Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks – 4:30pm EST on NBC
Game-Time Forecast: Low-40’s with Wind and a 90% Chance of Rain
2007 Regular Season Meeting: Did Not Play
For Washington: Riding high on a four-game winning streak headed into the playoffs, perennial backup QB Todd Collins has proved to be the perfect catalyst for the Redskins. Over the course of four starts after taking over for injured QB Jason Campbell, Collins has provided stability to the Washington offense with his veteran leadership and smart decision-making. Finishing out the season with a 106.4 QB Rating and 5 touchdowns to no interceptions, Collins was recognized as the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for December. Throw in the effective running of RB Clinton Portis, who recorded 306 yards rushing and 4 TD’s in the last three games, and the Washington offense is currently rolling hard in the right direction.
On the other side of the ball, the 8th ranked Washington defense has allowed just over 13 points per game during the final four games of the season. Led by MLB London Fletcher, the league’s 6th leading tackler (129), this defense has been stout against the run, allowing 91.3 (4th in the league) rushing yards per game. The secondary has really stepped up recently, exemplified by the stellar play of FS LaRon Landry and CB Shawn Springs.
For Seattle: There is no doubt that the Seahawks offense has been put on the back of QB Matt Hasselbeck. With an almost nonexistent run game in ’07 (ranked 20th in the league), Hasselbeck has stepped up and led Seattle to their fourth consecutive division title. This regular season, the ninth-year veteran posted career numbers across the board, including in passing yards (3,966) and touchdown passes (28). Though there is not one lone standout, the Seahawks have a great receiving corps, led by WR Bobby Engram, who notched his first 1,000+ yard season in his 12-year career.
The defense is anchored by two solid linebackers in Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson, as well as the league’s 2nd leading sack artist (14.5) in DE Patrick Kerney. Seattle puts great pressure on upfront, and also defends the run fairly well. Nevertheless, with their aggressiveness to rush the pass, it often times leaves their secondary open to allowing big plays.
Game Outlook: Washington has great momentum headed into Wild Card Weekend. They have been playing some great football lately, and all facets of their game have really clicked. Nevertheless, traveling to Seattle, Qwest Field provides the great equalizer – “The 12th Man”. The Seahawks running game has been off track this season, and going against a very good Redskins rush defense, Seattle will rely heavily on QB Matt Hasselbeck to continue his stellar play. Most likely, this will be a battle of which quarterback falters first… and with the pressure Seattle puts on upfront, especially at home, this Saturday may be the downfall of QB Todd Collins’ “Cinderella” story. My pick for this game… “The 12th Man” in some poor conditions – Seattle Seahawks.
Key Injuries: Jason Campbell, QB, WAS (Out); Deion Branch, WR, SEA (Questionable); Walter Jones, OT, SEA (Questionable); Rocky Bernard, DT, SEA (Out)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers – 8pm EST on NBC
Game-Time Forecast: Mid-40’s with a 40% Chance of Rain
2007 Regular Season Meeting: Pittsburgh 22 at Jacksonville 29
For Jacksonville: It is all about the run in Jacksonville. QB David Garrard does exactly what HC Jack Del Rio expects of him – manages the ball well. With only 3 interceptions on the year (and a 6:1 TD to INT ratio), Garrard does not try to do too much and makes smart decisions with the ball. This leaves things open for the Jags two-headed monster in the backfield – running back Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Jacksonville finished the regular season as the 2nd best run offense in the league (149.4 rushing yards per game) behind the phenomenal play of the veteran Taylor and the second-year player Jones-Drew. The Jags passing game, on the other hand, though efficient, leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, their receiving corps, led by WR Reggie Williams, is much better than many people give them credit for.
For Jacksonville, their defense somewhat underachieved a little bit this season in terms of their standards. Much of that can be attributed to the loss of DT Marcus Stroud due to an ankle injury that sent him to the IR in Week 10. In addition, the Jags will be without MLB Mike Peterson as well, who has been ruled out due to a broken hand that has kept him sidelined since Week 12. Nevertheless, sans their Week 17 game against Houston, this team has been rolling and could be considered one of the scariest opponents to be facing heading into the playoffs.
For Pittsburgh: Though he only recorded 2 touchdowns on the year, RB Willie Parker accounted for nearly 30% of the Steelers total offense over the course of the season. Parker’s loss, going down in Week 15 with a broken leg, will undoubtedly be missed in the postseason. Backup RB Najeh Davenport is serviceable, but is nowhere near as effective as the elusive Parker. QB Ben Roethlisberger, who has thrown 9 TD’s to 2 INT’s over his last four starts, and the passing game is a nice option, however, the Steelers offensive line has allowed an amazing 47 sacks on the season. Without a true running game, the pressure allowed upfront could lead to some big-time mistakes if the Pittsburgh offensive line cannot straighten things out.
Nobody can argue with the league’s top rated defense overall. This season, the Steelers allowed the 3rd lowest total yards per game (176.5) and the 2nd least points per game (16.8). Pittsburgh may not make all of the sexy plays on defense, but what they lack in interceptions and sacks, they surely make up in flat-out stellar play across the board. And it also helps that linebacker James Harrison has Steelers fans shouting, “Joey, WHO?!?”
Game Outlook: Both of these run-oriented teams pounded the ball all season, as Jacksonville and Pittsburgh each ranked in the Top 3 for time of possession per game. However, now with the loss of RB Willie Parker, it leaves room to believe that QB Ben Roethlisberger will have to return to ’05 form and take this team on his back once again if the Steelers want to go anywhere. Against a tough Jacksonville team this weekend, that may be a very tough feat to accomplish. Both defenses are riddled with injuries at this point in the season, yet the Jags are rolling right now and the Steelers have lost three of their last four. My pick for this game… everyone’s favorite playoff sleeper to defy the odds and defeat a Pittsburgh team at home both during the regular season and in the playoffs – Jacksonville Jaguars.
Key Injuries: Paul Spicer, DE, JAX (Doubtful); Mike Peterson, LB, JAX (Out); Troy Polamalu, S, PIT (Doubtful)
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1pm EST on FOX
Game-Time Forecast: Low-80’s and Sunny
2007 Regular Season Meeting: Did Not Play
For NY Giants: Looking back to the way that QB Eli Manning played against New England in the final week of the season, it makes one think about how his play directly correlates with that of the team itself. Just like Manning, the play of the New York Football Giants can be labeled as erratic at best. Their season has been filled with very high highs (Week 4 against Philadelphia) and very low lows (Week 12 against Minnesota). One thing that should really be worrying the G-Men heading into Wild Card Weekend is their overwhelming number of injured stars. Players like RB Brandon Jacobs and WR Plaxico Burress not being at 100% could really throw a wrench into the Giants offensive production and playoff dreams.
Just like the offense, the Giants defense has been equally as up and down – looking stellar in one week, and then porous in the next. Nevertheless, Giants DC Steve Spagnuolo has really pulled this unit together, and with bookends Michael Stahan and Osi Umenyiora, New York’s pass rush has become one of the most feared in the league. The Giants finished the regular season with a league-leading 53.0 sacks and a 7th overall defensive ranking. One concern, however, is the potential loss of OLB Kawika Mitchell, who sprained his knee in Week 17 and has not practiced all week.
For Tampa Bay: QB Jeff Garcia’s experience has only paid dividends for the Tampa Bay offense this season. Though he missed three games due to a back injury, his play this year has been very consistent and added another dimension to the Bucs offense. With only 4 interceptions thrown on the year, Garcia sits only behind Jacksonville QB David Garrard for the least picks thrown among regular starters. Yet, another key for Tampa Bay has been the surprisingly solid play of RB Earnest Graham, who stepped in as the starter after RB Cadillac Williams went down with a knee injury in Week 4. Graham averaged 73.6 rushing yards per game in his 11 starts, with 10 touchdowns and three 100+ yard performances. It is also important to note, however, that the Bucs leading receiver, WR Joey Galloway, has been ruled out for this week’s Wild Card contest.
The true reason for much of Tampa Bay’s success this season has been their defense’s return to dominant form. At the end of the regular season, the Bucs sit as the 2nd ranked defense overall, largely due to their top-rated secondary. They have allowed the fewest passing yards per game (170.5), and recorded 16 interceptions and 68 batted balls. The great equalizer has been Tampa Bay’s propensity to force turnovers – along with their 16 picks, the Bucs have recorded 24 forced fumbles as well.
Game Outlook: For anyone who has followed the Giants this season, this team is very scary – not because of what they can do to their opponents, but because you never know which team will show up. At times, the G-Men have looked like legit contenders for the NFC title… in other weeks, they might as well have just taken any bum off of the streets and given him some pads. The same can be applied when talking about the Bucs, but to a lesser extent, simply because HC Jon Grudin just will not allow things to get that bad. Both teams have huge potential to offer on offense, but their foundations lay on the defensive side. It has become so cliché, but this game will really come down to turnovers, and with the Giants propensity to completely tank in the worst possible situations, Tampa Bay should be able to capitalize. My pick for this game… in a defensive struggle, the Bucs return to dominant form gives them the edge – Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Key Injuries: Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, NYG (Questionable); Shaun O’Hara, C, NYG (Questionable); Sinorice Moss, WR, NYG (Doubtful); Earnest Graham, RB, TB (Questionable); Ike Hilliard, WR, TB (Questionable); Joey Galloway, WR, TB (Out)
Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers – 4:30pm EST on CBS
Game-Time Forecast: Mid-50’s with a 60% Chance of Rain
2007 Regular Season Meeting: San Diego 23 at Tennessee 17
For Tennessee: The Titans biggest asset comes in the form of their legs. Their trio of running backs has been effective throughout the season, with second-year RB LenDale White recording 1,110 rushing yards and becoming the obvious standout of the group. Throw in a mobile quarterback in Vince Young (though questionable for this week’s game), and the Titans have the ground game on lock and rank 5th in the league in terms of a rushing attack. On the other hand, the Tennessee passing game is practically not a factor. They finished the season with the fewest touchdowns through the air (9) and one of the words passing yards per game average (192.3).
In sharp contrast to their “either end of the spectrum” offense, Tennessee has been solid in all aspects of the game on defense. They finished the ’07 regular season ranked 5th overall, and with the Titans lack of offensive production at times, their defensive unit is what has really kept them in the hunt for a playoff berth over the final weeks of the season. The Titans are very impressive against the run, anchored by DT Albert Haynesworth and hard-hitting CB Cortland Finnegan. In addition, the Tennessee secondary ranks in the Top 3 for interceptions (22) and batted balls (89), and has forced opposing quarterbacks to take “coverage sacks” all year long (40.0).
For San Diego: For the most part, QB Philip Rivers turned out to be a huge disappointment to Chargers fans, fantasy owners, and apparently RB LaDainian Tomlinson as well. Nevertheless, with Tomlinson on the team, not much more is necessarily needed. Not in line with last year’s ridiculous numbers, Tomlinson still led all running backs in total rushing yards (1,474) and rushing touchdowns (15), while finishing in the Top 3 in rushing yards per game, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown receptions. Tomlinson encompasses the San Diego offense, and without him, it is tough to say where the Chargers would be heading into the weekend.
The Chargers defense is built around making the big play. They do not necessarily have the best cover defensive backs or the stoutest run stoppers – instead, this unit relies heavily on game-changing plays. The Chargers finished the regular season as the league leaders in both interceptions (30) and pass deflections (94), with 16 forced fumbles and 42.0 sacks to boot. In reality, San Diego should be much better in terms of consistency on the defensive side of the ball with the players who they have anchoring this unit – OLB Shawne Merriman, NT Jamal Williams, DT Luis Castillo and CB Antonio Cromartie. However, there in may lay the problem… individually, this unit has talent galore, but their ability to play together as a cohesive unit leaves much to be desired at times.
Game Outlook: This contest will be another game in which time of possession matters most. Tennessee and San Diego can both pound the ball on the ground and just eat up time off of the clock. Nevertheless, if QB Vince Young cannot play, it may be a blessing in disguise. Not always the most sure-handed player, at least veteran backup QB Kerry Collins has the ability to open up the passing game and keep opponents honest. Along with Young, the Titans will/may be missing some other key players in their Wild Card Weekend match-up against the Chargers. Even watching them last weekend against Indianapolis, the Titans just look physically spent. Conversely, the Chargers are rolling right now, winners of their last six straight, and appear to be the hottest team headed into the playoffs. My pick for this game… the Chargers keep rolling in a not-so-sunny Wild Card contest in Southern California – San Diego Chargers.
Key Injuries: Vince Young, QB, TEN (Questionable); Nick Harper, CB, TEN (Questionable); Kevin Mawae, C, TEN (Questionable); Bo Scaife, TE, TEN (IR); Lorenzo Neal, FB (Out) |
