BIG D’S - NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Well, here we are. It’s Week #1 of the NFL Playoffs (or Wild Card Week as some people call it) and there’s definitely more then one intriguing match up. With our Detroit Lions going 3-13 in 2006 and as putrid as ever, my jealousy for these teams even being in the playoffs is perhaps, more evident this year then it’s ever been. Oh yes, football fans…

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN. It’s time to get the beer, a lazy boy and a remote control and shut out the world for the weekend. House work? Blah! Who needs it? It’s playoff time baby! On that note, here are my predictions for this week’s games…

New York Giants (8-8) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

The Giants come into this one as a team that is lucky to be 8-8 and even luckier to be in the playoffs in the first place. This team of overachievers certainly should have been better then their record indicates but, to their credit they do play in a terribly tough NFC East. All excuses aside, they will certainly have their work cut out for them traveling to perhaps the toughest environment of them all, especially during the playoffs – PHILLY! This could be the final game of the career of Giants’ RB – Tiki Barber (will retire after this season) and what a career it’s been for him. His performance last week of over 240 yards rushing and 3 TD’s was electrical. It’s so critical that the Giants get Barber going early and often for any chance in this game because QB – Eli Manning needs pressure taken off of him as he hasn’t responded very well to it in recent weeks and dare I say it, Giants’ fans are starting to become worried about their future with Eli at the helm. Their Tight End – Jeremy Shockey might still be out with his ankle injury, thus putting the majority of the weight on their #1 WR – Plaxico Burress to get the job done against the very hungry Eagles. I personally think you’d have to kill Shockey to keep him out of this game but if he does play, will it hinder the Giants’ offense more then help it? New York is still playing defense without its leader, DE – Michael Strahan who simply can’t be replaced. This is a different game if he suits up but coulda, woulda, shoulda.

If you would have told this die hard Lions fan (yes I do admit that) last year at this time that 365 days from now, ex-Lions’ QB – Jeff Garcia would lead Philadelphia into the playoffs I would have said you were on crack. The trouble is its happening. Garcia is showing what he can do when healthy, when he has talent around him and when coaches set up a short game and west coast system based on his strengths. When Donovan McNabb went down, I truly thought the Eagles were toast, but Garcia has made believers out of Philadelphia again and this has now become one team that nobody in the NFC wants to play. Eagle RB – Brian Westbrook is as dangerous as they come because of both his rushing and receiving skills. He has the ability to take over a game by himself. The Giants must be aware of #36 at all times.

WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO

It’s the Running Backs for both teams. It’s a different Giants team when Tiki is getting 30 carries and over 100 plus yards. Eli Manning is not in a position yet of being the do all and the end all for the Giants. Eagle LB - Jeremiah Trotter will be depended on heavily to deal with Barber and this could be the #1 most important match-up of the game. The Giants simply must get Barber past Trotter and also DL’s - Trent Cole and Darwin Walker. If Barber isn’t running effectively, the Eagles will pounce on Eli and that can only lead to trouble for the Giants.

The Eagles can do a variety of things with Westbrook including lining him up as another WR. Unlike Barber and the Giants, this offense isn’t designed to have Westbrook try to dominate on the rush, but more with dink and dunk, short stuff and more of a north-south power rush with back-up RB - Correll Buckhalter. Yards after the catch is crucial and WR’s – Reggie Brown and Donte Stallworth must be on their horses after receptions to make this a top notch offense.

The Giants led the NFL in personal fouls which was one of the main reasons why Eli looked rattled towards the end of the year. In his own defense, he was put in some difficult 3rd and long situations. New York has to play smart as a team and must force Philly into turnovers. Philly just needs to do what it’s been doing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Giants have shown me nothing for the last half of the season, except that they aren’t playing to ability and they aren’t the solid team mentally that Philly has become. With the game in Philadelphia, with the Eagles playing much better at this point and with the Giants not looking smooth at all with the exception of Barber, Philly should be able to hold on for the victory if they play defense like they are capable of doing. I really think the Eagles have a swagger about them now and they’ve become the big X-factor in these playoffs because of it. They are starting to believe they can beat anybody even without McNabb and that is scary for the rest of the NFC. The Giants just don’t have enough to beat Philly but either way, keep your eye on Barber. He could take down Philly on his own. I don’t see it happening though. Philly has something to prove and they’ll do it to the Giants – PREDICTION – Philadelphia – 27 / New York – 17

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Dallas Cowboys (9-7) vs. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

Much like the Giants, The Dallas Cowboys are coming into this game looking like anything but a playoff team. Hell, if the Lions beat you on the last week of the season when you’re trying to work out the kinks, you have some serious issues. Not only that but this team has mouthed off to and about each other and they tend to worry more about being greedy individuals who are all about personal stats then one team destined to make a playoff run. The leader of the chirping, as always, is the ever talented WR – Terrell Owens who led the NFC in TD catches but also in dropped balls. Opposite Owens is the also mouthy WR – Terry Glenn who has been more consistent then Owens but hasn’t always had a chance to prove that since Owens is the go to WR. Dallas QB – Tony Romo took over for Drew Bledsoe in Week 7 and has had his ups and downs but lately it’s been mostly downs. Cowboy RB – Marion Barber must have a big day and he certainly has had a great season. Linebacker – Bradie James and Defensive Lineman – DeMarcus Ware are certainly keys, especially Ware who must constantly get into the offensive backfield to make both Hasselbeck and Alexander uncomfortable. He’s certainly capable of doing that.

Usually when your QB (Matt Hasselbeck) and RB (Shawn Alexander) both go down at the same time in your season due to injury, you don’t go 9-7 let alone make the playoffs but the Seahawks proved they have the team depth to hold on while the 2 healed up. Alexander (just 3.6 yards per carry) hasn’t been anywhere near as effective as last year but injuries will do that to a team. Another key player that Seattle hopes to have healthy for the game is WR – Darrell Jackson. There is no tomorrow so Jackson is key for Seattle. Linebackers Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson must get a pass rush on Romo because Dallas will be going into this game believing that they can be successful on the pass.

WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO

Seattle has one of the loudest home crowds in the NFL so this won’t be easy on Dallas, particularly Romo. That being said, Seattle is injured in the secondary so Owens and Glenn could be set up for a field day here. Thus, the key to the entire game is how often both the Seahawks and their fans get after Romo and force him into bad decisions. If Seattle’s pass rush doesn’t exist, Terrell Owens could absolutely dominate this game. That also being said, T.O. can bring Dallas down as quickly as he builds them up so keeping him active all game long is definitely a challenge of both, Head Coach, Bill Parcells and Romo.

The Seahawks don’t need to do anything fancy on offense. Seattle needs to just plain go right at Dallas with Alexander and hold nothing back. Defensively, Seattle MUST defend the pass as well as they ever have.

This game is as hard to predict as I’ve ever seen. One must take into consideration a banged up Seattle team as they’ve been all year and the ability of the Dallas WR’s to dominate because of it. Like I said, it all depends on the pass rush on Romo. Will he be rattled by more then just Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood in the sack? I say yes but I simply must take Dallas in this one. I think there is just too much potential for Owens to take the game over and unless I am proven wrong, Dallas will advance. PREDICTION – Dallas – 27 / Seattle – 24

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Kansas City Chiefs (9-7) vs. Indianapolis Colts (12-4)

The Chiefs got injured QB – Trent Green back late in the year. Obviously that helps but it’s no big secret in what the Chiefs try to do. If they can get away with running RB – Larry Johnson (1,789 yards, 17 TD’s, 2 fumbles) down a team’s throat all game long they certainly will. KC has never been known as a team with tremendous WR’s but TE – Tony Gonzalez is as strong a possession receiver as they come. Like the Colts, KC is not very good on defense at all with just 14 picks and 29 sacks this season.

Peyton Manning is the make or the break when it comes to the Colts. As mentioned, the Colts defense blows goats against the rush (despite DE’s – Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney) so it’s pretty obvious what KC will try to do all day long. The Colts may not stop the Chiefs if they run the ball well, but they may not need to. Not as long as Manning will be Manning. With talented WR’s – Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison hauling in what Manning throws, it will be a long day for the Chiefs secondary. RB – Joseph Addai (splits carries with Dominic Rhodes) will be counted on for a few carries but he won’t get a lot. He may not need a lot though. Manning and the boys are dam near impossible for an average defense to stop during such critical playoff games.

WHAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO

The time of possession is absolutely huge for the Chiefs being as they want to try to run the ball all day against the Colts. The best D against Manning is to keep him off the field anyway. You also have to think that Dante Hall kick returning is huge because the Chiefs need A LOT OF POINTS going up against Peyton and any they can get would help out a great deal. The bottom line is…You keep LJ on the football field and you win the game.

The Colts have the ability to strike on just 1 play which makes them very difficult to stop in the playoffs. The Chiefs are not the team to stop them from doing it if Indy starts going up and down the field on them. What the Chiefs must do is force turnovers. An Indy red zone turnover here or there would put KC in really nice shape in this game if they could capitalize on them.

When looking at records, you’d think the Colts would win this one easily but not so fast, junior. The simple fact is that the Colts run defense is garbage (and I hate that fact because of Cato June and Marlon Jackson from…MICHIGAN). LJ can and will run on them in this game. That being said, Manning and the boys will not be phased and it’s probably going to come down to what team stops the other if at all. The blocking up front is so huge for the Chiefs to get LJ going and for that reason this game might just be won in the trenches. If this game was in KC, I’d consider the upset but the Colts are at home and even if LJ does run all day long, beating Manning is no easy task. Perhaps KC will shock the world and prove me wrong. Nah! PREDICTION – Indy – 35 / KC - 24