Baltimore Ravens 38-35 Denver Broncos (2nd OT)
The Baltimore Ravens pulled off the biggest surprise of the playoffs so far by beating the Denver Broncos at Mile High. The game was tight all the way and there was never more than a touchdown between the teams. Denver led for most of the game but the Ravens kept coming back at them. Throughout the game Denver led 7-0, 21-14, 28-21 and 35-28 but they were unable to hang onto those leads and it was the Ravens who had the last laugh winning with a field goal in the second period of overtime.
Peyton Manning was poor by his usual high standards. He completed just 28 of his 43 passes for 290 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Ravens. When you turn the ball over three times you are asking for trouble and unfortunately for the Broncos it has cost them their shot at an AFC Championship game. All three turnovers led to points. The first was a pick six, the next was a fumble which handed Baltimore the ball in Denver territory and the third one was the interception that led to the game winning field goal. Those turnovers cost the Broncos 17 points and possibly more as they may have scored themselves on those drives.
The Broncos struggled with their running game all day and that was another factor in the defeat. They ran the ball 41 times but picked up just 125 yards. That's 3 yards per carry and is simply not good enough in the NFL. The Broncos offense had an off day and still managed to put 35 points on the board which goes to show how big a win this was for the Ravens.
The Ravens showed a lot of character in this game. As I have already mentioned, they spent a lot of the game behind but they didn't let it phase them and they came back time and time again. The Broncos would have been starting to think they had the game won at 3rd and 3 with the ball on the Ravens 30 yard line but the Ravens had other ideas. Joe Flacco unleashed a pass down field for Jacoby Jones to score the touchdown that took the game to overtime. The Ravens defense stepped up in overtime and did not allow the Broncos to cross midfield and when their chance came they took it. Corey Graham intercepted a Manning pass which allowed the Ravens to start from the Denver 45. Ray Rice was able to run the ball down the field to set up the game winning field goal from Justin Tucker.
The Ravens offense had a good day with Joe Flacco and Ray Rice particularly impressive. Flacco threw for 331 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rice picked up 131 yards and a touchdown from his 30 carries. Torrey Smith also had a good game, catching 3 passes for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Baltimore now head to New England to take on the Patriots in a repeat of last year's AFC Championship game. On that occasion, the Patriots came out on top by a field goal and it promises to be another close battle between two teams who have shown themselves to be the cream of the AFC.
Ravens Offensive Star : Ray Rice - Flacco's completion percentage let's him down so I am siding with Rice who took charge when the game was on the line and got the Ravens into a position where they could kick a field goal.
Ravens Defensive Star : Corey Graham - Ray Lewis had another good game, making 17 tackles but I have to give it to Graham who made two huge interceptions, 8 tackles and 3 pass deflections. Lewis was good but Graham was the difference.
Broncos Offensive Star : Eric Decker - A lot of guys were below par for the Broncos but Decker had a decent game, catching 6 passes for 84 yards.
Broncos Defensive Star : Von Miller - Again there was nothing exceptional but Miller led the way with 9 tackles, half a sack and 2 hits on the quarterback.
Green Bay Packers 31-45 San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers made their second consecutive NFC Championship game after a good win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. The game was close until the fourth quarter. The 49ers entered the fourth with a seven point lead and extended that to fourteen on the opening play of the quarter before sealing the win with three and a half minutes to go. The Packers responded with a touchdown but it was too little too late to stop the 49ers literally running away with the win.
The 49ers were deserving winners and one look at the statistics underlines how impressive they were. In all of the key areas they were better than Green Bay and when that happens there's not much anyone can do. They completely dominated time of possession, having the ball for just over 38 minutes. They had 200 yards of total offense more than the Packers and they were also better in the most important stat in football, turnovers. The 49ers turned the ball over once and the Packers turned it over twice. The passing numbers were similar with the 49ers throwing for just 8 more yards than the Packers but the big difference was on the ground where the 49ers totalled 323 yards.
Aaron Rodgers didn't have his best game of the season, completing 26 of 39 passes for 257 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. His interception was punished by the 49ers who picked up a touchdown from the following drive. Green Bay's other turnover also led to a touchdown, when Jeremy Ross muffed a punt return which was recovered by the 49ers at the Green Bay 9 yard line. In a game that was so tight for such a long time it would have to be questioned why the Packers didn't run the ball more often as they were picking up some good yards on the ground. DuJuan Harris ran for 53 yards and a touchdown from his 11 carries and the Packers ground game ended up picking up 6.5 yards per carry. If they had put a bit more faith in it, the result may have been different.
For the 49ers, Colin Kaepernick and Frank Gore were able to run the ball at will and beat up on the Packers defense. Kaepernick's numbers weren't that great in the air but he was very effective on the ground. He completed just 17 of his 31 pass attempts for 263 yards, 2 touchdowns and a pick six. However, he was able to make amends by rushing for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns from his 16 carries. He was in good company though and Frank Gore ran for 119 yards and a touchdown from his 23 carries. Gore also caught 2 passes for 48 yards which meant he was the 49ers second best receiver on the day. Michael Crabtree was the only one who put up better numbers, catching 9 passes for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The 49ers now head to Atlanta to take part in the NFC Championship game and they will be hoping for a better result than last year. In last year's NFC title game, the 49ers lost at home to the New York Giants courtesy of a Lawrence Tynes field goal in overtime. On paper the game looks like a cracker and I for one find it hard to make a call on who I think will win.
Packers Offensive Star : DuJuan Harris - Harris picked up 64 yards from his 11 touches of the ball.
Packers Defensive Star : Sam Shieds - Shields had a pick six, 4 tackles and 2 pass deflections.
49ers Offensive Star : Colin Kaepernick - Kaepernick threw for 263 yards, two touchdowns and ran for 181 yards and 2 more touchdowns so there could only be one winner.
49ers Defensive Star : Patrick Willis - Willis picked up 7 tackles, one for a loss and a sack to help the 49ers pick up the win.
Seattle Seahawks 28-30 Atlanta Falcons
This will go down as one of the best games I have ever saw. I'm not even a fan of either team and I was completely glued to my television and my nerves were shattered. As an NFL fan living in Ireland I often hear the old rubbish about how can you watch that, it's so slow, it's too stop start. If you know anyone who isn't a fan of the NFL, show them a video of this game. This is why American Football is my favourite sport. Credit to both teams, it was an absolute pleasure to watch.
In the first half the game looked over. The Falcons led 20-0 at half-time and looked very comfortable. The Seahawks got it back to 20-7 with a touchdown on the first drive of the second half but the Falcons responded with a touchdown on the next drive to extend the lead to 27-7. With just over seventeen minutes remaining in the game and a twenty point gap between the sides the game looked dead but thankfully for us neutrals, nobody told the Seahawks.
They got a quick touchdown early in the fourth quarter and then intercepted Matt Ryan on the next drive. Four plays later, they were in the end zone again and all of a sudden the gap was reduced to six points with over nine minutes on the clock. The next three drives never came to much and with the game still hanging in the balance, Seattle's offense came on the field with exactly three minutes remaining and were able to move the ball down the field and eventually into the end zone to take a one point lead with just 31 seconds remaining.
At this point I was fearing for Matt Ryan's career. The guy was already carrying a lot of baggage thanks to his 0-3 record in the playoffs but a defeat after leading by twenty points in the fourth quarter might just leave a deep enough scar to finish him off. However, they don't call him Matty Ice for nothing. He took to the field and made two big completions that got the Falcons down to the Seattle 31 yard line. Matt Bryant came onto the field and kicked a 49 yard field goal to put the Falcons back in the lead. Now the game had to be over? No, not quite. For some bizarre reason Matt Bosher tried an onside kick which the Seahawks recovered at their own 46 yard line. Seattle made a quick completion to get them a little further up the field so they could attempt an all or nothing Hail Mary as time was expiring. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, Russell Wilson made the pass a little earlier than they would have liked and Julio Jones was able to make the interception that won the game for the Falcons.
Russell Wilson ended the game with good numbers. He completed 24 of his 36 passes for 385 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Wilson also led the running game with 60 yards and a touchdown from his 7 carries. Marshawn Lynch had a disappointing day on the ground, rushing for 46 yards and a touchdown at 2.9 yards per carry. Seattle's leading receivers were Zach Miller and Golden Tate. Miller made 8 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Tate caught 6 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Ryan ended the game with mixed numbers. He completed 24 of his 35 passes for 250 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. There will be a lot of things he won't be happy with but ultimately when the game was on the line, he passed the test. His leading receiver was Roddy White who caught 5 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. The biggest surprise in this game was the success the Falcons had on the ground. Prior to the game everyone was talking about the Falcons passing game but they ended up doing their best work on the ground. Michael Turner picked up 98 yards from 14 carries and Jacquizz Rodgers had 64 yards from 10 carries. The Falcons averaged 6.4 yards per carry which was a statistic I don't think anyone saw coming.
The defeat will no doubt have an impact on the Seahawks but they are a young team and from what I saw this season, they will be back again. However, if the Falcons had lost the game I think the scars would have been pretty deep for a few players and the franchise may well have made some changes. Luckily for them, they go the win and can look forward to hosting an NFC Championship game on Sunday.
Seahawks Offensive Star : Russell Wilson - Wilson accounted for 445 yards of offense and three touchdowns but it was too little, too late.
Seahawks Defensive Star : Bobby Wagner - Wagner picked up an interception, 8 tackles and a pass deflection.
Falcons Offensive Star : Michael Turner - Turner stepped up this week and averaged 7 yards per carry.
Falcons Defensive Star : Jonathan Babineaux - 3 tackles, one for a loss, a sack, 2 hits on the quarterback and a fumble recovery for the defensive tackle.
Houston Texans 28-41 New England Patriots
The fact that this game which had 69 points in it was the third highest scoring and the least entertaining game of the weekend goes to show what a special weekend we just had in the NFL. The eight teams who took part in the divisional round of the playoffs brought everything they had and left it all on the field. For myself and fans of all twenty-four neutral franchises, it was an excellent and entertaining weekend.
There wasn't anything wrong with this game and it was quite entertaining but for the most part it lacked the drama that the other three games had. In the first half the game looked to be getting away from the Texans but they managed to score ten points in the last 1:15 of the half to bring the scoreline to within four points. They were unable to keep that momentum going however and the Patriots scored two unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter and then another at the start of the fourth to stretch the lead to twenty-five points. The Texans had one last charge and got two quick touchdowns, the second also saw them successfully go for a two point conversion. By this stage the lead was reduced to ten points with over five minutes remaining. The Texans tried the onside kick which they had a chance of recovering but they failed to do so and from then the Patriots offense went on a clock killing drive which ended in a field goal. By the time the Texans got the ball back they were thirteen behind with just 1:14 on the clock and no timeouts. They were unable to get another score and once again it's the Patriots who will play the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game.
Statistically, the game was very tight and if anything the Texans had the better in quite a few categories although the game never really felt like that was the case. The one area were they did come second best was turnovers. They had one turnover which isn't the end of the world but it was one more than the Patriots had and as it happens, it was a costly one. The Texans were in field goal range and Matt Schaub threw a pick to Rob Ninkovich. What made matters even worse was that six plays later the Patriots were celebrating a touchdown. If you take that seven off the Pats and say the Texans had got a touchdown of their own. That's a fourteen point swing and suddenly it's Houston hosting next week's AFC Championship game.
Matt Schaub completed 34 of his 51 passes for 343 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Once again his go to guys were Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. Johnson caught 8 passes for 95 yards and Daniels caught 9 passes for 81 yards. Arian Foster also had a good game and ended up with 153 yards from scrimmage. He ran for 90 yards and a touchdown and also caught 7 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Tom Brady completed 25 of his 40 passes for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns. Brady targeted Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Shane Vereen. Welker caught 8 passes for 131 yards, Hernandez caught 6 passes for 85 yards and Shane Vereen caught 5 passes for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns. Vereen also got a touchdown on the ground to end with 124 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns. Stevan Ridley was the leading rusher, picking up 82 yards and a touchdown.
New England will now host this year's AFC Championship game which will be a repeat of last year's game. On that occasion the Patriots came out on top and as a neutral it would delight me equally to see either Tom Brady or Ray Lewis take to the field in New Orleans for Superbowl XLVII.
Texans Offensive Star : Arian Foster - Two touchdowns and 153 yards from scrimmage but it still wasn't enough for the Texans.
Texans Defensive Star : Bradie James - 11 tackles and one for a loss from the linebacker wasn't enough to stop the Patriots.
Patriots Offensive Star : Shane Vereen - The running-back had a career day by scoring more touchdowns on Sunday than he had so far in his career.
Patriots Defensive Star : Rob Ninkovich - 4 tackles, one for a loss, 2 pass deflections, a quarterback hit and an interception from the linebacker.
Showing posts with label Seattle Seahawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seattle Seahawks. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Sunday, 13 January 2013
NFL PLAYOFFS - Sunday's Divisional Round Preview
Seattle Seahawks (12-5) @ Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
Seattle and Atlanta start Sunday's divisional round match ups and it looks like being another fantastic day. Seattle earned their place here courtesy of a win over the Washington Redskins last week. The Seahawks got off to a slow start but they came back into it thanks to a great performance from their defense and their running game.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks that win came at a price. Defensive end, Chris Clemons picked up an injury that has ruled him out. Clemons absence will be a huge void to fill for the Seahawks. He leads the team in sacks (11.5) and this game was always going to come down to how much time Matt Ryan was going to get in the pocket. With Clemons now ruled out the momentum has took a huge swing in Atlanta's favour.
One advantage the Seahawks do have is Russell Wilson. He's a mobile quarterback, who although not as big as Cam Newton, is similar in that he will try to carry the ball down the field himself. The Falcons struggled with Newton during the regular season. Newton's best rushing games both came against the Falcons. If Wilson can get out of the pocket, he can take the ball down the field and as I see it, it's Seattle's best weapon.
Atlanta will look to put the game in the hands of their quarterback, Matt Ryan. Ryan has put up career numbers in the regular season, beating his previous best in yards, touchdowns and pass completion percentage. Ryan has a little extra pressure on him as he has never won a playoff game but as I've already said that statistic is a little bit flawed. All three teams he has played against in the playoffs have went to the Superbowl and two of the three have won the big one. He hasn't had much luck with his opponents and instead of concentrating on how many times Ryan has lost in the playoffs should we not be giving him a little bit of credit. Not many quarterbacks who have been in the NFL for five seasons are about to play in the playoffs for the fourth year. He's obviously doing something right and it's only a matter of time before he gets that first win.
The Falcons game plan will have changed with the injury to Chris Clemons. When they knew they were facing either the Seahawks or the Redskins they would have been looking for weaknesses to exploit. Prior to the injury the Falcons would have been looking to get the ball out quick but they won't face as strong a pass rush now which will open the field up for Julio Jones and Roddy White. If Ryan can get into his stride early he can find those two and they could lead him to that elusive first playoff win.
A look at the match ups would suggest that the Seahawks have a chance here. They were 3rd in running the ball and their defense was also strong, ranking 6th against the pass and 10th against the run. Their passing game was poor, ranking just 27th but they were 32nd for a long time and as the weeks have gone by they have trusted Wilson more and he hasn't let them down. The Falcons ranked 6th in passing and 29th in rushing. Their defense was 23rd against the pass and 21st against the run. The Falcons didn't do a great job of sacking the opponent's quarterback, picking up just 29 sacks (28th in the NFL) and I can't see that improving today. They will be more than happy to stop Wilson getting first downs rather than getting to him behind the line of scrimmage. The Falcons have done a decent job of protecting Ryan, allowing just 28 sacks.
Prediction - With Clemons, I would have gone for Seattle but momentum has swung far enough for me to change my mind and go with Matt Ryan getting his first playoff win.
Houston Texans (13-4) @ New England Patriots (12-4)
The divisional round ends in New England with a potentially great match up. This game should really be in Houston but the Texans collapsed in the regular season, losing three of their last four games. Prior to that, the Texans looked certain to be the AFC's top seed but the loss of form cost them and meant they had to host the Cincinnati Bengals in last week's wildcard round. The Texans got the win in that one but it was far from impressive and they will need to improve a lot if they are to beat the Patriots.
The Patriots are an interesting prospect this season. They have always had a good passing game but their running game and run defense are good this year too. In recent years the Patriots have been quite one dimensional, although their passing game was good enough to get them to a Superbowl last year but this year they can let their running game take some extra responsibility and their defense is also a bit better. They are still not great defending the pass but after last night's results they now only have to defend Matt Schaub and Joe Flacco for a trip to another Superbowl. Neither of those two are known for their passing and both have strong running-backs to help them out.
Another big strength for the Patriots is turnovers. They have turned the ball over just 16 times and their defense has forced 41 turnovers. They have also done a good job of protecting Tom Brady and have allowed him to be sacked just 27 times. The Texans are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to sacks though so it will be one of the key battles where the game will be won and lost. The Patriots come into the game in good form, having won nine of their last ten games. They picked up a big win over the Texans in week 14 and Houston will have their hands full if they want to spring a surprise.
The Texans have had a good year statistically. Their passing game was 11th, running game was 8th, pass defense was 16th and run defense was 7th. They also sacked the opponents quarterback 44 times which ranked 5th in the NFL and they only allowed their quarterback to be sacked 28 times which was 7th best in the league. They forced 29 turnovers and gave the ball away 17 times. Based on that the Texans are one of the best teams in the league but the problem I have is they have slowed down a lot in recent weeks and in my opinion they peaked too early.
There is a few question marks over how healthy the Patriots are heading into this one. A lot of their key players have been listed on injury reports this week and it remains to be seen what sort of condition they are in. I wouldn't be totally surprised if all the injured players took to the field tonight and that this was simply the latest in a long line of mind games from Bill Belichick.
Prediction - This should be a tight game but on current form I have to go with the home team, Patriots win.
Seattle and Atlanta start Sunday's divisional round match ups and it looks like being another fantastic day. Seattle earned their place here courtesy of a win over the Washington Redskins last week. The Seahawks got off to a slow start but they came back into it thanks to a great performance from their defense and their running game.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks that win came at a price. Defensive end, Chris Clemons picked up an injury that has ruled him out. Clemons absence will be a huge void to fill for the Seahawks. He leads the team in sacks (11.5) and this game was always going to come down to how much time Matt Ryan was going to get in the pocket. With Clemons now ruled out the momentum has took a huge swing in Atlanta's favour.
One advantage the Seahawks do have is Russell Wilson. He's a mobile quarterback, who although not as big as Cam Newton, is similar in that he will try to carry the ball down the field himself. The Falcons struggled with Newton during the regular season. Newton's best rushing games both came against the Falcons. If Wilson can get out of the pocket, he can take the ball down the field and as I see it, it's Seattle's best weapon.
Atlanta will look to put the game in the hands of their quarterback, Matt Ryan. Ryan has put up career numbers in the regular season, beating his previous best in yards, touchdowns and pass completion percentage. Ryan has a little extra pressure on him as he has never won a playoff game but as I've already said that statistic is a little bit flawed. All three teams he has played against in the playoffs have went to the Superbowl and two of the three have won the big one. He hasn't had much luck with his opponents and instead of concentrating on how many times Ryan has lost in the playoffs should we not be giving him a little bit of credit. Not many quarterbacks who have been in the NFL for five seasons are about to play in the playoffs for the fourth year. He's obviously doing something right and it's only a matter of time before he gets that first win.
The Falcons game plan will have changed with the injury to Chris Clemons. When they knew they were facing either the Seahawks or the Redskins they would have been looking for weaknesses to exploit. Prior to the injury the Falcons would have been looking to get the ball out quick but they won't face as strong a pass rush now which will open the field up for Julio Jones and Roddy White. If Ryan can get into his stride early he can find those two and they could lead him to that elusive first playoff win.
A look at the match ups would suggest that the Seahawks have a chance here. They were 3rd in running the ball and their defense was also strong, ranking 6th against the pass and 10th against the run. Their passing game was poor, ranking just 27th but they were 32nd for a long time and as the weeks have gone by they have trusted Wilson more and he hasn't let them down. The Falcons ranked 6th in passing and 29th in rushing. Their defense was 23rd against the pass and 21st against the run. The Falcons didn't do a great job of sacking the opponent's quarterback, picking up just 29 sacks (28th in the NFL) and I can't see that improving today. They will be more than happy to stop Wilson getting first downs rather than getting to him behind the line of scrimmage. The Falcons have done a decent job of protecting Ryan, allowing just 28 sacks.
Prediction - With Clemons, I would have gone for Seattle but momentum has swung far enough for me to change my mind and go with Matt Ryan getting his first playoff win.
Houston Texans (13-4) @ New England Patriots (12-4)
The divisional round ends in New England with a potentially great match up. This game should really be in Houston but the Texans collapsed in the regular season, losing three of their last four games. Prior to that, the Texans looked certain to be the AFC's top seed but the loss of form cost them and meant they had to host the Cincinnati Bengals in last week's wildcard round. The Texans got the win in that one but it was far from impressive and they will need to improve a lot if they are to beat the Patriots.
The Patriots are an interesting prospect this season. They have always had a good passing game but their running game and run defense are good this year too. In recent years the Patriots have been quite one dimensional, although their passing game was good enough to get them to a Superbowl last year but this year they can let their running game take some extra responsibility and their defense is also a bit better. They are still not great defending the pass but after last night's results they now only have to defend Matt Schaub and Joe Flacco for a trip to another Superbowl. Neither of those two are known for their passing and both have strong running-backs to help them out.
Another big strength for the Patriots is turnovers. They have turned the ball over just 16 times and their defense has forced 41 turnovers. They have also done a good job of protecting Tom Brady and have allowed him to be sacked just 27 times. The Texans are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to sacks though so it will be one of the key battles where the game will be won and lost. The Patriots come into the game in good form, having won nine of their last ten games. They picked up a big win over the Texans in week 14 and Houston will have their hands full if they want to spring a surprise.
The Texans have had a good year statistically. Their passing game was 11th, running game was 8th, pass defense was 16th and run defense was 7th. They also sacked the opponents quarterback 44 times which ranked 5th in the NFL and they only allowed their quarterback to be sacked 28 times which was 7th best in the league. They forced 29 turnovers and gave the ball away 17 times. Based on that the Texans are one of the best teams in the league but the problem I have is they have slowed down a lot in recent weeks and in my opinion they peaked too early.
There is a few question marks over how healthy the Patriots are heading into this one. A lot of their key players have been listed on injury reports this week and it remains to be seen what sort of condition they are in. I wouldn't be totally surprised if all the injured players took to the field tonight and that this was simply the latest in a long line of mind games from Bill Belichick.
Prediction - This should be a tight game but on current form I have to go with the home team, Patriots win.
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
NFL - Sunday's Wildcard Games Review
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.
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.
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
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