The NFL's second season starts this weekend and I can't remember a more interesting weekend of match ups. There are so many first timers trying to make the most of the opportunities set in front of them. Then there's teams like the Lions and the Bengals who have fans that can't even remember when their team was on of the best in the league. All I can say about this weekend is that we will learn a lot about up and coming stars like Matthew Stafford and Andy Dalton. The future of the league could be forever changed with wins this week for many teams.
Let's start off this Wild Card Weekend with the scrappy Pittsburgh Steelers traveling to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos. Never Before have I seen such a bad team in the playoffs. I thought the league hit a new low when the Seahawks mad it in last year (until they BEAT the Saints), but this Bronco team may be the worst. As you all know, Tim Tebow is the much talked about leader of the Broncos and the key player for the offense. His 1,729 through the air and 12 touchdowns have been far from marvelous, but it is his will to win and what he does in the locker room that makes him the player he is. As much as I want this kid to succeed, there is no way I can see him doing so without some major reworking of his form. The Bronco X factor is Willis McGahee. To take the pressure off Tebow, he will need to have a monster day. He has ran for over 1,000 yards this season and if Denver wants to have a chance he will need to get into the endzone at least two times and rush for about 150 yards.
As for the Steelers, they were able to break the curse of being the loser of the Super Bowl and actually have a great season. Most of their success has to be accredited to their key player, Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben has proved himself as one of the elite QBs in the league. This season, he once again threw for over 4,000 yards and was able to complete 21 touchdowns. His one issue coming into this game is his ankle injury. This injury will be crucial because he can no longer extend the play with his legs. It has been well documented that Ben is almost more effective when he is outside the pocket. If you look at his last two regular season games with the injury, he has a passer rating lower than 75 in both and has thrown for 0 TDs with 3 interceptions. The Steeler X factor is a tie between WR Antonio Brown and RB Isaac Redman. Brown has been one of the best Steeler wide receivers all season. He has caught 69 balls this year for over 1,000 yards and 2 TDs. His ability to weave his way through the secondary will be key to giving Big Ben all he needs to have a big game. Redman is filling in for the explosive Rashard Mendenhall. If the Steelers want to win, he will need to take the pressure off the injured Roethlisberger and get the ball in the endzone.
The keys to the game have to be both defenses. The Bronco's defense will have the task of trying to stop one of the better passers they will have seen all year and that is going to be very tough for them to do. As for the Steelers, they are ranked number 1 in the league in defense and they need to just do what they do. If they get caught up in the Tebow mania, it could be curtains for the Steel Curtain.
Who Wins? Are you really in doubt? It will be the Steelers gliding to a 24-10 victory.
The night cap for Saturday will be the Detroit Lions traveling to New Orleans to take on the Saints. If the Lions defense plays anything remotely close to the way like they did in Green Bay, this game won't even be close. The Lions defense is the key player for the cardiac kitties. They haven't played too great all season. They have let in plenty of yards and points and have a lot of careless penalties. The Lions gave up six touchdowns to a back up QB last week and Saints QB Drew Brees isn't even close to a back up. Suh and the rest of the defensive line will need to bring the heat if they want to contend. The X factor is Matthew Stafford. He has had an up and down season, but has really shown his growth in the big games. His 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns are some of the best numbers in the league, but his 16 interceptions have really hurt. Most of the interceptions have come in key moments. In a big game like this you need to rise to the occation in the big moments and his coolness as a passer will really dictate how he does in this game.
The Saints has never looked better. Their QB Drew Brees has obviously improved since getting his first Super Bowl ring and looks to be well on his way to getting another. Brees is the key player for the Saints this week because he pretty much is the offense. Drew has thrown for 5,478 yards (an NFL record) with 46 TDs. If he has a bad day it will be very hard for the Saints to overcome. The Saints X Factor is the running game. Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas have both been sufficient rushers, but compared to the rest of the league they are a bit weak. You can't win a game if you're one dimensional and if these guys don't get going, that will be the case for the Saint's offense.
The Lions key to the game has to be containing Jimmy Graham. At 6'6", 260 pounds, he is a real mismatch for any defender. It will be interesting to see who the Lions put on him. A corner will be too small and a line backer might be to slow. They need to find a solution or they could be in for a long day. The Saints need to do the same thing, but with Calvin Johnson. The Saints need to come to grips that they aren't going to stop this guy. He will get catches and he will get yards, but they need to find a way to minimize the impact they will have. Don't let him catch a ball for 10 yards then miss a few tackles and watch him waltz down the field for 10 more. They need to wrap him up as soon as he makes the catch and don't go for the strip or the interception.
Who wins? Sorry Lions fans, but it won't happen this year. Saints will beat the Lions in a close one 45-41.
Thanks for reading! I'll have more up for the other two playoff games either later today or tomorrow. I'll get the BCS pick up on Sunday night. Enjoy the games! ~N
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