What to Watch For: Eagles @ Giants

Eagles @ Giants

The Eagles are top two least deserving playoff teams, but much like the Chargers, displayed that they belong by moving on to the next round. The Eagles sport the NFC's top defense and strong playmakers on offfense. They got by the Vikings with a little trouble but advanced nonetheless. It took a 70 yard screen to seal the game, but they did what they needed to leave with a win.

The Giants were the best team in the NFC all season and did so with a powerful running game and a tough-minded defense. Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward both got 1000 yards on the ground for the season running over or around everything in their path. Plaxico almost derailed the season but the team seems to be past the drama and back on the right track. The proved in week 15 in a win over the second seeded Panthers that they're still the top dogs in the NFC. However, the division rival Eagles is the last team they wanted to play in the playoffs after the bye.

Here's what to watch for:

• Asante Samuel running for cover everytime Jacobs comes his way. Asante does the "Ole" with much less imposing backs, I can't think for a second he'll be throwing his fragile body in front of the human eighteen-wheeler.


• Donovan McNabb's feet. If McNabb is quite in the pocket and still, he's comfortable and poised for a good day. If he's got happy feet and is dancing all over, then I'm sad to say it's going to be a long day for the Eagles. This doesn't mean he shouldn't run, it's just all about pocket presence.


• Brian Dawkins anytime he isn't playing. Dawkins is awesome to watch in pre-game huddles, his introduction, dancing on the sidelines, and in between plays. I can imagine that Giants fans hate it, but his raw emotion and love for the game is rare in a league that is progressively more and more self-centered.


• The Manning face. Made famous by The Sports Guy on ESPN, Eli has a fantastic "oh crap, what's happening now"" face. Every drop and interception is met with this classic show (or non show) of emotion.


• How the Giants defense will play to stop Westbrook. They say they won't et him beat them, which could work in the Eagles favor. If they devote too much attention to West, they play-action passing game should flourish.


• Which Giants team is going to show up? Tom Coughlin did a terrific job coaching throughout the Plax nonsense this season and his team normally comes out firing. But they've been flat before, especially in the second game against the Eagles. I don't think he's a particularly asute coach, but he is great motivator.


• Which Andy Reid is going to show up? Andy has done a good job so far, but I won't be surprised if he abandones the run out of no where and submarines the Eagles chances at victory.


• My brother tells me all the time that Andy Reid looks like the Heat Mizer from some Christmas movie with his new playoff beard (he saw the comparison on tv somewhere). What do you think?


• Can the Giants D-Line win the battle in the trenches? In other words, how much will the be ablse to disrupt Philly's efforts to run the ball and get time in the passing game? Depending on how healthy Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan are, it may not be much.


• Is Eli good enough to win the game if the running game is stifled? I don't know that he can put the team on his back and throw successfully to Toomer, Hixon, and Boss. I see another Asante TD in Eli's future.


• Another predicition, DeSean Jackson is either DeSeawesome or DeSeawful in the punt return game and it swings the turn out of the game.

Prediction Time: Eagles 17, Giants 10

If the game is any higher scoring than this, I don't know that the Eagles will win it, but the Eagles defense has been FANTASTIC and the Giants should have plenty of trouble moving the ball if the Eagles don't miss tackles and play disciplined on defense. Yes, I'm a homer but this is how I see it, so deal with it.

What to Watch For: Ravens @ Titans

Ravens @ Titans

The Ravens defense has been stingy and exceptional most of the season. Miami had major trouble moving the ball for most of the game at Baltimore and the defense forced 5 turnovers against a Dolphins squad that led the league in least committed turnovers. The Ravens offense wasn't exactly stellar, but as usual, they got the job done.

The Titans are your prototypical successful playoff team. The run the ball and stop the run. And they do both of these things very, very well. They're very similar to the Ravens, except their defense isn't quite as good, but they have a much better rushing attack. It seemed as if they weren't as good as their hot start indicated, but they took down the Steelers at the end of season to solidify the top spot.

What I'll be watching for when they face-off:

• Kevin Mawae is out for the Titans and his absence will definitely have an affect on the Titans run game. The question is how much? If the Titans are going to win, they need to be successful running the ball and missing interior linemen is not a good start.


• Chris Johnson and LenDale White are the best running one-two punch in the league and you can be sure that the Ravens are going to be loading the box on most downs. I think Chris Johnson is phenomenal and the better back, but he needs LenDale to soften the Ravens up so he can find some holes. If I was Jeff Fisher, I'd lean on LenDale heavy in the first half and hope that Johnson runs wild in the second half.


• The only way to best a great defense is to attack it. The Ravens thrive on controlling the tempo of the game with their defense, so if Tennessee is tenative out of the gate they're going to have their hands full early.


• It is important for Tennessee to grind it out and avoid an early deficit. If Kerry Collins starts throwing the ball a lot, Ed Reed is going to have a field day. And he's consistently shown that if he gets his hands on it, he's taking it for six, almost everytime. It has gotten to the point that I'm wondering how he would fare with a few offensive touches. He's shown the ability to follow blockers, read tacklers, and make the right cut to get to the endzone. Why not send him on a toss and run him behind an overload of pulling blockers? It's slightly unorthodox, but what have you got to lose?


• Joe Flacco has his hands full against this defense. He's going to have to make some plays because he can't rely on Ed Reed to put up points for him every week. Willis McGahee and LeRon McClain do a nice job on the ground and Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton and Todd Heap are find in the receiving game, but none of them are good enough to take over and take it off Flacco's shoulders. At some point in the game, he's going to have to lead them down the field and get a score, or they're not gonna win the game.


• Most importantly about Flacco, I think it should be necessary to yell his name is your best New York accent: JOE FLACCO!


• Ray Lewis gets a lot of credit, but it's pretty obvious that he's not the best player on this defense anymore. He's the emotional leader, but it's Reed, Suggs, and McAllister who have to make the plays.


• Albert Haynesworth should wreak havoc on the Ravens O-line, but I think they'll find a way to get aroudn him.

Prediction Time: Ravens 17, Titans 16

This one was just a hunch, but I think the Ravens are going to sneak away with a win. Flacco was 9/23 passing last week and I think he'll be slightly better this time around, maybe a 15/25 type performance. Also, I don't think Collins is going to play mistake free and possibly a running back fumble is going to lead to defensive points (most likely by Ed Reed). I'm not expecting a ton of scoring in this one, but I think Chris Johnson is the X-factor. If he runs wild, they win. If he doesn't, they lose.

What to Watch For: Chargers @ Steelers

Here's the second game of our playoff preview (here's the first):

Chargers @ Steelers

The Chargers scratched and clawed their way into the playoffs and squeaked into the playoffs at 8-8, on top of the AFC West. I think it's embarrasing that a .500 team made the playoffs, but they more than proved their worth by taking down mighty Peyton Manning and the Colts in the Wild Card Round. It took overtime for them to get the win, but if it wasn't for a sneaky touchdown by the Colts in the hurry-up, they would've taken it outright in regulation. Darren Sproles was the gambreaker that the Chargers needed without Tomlinson and made a big splash on the playoff scene last week.

The Steelers faced one of the toughest schedules in league and still came out as the #2 seed in the AFC. James Harrison took home the Defensive Player of the Year award and Troy Polamalu was exceptional all season. The defense in general was best in the league and carried them to where they are now. They have a huge home-field advantage because of the backyard swamp conditions of their field that only helps them play the game more to their style. Slow it down, grind it out.

Here's what I'll be watching for this playoff Sunday:

• How big of an impact will L.T. have on the game? Personally, I think the more he plays, the worse off the team is. L.T. is very hurt and with such a capable back-up in Sproles, there is no reason for Tomlinson to be wasting carries at 2 YPC. This Steelers D is not one that I would want to be playing hurt against. This is most likely going to be a dogfight and the Chargers can't afford to waste possessions with L.T. on the field.


• Antonio Gates needs to be effective for the Chargers to get down the field. If he's hobbled and useless, it'll give Polamalu free-reign to hawk all over the field and wreak havoc on Phillip Rivers and Sproles.


• Ben Roethlisberger is recovering from a "light" concussion and will that affect Big Ben this weekend? Concussions are very serious injuries that the NFL seems to be largely ignoring. The Chargers defense isn't exactly suffocating, but their are an accomplished, veteran defense that will capitalize if Roethlisberger falters and makes mistakes.


• For the Chargers to win, Sproles needs to carry the rock atleast 20 times and he needs to do it well, which is highly unlikely. The Steelers allow less than 80 YPG on the ground and I don't know if Sproles is big enough to handle the beating he is going to take. James Harrison might break Sproles in two if he catches the wrong way. But Sproles proved last week (and all season) that he is a gamebreaker and you know the Steelers do not want him in open space.


• I really can't stand Phillip Rivers. I understand that off the field he may be a personable and engaging gentleman. But on it, he seems like a douche. He's annoying and arrogant and I really don't like him. But he's talented and there's no disputing that. He's got to make some big plays for the Chargers to advance.

Prediction Time: Steelers 20, Chargers 13

I don't know that the Chargers can overcome all of their injuries to take down the powerful Steelers in this one. I think the Steelers are the most complete and playoff ready team in the NFL and it would take a healthy L.T. and Gates and Merriman for the Chargers to take it down. The only way the Chargers win this one is if they get a score defensively and Roethlisberger shits the bed. Which is possible. If I'm Mike Tomlin I give the Chargers a healthy dosage of Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore and take my win and move on.

What to Watch For: Cardinals @ Panthers

It's playoff time and we're a sports blog, so our first preview of the NFL Playoffs Divsional Round.

Cardinals @ Panthers

The Cardinals surprised many by beating the Falcons in the Wild Card round and did a lot of things well that they haven't showed all season. The Cardinals ran the ball and stop the run fantastically, which is exactly what people assumed they couldn't do and exactly why they couldn't win.

The Panthers were a great team all season, led by a great dual-headed running attack and a formidable defense and pass rush. DeAngelo Williams seemingly scored 4 td's every game this season and despite Jake Delhomme's frequent ineptitude they rolled to the #2 seed in the NFC.

As these two face off in Carolina on Saturday, here's what we'll be watching for:

• Before the game even starts, the Cardinals have two things against them. Travel and temperature. The Cardinals were winless this season traveling to east-coast opponents which is unbelieveable for a playoff team. Also, they are a warm weather team, historically they haven't performed well in colder, crappier weather. They can't possibly lay another egg against east-coast teams. It's law of averages, right?


• Is the Arizona pass rush from the Wild Card round legit? Or was that showing one and done, because that certainly wouldn't surprise me. Bertrand Berry told Tony and Wilbon on PTI today that Falcons QB Matt Ryan wasn't changing up the snap count and that is part of the reason for the pressure they generated. That certainly won't happen with a veteran QB like Delhomme running the show. He's been to the playoffs and all the way to the Super Bowl, he won't be nervous come game time and forget such a simple facet of his job.


• Is Edgerrin James back and is he a solid running back again? Edge looked great against Atlanta, but he's been so poor this season that I have trouble thinking he'll be successful in Carolina. Jon Beason covers a ton of ground and the Carolina front 7 will be much more tenacious than the group Edge just ran all over.


• Speaking of the Carolina front 7, they shouldn't have trouble getting all the pressure they need on Kurt Warner come Saturday. That is their key to victory. They can't allow Warner time to sit back and kill them from the pocket. They need to flush him out and keep him moving all game, the more they hit him the better. Kurt is still a great QB, but he's never been a scrambler and as he gets older, he's only getting more and more immobile. It's a lot harder to Fitzgerald and Boldin if you're worried about who's about to hit you (namely, Julius Peppers)


• About Boldin, how hurt is he? This is the guy who played after he broke his face, so I've got to assume he'll be toughing it out if at all possible. But hamstrings are a strange injury, there's no telling how long it'll take to heal. Could be a week, could be 4 weeks. I'm confident Boldin will play, but the real question is how effective will he be? He hurt it while sprinting down field and didn't seem any slower until he reached the endzone, so who knows? Maybe, he'll be fine, and I hope so because any hope of a competitive game may rest on his well being.


• Who is going to tackle DeAngelo? And if they bring him down, who's going to stop Jonathon Stewart? Now this defense was good against Atlanta against the second best rushing attack in the league in Michael Turner and Jerrious Norwood. But this is the best rushing attack (no offense, Earth, Wind, and Fire, you're probably tied for 2nd. Maybe 2B to ATL's 2A). Williams has shown all season that he will take advantage of cutback lanes and if the defense is disciplined, he'll make you pay. Now how much discipline can we possibly expect from this team? Outside of Adrian Wilson how many playmakers do they have? Karlos Dansby is a good, but unspectacular linebacker and I can probably say the same for Darnell Dockett on the D-line.


• Which big-time WR would you rather have, Larry Fitzgerald? or Steve Smith? or maybe Boldin? At gun point, I'd take Boldin because he does things over the middle and after the catch that is only rivaled by Brandon Marshall. However, Fitzgerald has the best ball skills in the NFL which was obvious by that awesome TD catch he had last week between two defenders. But, Steve Smith has game-breaking athleticism and speed that you just can't teach. I read somewhere the other day that he's such a freak that his physical talents make up for poor route-running skills and game IQ. I don't know if the DB's in this game are capable enough to stop any of these 3.

Prediction Time: Carolina 31, Arizona 21

I think Carolina will have it's way with Arizona unless Delhomme takes too many risks. DeAngelo will get two TDs, Stewart one. Also, one of the Arizona TD's will probably be garbage time at the end when it is too little, too late. For Arizona to steal this one, they need to keep the score low and I think it'll take a final, two minute drill to win it at like 17-14 or something. The line is Caroline -9.5 so I guess I'd be laying the points, but most likely I'd stay away from this one. If anything, I think I'd take the under of 48.5 because I'm usually wrong on those. Then again, if i could tease Arizona and the Under, well now we're in business.

Recent Baseball News & Notes

Here's some recent baseball news and notes over the past week or so that you might have missed in the midst of bowl season and the nfl playoffs (go birds!):

1. Cubs sign Milton Bradley: I love this deal for the Cubs. Milton got 3 years, 30 mil (less money than Ibanez) and is a great addition to a Cubs team that is very close to the top. Milton was the best hitter of the OF/DH group (other than Manny) and is also the youngest. He may be a head case, but on a team without an identity (make that a city without an identity), crazy guys are sometimes just what you need.


2. Pat Burrell signs with Rays: Not a bad signing for the Rays. They gave him two years, the second of which will probably be useless. Pat had a resurgence this season, but don't expect much consistency. He's a good signing for them because he has no problem staying out of the limelight and playing second or even third fiddle to other stars in the lineup. Also he should benefit from playing DH and not running around aimlessly in the outfield all season.


3. Giambi close to signing with the A's: This one makes sense. The A's have thrived lately on thriving aging vets like Frank Thomas, Piazza, etc. Giambi is a great OBP guy, so it's easy to see why Beane liked him.


4. Derek Lowe and Manny still unsigned: Another unsurprising fact. These two seem to be the odd superstars out in free agency splurge. The economy has hit these two hard and they won't get anything close to the money they expected earlier this spring.


5. Howard and Hamels hit arbitration soon: How much will they get? Howard is most likely going to break his own record and Hamels should be getting a sweet payday too.


6. J.C. Romero suspended 50 games in '09: Sometimes even the over-the-counter ones can get you. Wake the hell up J.C. that's why they have trainers in the lockerroom.

That's likely not all the baseball news, but that's what you should have seen or heard. Moving forward, there won't be much baseball talk with the NFL Playoffs steamrolling through, but keep an eye on the Bottomline to get just enough baseball fix to keep you going.

Eagles Roll Over Browns, Are They Good Enough?

On Monday Night Football, the Eagles finally did something that they were supposed to do this season. The trounced the lowly Browns who came into Lincoln Financial Field as one of the league's worst franchises. The Eagles still need some help from the Falcons or the Bucs, but first and foremost, they must help themselves and win out. Tonight was a step in the right direction.

McNabb and Reid both did enough to get a good strong win and look impressive while doing so. However, there are still some things that concerned me while watching this game, albeit minor things. Reid still struggled moving the chances on third and short. This is definitely going to be a problem moving forward as it has been all season. Also, McNabb's interception at the end of the first half was disconcerting. It was a wildly underthrown pass in a jump ball situation where you have to be looking to put the ball on the back pylon. An underthrown of that magnitude is unacceptable. However, McNabb did a good job managing the game and hitting receivers all over the field and Reid was constantly one step ahead of the Browns.

But we have to remember, this was the Browns, and that was supposed to happen. Let's see how they play at Washington this week which will be a much tougher game than advertised. The Redskins are falling apart but they are a division rival with plenty of talent to play spoiler to the Eagles' playoff hopes. The playoff picture will be a whole lot brighter for the Birds if they can go down to FedEx field and get a decisive victory but I remain convinced that either the Bucs or the Falcons will falter in the last two weeks.

Eagles Playoff Hunt Starts Tomorrow

I've got to admit, I was wrong about the Eagles a few weeks ago when I ranted about McNabb and Reid. However, I am not surprised by their recent run of success. It was obvious at the beginning of the season that this team had enough talent to make a run at the Super Bowl and that was before we discovered DeSean Jackson's abilities. The Eagles have a pro-bowl QB, an accomplished coach, a stout defense and a superstar running back. Other than a top-notch wide receiver, what is this team missing?

Then, as the season progressed, the Eagles continued to let game after game slip away. Winnable games against inferior opponents constantly got away from us and ended in a loss. Brian Westbrook and Shaun Andrews got hurt, Andy Reid got predictable in the playcalling, and Donovan McNabb's happy feet and bouncing passes returned. The tie against the Bengals was rock bottom.

Who honestly saw the wins against the Cardinals and Giants coming? The Eagles were a team in disarray and now they're 7-5-1 with a good chance to make the playoffs if they run the table and win the rest of their games against the Browns tomorrow night, the Redskins the next week, and the Cowboys at home to finish the season. In my opinion, 10-5-1 is good enough to make the wild card in the NFC this year.

So tomorrow begins the playoff hunt for the Eagles. I think that everything up until this point is irrelavant. The highs and lows of this season are in the past and have to stay there. The McNabb benching, the 3rd and 4th & 1 woes, the injuries have to remain in the rearview mirror or this team won't be able to push this season to another level and make the playoffs.

And to make the playoffs, the Eagles are going to have to ride their surging defense which has been stifling as of late. Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown have been playing great on the corners and Brian Dawkins has rediscovered his youth this season and has been the ball-hawking safety that we all love. But leading this team has been Stewart Bradley. You only need to watch the games to see how Bradley is all over field and in on every tackle. Trent Cole has been great again this season and the rest of the D-Line has been playing well too. They basically pitched a shut-out against the Giants last week if it wasn't for a garbage-time TD while they were in the prevent and a blocked field goal that was returned for a TD.

During that Giants game, McNabb managed the offense and didn't make any mistakes. It's true that he didn't do anything phenomenal, but he did everything we needed him to do. Westbrook took advantage of the newfound commitment to the run and ran all over one of the best defenses in the NFC. Keeping the ball on the ground and turning McNabb into a game manager is another way that this team is going to be successful as the season gets late. McNabb is still a good QB, however he isn't good enough to throw it 40-50 times a game anymore.

Against the Browns, if the Eagles control the line of scrimmage and stay tough on defense, they should roll against the lesser opponent. It really shouldn't be much of a game and the Eagles should be on cruise control by the middle of the third quarter.

It'll be interesting to see how the Eagles perform to finish the season because if they sneak into the wild card, they'll definitely be the team that no one wants to play in the first round. However, if they don't make the playoffs, it will also be interesting to see what changes come, if any for next season. There will be a post on the Eagles possible changes coming soon, if they stumble down the stretch.

Playoffs??? Are you kidding me....

Just when we all thought the playoff picture was set, things changed dramatically in typical NFL fashion. Week 14 provided all kinds of drama throughout the NFL, and I have to be honest, I really don't have a clue how things will shake out. Some teams jumped right back into the playoff picture, while others lost some serious momentum.

Back in the Hunt

Philadelphia Eagles: Something tells me that tie is going to come back to haunt Eagles fans. But a convincing victory over the Giants leads me to believe that the Eagles are for real. I wouldn't be shocked if the Eagles grabbed a wild card spot. What a stunning turnaround.

New Orleans Saints: They still sit at the bottom of the wildcard race, but a hard fought victory against Atlanta keeps them alive. If they do find a way to sneak in, they can be dangerous.

Houston Texans: Solid victory over a fading Green Bay team. Its still far-fetched to imagine the Texans making the playoffs, but if they win out they might have a legitimate shot at the #6 seed.

Clinched

Denver Broncos: Sure, they almost lost to the Chiefs, but that was an important victory. The Broncos essentially locked up the AFC West. The Broncos are a model for inconsistency, but that offense is scary when Brandon Marshall is playing well.

Arizona Cardinals: It may be the worst division in football, but props to the Cardinals for winning their first division title in 33 years.

Momentum Loss

New York Giants: For the last few weeks, the Giants have appeared to be unbeatable, and the media was touting them as a dynasty in the making. But maybe the distractions are starting to catch up with the Giants.

Dallas Cowboys: The great American hype machine. The Cowboys faced a tough test on the road against Pittsburgh, but if they want to win in the playoffs they are going to need to win in the road.

New York Jets: I'm speechless about this one. I really don't know what to think about the Jets. They seemed to have the AFC East locked up, but now the division is up for grabs.

NFL Playoff Scenario Generator

Check out this NFL Playoff Scenario Generator from Yahoo Sports. The feature allows you to change the results of each game and see how that impacts the playoff picture. Right now they have a projected 12 team field, but that can quickly change with a few clicks of the mouse.