I have been wrongfully hating Tom Brady instead of the people involved with the Patriots that should really be hated: that cheater Bill Belichick and the team's bandwagon Masshole fans.
After all, what's really not to like about Brady except for the team that he plays in? He's one of the greatest QBs of all time and one of the most successful with three Super Bowl rings (granted, none of them have happened since 2004, but still) and four AFC Championship wins. He has two kids, each with two beautiful women and treats supermodels like the soulless women that they are. He doesn't have any offseason sheningans like the ones you see every year from Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger. He doesn't give a crap about what anyone thinks of him as evidence by the fact that he's still wearing that awful haircut, has an endorsement deal with uggs shoes, and riding a f***** RAZR scooter in Boston Common. For all we know, he could start spewing an Eric Cartman like YouTube rant, call the ending to "No Country for Old Men" one of the greatest in cinematic history and dump Giselle for someone else, all without giving a crap about your thoughts of it.
Also, the man's passion for winning and winning big is almost Jordan-esque. The man never wants to leave a game no matter what the circumstance is and celebrates a TD to put the team up 38-3 like a game winning score. And above all else, he does everything to try to piss off those douche-tastic Pats fans. He wears Yankees hats while jogging. He claims Manhattan clam chowder is better than New England clam chowder.
He has friendly chats and poses pictures with Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez. He even says that the fans should learn from Fireman Ed and the rest of the New York Jets fans, which means that even he probably agrees that these fans are awful! The man has done everything to tick off his fanbase except for crashing his $100,000 car into a Dunkin' Donuts and fight with fans in the Barstool Sports message boards, and the best part is that Pats' fans can't rally complain about it because they know that he's half of the reason that the team has been successful this past decade! Now, if that isn't something to love from the guy, then I don't know what is.
Eh...on second thoughts, the Pats are 14-2 and the overall favorite to win their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history for their fair weather fans, so maybe I should at least wait until post-retirement.
Alright, so let's get down to business and start the picks. Overall, it was a pretty disappointing start for myself compared to previous wild card round records in the past, as I went 1-3 total (with mj50 going 2-2) with the Ravens as my only light in the miserable tunnel that was picking last week's game. But then again, once I saw the Seahawks beat the Saints, I knew that I was going to be screwed for the rest of the week. But, hey, new week means a fresh slate of games to pick. And, with this being the divisional round of the playoffs, the games are some pretty great ones at that with two great divisional rivavlries renewed in the AFC and interesting rematches in the NFC. As always, the game times are based on the Central time zone.
Let's begin:
Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3): Saturday- 3:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: Pittsburgh
The NFL's best best rivalry is renewed (screw you, New England and Indy media)! How exciting! Now, I don't really have anything new to add to this game since 1) this is the third time that these teams have played each other this season 2) every game has basically come in with high stakes these past three years (advancing in the playoffs, lead in the AFC North) and have ended up pretty closely competitive in all of them and 3) there hasn't been much great pre-game trash talking compared to the ones going on in the other AFC playoff matchups. So, I'm just going to say what I said last time these two teams met up: as long as Ben Roethlisberger (the better QB of the two playing in this game) is playing the entire match and they can get some successful carries from Rashad Mendenhall, the Steelers will find a way to win this game. However, expect another close brutally intense rivalry matchup.
mj50's pick: Baltimore
Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Packers (-2.5): Saturday- 7:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Green Bay
Atlanta's homefield advantage at the Georgia Dome is tempting (Matt Ryan has only lost four times there in his career, after all!). However, the inexperience of this post-Vick Falcons team that has only played one playoff game total since 2008 (and lost that, if I may add) worries me heading into this game. Besides, Green Bay is the much hotter team at this point, winning three straight games against tough opponents (the Giants, Chicago, Philadelphia) while Atlanta has hitting hit the brake pedal as of late against over .500 teams with a loss to New Orleans and near losses to Tampa Bay and Green Bay earlier this year. Finally, when all is said and done, I would much rather take Aaron Rodgers to take revenge on the Falcons just like he did last week versus the Eagles over Matt Ryan anytime at this point. In conclusion, it appears that the biggest upset of the week (at least in my opinion) will happen in Green Bay.
mj50's pick: Atlanta
HALFTIME! This will be the last "halftime" installment of the 2010 season. Sad, I know. So, let's go out with a bang, shall we? Ladies and gentlemen...Chris Rock!
Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears (-10): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Chicago
Come on, the Seahawks can't possibly win two games in a row...right? I mean, sure, the team beat the Bears earlier this season, you got that right. But Chicago has improved a lot since then, going 7-3 with an improved Cutler and an offensive line that has yet to repeat its performance week 4 against the Giants. Besides, the Seahawks are 2-6 on the road this season, and the Bears have won 85% of their home games. Also, after such an emotional victory as Saturday's game was against the Saints, I don't see Seattle coming in with the same emotional toll and the same dedication. And Matt Hasselbeck? When was the last time that the guy had two good games in a row? 2007? Come on...stop it!
/Is actually pretty scared of the Seahawks.
//God, I sure hope I'm right!
///Can easily see Cutler throwing 3 INTs and Pete Caroll celebrating in the sidelines, though.
Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Packers (-2.5): Saturday- 7:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Green Bay
Atlanta's homefield advantage at the Georgia Dome is tempting (Matt Ryan has only lost four times there in his career, after all!). However, the inexperience of this post-Vick Falcons team that has only played one playoff game total since 2008 (and lost that, if I may add) worries me heading into this game. Besides, Green Bay is the much hotter team at this point, winning three straight games against tough opponents (the Giants, Chicago, Philadelphia) while Atlanta has hitting hit the brake pedal as of late against over .500 teams with a loss to New Orleans and near losses to Tampa Bay and Green Bay earlier this year. Finally, when all is said and done, I would much rather take Aaron Rodgers to take revenge on the Falcons just like he did last week versus the Eagles over Matt Ryan anytime at this point. In conclusion, it appears that the biggest upset of the week (at least in my opinion) will happen in Green Bay.
mj50's pick: Atlanta
HALFTIME! This will be the last "halftime" installment of the 2010 season. Sad, I know. So, let's go out with a bang, shall we? Ladies and gentlemen...Chris Rock!
Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears (-10): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Chicago
Come on, the Seahawks can't possibly win two games in a row...right? I mean, sure, the team beat the Bears earlier this season, you got that right. But Chicago has improved a lot since then, going 7-3 with an improved Cutler and an offensive line that has yet to repeat its performance week 4 against the Giants. Besides, the Seahawks are 2-6 on the road this season, and the Bears have won 85% of their home games. Also, after such an emotional victory as Saturday's game was against the Saints, I don't see Seattle coming in with the same emotional toll and the same dedication. And Matt Hasselbeck? When was the last time that the guy had two good games in a row? 2007? Come on...stop it!
/Is actually pretty scared of the Seahawks.
//God, I sure hope I'm right!
///Can easily see Cutler throwing 3 INTs and Pete Caroll celebrating in the sidelines, though.
////The Seahawks will go to the Super Bowl if they win this game. Count on it.
mj50's pick: Chicago
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots (-8.5): Sunday- 3:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: New England
First of all, I want to give a big congrats to Rex Ryan, Antonio Cromartie (even though it will most likely result in Brady owning him during this game), Wes Welker and Friday's fantastic Return of the Jedi cover from the New York Post for making the lead-up to this game a fantastic one. It's good to know that there will be no love lost when these two teams finish up this game and meet each other again for the rematch early next season. Unfortunately, I have a strong feeling that this game will ultimately not end up living up to the hype that the Jets head coach and the media have produced, for many reasons. The first and most obvious is Mark Sanchez and his passes that seem to be only intended to guys that are at least seven feet tall. Second, the Patriots haven't lost at home in Foxborough since Matt Cassel was the starting QB. I doubt that this streak will finally be broken by a team that New England defeated earlier this season 45-3.
mj50's pick: Chicago
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots (-8.5): Sunday- 3:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: New England
First of all, I want to give a big congrats to Rex Ryan, Antonio Cromartie (even though it will most likely result in Brady owning him during this game), Wes Welker and Friday's fantastic Return of the Jedi cover from the New York Post for making the lead-up to this game a fantastic one. It's good to know that there will be no love lost when these two teams finish up this game and meet each other again for the rematch early next season. Unfortunately, I have a strong feeling that this game will ultimately not end up living up to the hype that the Jets head coach and the media have produced, for many reasons. The first and most obvious is Mark Sanchez and his passes that seem to be only intended to guys that are at least seven feet tall. Second, the Patriots haven't lost at home in Foxborough since Matt Cassel was the starting QB. I doubt that this streak will finally be broken by a team that New England defeated earlier this season 45-3.
mj50's pick: New England
Playoff records:
mj50: 2-2
mj15 1-3
Overall records:
mj15: 170-106
mj50: 152-124
And now, just like last week, here are some random NFL-related thoughts to fill out the rest of this post:
-The Baltimore Ravens: making every one of their playoff games boring since 2000
- Very smart move by the Carolina Panthers signing Ron Rivera. The man has been a terrific defensive coordinator everywhere that he's been. He was the defensive coordinator of the terrific Bears defense that went to the Super Bowl in 2006 and this year's #1 rated defense in San Diego. If the Bears hadn't gone to the playoffs, I would have most certainly have pulled for the McCaskeys to fire Lovie Smith and hire this guy. Alas! I have a feeling that Rivera will lead this Panthers team to the playoffs very soon.
- John Fox to the Broncos, on the other hand? Not so much.
- This Bears team has to go down as one of the luckiest teams in NFL history. It started in week 1 when the team beat the Lions because Calvin Johnson didn't hold onto the ball the entire time when he scored what should have been a game winning TD. Then, in week 3, they beat the Packers at home in a game where Jay Cutler could have easily been intercepted 5 times. Next, when they played the Lions later that season, they won another close game after a questionable Ndamukong Suh illegal hit play late in the 4th quarter. And then there were those constant times when they played a team that was without one of their major players, like Adrian Peterson in their week 15 game against the Vikings. And now, it happened again with the Saints and Eagles both losing this week, giving the Bears the easier game opponent in the Seahawks than the Falcons, who are playing a red hot Packers team. Somehow, I have a feeling that this will all balance itself out next year when the teams goes 6-10.
- Holy crap, was the Caldwell timeout in the final minute of the Jets game last week awful! For starters, the Jets had a first and ten with 34 seconds left, so there was no reason for the team to call their final timeout as they were never going to get the ball back. Second, it gave the Jets some extra time to think up a play that would take them in good field position to score the game winning field goal, which did happen (the Mark Sanchez 18 yard pass to Braylon Edwards followed by a Nick Folk game winning field goal). Now, I'm not saying that its the only reason why I think the Colts loss, but its stupidity shouldn't be ignored.
- The East coast media's obsession with Danny Woodhead has become the NFL version of the David Eckstein obsession among MLB writers.
- The fact that Cam Newton and Nick Fairley of Auburn left their Auburn team to play in the NFL was as shocking as finding out that Ricky Martin is gay. You saw it coming from a mile away.
-My vote for the ten best divisional playoff games of all-time:
10 (tie). 01/11/2004: Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (17-20 OT)
You know some of those plays during a football game in which the only thing you can think of once it was finished was "Did that just happened?" That's what happened to me (and I assume most of you reading this) when then Eagles QB Donovan McNabb completed an improbable first down pass to WR Freddie Mitchell on 4th and 26 late in the 4th quarter. Not only was that play fantastic, but it led to a game tying field goal by David Aikers, putting this game into overtime which the Eagles would eventually win thanks to another Aikers field goal.
10 (tie). 01/14/2007: Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears (24-27 OT)
Because I'm an apologetic homer when it comes to this picks column and I enjoy memorable games like these and memorable moments like Lance Briggs stopping Shaun Alexander on a huge 4th and 1 in the 4th quarter or Robbie Gould's game winning field in overtime to put the Bears into the 2006 NFC Championship game. Moving on...
9. 12/28/1975: Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings (17-14)
In a game that coined the turn Hail Mary and added onto the Vikings' list of gut punching playoff defeats in their franchise history, Cowboys QB Roger Staubach threw a game winning 50 yard TD pass to Drew Pearson to win the game for the Cowboys with :24 seconds remaining. After the play, many (including Vikings FS Peter Krause, who covered Pearson on the play) complained that Pearson may have committed pass interference on the play and that a flag should have been thrown. Of course, with the Vikings being the Vikings, the refs ended up letting the play go and the TD to stand. And while Cowboys players were out in the locker room celebrating, Vikings fans in the stands ended up throwing beer bottle and debris onto the field (an onto the refs) to express their discontent at the call.
8. 01/15/2006: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts (21-18)
Coming into the game, Indianapolis (the AFC's #1 seed at the time) were big favorites as they were taking on a Steelers team that were ranked #6, a spot in which no team in NFL history has gone to an AFC championship game before. The Steelers ended up playing much better than their seeding was concerned, however, outplaying Indy in almost every area of the game and leading the scoreboard 21-3 at the end of the third quarter. Indianapolis would end up coming back, however, with 15 unanswered points to cut the Steelers lead to 21-18 (including one Edgerrin James TD run following a controversial no interception call by Troy Polamalu). Then, with 1:20 to play in the 4th and the Steelers looking to put the game away with a game winning TD, running back Jerome Bettis (he's from Detroit!) fumbled the ball five yards from paydirt thanks to a Gary Brackett punch at the football. Indy's Roman Harper recovered the football and appeared to have an easy road to a TD, until Ben Roethlisberger made a terrific season saving tackle at the 42 yard line. This play proved a big factor in the outcome of the game as, later on in the game, Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt would miss a potential game tying 46 yard field goal. The Steelers would then run out the game, win that ballgame and eventually go onto win Super Bowl XL (in Detroit, Jerome Bettis's hometown!).
7. 12/21/1974: Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders (26-28)
The Oakland Raiders are to the divisional playoffs like Jon Hamm is to "Saturday Night Live." Put them in there, and its most likely going to end up being a good one. Case in point here in this wonderful classic from the 1974 season nicknamed simply the "Sea of Hands."With the Raiders down 25 seconds left in the game 26-21 and facing a Miami Dolphins squad that had previously won the last two Super Bowls, QB Kenny Stabler (a man that was part of more great divisional playoff games than one) threw a desperation pass while he was going down to his knees into the endzone with four Miami Dolphins players in the vicinity of that throw ball. Fortunately for Stabler the player whom he intended the ball to, Clarence Davis, somehow caught it for the TD and the score to put the Raiders up in the game. The Dolphins would get the ball back, but QB Bob Griese ended up throwing an INT to Phil Villapiano, and the Dolphins six game playoff streak finally came to an end.
6. 12/24/1977: Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Colts (37-31 2OT)
In our second of four matchups in this list involving the Raiders, we have a game that was not only the third longest in NFL history but also another classic Raider game with a name. Down 31-28 with under a minute to go, Ken Stabler threw a pass to tight end Dave Casper that was tremendously caught for a 42 yard pick-up in a moment that would simply be nicknamed the Ghost to the Post. This resulted in a game tying 22 yard field goal by Raiders kicker Earl Morell, sending this game into overtime. It would take more than fifteen minutes, however, to settle this one as Stabler would throw a game winning 10 yard TD pass to none other than Casper in the second overtime for the win and a spot for Oakland in the AFC Championship game.
5. 01/10/2004: Carolina Panthers vs. St. Louis Rams (29-23 2OT)
A day before the Eagles, the winner of my #10 selection, would go onto win their memorable game, their opponent in the NFC Championship game the following week, the Panthers, would go on to play a game with the St. Louis Rams that would be much more memorable, much more suspenseful and much, much longer overall. Down 23-12 late in the 4th quarter, Rams quarterback Marc Bulger would lead his team into an impressive drive, one that resulted in a Marshall Faulk 1 yard TD run/two point conversion to Dave Looker to cut the lead to 23-20. Then, on a crazy onside kick attempt, Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins ended up kicking a ball that bounced back from a Carolina Panthers receiver and into his own arms, giving the Rams possession and a chance to tie this game up or take the lead. The former would end up taking place as Wilkins would kick a game tying 22 yard field goal with :37 seconds left, sending this game into overtime and completing the exquisite eleven point comeback from the Rams.
The next hour or so would become one of the wildest, tense football action in the last fifteen years or so and one that (like the other double OT games on the list) would include many twists and turns. In the first overtime, each team had a chance to score a game winning field goal. For the Carolina Panthers, that came on their first possession with kicker John Kasey making a 40 yard field goal that was called back due to a delay of game penalty by Carolina. On Kasey's second try, he ended up missing it right. Then, came the Rams turn, but Wilkins ended up kicking a potential game winning field goal short. It wasn't until the very first play of overtime #2 that the game would finally come to an end, this time coming off a Jake Delholmme 69 yard TD pass to then rookie wideout Steve Smith. It was easily one of the best games that the NFL has had in the last decade or so, the best NFC divisional playoff game ever and one that seems to be forgotten among most football fans these days. After all, when was the last time that you remembered this game before I brought it up just now?
4. 12/25/1971: Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs (27-24 2OT)
There have been only four double overtime games total, all of which occuring in the divisional playoff (another reason why this is my favorite round of all the playoffs). None of them, however, was as long as this Christmas Day 1975 playoff showdown between the Dolphins and the Chiefs. With under two minutes left in the game, Miami QB Bob Griese threw a game tying TD to tight end Marv Flemming. The Chiefs had a chance to win the game after that, but kicker Jan Stederud missed a 36 yard field goal, sending this one into overtime. Like the Panthers-Rams game above, each team had kickers with a chance to win the game in overtime #1, but failed with Stederud missing a 42 yarder and Miami's Gary Yepremian missing a 52 yarder. It wasn't until there was only 7:40 left in the second overtime and the game's 83 minute overall that the game finally came to an end with Yepremian kicking a game winning 37 yard field goal to make the final score 27-24. It would be one of the last great games of the Hank Stram era for the Chiefs and a game in which the team wouldn't recover for another 15 years until 1986, when they finally made it to the postseason again.
3. 01/19/2002: Oakland Raiders vs. New England Patriots (13-16 OT)
There are controversial calls, and then there is the infamous Tuck Rule call which took place in this game under massive piles of snow at Foxboro Stadium back in early 2002. With 1:50 to play in the fourth quarter and the Raiders leading 13-10, Tom Brady dropped back to throw, but instead ended up losing the football after getting stripped mid-throw from Oakland linebacker Greg Biekert, and everyone assumed that it would be Raiders football with the game finished. Instead, it was controversially but correctly ruled an incomplete pass thanks to the "tuck rule" implemented by the league in 1999, and the game would keep on playing with the Patriots having possession. Brady would then lead the Patriots all the way to the Raiders 29 yard line, setting up the famous game tying field goal (one of the greatest field goals of all-time, too) by Adam Vinateri to put this game into overtime in which New England would also win thanks to another clutch field goal by Vinateri. This game is still one of the most controversial NFL games in history, and one that also sparked a three championship dynasty in New England in the years following.
2. 12/23/1972: Oakland Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-13)
Nearly thirty full years before the Tuck Rule game, another memorable NFL playoff game that also involved the Raiders and also involved a controversial yet historic moment in the league's ninety or so year history took place in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium. With the Steelers leading the game 7-6, Kenny Stabler threw a game leading 30 yard TD pass to put the Raiders up 13-7 with 1:17 remaining in regulation. Pittsburgh could only get a TD at this point, but with 22 seconds left only made it as far as their own 40 yard line. But then, one of the greatest, most improbable and most controversial plays in NFL history, one that is still talked about today and one that, thanks to Pittsburgh resident Mike Ord, is still fantastically nicknamed the Immaculate Reception (or Deception, depending on if you ask any Raiders player or fan). Steelers QB chucks the football intended to halfback John Fuqua at the Oakland 37 yard line, only to have the ball bouncing off of the body of (according to the ruling on the field) Raiders safety Jack Tatum, which deflected into the hands of Steelers running back Franco Harris, which resulted in him scoring on the same play for a game winning touchdown to eventually put the team up 13-7. Like my #3 pick, it was too met with controversy (many people believe that the ball deflected from Fuqua's body, which would have made Harris's catch illegal, and would do so through Zapruder film type analyzing) and one that would result in a 1970s dynasty in the Steel City that would bring the team four Super Bowl rings in seven seasons. The Immaculate Reception is also arguably the greatest play in NFL history, which is a big reason why I have this relatively boring game (at least for the game's first 55 minutes or so) this high on the list.
1. 01/02/1982: San Diego Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins (41-38 OT)
What a back and forth game this was! In unbearable 80 percent humidity night in the Orange Bowl at game time, the Dolphins and the Chargers played a game that Bryant Gumbel would call a game that, if you didn't like, then you didn't like football period. The Chargers opened the game up with a 24-0 first quarter, but then Miami would respond with an epic 38-7 run through the next three quarters to put the team up 38-31 just after the start of the 4th quarter. But then, in the game's final four minutes (following a fumble recovery by Chargers safety Pete Shaw), San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts led a game-tying offensive drive that would finish with a nine yard TD pass to James Brooks to tie the game at 38 apiece. The game would then go into overtime, when then Chargers kicker Rolf Benirschke kciked a game winning 27 yard field goal to win the "Epic in Miami" for San Diego. Nearly thirty years later, the game is still remembered in NFL lore today thanks to many things (the game conditions, Miami's comeback that wasn't, the two missed field goals in overtime before Benirschke's game winner, the combined 79 points and 1,036 yardsby both teams), but none have been more memorable than the performance of Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow Sr., who despite suffering from cramps for most of the game, had an NFL record 13 catches for 166 yards and a TD catch while also blocking a big field goal attempt late in the game and ending the game with his teammates famously carrying him to the locker room.
So, that's going to do it for this week's games. Be sure to come back same time next week as I will give my picks for both the week's conference championship games. Until then, enjoy this fine slate of football games, everyone!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any thoughts on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions/tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
Playoff records:
mj50: 2-2
mj15 1-3
Overall records:
mj15: 170-106
mj50: 152-124
And now, just like last week, here are some random NFL-related thoughts to fill out the rest of this post:
-The Baltimore Ravens: making every one of their playoff games boring since 2000
- Very smart move by the Carolina Panthers signing Ron Rivera. The man has been a terrific defensive coordinator everywhere that he's been. He was the defensive coordinator of the terrific Bears defense that went to the Super Bowl in 2006 and this year's #1 rated defense in San Diego. If the Bears hadn't gone to the playoffs, I would have most certainly have pulled for the McCaskeys to fire Lovie Smith and hire this guy. Alas! I have a feeling that Rivera will lead this Panthers team to the playoffs very soon.
- John Fox to the Broncos, on the other hand? Not so much.
- This Bears team has to go down as one of the luckiest teams in NFL history. It started in week 1 when the team beat the Lions because Calvin Johnson didn't hold onto the ball the entire time when he scored what should have been a game winning TD. Then, in week 3, they beat the Packers at home in a game where Jay Cutler could have easily been intercepted 5 times. Next, when they played the Lions later that season, they won another close game after a questionable Ndamukong Suh illegal hit play late in the 4th quarter. And then there were those constant times when they played a team that was without one of their major players, like Adrian Peterson in their week 15 game against the Vikings. And now, it happened again with the Saints and Eagles both losing this week, giving the Bears the easier game opponent in the Seahawks than the Falcons, who are playing a red hot Packers team. Somehow, I have a feeling that this will all balance itself out next year when the teams goes 6-10.
- Holy crap, was the Caldwell timeout in the final minute of the Jets game last week awful! For starters, the Jets had a first and ten with 34 seconds left, so there was no reason for the team to call their final timeout as they were never going to get the ball back. Second, it gave the Jets some extra time to think up a play that would take them in good field position to score the game winning field goal, which did happen (the Mark Sanchez 18 yard pass to Braylon Edwards followed by a Nick Folk game winning field goal). Now, I'm not saying that its the only reason why I think the Colts loss, but its stupidity shouldn't be ignored.
- The East coast media's obsession with Danny Woodhead has become the NFL version of the David Eckstein obsession among MLB writers.
- The fact that Cam Newton and Nick Fairley of Auburn left their Auburn team to play in the NFL was as shocking as finding out that Ricky Martin is gay. You saw it coming from a mile away.
-My vote for the ten best divisional playoff games of all-time:
10 (tie). 01/11/2004: Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (17-20 OT)
You know some of those plays during a football game in which the only thing you can think of once it was finished was "Did that just happened?" That's what happened to me (and I assume most of you reading this) when then Eagles QB Donovan McNabb completed an improbable first down pass to WR Freddie Mitchell on 4th and 26 late in the 4th quarter. Not only was that play fantastic, but it led to a game tying field goal by David Aikers, putting this game into overtime which the Eagles would eventually win thanks to another Aikers field goal.
10 (tie). 01/14/2007: Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears (24-27 OT)
Because I'm an apologetic homer when it comes to this picks column and I enjoy memorable games like these and memorable moments like Lance Briggs stopping Shaun Alexander on a huge 4th and 1 in the 4th quarter or Robbie Gould's game winning field in overtime to put the Bears into the 2006 NFC Championship game. Moving on...
9. 12/28/1975: Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings (17-14)
In a game that coined the turn Hail Mary and added onto the Vikings' list of gut punching playoff defeats in their franchise history, Cowboys QB Roger Staubach threw a game winning 50 yard TD pass to Drew Pearson to win the game for the Cowboys with :24 seconds remaining. After the play, many (including Vikings FS Peter Krause, who covered Pearson on the play) complained that Pearson may have committed pass interference on the play and that a flag should have been thrown. Of course, with the Vikings being the Vikings, the refs ended up letting the play go and the TD to stand. And while Cowboys players were out in the locker room celebrating, Vikings fans in the stands ended up throwing beer bottle and debris onto the field (an onto the refs) to express their discontent at the call.
8. 01/15/2006: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts (21-18)
Coming into the game, Indianapolis (the AFC's #1 seed at the time) were big favorites as they were taking on a Steelers team that were ranked #6, a spot in which no team in NFL history has gone to an AFC championship game before. The Steelers ended up playing much better than their seeding was concerned, however, outplaying Indy in almost every area of the game and leading the scoreboard 21-3 at the end of the third quarter. Indianapolis would end up coming back, however, with 15 unanswered points to cut the Steelers lead to 21-18 (including one Edgerrin James TD run following a controversial no interception call by Troy Polamalu). Then, with 1:20 to play in the 4th and the Steelers looking to put the game away with a game winning TD, running back Jerome Bettis (he's from Detroit!) fumbled the ball five yards from paydirt thanks to a Gary Brackett punch at the football. Indy's Roman Harper recovered the football and appeared to have an easy road to a TD, until Ben Roethlisberger made a terrific season saving tackle at the 42 yard line. This play proved a big factor in the outcome of the game as, later on in the game, Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt would miss a potential game tying 46 yard field goal. The Steelers would then run out the game, win that ballgame and eventually go onto win Super Bowl XL (in Detroit, Jerome Bettis's hometown!).
7. 12/21/1974: Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders (26-28)
The Oakland Raiders are to the divisional playoffs like Jon Hamm is to "Saturday Night Live." Put them in there, and its most likely going to end up being a good one. Case in point here in this wonderful classic from the 1974 season nicknamed simply the "Sea of Hands."With the Raiders down 25 seconds left in the game 26-21 and facing a Miami Dolphins squad that had previously won the last two Super Bowls, QB Kenny Stabler (a man that was part of more great divisional playoff games than one) threw a desperation pass while he was going down to his knees into the endzone with four Miami Dolphins players in the vicinity of that throw ball. Fortunately for Stabler the player whom he intended the ball to, Clarence Davis, somehow caught it for the TD and the score to put the Raiders up in the game. The Dolphins would get the ball back, but QB Bob Griese ended up throwing an INT to Phil Villapiano, and the Dolphins six game playoff streak finally came to an end.
6. 12/24/1977: Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Colts (37-31 2OT)
In our second of four matchups in this list involving the Raiders, we have a game that was not only the third longest in NFL history but also another classic Raider game with a name. Down 31-28 with under a minute to go, Ken Stabler threw a pass to tight end Dave Casper that was tremendously caught for a 42 yard pick-up in a moment that would simply be nicknamed the Ghost to the Post. This resulted in a game tying 22 yard field goal by Raiders kicker Earl Morell, sending this game into overtime. It would take more than fifteen minutes, however, to settle this one as Stabler would throw a game winning 10 yard TD pass to none other than Casper in the second overtime for the win and a spot for Oakland in the AFC Championship game.
5. 01/10/2004: Carolina Panthers vs. St. Louis Rams (29-23 2OT)
A day before the Eagles, the winner of my #10 selection, would go onto win their memorable game, their opponent in the NFC Championship game the following week, the Panthers, would go on to play a game with the St. Louis Rams that would be much more memorable, much more suspenseful and much, much longer overall. Down 23-12 late in the 4th quarter, Rams quarterback Marc Bulger would lead his team into an impressive drive, one that resulted in a Marshall Faulk 1 yard TD run/two point conversion to Dave Looker to cut the lead to 23-20. Then, on a crazy onside kick attempt, Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins ended up kicking a ball that bounced back from a Carolina Panthers receiver and into his own arms, giving the Rams possession and a chance to tie this game up or take the lead. The former would end up taking place as Wilkins would kick a game tying 22 yard field goal with :37 seconds left, sending this game into overtime and completing the exquisite eleven point comeback from the Rams.
The next hour or so would become one of the wildest, tense football action in the last fifteen years or so and one that (like the other double OT games on the list) would include many twists and turns. In the first overtime, each team had a chance to score a game winning field goal. For the Carolina Panthers, that came on their first possession with kicker John Kasey making a 40 yard field goal that was called back due to a delay of game penalty by Carolina. On Kasey's second try, he ended up missing it right. Then, came the Rams turn, but Wilkins ended up kicking a potential game winning field goal short. It wasn't until the very first play of overtime #2 that the game would finally come to an end, this time coming off a Jake Delholmme 69 yard TD pass to then rookie wideout Steve Smith. It was easily one of the best games that the NFL has had in the last decade or so, the best NFC divisional playoff game ever and one that seems to be forgotten among most football fans these days. After all, when was the last time that you remembered this game before I brought it up just now?
4. 12/25/1971: Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs (27-24 2OT)
There have been only four double overtime games total, all of which occuring in the divisional playoff (another reason why this is my favorite round of all the playoffs). None of them, however, was as long as this Christmas Day 1975 playoff showdown between the Dolphins and the Chiefs. With under two minutes left in the game, Miami QB Bob Griese threw a game tying TD to tight end Marv Flemming. The Chiefs had a chance to win the game after that, but kicker Jan Stederud missed a 36 yard field goal, sending this one into overtime. Like the Panthers-Rams game above, each team had kickers with a chance to win the game in overtime #1, but failed with Stederud missing a 42 yarder and Miami's Gary Yepremian missing a 52 yarder. It wasn't until there was only 7:40 left in the second overtime and the game's 83 minute overall that the game finally came to an end with Yepremian kicking a game winning 37 yard field goal to make the final score 27-24. It would be one of the last great games of the Hank Stram era for the Chiefs and a game in which the team wouldn't recover for another 15 years until 1986, when they finally made it to the postseason again.
3. 01/19/2002: Oakland Raiders vs. New England Patriots (13-16 OT)
There are controversial calls, and then there is the infamous Tuck Rule call which took place in this game under massive piles of snow at Foxboro Stadium back in early 2002. With 1:50 to play in the fourth quarter and the Raiders leading 13-10, Tom Brady dropped back to throw, but instead ended up losing the football after getting stripped mid-throw from Oakland linebacker Greg Biekert, and everyone assumed that it would be Raiders football with the game finished. Instead, it was controversially but correctly ruled an incomplete pass thanks to the "tuck rule" implemented by the league in 1999, and the game would keep on playing with the Patriots having possession. Brady would then lead the Patriots all the way to the Raiders 29 yard line, setting up the famous game tying field goal (one of the greatest field goals of all-time, too) by Adam Vinateri to put this game into overtime in which New England would also win thanks to another clutch field goal by Vinateri. This game is still one of the most controversial NFL games in history, and one that also sparked a three championship dynasty in New England in the years following.
2. 12/23/1972: Oakland Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-13)
Nearly thirty full years before the Tuck Rule game, another memorable NFL playoff game that also involved the Raiders and also involved a controversial yet historic moment in the league's ninety or so year history took place in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium. With the Steelers leading the game 7-6, Kenny Stabler threw a game leading 30 yard TD pass to put the Raiders up 13-7 with 1:17 remaining in regulation. Pittsburgh could only get a TD at this point, but with 22 seconds left only made it as far as their own 40 yard line. But then, one of the greatest, most improbable and most controversial plays in NFL history, one that is still talked about today and one that, thanks to Pittsburgh resident Mike Ord, is still fantastically nicknamed the Immaculate Reception (or Deception, depending on if you ask any Raiders player or fan). Steelers QB chucks the football intended to halfback John Fuqua at the Oakland 37 yard line, only to have the ball bouncing off of the body of (according to the ruling on the field) Raiders safety Jack Tatum, which deflected into the hands of Steelers running back Franco Harris, which resulted in him scoring on the same play for a game winning touchdown to eventually put the team up 13-7. Like my #3 pick, it was too met with controversy (many people believe that the ball deflected from Fuqua's body, which would have made Harris's catch illegal, and would do so through Zapruder film type analyzing) and one that would result in a 1970s dynasty in the Steel City that would bring the team four Super Bowl rings in seven seasons. The Immaculate Reception is also arguably the greatest play in NFL history, which is a big reason why I have this relatively boring game (at least for the game's first 55 minutes or so) this high on the list.
1. 01/02/1982: San Diego Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins (41-38 OT)
What a back and forth game this was! In unbearable 80 percent humidity night in the Orange Bowl at game time, the Dolphins and the Chargers played a game that Bryant Gumbel would call a game that, if you didn't like, then you didn't like football period. The Chargers opened the game up with a 24-0 first quarter, but then Miami would respond with an epic 38-7 run through the next three quarters to put the team up 38-31 just after the start of the 4th quarter. But then, in the game's final four minutes (following a fumble recovery by Chargers safety Pete Shaw), San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts led a game-tying offensive drive that would finish with a nine yard TD pass to James Brooks to tie the game at 38 apiece. The game would then go into overtime, when then Chargers kicker Rolf Benirschke kciked a game winning 27 yard field goal to win the "Epic in Miami" for San Diego. Nearly thirty years later, the game is still remembered in NFL lore today thanks to many things (the game conditions, Miami's comeback that wasn't, the two missed field goals in overtime before Benirschke's game winner, the combined 79 points and 1,036 yardsby both teams), but none have been more memorable than the performance of Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow Sr., who despite suffering from cramps for most of the game, had an NFL record 13 catches for 166 yards and a TD catch while also blocking a big field goal attempt late in the game and ending the game with his teammates famously carrying him to the locker room.
So, that's going to do it for this week's games. Be sure to come back same time next week as I will give my picks for both the week's conference championship games. Until then, enjoy this fine slate of football games, everyone!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any thoughts on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions/tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
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