What We Learned: NFL Week 9

Eli Manning

As a Giants fan, I was obviously elated when my G-Men went into Foxboro and took down the mighty Patriots. Eli Manning outplayed Tom Brady and justified his pre-season elite quarterback status claims as he led the offense on an 8 play 80 yard game winning drive with only 1:30 left on the clock. The drive culminated in a Jake Ballard touchdown, and the Giants won 24-20.

What We Learned: NFL Week 7

Tim Tebow

I’ll be honest, I thought Tebow would play much better than he did and frankly he played poorly for the first 57 minutes of the game. He missed receivers left and right and took way too many sacks. To put it straight, he needs to get a lot better. But, and this a massive but, Tim Tebow won the game! He led the Broncos back from 15 points down with 3 minutes to go and eventually won on a field goal in overtime. It wasn’t pretty, in fact it was hard to watch at times but Tebow is a winner and that’s exactly what he did.

2011 AFC Divisional Round Predictions

#5 Ravens @ #2 Steelers

Overview

One word can sum up this game: WAR. This is an old-fashioned brawl between two hated rivals. I think both teams will try to establish the run and both Reshard Mendenhall and Ray Rice will find that it’s going to be easier said then done as the Steelers and Ravens are very strong up front. This game is going to be decided by the quarterbacks, Roethlisberger and Flacco. So, with that in mind, I have to go with Roethlisberger as he’s undefeated in the AFC Divisional Round when the Steelers have a bye, plus he’s at home. I think this will be a low scoring, dirty, hard-fought, bitter battle between not only two of the best defensive units in football but two of the best teams in the NFL. Can’t wait for this game, like I said previously: it’s going to be an all out WAR. 

Prediction

Steelers win 16 – 13

#6 Jets @ #1 Patriots

Overview

If you thought Rex Ryan’s comments on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots straddled the line separating confidence and utter stupidity then Antonio Cromartie’s latest choice words on the “Golden Boy” definitely pushed over into the stupidity category. All this talk is just more unnecessary fuel for the fire for Belichick and the Pats. Ryan, Cromartie, and the rest of the Jets have dug their own grave and come this Sunday their coffin will be nailed and the dirt thrown on top. I think Brady and Belichick will put yet another beat down on the cocky Jets and win by double-digits in their business-as-usual demeanor. I look for the game to be close at first, but Brady will torch the Jets secondary for 3 tds en route to another AFC Championship Game.       

Prediction

Patriots win 31 – 16

2011 AFC Wild-Card Predictions

#6 Jets @ #3 Colts (1/8/11, 8 p.m. ET, NBC)

Keys to the Game

Jets

• Time of Possession – the Jets have to be able to control the ball and sustain drives. This means that Shonn Greene and LT have to get it going on the ground against a porous Colts defense. This obviously limits Peyton Manning’s offensive snaps and makes the Colts more prone to becoming one-dimensional as they would lean more towards the pass to account for the lack of possessions.
• Pressuring Manning – the Jets have to overcome their lack of a pass rush from the D-line with some exotic blitz schemes to try to fluster #18. The Jets usually bring pressure from the edge or from DBs but I don’t think this will be effective against Manning because he is comfortable stepping up in the pocket. Instead, I think the Jets should bring their pressure from up the middle so Manning has to run out of the pocket and throw on the run.

Colts

• Run the Ball – the Colts have to run the ball against the Jets. They don’t have to run it effectively but they at least have to make the Jets respect the run just enough to utilize the play-action pass. This will suck the Jet’s LBs up to the line and allow Manning to throw the ball between the numbers to Tamme and hit Garcon and Wayne underneath on crossing routes. The Jets are very susceptible over the middle and Tamme is going to be a big factor in determining whether the Colts come away with a win.
• Keep the Jets in 3rd and Longs – in order for Freeney and Mathis to reek havoc, the Colts must keep the Jets out of manageable 3rd down situations. This will allow Freeney and Mathis to pin their ears back and attack Sanchez, potentially causing turnovers in the form of interceptions or sack/fumbles.

Prediction – the Jets will be able to run the ball effectively, and I look for Santonio Holmes to have a big game. I think Holmes will pick up some crucial 3rd down conversions and the Jets will win a fairly high-scoring game by a score of 29 – 24.

#5 Ravens @ #4 Chiefs (1/9/11, 1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Keys to the Game

Ravens

• Give Ray Rice the Ball – that means both on the ground and through the air. Ray Rice is an elite combo-back and is just as dangerous when he’s catching screen passes and swing passes as he is running between the tackles. The Chiefs are pretty stout against the run, ranking 14th in the NFL, so Rice catching balls out of the backfield is going to be crucial in order for the Ravens to move the ball.
• Limit the Turnovers – particularly interceptions by way of Joe Flacco. Flacco has been very efficient this year, throwing only 10 interceptions this year, but he has 6 career post-season interceptions and only 1 career post-season TD pass.

Chiefs

• Dwayne Bowe – unlike former Raven’s defenses, this years defense ranks 21st in the NFL against the pass. Bowe led the NFL in TD receptions with 15 and is 7th in receiving yards this year. Bowe has to have a big game in order to open up the run game, which is KC’s bread and butter.
• Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones – the Chiefs average 183 yards rushing at home this season and their going to need all that and more if they want to beat the favored Ravens.

Prediction – the Chiefs are 7-1 at home this year, with their only loss coming last week against the Raiders in what was somewhat of an apparition. Arrowhead Stadium hasn’t hosted a home playoff game since the Chiefs last won the AFC West in 2003 so the fans are going to be loud, and we already know Chief fans are very passionate. I like the Chiefs in an ugly, low scoring game by a score of 17-14.

J-E-T-S…Jets, Jets, Jets

Mark Sanchez

Finally, a team who talked a lot of smack before a game and backed up the talk with a hard fought victory. Too many times teams of all sports talk smack in the days leading up to a big game and then eventually get absolutely destroyed and embarassed at the hands of the usually better opponent (most recent case of this was the Tennessee vs. Florida game, although Tennessee surprisingly held their own).  The revamped and passionate Jets defense under Rex Ryan played like one of Rex’s former defenses, the 2005 Ravens. The Jets defense baffled Brady and the Patriots offense with their unorthodox formations and unpredictable blitz packages, making the 3 time Super Bowl Champ and 2 time Super Bowl MVP look like a rookie quarterback playing in his first NFL game. Rex Ryan has done a remarkable job so far, turning a middle of the pack at best Jets defense last year into a formidable top 3 defense in the league this year. Oh, and lets not forget Mark Sanchez’s big time touchdown pass to Dustin Keller two minutes into the 3rd quarter which gave the Jets the lead for good. Sanchez reminded me a lot of last year’s Joe Flacco, managing the game and letting his above average running game and top notch defense do most of the work. All in all, I think it was a great win for the Jets and a big stepping stone for the future. As always, your thoughts and comments are encouraged and welcome.