Saints Are Super Bowl XLIV Champions

The Saints became champions on the NFL tonight, with a 31-17 victory in Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts, led by league MVP Peyton Manning, were out to a 10-0 lead to start the game. The Saints outscored them 31-7 the rest of the game behind a balanced attack. The game was close the whole way and trailing 24-17 and driving, Peyton served up what ended up being the game-clinching play. On a third down he stared down Reggie Wayne who was running a dig route. Tracy Porter, who intercepted Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game at the end of regulation, jumped the route and took the Manning pass the other way for a TD clinching the game for the Saints. The Saints contained the high-powered Colts the whole game, holding them to only 17 points and intercepting Manning when it mattered most. Drew Brees was named MVP and it was well-deserved. Brees was 32 of 39 for 288 yards and 2 TDs. Manning played a nice game aside from that mistake, finishing with 333 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Manning falls to 9-9 all-time in the playoffs, giving his haters plenty of fuel. Regardless of the loss, Manning remains one of the all-time greats. With the victory, Brees elevates himself into the elite among NFL QBs. Great win for the Saints and the city of New Orleans who will be celebrating this victory for the foreseeable future on Bourbon Street.

Super Bowl XLIV Preview

New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts(Sunday 6:25PM, CBS, SunLife Stadium, Miami, FL)

Saints Offense vs. Colts Defense

The Saints offense has been a prolific unit all season long. With Drew Brees at the controls, this team has steamrolled many teams this year in various ways. Known for throwing the ball, the Saints are actually 6th in the NFL in rush yards per game. They will depend on their balanced offense to attack the speedy Colts defense. This defensive unit for Indianapolis might be one of the most under-rated groups in the NFL. Without Bob Sanders all season, the defense has been excellent. All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney is iffy with a torn ligament in his ankle, but I expect him to play. Whether or not he will be effective is another issue. Freeney's presence on the field during passing downs will be enough, he doesn't need to be Superman. The Colts D will atleast contain the Saints offense enough. They are a stingy unit that doesn't give up enough points and they are quick enough to keep Reggie Bush from making any spectacular plays. Now, whether or not he makes a couple amazing plays on Special Teams is a different story. I expect the Saints to be frustrated much like they were against the Vikings. Even though they scored plenty of points, much of that came off the many costly Vikings turnovers. The Colts will not be that careless with the ball, giving the Saints much worse field position.

Colts Offense vs. Saints Defense

The Saints defense has made a living this season preying on opponents' turnovers. They will not have that opportunity this weekend against the surgical Peyton Manning. Can Manning throw up a duck to Darren Sharper? Sure. Will they fumble the ball six times like the Vikings did? Absolutely not. Peyton was able to shred the number one defense in football, the Jets, so I expect him to be able to do the same with the Saints who have inferior personnel. Reggie Wayne will not be shut down like he was against Darrelle Revis. I expect him to test Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter early and often. The only concern the Colts should have is protection. They are well aware of the beating Brett Favre took last week and as long as they are able to keep Peyton Manning upright, then they will fly back to Indianapolis with another Lombardi trophy.

Bottom Line

If it wasn't for all those turnovers the Vikings committed in the NFC Championship game, we would be previewing a Peyton Manning/Brett Favre Super Bowl. The Saints were outgained by 200 yards in the NFC Championship game and they only won by a field goal in overtime. The Colts will not commit many turnovers, if any, and Peyton Manning will have an answer for anything the Saints Defense presents him with. Peyton will continue to carve out his Hall of Fame legacy with another Super Bowl trophy.

Prediction- Colts 31 Saints 21

Super Bowl MVP- Peyton Manning

First Episode of the Michael Vick Project

BET Videos

Deep look into the life of Vick. He's brutally honest about his dogfighting past and gives great detail and insight into his world.

Vote for Who Gets Madden Curse Next Year

This year, to determine who gets the prestigious cover of the Madden video game, the fans will have the chance to decide who gets the cover and the curse that comes along with it. By logging on to www.doritoschangethegame.com you can pick between Jared Allen, Reggie Wayne and Drew Brees to be the new cover-man.

ESPN Story

Rex Thinks You're Number One

Oh Rex.

He was fined by the team $50,000 for the gesture.

NFL All-Decade Team Announced

Congrats to David Akers and Brian Dawkins, the only Eagles named to the NFL's All-Decade Team.

LINK

Irrelevant Football Game was Played Today

The Pro Bowl was played today amidst much scrutiny. The time of the game and the location were changed this year, to before the Super Bowl and in Miami as opposed to Hawaii. 40% of the players originally selected to the Pro Bowl did not participate. However, the game was still played and it was a shootout, with the AFC getting the victory 41-34. Matt Schaub, filling in for the injured Tom Brady, threw two TDs in the first 5 minutes and won the MVP award. DeSean Jackson had 101 yards and two TDs, and Vincent Jackson (no relation) in the AFC had 122 yards and a TD. From a business standpoint, the move to Miami was a success, with attendance over 70,000 people, the biggest Pro Bowl crowd since 1959. The game will return to Hawaii the next two years.

Kurt Warner...A Hall of Famer

On Friday, Kurt Warner retired from the NFL, leaving the league with one less great quarterback. In a league that is starving for great quarterback play and where there are too many teams without a solution at the position, one of the league's all-time greats decided to hang up his cleats. When any great player retires, inevitably the next question people ask is, "Is he a hall of famer?" Kurt Warner, the former Arena League/NFL Europe star, as well as a former grocery store employee, is without a doubt a hall of famer.

In his 12 seasons in the NFL, from 1998-2010, Kurt has amassed over 32,000 yards, 208 TDs and a QB rating of 93.7. He has won 2 league MVPs, led his team to three Super Bowls, winning one. He has the THREE highest passing games in Super Bowl history in terms of yardage. He is a 4-time Pro Bowler and holds countless NFL records, which can be found here.

Kurt is responsible for resurrecting two dead franchises, the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals, leading both franchises to the Super Bowl.

He is without a doubt, the biggest Cinderella story in the history of sports. After being cut from numerous teams and practice squads after college, Kurt found himself in the Arena Football League as well as a stint in NFL Europe. After playing in those leagues Kurt found himself bagging groceries in Iowa, not knowing if he would ever get another chance to make it in the NFL. Eventually he was signed by the St. Louis Rams in the 1998 season only making an appearance in one game. However, in the 1999 preseason when Trent Green was injured, Kurt got his chance to run the show and he never looked back. He posted an MVP season and led the "Greatest Show on Turf" to the Super Bowl. That was the first chapter in his Hall of Fame career.

After being benched for Mark Bulger, the Rams never saw the same success they saw when Warner was operating. The team has yet to finish a season over .500 since Warner was benched for Bulger. Warner then got a chance to be the starter in New York while the Giants were grooming Eli Manning. Warner never re-captured the magic he had in St. Louis and had a disastrous 2004 season with New York. He then signed with the Cardinals in 2005 to be the quarterback and eventually groom Matt Leinart who was drafted the following season. Leinart got his shot and never took control, forcing the team to go back to Warner who didn't disappoint. Warner turned the Cardinals into a high-flying offense much like his old Rams teams. The Cardinals reached their pinnacle last year, making it one Santonio Holmes catch away from being Super Bowl champs.

Warner amassed all those great stats in 12 seasons, only in 8 of those seasons did he start at least 10 games. Warner has been one of the greatest QBs of the decade and deserves more praise than he receives, relative to some of the other QBs in the NFL with similar or less credentials. He retires with a higher QB rating than Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Troy Aikman, and other Hall Of Fame QBs.

If you speak to anyone in the NFL they will tell you that Kurt is an even better man than he was a player, and that is saying something. He is a man who will sorely be missed in the NFL and particularly by the Arizona Cardinals who now have to turn to unproven Matt Leinart to lead them.

Championship Weekend Wrap Up

AFC Championship Game
Indianapolis Colts-30
New York Jets-17

Trailing 17-13 at halftime, Peyton Manning rallied the troops to outscore the Jets 17-0 in the second half to secure the Colts their second trip to the Super Bowl in 4 seasons. After feeling out the Jets defense for much of the first half, Peyton Manning dissected them for the rest of the game. Starting with the final drive in the first half, which led to an Austin Collie TD reception, Peyton Manning performed just like the 4-time MVP has all season. He finished with 377 yards and 3 TDs against the number one pass defense in football. The vaunted Jets rushing attack was held to 86 yards rushing, almost 100 yards under their season average. Mark Sanchez was surprisingly poised, and looked excellent in the first half, throwing two TD passes in the midst of great pressure by the Colts pass rush. In the end, Manning proved to be too much and as predicted, the Jets would not be able to score with the Colts. Even while Reggie Wayne was caught on Revis Island and Dallas Clark was dropping passes, it didn't matter. Pierre Garcon finished with 11 catches for 151 yards and a TD, and Austin Collie finished with 7 catches for 123 yards and a TD. Peyton Manning will now compete for his second ring, which could ultimately cement him as the best QB to ever lace them up.

NFC Championship Game
New Orleans Saints-31
Minnesota Vikings-28 (OT)

In the more exciting matchup of the day, the NFC Championship game went into overtime for the first time since 2007, when Brett Favre threw an interception to the Giants' Corey Webster to end the game. How ironic that Favre's last throw in this game would be an interception to Tracy Porter when the Vikings were in position to kick the game-winning field goal. The Vikings were killed with turnovers, committing 5 of them. They fumbled SIX times, three of which were by Adrian Peterson. Countless mistakes in the red zone were the reason why the Vikings coughed this game up. The Vikes defense held the Saints in check the entire second half and the offense was never able to take advantage. The Vikings out-gained the Saints 475-257 but were never able to take advantage. Adrian Peterson rushed for 122 yards and 3 TDs, but his fumbles will be what will haunt him the entire off-season. In overtime, the Saints won the toss and thanks to a couple controversial calls, they made their way down the field which set up a game-winning 40-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley. The Saints now go to their first Super Bowl against Archie Manning's son Peyton for the right to be called Champion.

Look below for a preview of the matchup from Boomer and TJ.

Jets Have Already Won AFC Championship

Good news, folks. We don't have to even play the AFC Championship game because according to the Jets Online Shop Website, the Jets are already this year's AFC Champs. This should definitely catch Peyton Manning's attention. It is one thing to have some swagger, but this is getting ridiculous.

Jets Pro Shop

Championship Weekend Preview

NFC Championship
New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings (Sunday 6:40 PM)

Saints Offense vs. Vikings Defense

The Saints offense looked dominant last weekend against a mediocre-at-best Cardinals D. Reggie Bush looked like he was back at USC, running roughshod all over the Superdome turf, and Drew Brees was picking the secondary apart like he has all season. The Saints will not be stopped, but they can be slowed down. That is gonna rest solely on the shoulders of Jared Allen, Ray Edwards and the Vikings pass rush. The Vikings pass rush was excellent last week against Dallas and they are going to have to duplicate that feat if they want to beat the Saints. Expect a lot of screens and dump-offs to neutralize that pass rush, particularly screens to Bush, which will open up the longer throws.

Saints Defense vs. Vikings Offense

Brett Favre was amazing last week, with a QB rating higher than 134. Will he duplicate that feat this week? Doubtful. I expect the Saints defense, combined with the best home-field advantage in the NFL, to force Brett into some mistakes. I know he hasn't made many this season, but any QB under that much duress will be forced into some mistakes, regardless of who it is. It will be a very hostile environment. Adrian Peterson is the key here. He NEEDS to take pressure off of Brett Favre and lately he has been in such a funk unlike any we've seen from him in his short, excellent career. Last week he only rushed for 64 yards on 26 carries, he will need to play better this week if the Vikings want to win.

Bottom Line

Both teams were far superior to their opponents last week. I expect it to be much closer this week. The game will come down to Adrian Peterson and if he doesn't get going, then I expect the Saints D to force Brett into a mistake or two, in a game where only one mistake could make the difference. Don't be surprised if Reggie Bush makes another play or two like last week.

Prediction- Saints 31 Vikings 27

AFC Championship Game
Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets (Sunday 3:00PM)

Colts Offense vs. Jets Defense

This is the marquee matchup of the weekend. The number one pass offense against the number one pass defense. Wayne vs. Revis. Manning vs. Rex Ryan. The key here is that Peyton Manning has never lost a game against a Rex Ryan defense. When he was D-coordinator in Baltimore, Peyton was 4-0 against him. Ryan has been able to make Manning uncomfortable, but ultimately Peyton makes enough plays to win the game. I expect Manning to be methodical, taking shots as he sees them and not forcing the issue. They will run the ball to keep the defense honest, even though their run game has been non-existent all season. Wayne will be slowed down by Revis so look for A LOT of Dallas Clark, and some major contributions from Collie, Garcon and even Addai in the passing game.

Colts Defense vs. Jets Offense

If the Colts D can step up in this matchup, they will have no problem winning this game. The Colts NEED to stop the run on 1st and 2nd downs, forcing the Jets to put the ball in Mark Sanchez's hands. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis need to harass him all day and force him into mistakes, which everyone knows he is capable of making.

Bottom Line

Freeney and Mathis are the difference makers in the game. The Colts offense and the Jets defense will meet somewhere in the middle of their dominance. The other side of the ball I expect to be one-sided, as long as the Colts can contain that running game. The Colts D is very fast, but they need to be sure tacklers against this dominant running game. As long as number 18 is under center for the Colts, I cannot pick against them, especially when he knows Rex Ryan's defense as much as Rex does.

Prediction- Colts 21 Jets 13

Pants on the Ground Favre Style

During this week, the "Pants on the Ground" epidemic has spread to the NFL. Brett Favre felt the need to sing it after advancing to the NFC Championship game.

Divisional Playoff Weekend Recap

Arizona Cardinals-14
New Orleans Saints-45

As predicted, the healthy Saints came out firing on all cylinders in the Superdome on Saturday. Drew Brees looked more like the Drew Brees of weeks 1-11, as opposed to the end of the season. Much maligned Reggie Bush made his presence felt, scoring on both a 46-yard TD run where he broke numerous tackles, as well as an 83-yard punt return where he showcased his world-class speed. Kurt Warner was knocked out of the game with a chest injury on a play where he got crushed on an interception return. Matt Leinart came in and the offense just wasn't the same. Kurt could have possibly played his last game in the NFL, as questions about his retirement have been swirling for weeks. The Saints earned the right to host the NFC Championship game next week in what should be an electric atmosphere.

Baltimore Ravens-3
Indianapolis Colts-20

It wasn't pretty, but the Colts did just enough to win. The Ravens were victim to a couple suspect calls, however the Colts made plays when they had to. Even when the Ravens seemed like they were going to make a surge, they ultimately came up short, no play was more evidence of this then Ed Reed's interception-return-fumble that the Colts recovered. The Colts offense made plays when it had to and Peyton Manning threw touchdowns to Austin Collie and Reggie Wayne en route to the victory. They host the AFC Championship game next week.

Dallas Cowboys-3
Minnesota Vikings-34

Well, it was bound to happen eventually, right? Tony Romo, who had played admirably all year, finally resorted back to his old self, turning the ball over multiple times en route to an absolute massacre of the Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings D sacked Romo 6 times, and the offense was led by Brett Favre and Sidney Rice who had 141 yards and 3 TDs. Adrian Peterson was held in check, placing the game on Brett's shoulders and he did not disappoint. Favre was clutch the entire game and the Vikings played just as well as they did in the season finale against the Giants. They travel to the Superdome next week where the two best teams in the NFC all season square off for the right to go to Miami.

New York Jets-17
San Diego Chargers-14

In the only upset of the day, the Jets took down the red-hot Chargers in San Diego. Led by their run game and their smothering defense, the Jets forced Philip Rivers into 2 INTs and they ran the ball for 169 yards. The Jets appear to have the confidence where they can take down any team and will certainly not be at all threatened by Peyton Manning and Co. next week. Nate Kaeding, the Pro Bowl kicker who only missed 3 kicks ALL SEASON, missed 3 kicks today in what turned out to be the difference in the game, none of which were even close. In an interesting turn of events, the Jets will face the Colts with the winner stamping a ticket to the Super Bowl. In week 16, when the Colts rested their starters instead of playing for the perfect season, they allowed the Jets the necessary wins to get into the playoffs. The Bengals did the same thing, and the Jets eliminated them the following week. We will see if the Colts suffer the same fate.

AFC Divisional Playoff Preview

Game 1- Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts (Saturday 8:15 PM)

Ravens Offense vs. Colts Defense

The Ravens, as well as Joe Flacco has played in his first two seasons, are basically a one dimensional running team. The Colts aren't the best against the run, but they aren't as bad as they have been in years past. In their first meeting, they held the Ravens to only 15 points and intercepted Joe Flacco. I expect it to be somewhere around there this time around as well. Look for Ray Rice to be heavily involved in the passing game much like he was in the first matchup. In open space Rice is a nightmare and they will do whatever they can to exploit the Colts linebackers in matchups against Rice.

Ravens Defense vs. Colts Offense

Ray Lewis vs. Peyton Manning is one of the best chess matches in recent NFL history. Two absolute generals on their respective sides of the ball and they both know every move the other will make. While the Colts haven't had their best offensive outputs against the Ravens recently, they have always found a way to win. Earlier in this season, in the 2007 playoffs and in regular seasons past, Peyton Manning has always found a way to score when necessary against this defense. I don't expect Peyton to have a flawless game, especially not playing the last couple weeks, but I expect them to do enough to win.

Bottom Line

The Colts chose not to chase history and a 16-0 season so they can have this opportunity. They are at home with their team healthy so they need to take advantage. The Colts will make enough plays to win in the end and will host the AFC championship game next week where Peyton Manning will ultimately need to face his kryptonite, the San Diego Chargers.

Prediction- Colts 20 Ravens 10

Game 2- New York Jets at San Diego Chargers (Sunday 4:40)

Jets Offense vs. Chargers Defense

The Jets offense did exactly what I expected them to do last week and that was run the ball effectively and not allow Mark Sanchez the opportunity to turn the ball over. We predicted he wouldn't throw more than 20 passes and he threw 18. He's going to have to throw slightly more this weekend because he will need to match Philip Rivers' offensive output, because as good as the Jets D is, the Chargers will still score points. Expect Sanchez to make a mistake or two that will ultimately end the Jets season.

Jets Defense vs. Chargers Offense

Two of the best units in football go head to head in this matchup. The Jets will continue to stop the run, so don't expect much from LT, and with Vincent Jackson getting locked up by Darrelle Revis, Antonio Gates should have a huge game. Rivers will look to him early and often, as well as some dump-offs to Darren Sproles who always creates mismatches. Philip Rivers has been playing very well and will still put up points this weekend as long as his line can protect.

Bottom Line

The Chargers are the better team and as long as they can win the turnover battle, which shouldn't be that difficult, they will put up enough points to win. They seem to be set on a collision course with the Colts next week with the winner getting a ticket to Miami.

Prediction- Chargers 24 Jets 14

NFC Divisional Playoff Preview

Just like last week's wild-card matchups we're going to break down and predict this week's divisional playoff matchups. First, the NFC...

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints (Saturday 4:30 PM)

Cardinals Offense vs. Saints Defense

The Cardinals offense was flawless last week against Green Bay, the number two ranked defense in football. Kurt Warner threw 5 TDs without Anquan Boldin. There is a chance that Boldin plays this weekend, but even if he doesn't I still expect the Cards to put up points. The Saints D had a chance to rest up and get some players healthy which should improve their pass rush which has disappeared towards the end of the season. Combined with the crowd noise in the Superdome, I expect there to be some turnovers generated. The Cardinals will still probably score between 24-30 points, but definitely not 51 like last week.

Cardinals Defense vs. Saints Offense

If this week's defensive performance is going to be anything like last week's, then expect Drew Brees to have a field day. Brees should be able to carve up this defense, especially with the Cardinals lack of a pass rush. Brees will have time to find open receivers downfield and make big plays.

Bottom Line

The Saints are fresh and have the best home field advantage in football. I don't think the Saints are as good as they were in the beginning of the season, but I think Arizona's defense presents a favorable matchup. It will definitely be high-scoring and has the potential to be the most exciting game of the weekend.

Prediction- Cardinals 28 Saints 35

Game 2- Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday 1:00 PM)

Cowboys Offense vs. Vikings Defense

As much as it pains me to say it, I like this matchup for the Cowboys offense. With the exception of the last game of the season against the Giants, the Vikings Defense has been torched the last month or so of the season. Jay Cutler looked like Peyton Manning in their week 16 matchup dropping 36 points on them. Also, they don't stop the run the way they used to, and speedy backs such as Felix Jones can give them fits. They will try to neutralize Jared Allen's pass rush with screens to Felix who has game-breaking ability. The Vikings pass defense is nothing special, so I expect Romo to connect downfield a couple times in this game.

Cowboys Defense vs. Vikings Offense

This will be the matchup of the day. Is there a hotter unit in the NFL right now than the Dallas defense? They shut down the Eagles high-flying attack in back-to-back weeks and I expect them to come at Favre early and often in this one. The Vikings O-Line has looked suspect late in the season, with Pro Bowler Bryant McKinnie getting benched at one point due to poor play. I expect the Ware/Ratliff/Spencer combo to attack Favre from all angles and for Peterson to have a quiet day. As great of a specimen Peterson is, he has only broken the 100-yard mark in THREE games this season. I don't see it happening against this stout front 7 for Dallas.

Bottom Line

The Vikings had a great last game of the season, but prior to that looked lost in many games. Favre is going to have to win this one by himself, but it won't be enough. This game is featuring two quarterbacks where everyone is waiting for them to do their Jekyll & Hyde routine and turn the ball over in bunches. I honestly don't see it happening for either player. I believe that plain and simple, the Dallas defense is playing too well right now to lose.

Prediction- Cowboys 24 Vikings 17

GQ Article on Marvin Harrison Shooting of Last Year

A GQ article was recently published finally giving some details about the shooting involving Marvin Harrison (or his gun) at a car wash owned by him in Philadelphia. This article provides an eyewitness account that clearly saw Harrison holding a gun and letting off shots, as well as seeing Harrison and associate beat up the same man at 25th & Thompson. It also includes Marvin Harrison's statement to the police, an incredible story about his half-brothers and much more insight into the troubled life of a future Hall of Famer. It's an incredible read.

GQ LINK

Let the Trash Talking Begin

Just days before the Thrilla in Jerry World, DeSean Jackson has sparked some controversy stemming from some Twitter remarks. DeSean says "we gonna sting they ass next week." In response to Jackson's claims that the Cowboys constantly roll coverage towards him, cornerback Mike Jenkins had this to say, "I find it quite funny, I guess. He doesn't do as much talking on the field. I mean -- computer, field? It's not physical. I think it's kind of funny." Should be a good one Saturday night. Check the links below for the full ESPN article on the matchup and DeSean Jackson's twitter. He always has a couple gems, "get that romo shit outta here they got some shiiiiit commn for they ass next week believe dat". God I hope so.



DeSean Jackson's Twitter

ESPN Article:Dallas humored by Jackson's smack talk

Wild Card Weekend Preview-NFC

Game 1- Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (8:00pm NBC Saturday)

Eagles Offense vs. Cowboys Defense

This winner of this matchup depends on who wins the battle in the trenches, the Eagles O-line or the Dallas front seven. If the Eagles can protect Donovan, then I believe he will be able to pick the Dallas secondary apart. The Eagles offense has not had much success against Dallas in their previous two games, but all it takes is one deep ball to DeSean Jackson to change all that. The Eagles missed many opportunities last week in Dallas and I don't expect them to miss them again this week. Expect more production out of the run game for the Eagles as well.

Cowboys Offense vs. Eagles Defense

It's all about pressure. If the Eagles can come up with blitz packages that can allow them to pressure Tony Romo, then they can force him into mistakes. If not, then they will see a lot of what they saw last week and that is short passes to neutralize the pass rush that will open up deeper throws to Miles Austin and Co. The Eagles need to emphasize stopping the run early, which they did not do last week, so they can force Dallas into throw mode.

Bottom Line

The Eagles will not come out flat the way they did last week and the Cowboys will not play as flawless as they did last week. The Eagles O-Line will protect Donovan and he will make some big plays. Look for both tight ends, Celek and Witten, to have big games like they did last week. Also, don't underestimate the revenge factor in this game. The Eagles got embarrassed last week and I believe they will come out strong from the kickoff. The Cowboys, having the lousy December monkey off their back now have to come out in front of their home crowd in a game everyone expects them to win against a division opponent. That's a lot of pressure.

Prediction- Eagles 27 Cowboys 20

Game 2-Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals (4:40PM FOX Sunday)

Packers Offense vs. Cardinals Defense

Aaron Rodgers was superb all season and in the preseason game against the Cardinals as well as last week's game, completely shredded this Cardinals defense. Combined with the fact that Calais Campbell and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are hurt, he should have no problem carving up this defense. The DRC injury is particularly damaging, as they have no one who will be able to matchup with Jennings and Driver. Combined with the fact that Jermichael Finley has turned into a monster at tight end, expect the Packers to score early and often.

Packers Defense vs. Cardinals Offense

This matchup comes down to whether or not Charles Woodson is healthy enough to play at a high level. Without Chuck, they have no one who can guard Larry Fitzgerald so they will have to rely on their pass rush to force Warner into mistakes. The Packers sport the number two defense in football and with the injury to Anquan Boldin, the Cardinals offense won't be able to dictate the pace of the game. The Pack are stout against the run and they should be able to handle all that the Cardinals have to offer.

Bottom Line

The Cardinals are the Jekyll & Hyde of the NFL. This season they play great against Minnesota then lay an egg against San Fran. Last year they limp into the playoffs, then look unbelievable during the playoffs and come within one Ben Roethlisberger TD pass of being SB Champs. I believe in this game we will see the coming out party of Aaron Rodgers. He has been great in his first two years as a starter and going against this beat up Cardinals team will be a great help. I expect them to score plenty, setting up a possible rematch against Brett Favre and the Vikings next week.

Prediction-Packers 31 Cardinals 17

Yeah, I have all four road teams(Lower seeds) advancing, so what. I think based on match ups, that the lower seeds all got great draws, we will see how it all plays out.

Wild Card Weekend Preview-AFC

With the matchups set and the games just days away we decided to take a look at each game and break them down based on matchups and eventually give a prediction. Here we take a look at the two AFC games this weekend.

Game 1-Jets at Bengals (4:30pm NBC Saturday)

Jets Offense vs. Bengals Defense

The key here, as it is every game for the Jets, is to not put Mark Sanchez in a position where he needs to throw it too much. The Jets have one of, if not the best O-Line in football and a great running back in Thomas Jones. The Jets will try and lean on the run early and often and if they are successful in establishing that run, it will allow for a possible longball to Braylon Edwards through play-action. If the Bengals D can stop the run from the gate, they should be able to tee off on Sanchez and force him into the turnovers he's made all season.

Bengals Offense vs. Jets Defense

The sexy matchup is of course Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis and Chad Ocho Cinco. Revis completely shut down Chad in the season finale, holding him to 0 catches. Chad was hampered by an injury he sustained pre-game, however that is no excuse for catching no balls when there were plenty thrown in your direction. The Jets finished the regular season as the number one defense in terms of points allowed and I don't see any reason why they won't continue that success this week. The Bengals are not the high flying offense they once were in 2005 and if they cannot get Cedric Benson going, then they will be shut down.

Bottom Line

Even though Mark Sanchez has played miserably at times this year, I don't believe he will ever be in the position to make such mistakes. I don't see him even throwing over 20 passes. The Jets need to establish the run and they will, that offensive line is too good to not get a good push against the Bengals front seven. On defense, the Jets will do what they do best and that is stop the run, and Revis will continue to do what he's done all year and that's shut down top wideouts. I don't believe the home field will do anything for the Bengals and I don't like the fact that they closed out the season losing 3 out of their last 4 games. This just isn't a good matchup for Cincinnati.

Prediction: Jets 17 Bengals 13

Game 2-Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots (1:00PM CBS Sunday)

Ravens Defense vs. Patriots Offense

The Ravens D is salivating at this matchup. The last time these teams met, the game came down to the wire and if not for an inexplicable Mark Clayton drop on 4th down, there is a good chance the Ravens win that game at New England earlier in the year. However, this all comes down to one person who will NOT be on the field for this game and that person is Wes Welker. The Pats will not be able to run against the Ravens and without Welker shouldering the load in the short passing game, who is going to open things up for Randy Moss downfield? Look for Ray Lewis and Co. to get after Brady early and often especially after the bogus penalties they incurred in the last game for late shots on Brady. Brady is nursing cracked ribs and a broken finger as well.

Ravens Offense vs. Patriots Defense

The Pats D has seemed to execute better since their debacle in the Superdome a couple weeks ago. Goal #1 would be to stop the run and Pro Bowler Ray Rice is the straw that stirs the drink for the Ravens offense. Willis McGahee has proved to be effective when called upon this season, especially last week when he rushed for 167 yards and 3 TDs in Oakland. They will lean heavily on both of these guys who will deliver against a mediocre defense.

Bottom Line

Betting against New England at home in the playoffs with Brady and Belichick in uniform and hoody is never a wise decision, but in this case, I really don't see how they can win this game. It will be extremely difficult moving the football against this Ravens D without Welker. The Patriots offense played a couple games this year without Welker and they just weren't the same, i.e. 2nd game of the season against the Jets. Without Welker, the Ravens will double Moss all day and Brady will be under constant duress. I see two away teams coming away with W's this week in the AFC.

Prediction-Ravens 24 Patriots 14

Chris Henry's Wife Speaks

Just weeks after his unfortunate death, his fiance, who was driving the truck that he fell out of, speaks.