Three Weeks to Go: The March to Post Season Play
For Ravens fans, this weekend’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers is as hot as a Baltimore sports contest can get. First, since the Ravens came to Baltimore, their most clearly defined rivalry has been the Steelers. They are the prime contender in the AFC North. Second, Sunday’s game could be decisive for each team’s January prospects. If the Steelers win visiting Tennessee who have already clinched a playoff berth and are close to locking down home field advantage through out then take care of the Cleveland Browns at home, pretty much no contest, the Steelers will not only secure the 2nd seed, a first round bye, but could take the number one seed if Tennessee loses to Indianapolis for the last game of the year. After facing Pittsburgh, Baltimore travels to Dallas who could be fighting for their season next week and then hosts Jacksonville, a floundering team that still has the teeth to bite back. Having lost to Tennessee earlier, were Tennessee to lose two out of three of its last games given they are playing Pittsburgh and Indy, the Ravens best hope is the 2nd seed since in head-to-head they have lost to the Titans.
The Ravens have more at stake since if the Steelers win, they’ve clinched the division and clinch the second seed, first round bye. A Ravens loss would throw them in the pool with the AFC East contenders. Three teams at 8-5 with the Jets having the tie-breakers right now to claim first place. The Ravens need to maintain an edge over two of these three teams, and they are in as a wild card. Of those contenders, New England visits Oakland, hosts Arizona, then visits the fading Buffalo/Toronto Bills. New England should run the table. The Miami Dolphins play their last home game against San Francisco on Sunday before travelling to Kansas City then face a game that could determine the AFC East’s outcome, visiting the New York Jets. Miami should win their next two games, but San Francisco is showing a little more life recently under Mike Singletary’s rule. Finally, the New York Brets (Ooops, Jets), host Buffalo and visit Seattle before their decisive match against Miami. Sizing up the Eastern Division, New England will finish at 11-5 as will the winner of the Jets/Dolphins contest. The Jets win three, they’re the division winner. The Ravens cannot get caught up in a struggle with the AFC East second place team. All this assumes the Indianapolis Colts win their last three games. Given the Colts host the Lions and visit Jacksonville before hosting Tennessee who could be in resting mode by their final game.
The Ravens clearly have the toughest road of all the AFC playoff contenders but only losing would knock them out of the playoffs. They played the Steelers well in Pittsburgh only a couple third quarter miscues away from victory. The team has matured substantially since then plus will benefit from the hometown support. Dallas is capable of being as tough as any foe in the NFL especially at home. Their reputation is one of being unable to win in December. Still, nothing will be easy about this game. Can this young, growing team conquer their more experienced (though not necessarily tougher) foes?
The NFC has two playoff spots spoken for with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals clinching their divisions, the East and the West accordingly. Minnesota has a one game edge over Chicago in the North and Carolina holds the game edge over Tampa Bay in the South. Do you want to pick a wild card? The Tampa Bay Bucs have a 9-4 record. That’s the easy part, but for the second seed, the field is huge. Dallas and Atlanta sit at 8-5. Philadelphia with that tie against Cincinnati stands at 7-5-1. Chicago, New Orleans and Washington all have 7-6 recorded with an outside shot. For those who see the Cowboys as the best shot for the final spot – they still face the Giants and Baltimore at home and travel to Philadelphia. All three teams have murderous defenses and for all the offensive tricks Dallas has, they can also be rattled by tough defense.
Atlanta can improve its standing this Sunday visiting Tampa Bay. They conclude at home against San Diego then Oakland and how well have west coast teams done coming east this year? It looks like Atlanta has the edge over Dallas for the second Wild Card.
Though it won’t feel like it if the following teams don’t make it to the playoffs, the 2009 series is a huge success for the New York Jets, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Miami. The Ravens had the best record at 5-11, but that mark masked how the team was completely dissolving at the end of the season best shown by the final minutes of their loss against New England, but the Ravens went into the 2006 post season, just a year earlier as a strong shot to win the Super Bowl only to collapse against the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs. The Jets looked like a franchise going nowhere at 4-12. However, down south in Atlanta and Miami, the story was much darker. Atlanta may have finished at 4-12, but they were mired in the shadow of Michael Vick’s evil crimes further complicated by their coach, Bobby Petrino bolted after thirteen games to accept the head coach job at Arkansas. Topping that, Miami was en route to an 0-16 season were it not for a win against the Ravens at the low point of their unraveling.
In 2008, Baltimore has already clinched a winning record. The remaining teams need win one more game to do the same. The Ravens and Falcons share the distinction of being successful with both a rookie head coach and quarterback. The Jets benefit from the indestructible, Brett Favre at Quarterback. Miami enjoys the biggest turnaround of all. Could Bill Parcells move into the front office have something to do with that? Ironically, part of their success surely belongs to Quarterback Chad Pennington who was the odd man out with Favre’s arrival at New York.
Who are the strongest teams right now? How about the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants? It’s too soon to start hyping a brother against brother, Payton versus Eli Manning Super Bowl, but Archie’s finest dream could be a reality.
New Orleans at Chicago (-3)
Both teams are fighting for their post season life. Chicago still has a division championship in sight. This game belongs to “dah Bears.”
Washington (-6.5) at Cincinnati
The Bengals are destined for another ass whoopin’. ‘Nuff said.
Tampa Bay at Atlanta (-3)
Oh Atlanta!!! This game is a virtual draw. We like Atlanta.
Tennessee (-3) at Houston
The former Houston team looking proud and pretty visits their old home and will have nice steak dinners and a big win.
Detroit and Indianapolis (-17)
The auto industry isn’t the only institution in Detroit that sucks these days. Why shouldn’t Payton Manning have some fun running up the score? Here’s a blow out unless the Colts play nice.
Seattle (-3) at St. Louis
Two teams going nowhere, but we’ll give St. Louis the slight edge.
Green Bay (-2) at Jacksonville
Two teams that were supposed to be in the playoff picture this year are trying to rescue something from miserable seasons. Green Bay, being the more complete team, will win.
San Diego (-5) at Kansas City
Surely a lot of the Bolts are playing for their jobs. It’s hard to imagine Norv Turner returning next year after one of the strongest teams in the AFC has become a mediocre mess in 2008.
San Francisco at Miami (-6.5)
Though San Francisco is showing some late season life, Miami has much more to play for in this contest in front of their home fans. The Big Tuna’s Fish win.
Buffalo at New York Jets (-7)
It wasn’t that long ago, the Buffalo/Toronto Bills were one of the real surprise teams with many talking playoffs for the Niagara Falls area’s guys. Once the leaves started to fall and Lake Erie started to chill, so did the Bills. They’ve been terrible in the second half of the year. Meanwhile, the Jets don’t win pretty, but despite some stupid losses, they’re atop the AFC East poised to win this divisional conflict.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (-2)
Baltimore hosts this week’s hottest conflict. The AFC North’s championship is on the line. Ray Lewis, Ed Reeve, and the rest of the Ravens’ defense is ready to rattle Big Ben and the boys. Go for Baltimore in this brawl.
Denver at Carolina (-7.5)
Denver has essentially clinched the NFL West not for their prowess but their competitors’ ineptness. Given Kansas City and Oakland play in their division, how can they not look good? This fortune is furthered by San Diego’s collapse. Carolina is the least publicized Division leader this year. Carolina will do their best to make the Elway days a distant memory.
Minnesota at Arizona (-3)
Minnesota needs this game but travelling to Arizona, already in the playoffs, the Vikings will come up short looking for a much needed win to stay ahead of “dah Bears.”
New England (-7) at Oakland
It will take the Patriots greater patience and fortitude putting up with the Raiders’ Nation freak show than the team they’ll line up against. Oakland seems to have already mailed in this season.
New York Giants at Dallas (-3)
If you’re an NFC fan, maybe this game tops the Baltimore/Pittsburgh conflict for the game of the week. Dallas needs this win badly to stay in the playoff hunt. Meanwhile, the Giants will be well motivated to put the Plaxico Burris episode behind them with a convincing win. The Giants will outlast the Cowboys.
Cleveland at Philadelphia (-14)
After both teams were slaughtered by the Ravens a few weeks ago, both teams looked like they were finished for the season, torn apart, humiliated, and looking for the trainer’s room. Quarterbacks were benched and coaches futures looked finished. Since then, the Eagles have bounced back while things have gotten uglier in Cleveland. Brady Quinn was brought in to rescue the Browns but quickly got hurt, out for the season, yielding the Quarterback’s job back to Derek Anderson. To help motivate Anderson, coach Romeo Crannell assured the media, Brady Quinn would be the QB in 2009. Distraught, Anderson then sustained a season ending injury leaving the Browns to be led by their third string dude. Remember the Browns were the pretty boys in September destined to win big in ’08. Who could be honest and not acknowledge that the Browns suck. They’re a terrible team getting worse. They more closely resemble the Bengals than the Ravens or Steelers, and could be a “Toilet Bowl” contender next year without serious changes in the off-season. Their trip to Philadelphia will be pure torture.
For Ravens fans, this weekend’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers is as hot as a Baltimore sports contest can get. First, since the Ravens came to Baltimore, their most clearly defined rivalry has been the Steelers. They are the prime contender in the AFC North. Second, Sunday’s game could be decisive for each team’s January prospects. If the Steelers win visiting Tennessee who have already clinched a playoff berth and are close to locking down home field advantage through out then take care of the Cleveland Browns at home, pretty much no contest, the Steelers will not only secure the 2nd seed, a first round bye, but could take the number one seed if Tennessee loses to Indianapolis for the last game of the year. After facing Pittsburgh, Baltimore travels to Dallas who could be fighting for their season next week and then hosts Jacksonville, a floundering team that still has the teeth to bite back. Having lost to Tennessee earlier, were Tennessee to lose two out of three of its last games given they are playing Pittsburgh and Indy, the Ravens best hope is the 2nd seed since in head-to-head they have lost to the Titans.
The Ravens have more at stake since if the Steelers win, they’ve clinched the division and clinch the second seed, first round bye. A Ravens loss would throw them in the pool with the AFC East contenders. Three teams at 8-5 with the Jets having the tie-breakers right now to claim first place. The Ravens need to maintain an edge over two of these three teams, and they are in as a wild card. Of those contenders, New England visits Oakland, hosts Arizona, then visits the fading Buffalo/Toronto Bills. New England should run the table. The Miami Dolphins play their last home game against San Francisco on Sunday before travelling to Kansas City then face a game that could determine the AFC East’s outcome, visiting the New York Jets. Miami should win their next two games, but San Francisco is showing a little more life recently under Mike Singletary’s rule. Finally, the New York Brets (Ooops, Jets), host Buffalo and visit Seattle before their decisive match against Miami. Sizing up the Eastern Division, New England will finish at 11-5 as will the winner of the Jets/Dolphins contest. The Jets win three, they’re the division winner. The Ravens cannot get caught up in a struggle with the AFC East second place team. All this assumes the Indianapolis Colts win their last three games. Given the Colts host the Lions and visit Jacksonville before hosting Tennessee who could be in resting mode by their final game.
The Ravens clearly have the toughest road of all the AFC playoff contenders but only losing would knock them out of the playoffs. They played the Steelers well in Pittsburgh only a couple third quarter miscues away from victory. The team has matured substantially since then plus will benefit from the hometown support. Dallas is capable of being as tough as any foe in the NFL especially at home. Their reputation is one of being unable to win in December. Still, nothing will be easy about this game. Can this young, growing team conquer their more experienced (though not necessarily tougher) foes?
The NFC has two playoff spots spoken for with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals clinching their divisions, the East and the West accordingly. Minnesota has a one game edge over Chicago in the North and Carolina holds the game edge over Tampa Bay in the South. Do you want to pick a wild card? The Tampa Bay Bucs have a 9-4 record. That’s the easy part, but for the second seed, the field is huge. Dallas and Atlanta sit at 8-5. Philadelphia with that tie against Cincinnati stands at 7-5-1. Chicago, New Orleans and Washington all have 7-6 recorded with an outside shot. For those who see the Cowboys as the best shot for the final spot – they still face the Giants and Baltimore at home and travel to Philadelphia. All three teams have murderous defenses and for all the offensive tricks Dallas has, they can also be rattled by tough defense.
Atlanta can improve its standing this Sunday visiting Tampa Bay. They conclude at home against San Diego then Oakland and how well have west coast teams done coming east this year? It looks like Atlanta has the edge over Dallas for the second Wild Card.
Though it won’t feel like it if the following teams don’t make it to the playoffs, the 2009 series is a huge success for the New York Jets, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Miami. The Ravens had the best record at 5-11, but that mark masked how the team was completely dissolving at the end of the season best shown by the final minutes of their loss against New England, but the Ravens went into the 2006 post season, just a year earlier as a strong shot to win the Super Bowl only to collapse against the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs. The Jets looked like a franchise going nowhere at 4-12. However, down south in Atlanta and Miami, the story was much darker. Atlanta may have finished at 4-12, but they were mired in the shadow of Michael Vick’s evil crimes further complicated by their coach, Bobby Petrino bolted after thirteen games to accept the head coach job at Arkansas. Topping that, Miami was en route to an 0-16 season were it not for a win against the Ravens at the low point of their unraveling.
In 2008, Baltimore has already clinched a winning record. The remaining teams need win one more game to do the same. The Ravens and Falcons share the distinction of being successful with both a rookie head coach and quarterback. The Jets benefit from the indestructible, Brett Favre at Quarterback. Miami enjoys the biggest turnaround of all. Could Bill Parcells move into the front office have something to do with that? Ironically, part of their success surely belongs to Quarterback Chad Pennington who was the odd man out with Favre’s arrival at New York.
Who are the strongest teams right now? How about the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants? It’s too soon to start hyping a brother against brother, Payton versus Eli Manning Super Bowl, but Archie’s finest dream could be a reality.
New Orleans at Chicago (-3)
Both teams are fighting for their post season life. Chicago still has a division championship in sight. This game belongs to “dah Bears.”
Washington (-6.5) at Cincinnati
The Bengals are destined for another ass whoopin’. ‘Nuff said.
Tampa Bay at Atlanta (-3)
Oh Atlanta!!! This game is a virtual draw. We like Atlanta.
Tennessee (-3) at Houston
The former Houston team looking proud and pretty visits their old home and will have nice steak dinners and a big win.
Detroit and Indianapolis (-17)
The auto industry isn’t the only institution in Detroit that sucks these days. Why shouldn’t Payton Manning have some fun running up the score? Here’s a blow out unless the Colts play nice.
Seattle (-3) at St. Louis
Two teams going nowhere, but we’ll give St. Louis the slight edge.
Green Bay (-2) at Jacksonville
Two teams that were supposed to be in the playoff picture this year are trying to rescue something from miserable seasons. Green Bay, being the more complete team, will win.
San Diego (-5) at Kansas City
Surely a lot of the Bolts are playing for their jobs. It’s hard to imagine Norv Turner returning next year after one of the strongest teams in the AFC has become a mediocre mess in 2008.
San Francisco at Miami (-6.5)
Though San Francisco is showing some late season life, Miami has much more to play for in this contest in front of their home fans. The Big Tuna’s Fish win.
Buffalo at New York Jets (-7)
It wasn’t that long ago, the Buffalo/Toronto Bills were one of the real surprise teams with many talking playoffs for the Niagara Falls area’s guys. Once the leaves started to fall and Lake Erie started to chill, so did the Bills. They’ve been terrible in the second half of the year. Meanwhile, the Jets don’t win pretty, but despite some stupid losses, they’re atop the AFC East poised to win this divisional conflict.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (-2)
Baltimore hosts this week’s hottest conflict. The AFC North’s championship is on the line. Ray Lewis, Ed Reeve, and the rest of the Ravens’ defense is ready to rattle Big Ben and the boys. Go for Baltimore in this brawl.
Denver at Carolina (-7.5)
Denver has essentially clinched the NFL West not for their prowess but their competitors’ ineptness. Given Kansas City and Oakland play in their division, how can they not look good? This fortune is furthered by San Diego’s collapse. Carolina is the least publicized Division leader this year. Carolina will do their best to make the Elway days a distant memory.
Minnesota at Arizona (-3)
Minnesota needs this game but travelling to Arizona, already in the playoffs, the Vikings will come up short looking for a much needed win to stay ahead of “dah Bears.”
New England (-7) at Oakland
It will take the Patriots greater patience and fortitude putting up with the Raiders’ Nation freak show than the team they’ll line up against. Oakland seems to have already mailed in this season.
New York Giants at Dallas (-3)
If you’re an NFC fan, maybe this game tops the Baltimore/Pittsburgh conflict for the game of the week. Dallas needs this win badly to stay in the playoff hunt. Meanwhile, the Giants will be well motivated to put the Plaxico Burris episode behind them with a convincing win. The Giants will outlast the Cowboys.
Cleveland at Philadelphia (-14)
After both teams were slaughtered by the Ravens a few weeks ago, both teams looked like they were finished for the season, torn apart, humiliated, and looking for the trainer’s room. Quarterbacks were benched and coaches futures looked finished. Since then, the Eagles have bounced back while things have gotten uglier in Cleveland. Brady Quinn was brought in to rescue the Browns but quickly got hurt, out for the season, yielding the Quarterback’s job back to Derek Anderson. To help motivate Anderson, coach Romeo Crannell assured the media, Brady Quinn would be the QB in 2009. Distraught, Anderson then sustained a season ending injury leaving the Browns to be led by their third string dude. Remember the Browns were the pretty boys in September destined to win big in ’08. Who could be honest and not acknowledge that the Browns suck. They’re a terrible team getting worse. They more closely resemble the Bengals than the Ravens or Steelers, and could be a “Toilet Bowl” contender next year without serious changes in the off-season. Their trip to Philadelphia will be pure torture.
1 comment:
Great blog! Check out mine sometime ;-)
**********************************
http://nfl-merchandise.blogspot.com/
**********************************
Post a Comment