The 2008 NFL season was one for believers. Who would have believed that Kerry Collins would be more relevant than Tom Brady? Who would have believed that a 4-8 team left for dead would become a 9-8 team advancing to the second round of the playoffs? Who would have believed that Brett Favre would actually get his due criticism for playing like crap? Who would have believed that the star wide receiver of the defending Super Bowl champions would take a gun to a nightclub in the waistband of his sweatpants and subsequently shoot himself in the leg? As the 2009 NFL playoffs move forward, eight teams remain, trying to make believers out of a growing group of football fans.
Giants vs. Eagles
The NFC East has been arguably the best division in football throughout the year, even when considering late-season struggles for both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that two NFC East squads meet in the second round of the playoffs. The Eagles have considerable experience in advancing to (and more often than not, losing in) the NFC Championship game. The Giants, meanwhile, are the defending Super Bowl Champions. However, while the Giants flew under the radar last season, even as they made their way to the Super Bowl, they are more appropriately regarded this season.
As the only remaining NFC team that made the playoffs last season, the Giants have the most recent experience in this type of situation.
Unfortunately, the Giants are also the only team missing one of its best players. For all the distractions that Plaxico Burress might have caused, the wide receiver was nonetheless the source of much-needed swagger for a team with a quarterback in Eli Manning who is about as intimidating as Mike from the Life cereal box.
The Eagles have been on one of the biggest rolls in the NFL, particularly since the benching and subsequent re-emergence of quarterback Donovan McNabb. With running back Brian Westbrook healthy and a group of receivers ‘mdash;including rookie Desean Jackson ‘mdash; that is the best since the ill-fated days of Terrell Owens, the Eagles have enough offensive weapons to compete with any team in the league. After losing to the Giants in week 10, the Eagles come into this game with the confidence of having defeated New York on the road during their week 14 rematch.
Westbrook remains the single most explosive player on either team. However, the Giants counter with not a single back, but three in the Earth, Wind and Fire (or Cube, Dre and oft-forgotten M.C. Ren for N.W.A. fans) tandem. The difference should then come down to defense, and while Brian Dawkins leads a strong Philadelphia effort, emerging superstar Justin Tuck has made up for Michael Strahan’s retirement and should help the Giants continue their playoff winning streak.
Joe goes with: Giants 24, Eagles 20.
Panthers vs. Cardinals
When the Panthers pulled off a miraculous last-second win in week one, they had given themselves either the start of a season-long reclamation project, or simply an early adrenaline rush that would turn into their season’s only highlight. Quarterback Jake Delhomme, returning from injury, and wide receiver Steve Smith, returning from a one-game suspension after punching teammate Ken Lucas in the face, helped Carolina achieve the former. With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart teaming up in the backfield to produce the hottest duo in Carolina since John Edwards’ affair, the Panthers stormed all the way to the NFC’s second seed and a first-round bye. While their team makeup looks solid, especially with Julius Peppers again proving dominant on the defensive line, their season is marked with less-than-spectacular victories. While its season included a 34-0 romp against the Kansas City Chiefs and a 24-9 win against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina allowed 22 points to the Detroit Lions, scored only three in a loss to the Bucs and was killed, 45-28, in a rematch against Atlanta.
The good news for the Panthers is that they are facing the Arizona Cardinals who, prior to their win last week against the Falcons, limped into the playoffs with losses in four of their final six games. Arizona benefited from playing in a division in which it got dual wins over the Seahawks, Rams and Niners. Kurt Warner has looked amazing at times, but also mistake-prone and is always just one hit away from fumbling the entire game. The defense was surprisingly stout and disciplined against the Falcons, but on the road might return to its over-aggressive ways that allowed opponents to score 20 points or more in 11 games and resulted in a 56-35 loss at the Jets and a 47-7 devastation at the Patriots.
Warner and the Arizona offense might be able to stay close in a battle of former NFL Europe quarterbacks. However, the Panthers present a more complete team. Having already defeated the Cardinals during their regular season matchup in London, Carolina has shown the ability to overcome a big passing day from Warner and still pick up the victory. With the added benefit of home-field advantage, the Panthers should be able to end the Cardinals season before people in Arizona start expecting something out of their football team.
Joe goes with: Panthers 38, Cardinals 28.
Titans vs. Ravens
As the last undefeated team in the NFL, the Titans were the beneficiaries of much-deserved regular season recognition following early season turmoil after the meltdown of former Rookie of the Year and Madden Cover quarterback Vince Young. With a punishing defense, an explosive rookie running back in Chris Johnson and a veteran quarterback who knows how to run an offense wi
thout committing game-killing mistakes, the Titans seemed to have a Super Bowl-worthy recipe. In fact, it’s the same recipe that the Baltimore Ravens employed when they won Super Bowl XXXV in 2000. While Jamal Lewis might have resembled LenDale White in size more so than Johnson, both teams relied on a defense-first philosophy that worked in the regular season and for Baltimore proved punishing in the playoffs.
These Baltimore Ravens have been compared favorably to their 2000 counterparts. While not as dominating defensively as the Super Bowl-winning squad, the team still has a dominant secondary led by a Pro Bowl safety (this time Ed Reed instead of Rod Woodson), a strong line with a huge body in the middle (the way-more-fun-to-say Haloti Ngata instead of Sam Adams), and Ray Lewis serving as the heart, soul and mouthpiece, even if he’s not replicating his Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP season from 2000. Furthermore, using the running back trio of Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain has allowed the Ravens’ offense added flexibility on the other side of the ball, even if offense still remains Baltimore’s weakest link.
The biggest difficulty for the Titans is that other teams are now more prepared than they were at the start of the season for the Tennessee style. Playing that style against a team equally intent on controlling the clock can also be difficult. While it’s risky to trust a rookie quarterback as the Ravens have done this year with Joe Flacco, minimizing his attempts will also minimize his opportunities to make mistakes. Tennessee also must realize that its defensive line with post-injury Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch is not as controlling as the pre-injury version. The year might no longer be 2000. It’s Flacco and not Dilfer on the other sideline. Instead of proclaiming herself ‘Bootylicious,’ Beyonc’eacute; is now punching midgets in the face. Mel Gibson cares less about ‘What Women Want’ and more about stealing dreidels and commenting upon the sugar content of female officers’ ‘breasticles.’ The year may have changed, but the Ravens still know how to punish Kerry Collins.
Joe goes with: Ravens 16, Titans 13.
Steelers vs. Chargers
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, having a first-round bye and being the favorite to advance to the AFC Championship game should come as no surprise. After being upset in last season’s playoffs by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Steelers have been strong both offensively and defensively. Despite injuries to running back Willie Parker, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and lacking depth after the season-ending injury to rookie Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh continued to roll throughout the season with all four of their losses coming against playoff teams and only one, a 31-14 defeat at Tennessee, appearing lopsided. James Harrison is the first defensive player in a long time to receive legitimate MVP-hype after leading the league’s best defensive unit, and even Mewelde Moore was able to find success behind the Steelers’ offensive line.
For the San Diego Chargers, things were not supposed to go this way. After beginning the season as a popular Super Bowl pick, the Chargers sputtered to a 4-8 record and seemed destined for an early first-round pick and the merciful end of the Norv Turner Era. However, after rolling off five straight wins, including two straight elimination game victories in the regular season finale over the Denver Broncos and in the playoffs against the Colts, San Diego is just two wins away from what could be its first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. Phillip Rivers trumped Dan Fouts for the best season by a quarterback in team history and simultaneously proved his Pro Bowl worth, saving Turner’s job.
The Chargers no doubt have momentum on their side and the team is finally playing up to its talent level and somewhat meeting expectations. Unfortunately, no matter how great he has looked recently and how hard Chargers fans might try to convince themselves otherwise, Darren Sproles is not LaDainian Tomlinson. Even if the Steelers have to play with Byron Leftwich instead of Ben Roethlisberger, the Chargers are at a greater disadvantage playing with Sproles instead of LT. San Diego’s greatest shot is if its team keeps playing with the same what-do-we-have-to-lose mentality against what might be an overly confident Pittsburgh squad. The only upside is that if the Chargers lose, maybe they can still get rid of Norv Turner.
Joe goes with: Steelers 28, Chargers 27.