Wildcard Weekend!

Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs!
Dr Jamez

I once read that good writers don’t use exclamation marks because they are truly only supposed to be used in quoting someone or dialog however if you know me and how much I love football, even more the playoffs, even more the Colts in the playoffs you know for me that’s as subtle as I can be. This year’s playoff games are almost over whelming how good the games should be and the storylines you can make if you were properly motivated to do so. I’m going to spend some time on each game and what I think is coming* I’ll try not to over do the Colts portion but no promises.

(What I think is coming may be presented as 40% logic 60% fan analysis)

New Orleans Saints at the Seattle Seahawks

We’re going to get the easy ugly game out of the way first. Obviously, unless the Madden curse catches up with Brees in the first quarter it’s a close to a lock as you could ever get, even if he did go down the Saints would probably still win. I’ll the best bit of analysis I’ve heard on this game came I’ve heard is “Sean Payton will be spending most the week trying to decide if he should rest his starters vs. the Seahawks.”

Baltimore Ravens at the Kansas City Chiefs

The general consensus is that this game is as close as any this weekend. Even though he didn’t get the consideration Matt Cassle put up M.V.P. numbers this season. Jamal Charles was a top five rusher and nearly broke a Rookie record set by the Great Jim Brown. Dwayne Bowe was Probowl Wide Receiver and the defense was also tops in the league all this and I still think the Ravens will easily win. Don’t mistake what I’m saying, I don’t think it will be a blow out. That is, unless the Ravens get some defensive scores which is always a huge concern playing great Ed Reed. The Ravens offense as I said can be efficient and has loads of talent but isn’t going to blow anyone out. I think the biggest problem there is play calling but when comparing the two teams, in the playoffs, I find in every possible area the Ravens are as good in a few but better in most. I don’t see any advantage the Chiefs have other then home field.

Green Bay Packers at the Philadelphia Eagles

Ahem…… WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…. Yes, I know I was trying to walk down the “good writing” path but how can you not be excited about this game. I’m not even talking about the over hyped Michael Vick redemption story line, or the battle of NFC power house quarterbacks, or Rodgers playing with a chip on his shoulder to because he didn’t make the Probowl (seriously, shame on you people.) the game it’s self is all the hype I need. I will admit though, it’s compelling that the Green Bay Defenses injury of Kevin Kolb that heralded Michael Vick’s rebirth now has opportunity to end it (once and for all!) but back to the game that I said didn’t need hyping. You have arguably one of the most explosive offenses in the league versus one of the best defenses in the league, you have a budding elite level quarterback in Rodgers that no one is hotter then right now going against a suspect at best defense. There’s a slight chance you might remember Rodgers’ under the radar first playoff performance where he threw for five touchdowns, so here is season began with this match up and it will end for one with the match up. Vick sat out the last game of the season with a thigh bruise but has seemed to have slowed down the passed few weeks so either his bruise has been lingering or he can’t sustain the High level of play he used to even if he missed a quarter of the season it’s important to keep in mind Vick is 30 and unlike other top level quarterbacks Vicks game is predicated on being a running back who can throw. All in all I don’t think the Eagles defense can stop the Packers at all even if the Eagles are effective eventually the offense will stall a few times and that will be the difference. As I like to say, you can't win kicking threes.

New York Jets at the Indianapolis Colts

Who doesn’t like Rex Ryan? He’s funny, Gives great sound bites, his team would follow him to hell and back, he assembled what on paper seems to be a all-star roster of talent all while seemingly having a great time doing what he loves. Who doesn’t love Rex Ryan? Everyone in the A.F.C. that has a good team that has to deal with Ryan’s constant trash talk that he cant back up. It’s at a fever pitch with all Colts fans because unlike the other major rivalry the Jets have with the Patriots a Ryan led team hasn’t beaten Indy. Technically, sure they beat Indy last year in the regular season but guess what, this Saturday Curtis Painter isn’t walking through that door and Ryan knows he’s never truly beaten the Colts. Yet he continues this bolstering which at this point I like all Colts fans revel in, what you have to do is just let him keep digging his grave with his words at the end of the night no on in Indianapolis fears this Jets team. Since this is the match up that is nearest and dearest to my heart I’m going to go long form and break-it-down piece by piece.

The Colts offense vs. the Jets defense

In the offseason the Jets drafted Kyle Wilson and acquired Antonio Cromartie, not to double the states population with his children but to “beat the colts in the playoffs” unfortunately for the Jets they lost their Defensive captain Jim Leonard and nose tackle Cris Jenkins which has noticeable dulled the defense where as last year they were a force with the best defense in the league this year they’re not even the best defense in new jersey. But to be fair they’re not facing the same Colts offense. Decimated by injury the Colts saw a mid season swoon where they lost four of five and Manning played the worst series of games of his career forcing balls and making poor throw that ended in interceptions a few of which for touchdowns. (one of which, was a great throw that the dirty cheating Chargers pass interfered and tackled Reggie Wayne) that mid season swoon was largely caused by key injuries down to practice squad running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers. The Colts got their running backs healthy, got their tight ends healthy, and Manning got in to a rhythm with Blair White that makes him look like Wes Welker. Beyond that the Colts running game got a shot in the arm when they resigned Superbowl hero Dom Rhodes and over the last 3 games are averaging 150 yards per game when combining that with the eighteen no defense can hope to contain them.

Jets offense vs. the Colts defense

I wish I were more eloquent and could be less harsh but Mark Sanchez sucks, sure not P.C. and I’m sure I could find a more tactful way to say it but I’m the words of Chris Carter “c’mon, man” he is terrible and the play calling is worst Brian Schottenheimer may be one of the worst play callers in the league. Talent though they do have L.T. is looking every bit as good as L.T. ever has, they have a good two punch in Green and a solid deep threat in Edwards and really Sanchez’s saving grace has been Superbowl M.V.P. Santonio Holmes on more then two occasions this year I’ve seen him turn sure Sanchez interceptions in to seventy yard touchdowns breaking four tackles on the way. The unfortunate thing for the Jets is the colts have been good in pass coverage all year, Freeny and Mathis are leading in sacks and strips again, and as the Colts got healthy they started gelling in their on defensive weak point, stopping the run was tested each of the last three weeks when they saw Three of the five Leading rushers in the NFL and held all three teams not the running backs mind you but the teams to an average of 66 total rushing yards. L.T. and Shonn Green aren’t even close to being leading running backs in the NFL right now and keeping the ball in Mark Sanchez’s hand is the most entertaining thing I can think of this week. If I wasn’t clear this is a check for the Colts too.

Special teams

I wish we could get the clean sweep but it’s just not the case we did get as healthy as we will on offense and defense but we still have seventeen on I.R. and the thing that’s going to take a hit the most is special teams most times. The return game has certainly gotten a boost with Dom Rhodes returning kickoffs but he is no brad smith not even close. With the lack of injury and overall depth the Jets have they’re just flat out better on kick coverage too. The one slight edge the Colts have is the Superbowl horse shoes him self Adam Vinatieri guys been nearly perfect all year missing only on a blocked kick Nick Folk he… he just isn’t very good and point will be at a premium in this game.

Over all easy Colts win and that will send then to take out the trash in Pittsburgh and shut Dave Damesheks Mouth.

So that’s that. I got the Saints, Packers, Ravens, and Colts moving on. Which will set up Saints at Bears, Packers at Falcons, Ravens at Patriots, and Colts at Steelers a Great slate of games for Divisional weekend and the easiest and most gratifying road to Indy going back to the Superbowl.