Yes, Divisional playoff round is now here, and it is probably the best playoff weekend of the four, as this round should feature the most competitive games, it has the top two seeds coming off a bye, and then the momentum of the teams coming off their wild card victories. This divisional round is also the first since the turn of the century that all four of the top seeds are in the divisional round. Thank you Adam Schefter for the tweet! Here's to all four games being just as competitive as the Denver/Pittsburgh game on Sunday afternoon where almst everyone was confused by the NFL's newest overtime rules. Now, simplest explanation of them, just in case it happens again this weekend. If a team scores a touchdown on their first possession, game is over, like what happened with Denver. But, if a team scores a field goal on its first possession, the other team has a chance to answer. If neither team scores, then it just goes on until somebody scores. Now, on to the picks!
New Orleans at San Francisco, 4:30 Saturday, Fox
This game is probably the most intriguing of the four this weekend, as these teams are the only ones which did not meet during the regular season. This is also intriguing because it's the Saints high scoring defense versus the 49ers suffocating defense. Another part of the intrigue is to see if the Saints can win a playoff game on the road, as they never have in franchise history. Weather will not be an issue, nor will the field, as the field is perfect, aswill the weather, being around 60 degrees and sunny. The last part of the intrigue is the fact that this is the 49ers first home playoff game since 2002, and most of their players have never been a part of this atmosphere. Their coach has, and that could play a pivotal role in the outcome of the game.However, with the Saints being the second hottest team in the NFL right now, besides the Giants, and it just seems as if their passing game can't be slowed down at all. Look at last week versus the Lions vaunted front four, and how the Saints offensive line just stopped them in their tracks. Plus, San Francisco's offense can't seem to score anything more than field goals.
Pick: New Orleans 41, San Francisco 26
Denver at New England, 8 Saturday, CBS
This game definitely has the most hype of the four this weekend due solely to the most polarizing man in the NFL, Tim Tebow. Tebow threw the deep ball amazingly well last week against Pittsburgh when the Steelers sold out on the run, putting eight men up front and limiting Willis McGahee and Tebow and the Bronco rush offense to only 3.9 yards per rush. Now, New England will have a completely different strategy and try to eliminate the deep ball to Demaryius Thomas, who now is the primary receiver, since the other main wide receiver, Eric Decker, is out with a sprained MCL.
New England seemed to perform incredibly well the last time these teams played, and of course Tom Brady executed his passes to near perfection, with over 300 yards passing and two touchdowns. I expect the Patriots to execute just like they did before, throwing to their amazing twin tight ends in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, who are just matchup nightmares, as nobody can cover them. Also, expect New England to go after Tebow and eliminate the deep ball and force him to throw short to medium routes which are trouble for him.
Pick: New England 45, Denver 24
Houston at Baltimore, 1 Sunday, CBS
This game is completely opposite of the previous game, as it's getting next to no hype, as these teams don't have the "spice" factor, or the superstar factor, as neither of these teams really are big draws. But, both these teams just play very solid defense and run the ball incredibly well. Both teams have one great wide receiver, and can be used for a few big plays a game. As mentioned before, these two teams played in the regular season, with Baltimore coming out on top, 29-14. Plus, the Texans had their 1st string quarterback then, Matt Schaub, now they've got a 3rd string quarterback who will not recognize what hit him after the game.
Pick: Baltimore 24, Houston 10
New York Giants at Green Bay, 4:30 Sunday, Fox
Both these teams are healthy coming into this game, everybody who began the season will be active and ready to go. These teams met in week 13, and New York gave Green Bay everything it could handle in that game. It took a last minute drive by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense to escape the Meadowlands with a win and at the time, still undefeated record. But, now that the Packers have lost, which helps them not trying to be the only other undefeated time in NFL history. Green Bay is just looking like the most complete all around team left in the postseason. Green Bay can force turnovers and the aura of Lambeau Field will be too much for the Giants. Granted, New York will keep the game very close, and will force a few bad decisions from Rodgers due to the enormous pressure coming from the front four of the Giants. Plus, the Giants running game will be wreaking havoc on the Packers relatively weak defense. However, Green Bay will pull away at the end.
Pick: Green Bay 41, New York 28. Thanks to Rod McCray for the final score!
Final thoughts on the BCS national championship game. Alabama just completely dominated the game from start to finish and they completely deserve the national title. Even if you go by aggregate score like soccer does, Alabama won 27-9. Thank you to Jason Weimer for that insight. Plus, if their kicker wasn't just downright awful in the first game, they wouldn't have had to be the face of controversy in the first place. However, in college football, a playoff is still the best way to determine a champion. There were many teams which only had one loss that could've played for the title and were left out. Thankfully, there is now talk of including some type of playoff or even a "plus one" system which this year would have pit Bama versus Oklahoma State, and I think it would've been a lot more entertaining than this year's game which put most to sleep. Hopefully it can get fixed in the next television contract for the BCS.
Finally, I'd like to address the hiring of Bill O'Brien as Penn State's new head coach. Now, this may not be the sexiest hire for the Nittany Lions, but it is a safe one. That is the direction which Penn State needed to go after the fiasco which occurred during the season. It is the right move to just kind of start over with all new assistant coaches and getting the name of Penn State back to the prestige where it was. Granted, the university is a lot more than the football program, and still offers great academics as well as student life. But, what most people outside of Happy Valley know is the football program, and the football program should be on its way back with this hire. But, let us not forget the victims from this and continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
May everyone have a great weekend and enjoy the football!
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