By TLarner
Wild Card Scores
New York Jets 17, Indianapolis 16
Baltimore 30, Kansas City 7
Green Bay 21, Philadelphia 16
New Orleans 36, Seattle 41
Divisional Round Matchups:
In the second round of NFL playoff action, disliked divisional rivals face off in the AFC games, while the fifth and sixth seeds hope to steal the show in the NFC.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh
AFC North rivals meet for the third time this season. The Ravens (13-4) are coming off of a big win over the Chiefs in the Wild Card round, while the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) enjoyed a first round playoff bye after winning the AFC North. They split the regular season series, each team winning in the other’s house, and each game was won by only a field goal. This series has been defined by defense. In the first meeting, the Ravens won 17-14 in Pittsburgh. Down with time expiring in the fourth quarter, Steelers’ QB Charlie Batch threw an interception to Ray Lewis to seal the deal for Baltimore. Later in the season, Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu sacked Baltimore QB Joe Flacco, forcing a fumble, which led to the game winning touchdown from Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers won 13-10. The Ravens have lost five of the last seven meetings with Pittsburgh.
Green Bay at Atlanta
The last seed in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers (11-6), will travel south to face the Atlanta Falcons (13-3), the first seed in the NFC, who rested during their first round playoff bye. The Packers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles for the second time this season in the Wild Card round. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers won his first playoff game, and hopes to ride the momentum into this weekend’s game. The Falcons defeated the Packers 20-17 in Atlanta during Week 12. Despite Rodgers’ 395 total yards and two touchdowns, Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant connected on a field goal in the fourth quarter for the win. In that game, Atlanta running back Michael Turner ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. The running game will once again be pivotal, as the Packers’ James Starks ran for 123 yards on 23 carries, helping to spoil Michael Vick’s return to the postseason.
Seattle at Chicago
The Seattle Seahawks (8-9) barely made the playoffs with a sub .500 record, but overcame all the odds with an enormous victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. With their backs against the wall, the Seahawks were led to victory by veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck, who threw four touchdowns. Hasselbeck overcame Drew Brees’ 400-yard performance with help from running back Marshawn Lynch. Lynch’s 67-yard fourth quarter touchdown run shook the entire city of Seattle as he broke multiple tackles to reach the end zone. That play has already been considered one of the best in playoff history. The Bears (12-4) have earned respect from many by winning the NFC North this season. The Seahawks defeated Chicago 23-20, even with Devin Hester’s 89-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Bears do boost the second best run stopping defense in the league, allowing only 90.1 yards per game. Brian Urlacher remains a staple in the Chicago lineup, and hopes to shut down the underdog Seahawks.
New York Jets at New England
Just like the Ravens and Steelers, the New York Jets (12-5) and New England Patriots (14-2) also matchup for the third time this season. The AFC East Champion Patriots and Tom Brady, who has been bashed by the Jets locker room this week, hope to repeat the second meeting with the divisional runner-ups. In Week 13, the Patriots demolished the Jets 45-3. Brady threw four touchdown passes, and Jets QB Mark Sanchez threw three picks. However, in Week 2, the tables were turned in favor of New York. Sanchez threw three touchdowns and Brady was intercepted twice. New York Head Coach Rex Ryan is again making this game personal. After finally defeating Peyton Manning last week, he hopes he can better the other Super Bowl winning QB.
Predictions (Home team in italics)
Pittsburgh over Baltimore
Atlanta over Green Bay
Chicago over Seattle
New England over New York Jets
Have NFL Splinters? Share them here.
T–
I’m with ya on 3 of those, but I’ve got a hunch the Ravens will eek out a win at Pittsburgh. I’m also thisclose to picking GB, but … ok … let’s stick with the Falcons.
I hope there aren’t any blowouts, so the games are exciting for 4 quarters … oh, except for the Bears … despite the point spread, these guys will make their fans endure a gut-wrenching close one. Just goes with the territory.
I’m going to go way out on a limb and pick all four road teams this weekend.
Picking GB and Baltimore are not really going out on a limb, and I’ve been totally unimpressed with what I’ve seen of the Bears, so that one should come as no surprise.
Call me crazy, but for some reason, I just have a feeling that the Jets are going to be the Patriots. Feel free to completely disregard this prediction is you wish. Maybe it’s just that I love seeing the local fans suffer. 😉
Is Polamalu playing healthy? If so, I have the Steelers. If not, I’m taking the Ravens. He seems like that much of a difference when he plays. I think this game will be a field goal or TD difference at the most.
I don’t get the love affair with Green Bay. Didn’t they stink it up a bit mid-season? Atlanta is hot and Matt Ryan has proven close to impossible to defeat playing at home. Give me Atlanta by two TDs.
As much as I want to hear Wally’s rant following a Bears collapse against Seattle, I can’t trade that for the continued media courting of Pete Carroll’s “fun-loving approach to coaching.” I want him to go away immediately. Bears defense will be too much for Seattle. Give me the Bears by a TD and field goal.
Chas – You’re crazy. I kind of like the way the Jets carry themselves. It’s borderline cocky without much support to back it up, but doesn’t cross the line. Rex Ryan seems like a coach I’d want to play for because he’d do anything to motivate and win. I actually liked the way he called himself out. The whole “it’s personal” thing was misconstrued by some. He is challenging himself to be the best at his profession and measures himself against Belichick. He basically said that his gameplan and preparation for the Pats was crap. How many coaches do that? Anyway, this is why I think Chas and Jets fans are crazy. Tom Brady goes home to Gisele every night. This guy is in such a state of bliss and perfect harmony that nothing distracts him. In fact, this mental media tactic the Jets have been playing will probably have the opposite effect on Brady. Give the Pats by about 12-13.
Tomorrow around 8pm, we’ll be talking about the Patriots third consecutive playoff loss.
Chas – you are such a masochist. 🙂
Chas … ya might be going out on a limb a little too far with that Jets pick … BUT I HOPE YOU’RE RIGHT! I just want to see Smitty suffer 🙂
Oh … and I’ll give anything to see Tom “Tuck Rule” Brady go home without a trophy. But he’ll be able to see his trophy wife when he gets there.
Could Anquon Bouldin be any more invisible? Not to mention he drops the go ahead TD pass late in the 4th qtr. Why bother to pay any one millions when they fail to show up at crunch time.
Hey … TJ Houshmanzilli …. that’s a football … you’re allowed to catch it.
Amazing that the refs could call defensive holding at the line of scrimmage during the goal line stand … while on the same play a Ravens player who woulda tackled the ball carrier in the backfield was being wrestled to the ground by the offensive lineman. AMAZINGLY INCOMPETENT officiating. Not to mention the holding call on that INT return at the 15 against the Ravens which prevented a TD … a push is not a hold.
So who took the over in this one????
a) good thing the Bulls vs Heat game was on while the Packers were thumping the Falcons. Down to the wire … Bulls win. Derrick Rose 34 pts, DWade 33.
b) Aaron Rodgers is THE MOST TALENTED QB in the NFL at the moment. No, he’s not as accomplished as Manning, Brady and Rapelessberger … but if I want someone to QB my team for the next 5 years, it’s Rodgers. He’s got more physical tools than the other guys and the head to match. He might be unstoppable at this point.
c) IPA is good. Real good. Bartender!
Hopefully the Jets don’t blow the Patriots out tomorrow. I’m hoping for at least one good game because Seattle is definitely going to crush Chicago.
Needless to say I get the love affair with Green Bay now. Their QB (I forget his name) is pretty good if you ask me.
Chas … “Crush”? Boy, if you’re right, I’m gonna fly to Chicago and fire Lovie Smith myself!
I was kidding…obviously. 🙂
Today was a GREAT day in the NFL. Bears winning and Pats losing makes me almost as giddy as Notre Dame winning and Michigan losing.
Tom Who????? Take your Tuck Rule and go home to what’s her name.
These games just demonstrate that regular season records are pretty empty … as long as you just make it into the tournament, ANYTHING can happen.
Not letting you off that easy, Chas. But I give you credt for picking today’s big upset.
Chas – let me know if you ever have any feelings about lottery numbers or red and black.
I was kidding about the blowouts, but I’m not backing away from the fact I picked Seattle over Chicago. I should have stuck with one upset special at a time. I was only two for four with my picks, but the Jets-Pats pick gets me a little extra credit, I think.
If I tell you it’s Easter, you better start coloring your eggs.
Watching the wire now. Never thought I would get into this.