After a less-than-intriguing final weekend (the Patriots/Giants game was one of the best of the year, but the playoff matchups held pretty much to form), it’s playoff time. The big question this year is momentum – how much will it matter for an extended playoff run? Seven of the 12 playoff qualifiers lost last weekend, and the team with the most momentum is probably Washington, the No. 6 seed in the NFC.
Inspired by the death of teammate Sean Taylor, the Redskins have played terrific football over the past month, winning four straight after a four-game losing streak nearly knocked them out of the playoff picture. In the first round, they’ve drawn Seattle, definitely a favorable pairing for the ’Skins, who have the defensive personnel to shut down the Seahawks’ passing attack and a running back (Clinton Portis) who should be able to pick up big yardage. It’s difficult to tell how teams will bounce back from tragedies as they’re happening, but it’s clear that the Redskins are playing this season with Taylor in mind. And if momentum means anything in the playoffs, they definitely have it on their sides.
So let’s start with the NFC playoffs and my New York Giants, who have their own favorable matchup, a Sunday clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here’s how I see it shaking out.
New York Giants (10-6) at Tampa Bay (9-7): It was encouraging to see the Giants play so well in the loss to New England this past weekend – their play during the second half of the season had been lackluster. On paper, this seems like an eminently winnable game for the G-Men – the Buccaneers can be beat against the run and their offense, while capable of big plays, is geared around ball control. As long as Eli Manning keeps his mistakes to a minimum (no small disclaimer), I think the Giants can keep pressure on Tampa with running back Brandon Jacobs, and even if Tampa strikes back with some deep balls, the defense should still be able to knock around starter Jeff Garcia. The Giants are 7-1 on the road this year, and they’ll improve that mark with a playoff upset. Score: New York 24, Tampa Bay 20.
Washington (9-7) at Seattle (10-6): This should be a fun one to watch – the aforementioned Redskins are playing great football, and the Seahawks are a dark horse Super Bowl contender. Seattle will have problems running the ball against a big Redskins defensive line but should be able to pressure brittle Todd Collins all afternoon. The home field advantage will be big for the Seahawks – Seattle is one of the loudest places for opposing teams to play – but I’m calling for another upset, based on the fact that I think Seattle will struggle to get short yardage when they need it, and I think the Redskins’ secondary will come up with a top performance in the memory of their friend and former teammate, Taylor. Washington wins it. Score: Washington 20, Seattle 17.
Jacksonville (11-5) at Pittsburgh (10-6): In the AFC, it’s another battle of momentum – the Steelers have stalled while the Jaguars have looked terrific for most of the second half of the year. Jacksonville has quietly put together one of the best offenses in the league, with the best running back tandem (Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew) in the playoffs. That will be a stiff test for the Steelers, who will most likely try to attack the Jaguars down the field after losing running back Willie Parker to an injury two weeks ago. I expect a slugfest with occasional scoring bursts, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Taylor break off a long run at some point in the game. In fact, I think that will be the difference – the explosive element of Jacksonville’s attack will key another upset victory. Score: Jacksonville 27, Pittsburgh 20.
Tennessee (10-6) at San Diego (11-5): Here’s where the seedings will hold – the Chargers have evened out after starting the year 1-3, and while Tennessee has played well at times, they might have Kerry Collins under center for this one – not a good sign. Collins played well in relief of Vince Young last week after Young left with a leg injury, but he’s not a playoff quarterback anymore. These two teams played a hard-fought overtime game a month ago, but this one shouldn’t be that close. LaDanian Tomlinson will rack up the yards, and the San Diego defense will clamp down on the shorthanded Titans. The Chargers will move on. Score: San Diego 31, Tennessee 21.
Last week’s record: 9-1. Overall: 123-45.