Indianapolis Colts 9-24 Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens picked up a win over the Indianapolis Colts in Ray Lewis' last game at M & T Bank Stadium, to set up a divisional round trip to Denver. The first half was extremely tight but the Ravens got there in the head with a strong second half showing.
Indianapolis had their chances but they were unable to take them and Andrew Luck was let down by his receivers who struggled all day. The Colts dominated the time of possession but the big difference was that they went 0-3 in the red zone compared to the Ravens who went 3-5. If the Colts had converted at least two of those it would have made the game a bit more interesting for the neutral. It wasn't to be however and instead the Colts will now reflect on an emotional year where the team's personnel was completely turned over and they also went through the emotional roller coaster that surrounded Coach Pagano's battle with leukemia.
Andrew Luck ended the game with 28 completions from 54 pass attempts for 288 yards and an interception. I know his receivers weren't great but I am starting to think people might be over rating him. He has hovered around that completion rate of just over 50% all year. To throw for over 4000 yards was a great achievement for him but when you consider he threw the ball 627 times and had a pass completion percentage that was worse than Mark Sanchez, he suddenly doesn't look as good as people seem to think. One thing I will give him credit for is his play after the interception. He chased Cary Williams right down the field and made the tackle to stop a certain touchdown. Most quarterbacks would have let the ball get to the end zone instead of making the tackle. Reggie Wayne was the leading receiver again, catching 9 passes for 114 yards. Vick Ballard had another good day on the ground, running for 91 yards from 22 carries.
Joe Flacco's completion percentage could have been better (52%) but other than that his numbers were solid. He completed 12 of 23 passes for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns. His best receiver was Anquan Boldin who had an excellent game. Boldin caught 5 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens also done a lot of damage on the ground. They totaled 172 yards on the ground and it was Bernard Pierce who done the bulk of the damage. Pierce ran for 103 yards from just 13 carries. He was assisted by Ray Rice who had a good game, rushing for 70 yards from 15 carries.
The Ravens will now face the NFL's in form team when they travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. It will be a big ask for the Ravens who lost at home to the Broncos in week 15. A win would certainly not be beyond them but it would take every man on the roster performing to the maximum of their potential. Either way one of two great veterans will be heading to the AFC Championship game but the question is, will it be Ray Lewis or Peyton Manning?
Colts Offensive Star : Reggie Wayne - The veteran receiver caught 9 passes for 114 yards to end what was a very good year for him.
Colts Defensive Star : Antoine Bethea - The safety made 10 tackles in what was a bad day for the Colts defense.
Ravens Offensive Star : Anquan Boldin - Boldin made 5 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown which was a good return but when you watch the catches a time or two, some of them really were outstanding.
Ravens Defensive Star : Paul Kruger - It was between Kruger and Lewis who both had good days but for me Kruger was the difference. He made 4 tackles but it was the problems he gave Andrew Luck that got him the nod. He picked up 2.5 sacks and also had 5 hits on the quarterback. If he can do that in Denver, then the Ravens have a chance.
Seattle Seahawks 24-14 Washington Redskins
The Seahawks picked up a big win in Washington to keep their Superbowl hopes alive. They got off to the worst possible start, going 14-0 behind by the end of the first quarter. Things weren't looking good for the Seahawks at that stage but they got themselves back into it with a strong second quarter and then secured the win in the fourth.
It's easy to say with hindsight but Redskins head coach, Mike Shanahan had an absolute nightmare. Quarterback, Robert Griffin III, took a knock in the drive that put the Redskins 14-0 up. As time went on it became clear that the injury was serious and it was effecting his performance. Shanahan didn't seem to care and left Griffin in the game. In the end, Griffin's knee finally gave in and seemed to go from underneath him. The result was RG3's knee having to be completely rebuilt. Shanahan said that Griffin told him he wanted to play. As a coach, does he just let anyone who wants to play, play? If Kirk Cousins came to him and said I want to play, does he do it? Of course he doesn't. He is there to make these decisions on behalf of the Washington Redskins and he didn't do it on Sunday night. He let Griffin down, the other players down and the future of the Washington Redskins down. A blind man could see that Griffin was hurt and was performing below his usual standards but Shanahan seems more concerned about winning now than the long term future of the franchise.
RG3 ended the game with 84 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. He also managed 21 yards on the ground. Alfred Morris was the lead rusher, picking up 80 yards from his 16 carries. The leading receiver was Pierre Garcon with 4 catches for 50 yards. The Redskins will have a long off season now to think about what might have been and most of the questions will be about RG3's future. This is his second serious knee injury and my initial thoughts are that he most likely won't be the same again.
Seattle done well after the first quarter and their offense and defense were completely dominant. Russell Wilson had a solid game completing 15 of 26 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 67 yards from 8 carries. Seattle's receivers were led by Zach Miller who caught 4 passes for 48 yards. Marshawn Lynch had another great game, rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown from just 20 carries.
The win for Seattle sees them travel to Atlanta to take on the NFC's number one seed, the Atlanta Falcons. If Seattle turn up and play like they did in the first quarter, the Falcons will finish them off and their season will be over. If it's the Seattle who finished the game, they might just hand Matt Ryan yet another playoff defeat. The defense looked scary good after their first quarter blip and Matt Ryan is prone to the odd multiple interception game and if it's going to happen, it will happen against a defense that is as aggressive as the Seahawks.
Seahawks Offensive Star : Marshawn Lynch - Lynch had another big day rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown at 6.6 yards per carry. In this form Lynch can be a danger to any defense.
Seahawks Defensive Star : Bobby Wagner - The linebacker made 9 tackles including one for a loss in a fine display.
Redskins Offensive Star : Alfred Morris - 80 rushing yards at 5 yards per carry was a good return from the rookie, unfortunately he was on his own.
Redskins Defensive Star : Reed Doughty - 13 tackles, 2 sacks, deflected a pass and hit the quarterback twice, it's all in a days work for Doughty.
Showing posts with label NFL playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL playoffs. Show all posts
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
Sunday, 6 January 2013
NFL SATURDAY WILDCARD GAMES REVIEW
Cincinnati Bengals 13-19 Houston Texans
The Texans set up a divisional round meeting with the New England Patriots by beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Saturday's opening playoff clash. Houston weren't impressive however and unless they can finish off their drives, they will be leaving Foxboro disappointed. The Texans had no problems moving the football but once they got into Cincinnati territory they struggled and ended up kicking four field goals. They had 420 yards of offense and just 19 points to show for it which isn't good enough. Field goals won't beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Bengals Superbowl dreams have now been ended in Houston for the second year in a row and to be honest the final score flattered them. They were very poor in the first half but thanks to a good interception from Leon Hall, they went into the locker room trailing by just two points. They showed a little more in the second half and managed to drive up the field on two occasions to score field goals from 34 and 47 yards but they always looked second best and if they had of stole the game at the end it would have been a huge injustice.
Andy Dalton had a poor game, completing just 14 of his 30 passes for 127 yards and an interception. He was also sacked twice. The Bengals were having some joy running the ball. BenJarvus Green-Ellis picked up 63 yards from just 11 carries. That equates to 5.7 yards per carry and in a game that was decided by less than a touchdown it would have to be asked why he wasn't given more carries. After a quiet first half AJ Green got involved in the second half and ended the game with 5 catches for 80 yards but it wasn't enough and the Bengals will have to come back again next year and have another go at winning a playoff game.
Matt Schaub had a decent game apart from the pick six in the first half. He ended up completing 29 of his 38 passes for 262 yards and the interception. There's still something about him though and when I watch him I always feel like a mistake is just waiting to happen. He doesn't inspire confidence and I can't see him leading the team to a Superbowl. Once again Arian Foster was the offensive star for the Texans and he had a very busy day. Foster carried the ball 32 times for 140 yards and a touchdown. He also caught eight passes for 34 yards to give him 174 yards from scrimmage. Foster caught and carried the ball forty times and there's no way he can keep that up right to the Superbowl so if the Texans are going to go the distance, they will have to get him some help. Owen Daniels and Andre Johnson also had decent games. Daniels caught 9 passes for 91 yards and Johnson caught 4 passes for 62 yards.
On the day, the Texans will be delighted to have got the job done but there is a lot of room for improvement and if they can't fix their issues by next week it will be another divisional round exit for this Texans team.
Bengals Offensive Star : BenJarvus Green-Ellis - He averaged 5.7 yards per carry on the ground and should have saw more action. I know he was carrying an injury but if you can't push yourself that bit extra in the playoffs then when can you?
Bengals Defensive Star : Reggie Nelson - He was the one Bengal who troubled the Texans. He picked up 10 tackles, 2 for a loss and also got a hit on the quarterback.
Texans Offensive Star : Arian Foster - Who else? 40 touches, 174 yards and a touchdown from scrimmage. It was a great performance from the veteran.
Texans Defensive Star : Johnathan Joseph - It was either him or JJ Watt but I sided with Joseph as not only did he get 5 tackles, broke up two passes and picked up an interception but he did all that whilst keeping AJ Green relatively quiet.
Minnesota Vikings 10-24 Green Bay Packers
The Packers started their playoff campaign with a comfortable win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers outplayed the Vikings in all areas and fully deserved their win. The Vikings were dealt a blow before kick off when Christian Ponder was ruled out with a triceps injury. His backup, Joe Webb struggled and had no answer to the Packers defense.
The Vikings started the game well and with the dual threat of Webb and Adrian Peterson, they were able to run the ball at will and kicked a field goal on their opening drive. it was all downhill from there though and the next time the Vikings scored was late in the fourth quarter and the game was well out of their reach by that stage. The Packers had scored 24 points in between the Vikings scores and Minnesota can have no complaints, they simply lost to a better team.
The running game for the Vikings was fine. Peterson and Webb combined for 167 yards on the ground at 5.8 yards per carry. The problem for the Vikings was when they had to let Webb throw the ball. His numbers were terrible and the crazy thing is, they actually flattered his performance. He completed just 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Those numbers include a fifty yard touchdown pass, a 30 yard completion and a 23 yard completion at the end of the game with the Vikings well and truly beat. He was also lucky to get away with just the one interception as he threw a few dodgy passes and in particular one when he was about to get sacked and he just tossed the ball in the air towards the Packers defensive line. He got away with it but he was very fortunate. Adrian Peterson ended the game with 99 yards on the ground and also caught a pass for 8 yards. Michael Jenkins was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers had a good game on both sides of the ball and were very comfortable winners in the end. Aaron Rodgers threw for 274 yards and a touchdown. The running game wasn't great but they did manage to pick up the yards when required. DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn both picked up rushing touchdowns but it was in the air that the majority of the damage was done. One of the Packers strengths is that Aaron Rodgers has so many options to choose from and that was underlined by the fact that ten different Packers caught a pass in the game. Running-back, DuJuan Harris didn't have a huge game on the ground, rushing for 47 yards from 17 carries but he was very effective as a receiver, catching 5 passes for 53 yards to give him 100 yards from scrimmage.
The Packers seem to be hitting form at the right time and I cannot wait for them to play the 49ers next week. These two met in the first game of the season. The 49ers won in Green Bay on that occasion. In my opinion, the Packers are a better team now than they were then and the 49ers don't look as strong but next weeks game is in San Francisco, so it is very much in the balance.
Vikings Offensive Star : Adrian Peterson - He was the one bright spark but he didn't have much help. The final numbers show Michael Jenkins played well but his good work came when the game was over as a contest.
Vikings Defensive Star : Chad Greenway - The linebacker tried his best but his 11 tackles weren't enough to stop a rampant Green Bay offense.
Packers Offensive Star : Aaron Rodgers - He has more to give but he done what he had to and led his team to the next round with the minimum of fuss.
Packers Defensive Star : Clay Matthews - Matthews had an excellent game picking up 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 hits on the quarterback and he also recovered the ball which he had knocked out of Webb's hands for a fumble.
The Texans set up a divisional round meeting with the New England Patriots by beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Saturday's opening playoff clash. Houston weren't impressive however and unless they can finish off their drives, they will be leaving Foxboro disappointed. The Texans had no problems moving the football but once they got into Cincinnati territory they struggled and ended up kicking four field goals. They had 420 yards of offense and just 19 points to show for it which isn't good enough. Field goals won't beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Bengals Superbowl dreams have now been ended in Houston for the second year in a row and to be honest the final score flattered them. They were very poor in the first half but thanks to a good interception from Leon Hall, they went into the locker room trailing by just two points. They showed a little more in the second half and managed to drive up the field on two occasions to score field goals from 34 and 47 yards but they always looked second best and if they had of stole the game at the end it would have been a huge injustice.
Andy Dalton had a poor game, completing just 14 of his 30 passes for 127 yards and an interception. He was also sacked twice. The Bengals were having some joy running the ball. BenJarvus Green-Ellis picked up 63 yards from just 11 carries. That equates to 5.7 yards per carry and in a game that was decided by less than a touchdown it would have to be asked why he wasn't given more carries. After a quiet first half AJ Green got involved in the second half and ended the game with 5 catches for 80 yards but it wasn't enough and the Bengals will have to come back again next year and have another go at winning a playoff game.
Matt Schaub had a decent game apart from the pick six in the first half. He ended up completing 29 of his 38 passes for 262 yards and the interception. There's still something about him though and when I watch him I always feel like a mistake is just waiting to happen. He doesn't inspire confidence and I can't see him leading the team to a Superbowl. Once again Arian Foster was the offensive star for the Texans and he had a very busy day. Foster carried the ball 32 times for 140 yards and a touchdown. He also caught eight passes for 34 yards to give him 174 yards from scrimmage. Foster caught and carried the ball forty times and there's no way he can keep that up right to the Superbowl so if the Texans are going to go the distance, they will have to get him some help. Owen Daniels and Andre Johnson also had decent games. Daniels caught 9 passes for 91 yards and Johnson caught 4 passes for 62 yards.
On the day, the Texans will be delighted to have got the job done but there is a lot of room for improvement and if they can't fix their issues by next week it will be another divisional round exit for this Texans team.
Bengals Offensive Star : BenJarvus Green-Ellis - He averaged 5.7 yards per carry on the ground and should have saw more action. I know he was carrying an injury but if you can't push yourself that bit extra in the playoffs then when can you?
Bengals Defensive Star : Reggie Nelson - He was the one Bengal who troubled the Texans. He picked up 10 tackles, 2 for a loss and also got a hit on the quarterback.
Texans Offensive Star : Arian Foster - Who else? 40 touches, 174 yards and a touchdown from scrimmage. It was a great performance from the veteran.
Texans Defensive Star : Johnathan Joseph - It was either him or JJ Watt but I sided with Joseph as not only did he get 5 tackles, broke up two passes and picked up an interception but he did all that whilst keeping AJ Green relatively quiet.
Minnesota Vikings 10-24 Green Bay Packers
The Packers started their playoff campaign with a comfortable win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers outplayed the Vikings in all areas and fully deserved their win. The Vikings were dealt a blow before kick off when Christian Ponder was ruled out with a triceps injury. His backup, Joe Webb struggled and had no answer to the Packers defense.
The Vikings started the game well and with the dual threat of Webb and Adrian Peterson, they were able to run the ball at will and kicked a field goal on their opening drive. it was all downhill from there though and the next time the Vikings scored was late in the fourth quarter and the game was well out of their reach by that stage. The Packers had scored 24 points in between the Vikings scores and Minnesota can have no complaints, they simply lost to a better team.
The running game for the Vikings was fine. Peterson and Webb combined for 167 yards on the ground at 5.8 yards per carry. The problem for the Vikings was when they had to let Webb throw the ball. His numbers were terrible and the crazy thing is, they actually flattered his performance. He completed just 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Those numbers include a fifty yard touchdown pass, a 30 yard completion and a 23 yard completion at the end of the game with the Vikings well and truly beat. He was also lucky to get away with just the one interception as he threw a few dodgy passes and in particular one when he was about to get sacked and he just tossed the ball in the air towards the Packers defensive line. He got away with it but he was very fortunate. Adrian Peterson ended the game with 99 yards on the ground and also caught a pass for 8 yards. Michael Jenkins was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers had a good game on both sides of the ball and were very comfortable winners in the end. Aaron Rodgers threw for 274 yards and a touchdown. The running game wasn't great but they did manage to pick up the yards when required. DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn both picked up rushing touchdowns but it was in the air that the majority of the damage was done. One of the Packers strengths is that Aaron Rodgers has so many options to choose from and that was underlined by the fact that ten different Packers caught a pass in the game. Running-back, DuJuan Harris didn't have a huge game on the ground, rushing for 47 yards from 17 carries but he was very effective as a receiver, catching 5 passes for 53 yards to give him 100 yards from scrimmage.
The Packers seem to be hitting form at the right time and I cannot wait for them to play the 49ers next week. These two met in the first game of the season. The 49ers won in Green Bay on that occasion. In my opinion, the Packers are a better team now than they were then and the 49ers don't look as strong but next weeks game is in San Francisco, so it is very much in the balance.
Vikings Offensive Star : Adrian Peterson - He was the one bright spark but he didn't have much help. The final numbers show Michael Jenkins played well but his good work came when the game was over as a contest.
Vikings Defensive Star : Chad Greenway - The linebacker tried his best but his 11 tackles weren't enough to stop a rampant Green Bay offense.
Packers Offensive Star : Aaron Rodgers - He has more to give but he done what he had to and led his team to the next round with the minimum of fuss.
Packers Defensive Star : Clay Matthews - Matthews had an excellent game picking up 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 hits on the quarterback and he also recovered the ball which he had knocked out of Webb's hands for a fumble.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
NFL PLAYOFFS - Sunday's Wildcard Games
Indianapolis Colts (11-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Sunday's AFC wildcard game is similar to Saturday's as the wild card team come into it in better form. The Colts have won five of their last six games and the Ravens have only won one of their last five.
Indianapolis did finish with a better record than the Ravens this season but the Texans were even better and won the AFC South which meant the Colts had to rely on a wildcard. It has been a remarkable turnaround from the Colts after they finished last year as the worst team in the NFL. They got rid of a lot of their older players last year and brought in youngsters in an attempt to build for the future. I'm sure when they were building this team they would have set a target of a playoff place in two or three years time but they have managed to get their within a year and the future looks bright for the Colts and rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck.
The Colts were very good at home, winning seven games and they managed to finish .500 on the road to secure the number five seed in the AFC. The Colts had a decent record against playoff teams in the regular season, winning three of their five games. The one worry for the Colts is that all three wins came at home and their two defeats came on the road. The problem for the Colts is they hold the fifth seed so they will have to go on the road in the playoffs and will find it difficult.
The Colts were all about Andrew Luck. Everything good that they done, involved the rookie. Their passing game was ranked 7th in the NFL. They were in the bottom half in all the other statistics. Their running game was 22nd, their pass defense was 21st and their run defense was 29th. Andrew Luck didn't even get much help from his offensive line as they allowed 41 sacks which was the 10th worst record in the league. This resulted in turnovers and the Colts gave the ball away 27 times. The defense wasn't great either and they only managed to force 15 turnovers all year and sack the opponents quarterback 32 times.
The Ravens are in poor form and a few weeks ago they were in the race to earn a bye in the wildcard round but four defeats in five games has saw them drop to the AFC's fourth seed. The Ravens finished the season with a 10-6 record, which saw them win six at home and four on the road. Against playoff teams they have gone 2-3. Both of their wins came at home and they went 0-2 on the road.
This Ravens team hasn't been great all season and in my opinion they are underusing Ray Rice. Rice is an elite running-back but I don't think he got a big enough workload in the regular season. Having said that, the Ravens have made it to the playoffs without pushing him too hard and I expect him to be busy on Sunday. Rice is built to play playoff football and if the Ravens are to do well, they will have to give him as much of the ball as they can.
The Ravens biggest strength this year was taking care of the football. They turned the ball over on 16 occasions which is tied for the second best record in the league. The Ravens defense isn't as strong as it has been in recent seasons. They rank 17th against the pass and 20th against the run. They have produced 37 sacks this year which is 15th in the league. In recent years the Ravens have always had a tough defense but this particular unit isn't quite at the high level we are used to seeing from Ravens defenses.
Prediction - This will be a tight game between two sides who regardless of Sunday's results, I can't see progressing beyond the divisional round. I think these are the weakest sides in the AFC playoffs and would take any of the other four teams to beat them. The Colts are quite one dimensional and will throw the ball. They aren't great at protecting their quarterback but then again the Ravens haven't been known for their pass rush this year. My worry for the Colts is turnovers. Andrew Luck has thrown 18 interceptions this year and it is a massive problem for the Colts. I have gone on about teams taking care of the football all year and while I was looking at the statistics during the week I found a very interesting one. In both the AFC and the NFC, the five teams who have turned the ball over the least have reached the playoffs. That's five out of the six teams in each Conference which only underlines how important it is to take care of the football in the NFL. For those interested, the two teams who made the playoffs despite being outside the top five in this category were the Colts and the Vikings. If I was coaching the Ravens my game plan would be simple. Give the ball to Ray Rice and let him run all over the 29th run defense in the league. To this point John Harbaugh hasn't given Rice a huge workload but I think he will give him the ball in this game and it will lead to a Baltimore win.
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Washington Redskins (10-6)
The wildcard round finishes with a battle between two of the NFL's most exciting rookie quarterbacks. Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III have set the NFL alight this year with some spectacular plays and it seems fitting that they should face off for a place in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Seattle have reached this point with an 11-5 record and they have looked excellent in recent weeks, winning seven of their last eight games. Seattle were perfect at home, winning all eight games. They weren't as impressive on the road though and went 3-5. The Seahawks played against five playoff teams in the regular season and won four of the games, with their only loss coming in a tight game in San Francisco. Seattle's five defeats were all tight and their biggest loss was by seven points in that defeat to the 49ers.
Seattle look like a good old fashioned playoff team. They have the strong defense and the strong running game that used to be the criteria to win a Superbowl so it will be interesting to see how they get on in what has become a passing league. The Seahawks finished 3rd in rushing and their defense were 6th against the pass and 10th against the run. The passing game wasn't great and ranked 27th in the league but that was more to do with the play calling. Russell Wilson completed 64.1% of his passes and the Seahawks simply preferred to run the ball and the low rank is not a reflection on Wilson's play. Wilson ended the regular season with 26 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions which is a respectable ratio. The Seahawks also done well in relation to turnovers. The offense gave the ball away 18 times and the defense forced 31 turnovers, both of which were the 4th best records in the NFC.
The Redskins gave up a lot to trade up in the 2012 draft to take Robert Griffin III but he has repaid them with a playoff place and an NFC East title in his rookie season. RG3 is a special player and will surely go on to win multiple titles. He had a bit of a mixed start and although he was playing well, the Redskins weren't getting the results. They were 3-6 and looked to be heading towards another bad season but things clicked into place for them and they won their last seven games to finish 10-6 and take the divisional title. The Redskins faced four playoff teams this year, all at home. They split the four games, beating Minnesota and Baltimore but losing to Cincinnati and Atlanta.
The Redskins were all about the running game this year and rookie duo, RG3 and Alfred Morris led the team to an average of 169 yards per game on the ground. They also done better than any other team in the league in what I would describe as the most important statistic in football, turnovers. The Redskins turned the ball over just 14 times and that is a remarkable statistic for a team with a rookie quarterback. The Redskins defense were good at defending the run and ranked 5th in the league. They weren't so good at defending the pass though and ranked 30th. This was partially because they were unable to get a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback. They picked up 32 sacks which was 23rd in the league. Their strength on defense was picking off the opposing quarterbacks and they had 21 interceptions.
Prediction - This game looks like being a cracker. Both offenses are a pleasure to watch and if nothing else at least we are guaranteed at least one more week of either RG3 or Wilson. Both sides will favour the run and both also have strong run defenses. Seattle seem to be trusting Wilson more and more as the season goes on and with receivers like Sidney Rice and Golden Tate on the field they can take advantage of a poor Washington pass defense. On paper, the Seahawks are the better team and I think they will get the win to keep their Superbowl dreams alive.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
AFC
Wildcard RoundHouston Texans over the Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens over the Indianapolis Colts
Divisional Round
Denver Broncos over the Baltimore Ravens
New England Patriots over the Houston Texans
AFC Championship
Denver Broncos over the New England Patriots
NFC
Wildcard RoundGreen Bay Packers over the Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks over the Washington Redskins
Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks over the Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers over the San Francisco 49ers
NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over the Seattle Seahawks
SUPERBOWL
Denver Broncos over the Green Bay Packers
NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE
This is your final chance to join the blog's private league in this year's NFL Playoff Challenge. Just click the following link.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
Sunday's AFC wildcard game is similar to Saturday's as the wild card team come into it in better form. The Colts have won five of their last six games and the Ravens have only won one of their last five.
Indianapolis did finish with a better record than the Ravens this season but the Texans were even better and won the AFC South which meant the Colts had to rely on a wildcard. It has been a remarkable turnaround from the Colts after they finished last year as the worst team in the NFL. They got rid of a lot of their older players last year and brought in youngsters in an attempt to build for the future. I'm sure when they were building this team they would have set a target of a playoff place in two or three years time but they have managed to get their within a year and the future looks bright for the Colts and rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck.
The Colts were very good at home, winning seven games and they managed to finish .500 on the road to secure the number five seed in the AFC. The Colts had a decent record against playoff teams in the regular season, winning three of their five games. The one worry for the Colts is that all three wins came at home and their two defeats came on the road. The problem for the Colts is they hold the fifth seed so they will have to go on the road in the playoffs and will find it difficult.
The Colts were all about Andrew Luck. Everything good that they done, involved the rookie. Their passing game was ranked 7th in the NFL. They were in the bottom half in all the other statistics. Their running game was 22nd, their pass defense was 21st and their run defense was 29th. Andrew Luck didn't even get much help from his offensive line as they allowed 41 sacks which was the 10th worst record in the league. This resulted in turnovers and the Colts gave the ball away 27 times. The defense wasn't great either and they only managed to force 15 turnovers all year and sack the opponents quarterback 32 times.
The Ravens are in poor form and a few weeks ago they were in the race to earn a bye in the wildcard round but four defeats in five games has saw them drop to the AFC's fourth seed. The Ravens finished the season with a 10-6 record, which saw them win six at home and four on the road. Against playoff teams they have gone 2-3. Both of their wins came at home and they went 0-2 on the road.
This Ravens team hasn't been great all season and in my opinion they are underusing Ray Rice. Rice is an elite running-back but I don't think he got a big enough workload in the regular season. Having said that, the Ravens have made it to the playoffs without pushing him too hard and I expect him to be busy on Sunday. Rice is built to play playoff football and if the Ravens are to do well, they will have to give him as much of the ball as they can.
The Ravens biggest strength this year was taking care of the football. They turned the ball over on 16 occasions which is tied for the second best record in the league. The Ravens defense isn't as strong as it has been in recent seasons. They rank 17th against the pass and 20th against the run. They have produced 37 sacks this year which is 15th in the league. In recent years the Ravens have always had a tough defense but this particular unit isn't quite at the high level we are used to seeing from Ravens defenses.
Prediction - This will be a tight game between two sides who regardless of Sunday's results, I can't see progressing beyond the divisional round. I think these are the weakest sides in the AFC playoffs and would take any of the other four teams to beat them. The Colts are quite one dimensional and will throw the ball. They aren't great at protecting their quarterback but then again the Ravens haven't been known for their pass rush this year. My worry for the Colts is turnovers. Andrew Luck has thrown 18 interceptions this year and it is a massive problem for the Colts. I have gone on about teams taking care of the football all year and while I was looking at the statistics during the week I found a very interesting one. In both the AFC and the NFC, the five teams who have turned the ball over the least have reached the playoffs. That's five out of the six teams in each Conference which only underlines how important it is to take care of the football in the NFL. For those interested, the two teams who made the playoffs despite being outside the top five in this category were the Colts and the Vikings. If I was coaching the Ravens my game plan would be simple. Give the ball to Ray Rice and let him run all over the 29th run defense in the league. To this point John Harbaugh hasn't given Rice a huge workload but I think he will give him the ball in this game and it will lead to a Baltimore win.
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Washington Redskins (10-6)
The wildcard round finishes with a battle between two of the NFL's most exciting rookie quarterbacks. Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III have set the NFL alight this year with some spectacular plays and it seems fitting that they should face off for a place in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Seattle have reached this point with an 11-5 record and they have looked excellent in recent weeks, winning seven of their last eight games. Seattle were perfect at home, winning all eight games. They weren't as impressive on the road though and went 3-5. The Seahawks played against five playoff teams in the regular season and won four of the games, with their only loss coming in a tight game in San Francisco. Seattle's five defeats were all tight and their biggest loss was by seven points in that defeat to the 49ers.
Seattle look like a good old fashioned playoff team. They have the strong defense and the strong running game that used to be the criteria to win a Superbowl so it will be interesting to see how they get on in what has become a passing league. The Seahawks finished 3rd in rushing and their defense were 6th against the pass and 10th against the run. The passing game wasn't great and ranked 27th in the league but that was more to do with the play calling. Russell Wilson completed 64.1% of his passes and the Seahawks simply preferred to run the ball and the low rank is not a reflection on Wilson's play. Wilson ended the regular season with 26 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions which is a respectable ratio. The Seahawks also done well in relation to turnovers. The offense gave the ball away 18 times and the defense forced 31 turnovers, both of which were the 4th best records in the NFC.
The Redskins gave up a lot to trade up in the 2012 draft to take Robert Griffin III but he has repaid them with a playoff place and an NFC East title in his rookie season. RG3 is a special player and will surely go on to win multiple titles. He had a bit of a mixed start and although he was playing well, the Redskins weren't getting the results. They were 3-6 and looked to be heading towards another bad season but things clicked into place for them and they won their last seven games to finish 10-6 and take the divisional title. The Redskins faced four playoff teams this year, all at home. They split the four games, beating Minnesota and Baltimore but losing to Cincinnati and Atlanta.
The Redskins were all about the running game this year and rookie duo, RG3 and Alfred Morris led the team to an average of 169 yards per game on the ground. They also done better than any other team in the league in what I would describe as the most important statistic in football, turnovers. The Redskins turned the ball over just 14 times and that is a remarkable statistic for a team with a rookie quarterback. The Redskins defense were good at defending the run and ranked 5th in the league. They weren't so good at defending the pass though and ranked 30th. This was partially because they were unable to get a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback. They picked up 32 sacks which was 23rd in the league. Their strength on defense was picking off the opposing quarterbacks and they had 21 interceptions.
Prediction - This game looks like being a cracker. Both offenses are a pleasure to watch and if nothing else at least we are guaranteed at least one more week of either RG3 or Wilson. Both sides will favour the run and both also have strong run defenses. Seattle seem to be trusting Wilson more and more as the season goes on and with receivers like Sidney Rice and Golden Tate on the field they can take advantage of a poor Washington pass defense. On paper, the Seahawks are the better team and I think they will get the win to keep their Superbowl dreams alive.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
AFC
Wildcard RoundHouston Texans over the Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens over the Indianapolis Colts
Divisional Round
Denver Broncos over the Baltimore Ravens
New England Patriots over the Houston Texans
AFC Championship
Denver Broncos over the New England Patriots
NFC
Wildcard RoundGreen Bay Packers over the Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks over the Washington Redskins
Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks over the Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers over the San Francisco 49ers
NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over the Seattle Seahawks
SUPERBOWL
Denver Broncos over the Green Bay Packers
NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE
This is your final chance to join the blog's private league in this year's NFL Playoff Challenge. Just click the following link.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
Friday, 4 January 2013
NFL PLAYOFFS - Saturday's Wildcard Games
Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) @ Houston Texans (12-4)
The NFL playoffs kick off on Saturday night with an AFC clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans.
The Bengals are the AFC's sixth seed but they come into this game in better form than the Texans. Cincinnati have won seven of their last eight to reach the playoffs, including their last four on the road. Going on the road won't be a problem for this Bengals team as they have a better record than they do at home. They are 6-2 on the road and 4-4 at home. The Bengals faced four of their fellow playoff teams in the regular season and had a 2-2 record (1-1 home and 1-1 road).
As good as the Bengals were on offense, their defense is the main reason they are in the playoffs. They ranked 7th in pass defense and 12th against the run. They also sacked the opposition's quarterback 51 times (3rd most in the NFL) and forced 30 turnovers (2nd most in the AFC). The offense has built on the success of the defense, ranking 17th in passing and 18th in rushing. A key part to this game will be how the Bengals offensive line copes with the Texans pass rush. The Bengals have allowed 46 sacks this year which is 26th in the league. The Texans have sacked the opposing quarterback on 44 occasions and it something the Bengals will have to deal with.
Houston come into this game as the AFC's third seed but it's not something they will be proud of. The Texans led the AFC all year but three defeats in their last four games has saw them drop below Denver and New England, who now occupy the top two seeds and have the bye week that comes with it. The Texans have no time to feel sorry for themselves and have to sort the issues quick or their season will be over.
Houston started the season very well and looked like the best team in the league. However, the bye week seemed to kill off the momentum they had built up and although they still won more than they lost, the level of performance dropped around that time. Over the course of the season the Texans played seven of their playoff rivals, winning only three and losing four.
Statistically, the Texans had a good year. The offense was 11th in passing and 8th in rushing. The defense was 16th against the pass and 7th against the run. The defense sacked the opposing quarterback 44 times (5th in the NFL) and they managed to force 29 turnovers (3rd in the AFC). The offensive line done a good job this year and only allowed 28 sacks which was 7th best in the league. The offense done a good job of taking care of the football and only gave the ball away 17 times (3rd in AFC).
Prediction - This is a tough one to call. Both sides are good on defense and sacking the quarterback is a strong point for both of them. Houston look to be better at protecting their quarterback than the Bengals so they should have the edge in that area. Cincinnati's chances will rest heavily on the availability of running-back, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He is questionable for the game and if he doesn't play it would mean the Bengals will be a one dimensional offense. The Texans also have the edge in the turnovers battle, having turned the balled over nine times less than the Bengals. Ultimately, my decision is do I go with the in-form team or the better team? If both teams bring their best game, the Texans will win. They haven't been in great form but this is the time of year when you win or you go home. With everything on the line, I think the Texans will get it done and set up a trip to New England next weekend.
Minnesota Vikings (10-6) @ Green Bay Packers (11-5)
These NFC North rivals face off for the second week in a row in the NFC's opening playoff game on Saturday night. Last week the Vikings were at home and they got the win they needed to secure a playoff place. Minnesota's win combined with the 49ers win meant the Packers dropped to the third seed in the NFC and set up this game between two big rivals.
Minnesota were 6-6 but won their last four to earn a playoff place. The Vikings got to the playoffs mostly because of a good home record where they won seven of their eight games. They didn't fare so well on their travels and they finished 3-5 on the road. In fairness to them, their five defeats were to four teams who reached the playoffs and the Bears who would have got there if the Vikings had lost any of those last four games. The Vikings final record against playoff teams was 3-4 although two of those wins were at home and as the sixth seed, the one thing I can guarantee is the Vikings won't host any playoff games.
The Vikings biggest asset this season was Adrian Peterson who got to within nine yards of beating the single season rushing record set by Eric Dickerson in 1984. There's every chance Peterson will break that record before the end of his career but if he doesn't and after his playing days are finished, he will no doubt be gutted at missing the record by such a small margin. Peterson already has his place in history as one of the greatest running-back's of all time but to break the record would have increased his legacy further.
Peterson aside, the Vikings statistics weren't overly impressive. Their passing game was 31st overall, the defense was 24th against the pass and the run defense was 11th. They forced just 22 turnovers (12th in the NFC) and turned the ball over themselves on 23 occasions (9th in the NFC). One of their strengths was the pass rush and they sacked the quarterback 44 times which was 5th in the league.
Green Bay finished the season 11-5 and won the NFC North. If they had won last week in Minnesota this game would be between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears. However, the Packers lost and it allowed the San Francisco 49ers to pass them and earn a bye as the NFC's two seed. The Packers are in reasonable form, having won four in a row prior to last week's defeat. Like the Vikings they had a good home record and also won seven of their eight home games. The difference between the sides was the Packers picked up an extra win on the road to finish 4-4. The Packers didn't have a great record against teams who reached the playoffs, winning just two of their six games.
This Packers side relies a lot on Aaron Rodgers and the passing game. Rodgers is a fantastic quarterback and when he is on song, he is the best in the league. The one problem he has had this year is getting protection from his offensive line. The Packers have allowed 51 sacks and only the Arizona Cardinals have allowed more. Their defense have been doing their best to counteract this and have managed to pick up 47 sacks which is 4th best in the NFL. One thing the Packers have been very good at is taking care of the football. They have turned the ball over on just 16 occasions this season which is tied for second best in the league.
Prediction - The Packers are the better side here but they two issues. They need to stop Adrian Peterson and they need to keep Aaron Rodgers on his feet. In the two games this year with the Vikings they haven't done a great job of either. Adrian Peterson has ran for a total of 409 yards, two touchdowns and he also caught a touchdown pass in the week 17 game. Aaron Rodgers has been sacked a total of 7 times in the two games and the Packers can't afford that number to increase much higher. These two sides have a clear identity and it just happens that both teams preference on offense, is the other teams weakness on defense. The Vikings have the 2nd ranked running game in the league and they will go up against a Packers run defense that ranked 17th. The Packers will look to pass the ball and their passing game ranked 9th in the regular season. The Vikings pass defense was 24th in the NFL so they will struggle to cope with Aaron Rodgers if he finds his form. Generally teams will give a little bit more in the playoffs and if both teams play to their potential, which I think they will, then the Packers will win this one.
NFL Playoff Challenge
It is not too late to join my league on nfl.com. The NFL Playoff Challenge is a great game and fun to play. If you already have a team, just click the link at the end of this paragraph to enter. If you haven't already set up a team, I would encourage you to do so.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
The NFL playoffs kick off on Saturday night with an AFC clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans.
The Bengals are the AFC's sixth seed but they come into this game in better form than the Texans. Cincinnati have won seven of their last eight to reach the playoffs, including their last four on the road. Going on the road won't be a problem for this Bengals team as they have a better record than they do at home. They are 6-2 on the road and 4-4 at home. The Bengals faced four of their fellow playoff teams in the regular season and had a 2-2 record (1-1 home and 1-1 road).
As good as the Bengals were on offense, their defense is the main reason they are in the playoffs. They ranked 7th in pass defense and 12th against the run. They also sacked the opposition's quarterback 51 times (3rd most in the NFL) and forced 30 turnovers (2nd most in the AFC). The offense has built on the success of the defense, ranking 17th in passing and 18th in rushing. A key part to this game will be how the Bengals offensive line copes with the Texans pass rush. The Bengals have allowed 46 sacks this year which is 26th in the league. The Texans have sacked the opposing quarterback on 44 occasions and it something the Bengals will have to deal with.
Houston come into this game as the AFC's third seed but it's not something they will be proud of. The Texans led the AFC all year but three defeats in their last four games has saw them drop below Denver and New England, who now occupy the top two seeds and have the bye week that comes with it. The Texans have no time to feel sorry for themselves and have to sort the issues quick or their season will be over.
Houston started the season very well and looked like the best team in the league. However, the bye week seemed to kill off the momentum they had built up and although they still won more than they lost, the level of performance dropped around that time. Over the course of the season the Texans played seven of their playoff rivals, winning only three and losing four.
Statistically, the Texans had a good year. The offense was 11th in passing and 8th in rushing. The defense was 16th against the pass and 7th against the run. The defense sacked the opposing quarterback 44 times (5th in the NFL) and they managed to force 29 turnovers (3rd in the AFC). The offensive line done a good job this year and only allowed 28 sacks which was 7th best in the league. The offense done a good job of taking care of the football and only gave the ball away 17 times (3rd in AFC).
Prediction - This is a tough one to call. Both sides are good on defense and sacking the quarterback is a strong point for both of them. Houston look to be better at protecting their quarterback than the Bengals so they should have the edge in that area. Cincinnati's chances will rest heavily on the availability of running-back, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He is questionable for the game and if he doesn't play it would mean the Bengals will be a one dimensional offense. The Texans also have the edge in the turnovers battle, having turned the balled over nine times less than the Bengals. Ultimately, my decision is do I go with the in-form team or the better team? If both teams bring their best game, the Texans will win. They haven't been in great form but this is the time of year when you win or you go home. With everything on the line, I think the Texans will get it done and set up a trip to New England next weekend.
Minnesota Vikings (10-6) @ Green Bay Packers (11-5)
These NFC North rivals face off for the second week in a row in the NFC's opening playoff game on Saturday night. Last week the Vikings were at home and they got the win they needed to secure a playoff place. Minnesota's win combined with the 49ers win meant the Packers dropped to the third seed in the NFC and set up this game between two big rivals.
Minnesota were 6-6 but won their last four to earn a playoff place. The Vikings got to the playoffs mostly because of a good home record where they won seven of their eight games. They didn't fare so well on their travels and they finished 3-5 on the road. In fairness to them, their five defeats were to four teams who reached the playoffs and the Bears who would have got there if the Vikings had lost any of those last four games. The Vikings final record against playoff teams was 3-4 although two of those wins were at home and as the sixth seed, the one thing I can guarantee is the Vikings won't host any playoff games.
The Vikings biggest asset this season was Adrian Peterson who got to within nine yards of beating the single season rushing record set by Eric Dickerson in 1984. There's every chance Peterson will break that record before the end of his career but if he doesn't and after his playing days are finished, he will no doubt be gutted at missing the record by such a small margin. Peterson already has his place in history as one of the greatest running-back's of all time but to break the record would have increased his legacy further.
Peterson aside, the Vikings statistics weren't overly impressive. Their passing game was 31st overall, the defense was 24th against the pass and the run defense was 11th. They forced just 22 turnovers (12th in the NFC) and turned the ball over themselves on 23 occasions (9th in the NFC). One of their strengths was the pass rush and they sacked the quarterback 44 times which was 5th in the league.
Green Bay finished the season 11-5 and won the NFC North. If they had won last week in Minnesota this game would be between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears. However, the Packers lost and it allowed the San Francisco 49ers to pass them and earn a bye as the NFC's two seed. The Packers are in reasonable form, having won four in a row prior to last week's defeat. Like the Vikings they had a good home record and also won seven of their eight home games. The difference between the sides was the Packers picked up an extra win on the road to finish 4-4. The Packers didn't have a great record against teams who reached the playoffs, winning just two of their six games.
This Packers side relies a lot on Aaron Rodgers and the passing game. Rodgers is a fantastic quarterback and when he is on song, he is the best in the league. The one problem he has had this year is getting protection from his offensive line. The Packers have allowed 51 sacks and only the Arizona Cardinals have allowed more. Their defense have been doing their best to counteract this and have managed to pick up 47 sacks which is 4th best in the NFL. One thing the Packers have been very good at is taking care of the football. They have turned the ball over on just 16 occasions this season which is tied for second best in the league.
Prediction - The Packers are the better side here but they two issues. They need to stop Adrian Peterson and they need to keep Aaron Rodgers on his feet. In the two games this year with the Vikings they haven't done a great job of either. Adrian Peterson has ran for a total of 409 yards, two touchdowns and he also caught a touchdown pass in the week 17 game. Aaron Rodgers has been sacked a total of 7 times in the two games and the Packers can't afford that number to increase much higher. These two sides have a clear identity and it just happens that both teams preference on offense, is the other teams weakness on defense. The Vikings have the 2nd ranked running game in the league and they will go up against a Packers run defense that ranked 17th. The Packers will look to pass the ball and their passing game ranked 9th in the regular season. The Vikings pass defense was 24th in the NFL so they will struggle to cope with Aaron Rodgers if he finds his form. Generally teams will give a little bit more in the playoffs and if both teams play to their potential, which I think they will, then the Packers will win this one.
NFL Playoff Challenge
It is not too late to join my league on nfl.com. The NFL Playoff Challenge is a great game and fun to play. If you already have a team, just click the link at the end of this paragraph to enter. If you haven't already set up a team, I would encourage you to do so.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
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