Saturday, January 16, 2010

Some Playoff Thoughts

Just a very few musings before a weekend of conference semifinal (I refuse to call it the divisional round) football.

* Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson are going to slice up Dallas tomorrow.

* Don't pencil in New Orleans for the championship game yet. The way Kurt Warner and his receivers played last week, and the way New Orleans finished the season, the Cardinals have just as good a chance as anyone to knock them off. Besides, I always like to see legends continue.

* The Jets won their playoff game. Nice story. Good launching point for next season. Now it's time for them to go home.

* Ray Rice has a special place in my heart because he's a Westchester kid, but Peyton Manning, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne will take care of Balitmore.

As for that Dallas-Minnesota game tomorrow, I should probably hedge my bets here. I was in the Metrodome in 1998 when Dan Reeves' Falcons beat the Vikings, who had set the record for the most points in a season, in overtime of the NFC Championship game. Gary Anderson, who had been perfect in field goals that year, had a chance to win it with 2:07 left in regulation -- AND MISSED! And then Morten Andersen, won it with an overtime field goal. Eeriest feeling I ever had, hearing that deafeningly loud crowd screaming their heads off as Andersen lined up for the game-winning 38-yarder, and then falling dead silent as the ball sailed between the uprights.

Point here is that Minnesota has not exactly been invincible at home in the playoffs. The 8-0 home record this year guarantees nothing. But I still think the Vikes win.

EP

3 comments:

  1. Ernie,
    I agree with you on the AFC games but Dallas will beat Minnesota today - in fact, it won't even be close. The Vikings won't have an answer for Ware and the Dallas pass rush. Favre will try to audible out of too many runs and the Dallas defense will force turnovers. As much as I hate to say it the Cowboys are just playing too good right now. I hope I'm wrong but they'll be in the Super Bowl this year - which makes our pathetic season that much worse. The Saints get a huge break this weekend getting the Cardinals on a short week. Does anyone at the NFL office think when they make these schedules? The Card's play a Sunday night game and then have to travel half way across the country for the early Saturday game. Do you think the NFL wants the Saints to advance? Saints are playing horrible over the past month but they squeak past the Card's thanks to the brain surgeons in the league's scheduling office.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Go Vikes!

    All we need is the smug Cowgirls winning today. Really, another picture of Jerry Jones smiling is going to make me sick. "America's Team" my A$#.

    By the way Ernie, is it written into National Sprts writers contracts that they have to love and support the Boys - see anyone from SI or ESPN.

    Chris B.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ha!!!! Shows you how much I know. I never thought the Cowboys would lose, let alone get spanked, by the Vikings. That's why I don't bet on games.

    ReplyDelete