1:00 PM
I'm going to go ahead and claim this matchup to be the best game of the entire playoffs, yes, the entire playoffs. I expect both teams to go at it physically and put up big games rushing the ball. But in the end it will be QB play determining who moves onto Foxboro.
For the Houston Texans this magical ride, that really started two years ago, just keeps on getting sweeter. After easily taking care of the Bengals at home last week, they travel to Baltimore to take on the playoff veteran Ravens. Boasting the 2nd best defense and the 2nd best rushing game, the Texans could certainly surprise people in this game. However, they've been severely affected by injuries all season, but their biggest loss came at the biggest position QB. With both Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart sidelined with injuries, TJ Yates, a still unknown rookie out of UNC has been calling the shots. Fortunately for Yates, Arian Foster has lightened his load and carried the Texans offense. If Houston still had Matt Schaub under center, I'd pick them as my dark horse team, but they don't and it will show in the fourth quarter of this week's showdown vs. the Ravens.
The playoffs and the Baltimore Ravens has pretty much been synonymous since the day Joe Flacco arrived. But surprisingly, out of Flacco's seven playoff games, none have been played at home. That's where Flacco should thrive even with all the inconsistency talk that has surrounded him all season. But the Ravens QB can put most of his faith in his running back Ray Rice and the vaunted Baltimore D like he has done all season. I'm confident that Flacco won't turn the ball over all game and will have an epic late game drive stored away in his back pocket, just to silence the nay sayers. What is even better for Joe Flacco is that his number one target, Anquan Boldin, is returning to action after a long stint on the injury list. When the Texans and Ravens met in Week 6, we watched the Ravens dominate all facets of the game, while the Texans looked young and immature. All in all, the Ravens playoff experience is what separates them from the Texans and most every other team they will encounter on their journey to Indianapolis for Super Bowl 46.
This game will come down to the wire and will require either a defensive stop or a game winning drive from the Ravens to finish off a pesky Texans team. The difference will be the Ravens's past experience in playoff games, but more importantly because Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs run Ball So Hard U.
Ravens 24, Texans 21
Giants at Packers
4:30 PM
 |
| Expect either Charles Woodson or Clay Matthews to force a game changing turnover on Sunday. |
The Packers passing offense will get a break with weather conditions looking to be a mild 32 and sunny on Sunday. That comes in between two anticipated ugly and snowy days tomorrow and Monday. The Packers offense is only slightly weaker than the Saints offense, because of their inability to run the ball consistently. But we all know how efficiently Aaron Rodgers can pick apart a defense, and the Giants CBs don't really stand a chance. On the other side of the ball though, the Packers defense is extremely vulnerable ranking dead last in passing defense and a mediocre 14th in rush defense. If the Packers can force the Giants into a few takeaways they can win this one easily. Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson, who are their top two play makers should have a field day if Eli or his running game is off. But I'm not sure that's going to be the case.
For the Giants, the last few weeks have been a miracle turnaround from what was seemingly a gloom and doom season. A huge bragging rights victory over the Jets translated into an NFC East Championship Game win over the Cowboys in Week 17 and then last week's demolishing of the Atlanta Falcons. The G-Men are clicking on all cylinders. Eli Manning is having his best season ever, Ahmad Bradshaw is running like a freight train and the "vaunted" Giants D-Line is finally actually vaunted. If it wasn't for a guarantee by Jason Pierre-Paul I'd be confident in the New York Football Giants. But, I believe they lost all their under the radar momentum once JPP started to run his mouth. They were looking like they were right on track for a repeat of 2007, but their heralded young stud had to mess up the alignment of the stars.
The Giants will once again play a hell of a game against the Pack on Sunday, and I wouldn't be surprised if they win. But they've soured their momentum with a little tough talk and I fully expect the Packers, especially due to the nice weather, to be in full gear. Aaron Rodgers is going to tear the Giants pass defense up, even with a re-invigorated New York pass rush. If you asked me on Sunday who was going to win I would have said the Giants, but my mind has been changed. Giants fans you can thank JPP on Sunday for the heartbreaking loss you're about to suffer.
Packers 41, Giants 35
0 comments:
Post a Comment