The NFL’s Second Season

The National Football League post season gets underway this weekend with the wild card matchups, and the way the regular season played out, it’s anybody’s guess which teams will make it to Super Bowl XLIII.

Much to the delight of this New York Giants fan (that’s defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants), the odds-on preseason favorite Dallas Cowboys didn’t even make the playoffs. They did their usual December nosedive under the erratic arm of Tony Romo and the “me first” undisciplined attitude of just about everyone else, but most notably Terrell Owens.

Despite an 11-5 record, the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots (the same Pats who lost to the Giants to finish 18-1 last year), didn’t make the playoffs either. The always hapless Detroit Lions set new standards for futility, becoming the first NFL team to go 0-16. They fired their coach, as did Cleveland, the Jets, and Denver. Wade Phillips in Dallas and Herman Edwards at Kansas City, also rumored to be on the hot seat, are safe for now, while San Francisco took the interim tag off Mike Singletary’s head coach title. The St. Louis Rams are also looking for their permanent head man.

Which brings us now to this weekend’s games.

A surprising Atlanta Falcons team (11-5) out of the NFC South, with a new coach in Mike Smith and a rookie QB, Matt Ryan, have made people forget all about Michael Vick and his dog fighting controversy. They have a squad that can establish the run and go to the air when needed, and enough of a pass rush to cause trouble for a team that relies on the passing game.

The Arizona Cardinals (9-7), winners of the NFC West have limped into the post season, winning two of their last five games and only going 1-5 against conference opponents. With QB Kurt Warner and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, they can throw the ball around the field. But can they run?

In Saturday’s late AFC game, 12-4 Indianapolis, from the AFC South, travels to 8-8 San Diego, out of the weak West Division. A breaking news story is that the Chargers star running back LaDainian Tomlinson has a groin tear and his status will be decided just before the game. No matter, they lack the depth on either side of the ball to be much of a problem for the Colts.

Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens (11-5) from the AFC North, always dangerous on defense but now more balanced on offense under rookie head coach John Harbough, travel to Miami to take a resurgent Dolphins team, 11-5 this season after going 1-15 just last season. Dolphins QB Chad Pennington, acquired from the Jets when they signed Brett Favre, was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year last week. His counterpart on the Ravens, rookie Joe Flacco, has demonstrated considerable maturity for a first year player. Neither quarterback is asked to carry the load and has running and passing weapons to draw upon.

Finally, the second game is perhaps the most intriguing. The 9-6-1 Philadelphia Eagles from the NFC East, who knocked off the Cowboys in week 17 to get into the playoffs, travel to NFC North winning Minnesota Vikings (10-6) who kicked a last second field goal against the Giants in their final game to get in. The Eagles are possibly the most dangerous team in the post season. They went 4-1 in their last five games, have an always dangerous defense and seem to be peaking at the right time. The Vikings have an inexperienced quarterback in Tarvaris Jackson who will need to read the complex Eagles defensive schemes to keep off the turf.

Here are my picks in bold:

Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, January 3, 2009

NFC

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals
4:30 PM ET – NBC

AFC

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers
8:00 PM ET – NBC

Sunday, January 4, 2009

AFC

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
1:00 PM ET – CBS

NFC

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings
4:30 PM ET - FOX