This week, I continue previewing the NFL playoffs.
AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
PITTSBURGH 20, BALTIMORE 17
This kind of game defines playoff football. Two great teams. Two rugged defenses. Two offenses with more than enough firepower.
Buckle up. And don’t forget the chinstrap. Be sure to have the massage therapist ready for the post-game rubdown, too.
These teams are evenly matched. They split their two games during the regular season. Both have good running games, led by backs Ray Rice of Baltimore and Pittsburgh’s Rashard Mendenhall.
Both have talented wide receivers. Both teams have battled-tested quarterbacks.
Got defense? Oh yeah. There is plenty of it in this game.
The Steelers led the NFL by allowing only 14.5 points per game. The Ravens were third, surrendering just 16.9 points each time out. Steelers’ safety Troy Polamalu has been banged up but should play. That will be huge for Pittsburgh. He is a big-time difference-maker.
The other big-time difference-maker is Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The guy can carry his team when he has to. He has the ability to win a game through the air. Saturday, he might have to do just that.
I want to pick the Ravens. I know they are good enough to win. But I just cannot do it.
Pittsburgh is at home and is coming off a bye. I’ll take the Steelers to win. But it won’t be easy by any means.
NEW ENGLAND 31, NEW YORK JETS 17
The verbal bluster coming out of New York recently has been embarrassing for the Jets. Seriously, you don’t have much to gain when you talk smack before playing the Patriots. It just isn’t smart. But then again, we are talking about the Jets.
The Patriots have won eight straight games. Quarterback Tom Brady has that Super Bowl look in his eye and, more importantly, is playing at a championship level.
The Jets’ defense has been outstanding all year. But New England just has too many weapons. Beyond Brady, the Patriots average 123.3 yards rushing per game, 9th in the NFL during the regular season.
And I don’t think I have to say much about the production of the Pats’ air attack.
The Jets have had a great season. But it will end on Sunday. Come one, we’re talking about playing the Patriots in Foxboro after a week off. No team is playing better than New England right now. Give the Pats a week of rest and plenty of time to game plan and the chances are you’ll be watching the rest of the playoffs from the living room couch.
It’s time for the Jets to settle in and get comfortable. Come Monday, they’ll be warming up the couch.
NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
GREEN BAY 23, ATLANTA 20
Call it a hunch. Call it a roll of the dice. I’ll take the Pack on the road against the top seed in the NFC.
I should be more convinced by the Falcons’ terrific season but I am simply not a believer yet. Yes, Atlanta was fifth in the league, averaging 25.9 points per game. Yes, they have a talented young quarterback (Matt Ryan), a bruising running back (Michael Turner) and a game-breaking wide receiver (Roddy White).
But the Packers aren’t exactly lacking explosive players on offense. In addition, they are coming off a road win over the Eagles. Green Bay held Philadelphia to 81 yards rushing, 64 yards below the Eagles’ average entering the game.
Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers is healthy and playing really well. He’ll be the difference as Green Bay marches on.
CHICAGO 22, SEATTLE 10
I learned my lesson last week. I won’t pick the Seahawks to get blown out. I won’t pick them to win, either.
This time around, Seattle won’t have the emotional lift of a home crowd. Seattle won’t fool the Bears by its under-.500 record during the regular season.
I am hardly ready to jump into the driver’s seat of the Bears’ bandwagon. But Chicago will have more than enough to dispatch the Seahawks, especially on defense.
Now is the time for the Bears’ defense to earn its money. Last offseason, Chicago invested a lot of money on the defensive side of the football. The Bears did that for times such as these. And for one week at least, the investment will pay off.
The Bears gave up only 90.1 rushing yards per game (2nd in the NFL) and 17.9 points per game (4th). The Seahawks simply do not have enough offense to overcome that kind of defense.
Seattle’s feel-good story ends in the Windy City.
What are your predictions for this week’s playoff games? I’d love to find out what you think. Thanks for reading and posting.
Best,
Mike
Tags: 2011, Divisional Playoffs, Mike Rice
Bay,I have to agree with everything you just said bro!
Hey guys I heard the Elway presser had been shown on a local news channel as well as streamed live on the interenet. If that’s the case I imagine the Fox presser will too. Does anyone know what channel that might be? Thanks.
It is already streaming on broncos web site. Just waiting on the start of it.
Yeah screw it I’ll just stay on the web. Thanks Seweatherman.
Oh, don’t get too excited. I am not going anywhere. and will never give in to the anti- McDaniels crowd. We went safe with Fox as HC. If safe is where you want the team to be, given our current status, you had better be ready for a rocky ride. If you want just a return to mediocrity, then yes by all means, pound your chest and enjoy it cause that is exactly where we are headed. I realize the desire to avoid another high risk choice at HC, and who knows maybe since he (fox) has 9 years already under his belt, we can win the Super Bowl in 5 years. Heck it took Defensive genius Bill Cowher 14 to finally get it done. Of course, it wasnt until the Steelers offense became competitive to finally complete the task. Then again who cares about the history of the NFL the last 30 years, with all the dynasties having a great offense and complimentary defenses. And no, Bill Belichick cannot be compared to offensive vs defensive oriented coaches. Because Belichick is an innovator and was capable of creating defensive schemes not just managing one(which Fox, proven as he is at D, is not an innovator.). And in light of the history of the Patriots stellar offensive performances.
And never mind that it took a great offense, not just John Elway to win two Super Bowls in Denver. What my biggest hope is that Tebow can become Elway incarnate on the field. It is the only way the crowd will not turn on him like an exwife fighting for child support. But hopefully, with Elway there to steer the ship(fan base), we wont sail through those waters again.
I am done. And will only respond in retaliation in regards to past mistakes from former Head Coaches of the Denver Broncos. New coach, new possibilities, no matter how I view the entire history of the NFL, not just two years, my views are firmly rooted in results during the entire Superbowl Era. I can only hope that just a solid coach, not an innovative one, can lead us to the promise land, under 14 years.(or 5 respectively). As a Bronco fan, I want the best for this team, not a love fest with like minded individuals in all aspects, just the common desire for success in Denver.
shouldnt have said done. give me 1 great d minded HC and i will give you 3 that failed. nope, not bought and sold on this current approach and never will be. Some of us young guys, are quick to take a beating but we get up and go at it again, faster and stronger than before.
Curious as to why it appears, I am fading back into bitter retaliation? Read previous posts. Victory has been declared before we even have a full coaching staff, and I am expected to lie down. I think not… It is a competitive game on the field and off as well. I can’t wait for the 2011 off season to go rounds with debates and discussion. The impression I have gotten this year, I now understand, consistent mediocrity is okay. Well not for this guy.
Here’s to you Coach John Fox, may you make me eat my doubts and over come my fears.
Steve, it’s as if you went off your meds again, LOL, just joking…
Negative Nannys all around!
Give the guy a chance Geez Louise!
The more I read and learn about HC John Fox and get a proper understanding about him the more comfortable a get. I have got to be honost in that I`ve known very little about Coach Fox. All I saw was that last year the Panthers went 2 14 and that alone scared me off in wanting to hire him. But after hearing about what he`s done with the Panthers during his tenure it all looks VERY PROMISING TO ME! If John Elway believe`s in him then I`m on board. I`ve heard nothing but positive things about John Fox. I got my wish in that WE HIRED A DEFENSIVE MIND HC. Good luck Coach Fox. WELCOME TO THE DENVER BRONCOS. I`m a life long fan who`s behind you and supports you. GO BRONCO`s
And you guys, you know who I`m happy for is Mr. Bowlen. I bet he feels like a million dollars. Or should I say a billion dollars sinse he`s a multi- millionaire. LOL. Mr. Bowlen is floating on cloud 9 and should be.
So I hear that Jim Mora Jr. might be our DC. Interesting.
Steve I am sorry that you are living in such a cold dark world. Why does everything have to be viewed from a McD vs. Anti-McD lens with you? I got on here and fought for McD and now I’m in here in full support of our current coach. There are no victories to declare. Just cautious optimism. I think you’d have a better time if you joined in. Fox has a track of taking away the ball and getting at the QB – I certainly wouldn’t call that boring. It may be more a bit more boring than leading the league in giving up explosive plays of 25 yards or more. Boy did that ever get the old blood pressure rising haha. And on offense he’s never had a Tim Tebow and he’s never had a a receiving unit as talented as ours – so if you think he’s going to do things exactly the way he did them in Carolina I think you are mistaken. The offense will be fun to watch, maybe not as fun as air McD at it’s best or watching Jake the Snake run his bootlegs but it’ll be fun – just so long as we win. And if you wanna talk about history take a look at the 2000 Ravens. They ran a conservative offense but I don’t think the fans were complaining when they took the Lombardi Trophy back to Baltimore. Just saying a lot of different kinds of teams have won the big game. In our back to back Super Bowls Elway threw the ball less than he did in his previous Bowl appearances. Does that make the previous Bowls more fun to watch for Bronco fans? I don’t think the fans were too enthused about us getting blown out but that’s just me. You complain about only giving McD 1.75 seasons but you won’t even give John Fox 1 offseason before you declare him a loser haha. Let’s all enjoy the ride.
Nick Fairley has just now entered the 2011 NFL draft. Lets get him if he`s at #2.
Agreed Strand.
Overall, i feel this was a good hire. Everyone right now is in the phase of hring new young and upcoming coordinators(i.e-Mcd). Never liked the hire he single handedly made this organization into a joke in which i have never ever ever ever ever ever seen before. So now we have a n experienced head coach to bring us out to finally breathe agiagn and not be suffocated.
For the playoffs-
pittsuburgh 27-24
atlanta 23-20
chicago 24-14(i hope cutler leads them to a superbowl just to smear bowlens face in it for giving so much power to an arrogant inexperienced kid and all the haters) yes im still a cutler fan
new england 30-20
Steve, it’s as if you went off your meds again, LOL, just joking…
Got me laughing. Nice one. No meds, just passionate about the Broncos. Other than football and Law Enforcement, I am actually very easy going and non confrontational. I don’t even get this excited as I do playing, watching or coaching baseball.
I do not live in a cold dark world, just an offensive minded one. But to be honest, I am not like some people in this world. If John Fox comes in and leads us to glory, then I will be the first to congratulate him. In my mind, I just don’t see that happening. This is one of the many times, I want to be proven wrong.
I reverted to only commenting on certain past Bronco HC’s in retaliation.
Monday is the first day I am eligible to coach on my new team. The School District approved my background packet. The HC told me its the fastest he has seen one approved. But I guess passing backgrounds for the Air Force, LVMPD, NHP and Nevada Gaming Control, I was a shoe in. lol
They were the second worst team in Las Vegas last year, and committed the most errors. I have 0 returning Seniors, and only 2 of the 5 natural outfielders have even JV play time. I start with a new slate, and am very excited about that. Of course, when they find out that they wont see the field for the first 3 weeks, they wont like me so much. Fundamental development starts off the field.
At this point and time, we’re just glad to move forward past the menacing disaster we had with Coach McD!
No place to go but up…. not hard to figure out!
Nuff Said !!!