That's right Jim Mora. Playoffs. With just 8 NFL teams left going for that big prize known as the "Super Bowl", things are starting to get REALLY interesting in the NFL-world.
Can you taste it people?
It tastes like Super Bowl BBQ and I couldn't be more ready for it.....
Before that though.....
Sit back........
Grab a beer............
Put the kids outside...........
Tell the wife to leave you alone.........
IT'S TIME............................................
NFL Round-Up
Divisonal Round Weekend
The Scoreboard
(A recap of all the action from the past week in the NFL....)
Kansas City Chiefs (12-6): 20 New England Patriots (13-4): 27
Well, the run is over Chiefs fans. It was fun while it lasted, but once again...we are the bridesmaids and never the bride. Give credit to New England for being New England. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are arguably the best quarterback and head coach in the playoffs for a reason. They've been there multiple times and they know what to do to get the win. I knew it was a long shot for Kansas City to come away with the win and I'm happy with the fight that they put up. The Chiefs were without their best pass rusher (Justin Houston only played 8 snaps and was ineffective when he was in), their best wide receiver (Jeremy Maclin played in spurts, but he was extremely limited), and their best overall player (we miss you Jamaal) and still only lost to the Patriots by one score. Not too shabby.
The Patriots are going to go on to the Super Bowl and we will talk about them more in the near weeks, I'm sure. However, let's give some credit to the job that Andy Reid and the coaching staff on the Chiefs were able to do this season. The Chiefs started out 1-5 and when Jamaal Charles went down for the count, it looked like Kansas City was headed for the #1 overall pick in the draft again. Then something happened. The Chiefs found a formula to keep winning and rounded off an impressive 11-game win streak that culminated in the team getting their first playoff win in 22 years. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Now, if we could only fix those clock management issues that Andy Reid has been struggling with for years, we may end up with a few of these...
Sigh.
Green Bay Packers (11-7): 20 Arizona Cardinals (14-3): 26
What a game this was. This was one of those games where going in, you thought Arizona was going to blow them out. And why not? It was just a few weeks back where the Cardinals absolutely destroyed the Packers 38-8 and everyone was left wondering what the hell was going on with the Green Bay. If I've learned anything about NFL football over the last couple of years though, it's this. The playoffs are just a different beast and it takes a really talented and smart team to win in the playoffs. The Packers are definitely a smart and talented football team and they showed that once again by taking the Cardinals to overtime and almost coming away with the upset. Before this game, I told people not to count out the Packers because of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is the best player in the NFL when he's on and it just so happens that he's usually ON in the playoffs. Needless to say, one shocking HAIL MARY later and Rodgers was almost the hero again. Unfortunately the Packers came up short in overtime though and my pre-season Super Bowl pick for the NFC is officially gone....
Good lord, I can't wait to see Carolina vs. Arizona next week. That could end up being the NFL "Game of the Year" and you can bet your ass I'll be sitting on my couch eagerly awaiting the NFC Championship.
Seattle Seahawks (11-7): 24 Carolina Panthers (16-1): 31
I loved this game for numerous reasons:
1. The Seahawks lost. I live in the Portland, Oregon area and I've been surrounded by bandwagon Seahawks fans for the last couple of seasons and I'm sick of it. Not seeing Seattle in the Super Bowl this year is going to be a relief.
2. It was entertaining because it was a game of two halves. The Panthers absolutely bitch-slapped the Seahawks in the first half and Pete Carroll was able to make some good adjustments and get Seattle back into the game in the second half...but they came up just short. That's because coming back from a 31-0 defecit in the NFL is pretty much impossible, but not in college football...am I right Duck fans?
3. The Panthers winning justifies what I've been saying all season long. Carolina can win in the playoffs. The Panthers were one of the hottest teams in the NFL all season, but for some reason constantly had their haters scoffing at the notion that they could make any kind of noise in the post-season. Well, they just beat a team that has been in the last two Super Bowls.
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-7): 16 Denver Broncos (13-4): 23
This game was supposed to be a blow out. The Steelers were pretty much at 50% and were playing an away game against a Denver team coming off a bye. Everyone and their mother was predicting a Broncos butt-whooping, but NOT SO FAST MY FRIENDS! Never count out "Big" Ben Roethlisberger regardless of who he's playing with! Even though the Steelers came up a little bit short, you have to give them some credit for putting up a hell of a fight and Pittsburgh fans shouldn't beat themselves up too much. This team is going to be good again next season.
As for Denver winning?
Yes. Now once again, we get Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning this time with a shot at the Super Bowl on the line. Once again....
Let's move along, quickly.
NFL Power Rankings
(Pretty self explanatory here...)
1. Carolina Panthers (16-1)
2. Arizona Cardinals (14-3)
3. Denver Broncos (13-4)
4. New England Patriots (13-4)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (12-6)
6. Seattle Seahawks (11-7)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-7)
8. Green Bay Packers (11-7)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (12-5)
10. Minnesota Vikings (11-6)
11. New York Jets (10-6)
12. Washington Redskins (9-8)
13. Houston Texans (9-8)
14. Buffalo Bills (8-8)
15. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
16. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
17. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9)
18. New Orleans Saints (7-9)
19. St. Louis Rams (7-9)
20. Oakland Raiders (7-9)
21. Detroit Lions (7-9)
22. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
23. Chicago Bears (6-10)
24. New York Giants (6-10)
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)
26. San Francisco 49ers (5-11)
27. Baltimore Ravens (5-11)
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
29. San Diego Chargers (4-12)
30. Dallas Cowboys (4-12)
31. Cleveland Browns (3-13)
32. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
2. Arizona Cardinals (14-3)
3. Denver Broncos (13-4)
4. New England Patriots (13-4)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (12-6)
6. Seattle Seahawks (11-7)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-7)
8. Green Bay Packers (11-7)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (12-5)
10. Minnesota Vikings (11-6)
11. New York Jets (10-6)
12. Washington Redskins (9-8)
13. Houston Texans (9-8)
14. Buffalo Bills (8-8)
15. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
16. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
17. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9)
18. New Orleans Saints (7-9)
19. St. Louis Rams (7-9)
20. Oakland Raiders (7-9)
21. Detroit Lions (7-9)
22. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
23. Chicago Bears (6-10)
24. New York Giants (6-10)
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)
26. San Francisco 49ers (5-11)
27. Baltimore Ravens (5-11)
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
29. San Diego Chargers (4-12)
30. Dallas Cowboys (4-12)
31. Cleveland Browns (3-13)
32. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
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