NFL Division Round Recap

Monday rolls around and like last week, time to look at the week that was in the NFL playoffs. We're now down to four teams remaining in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy. Only two will make the trip to Glendale for Super Bowl XLII. So without further ado, here are my observations from the NFL Divisional Playoffs:

Seattle @ Green Bay (Final: 42-20 Green Bay)

• Talk about an inauspicious playoff debut for Packers runningback Ryan Grant, who fumbled twice on his first three touches (both leading to Seattle touchdowns). Packers shot themselves in the foot falling behind 14-0 as the Seahawks capitalized on short fields.
• Even more impressive was that Grant was able to rebound for an outstanding overall game (27 carries, 201 yards, 3 touchdowns). This game felt like a Packers blowout when they got their first score to cut the deficit to 14-7. My feeling was confirmed when the Packers scored touchdowns on six consecutive possessions after spotting Seattle two scores.
• Weather was a huge factor and this looked like an old school football game, the kinds you watch on NFL films during summers when you have nothing better to do.
  
• Brett Favre is a magician. Anyone who saw him escape a pass rush and complete a pass to Donald Lee underhanded for a first down now has to be convinced he could make the Statue of Liberty disappear.
• Matt Hasselbeck is a good 2nd tier quarterback, nothing more.
• The Green Bay Packers starting cornerback tandem of Charles Woodson and Al Harris might be the best in the NFL. Seattle receivers couldn't get anything resembling separation from those two all game, and I doubt that it was just the crappy field conditions. This is a dangerous Packers team.

Jacksonville @ New England (Final: 31-20 New England)

• What a masterful performance out of Tom Brady (26/28, 262 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs). Only two passes he threw hit the ground and both of them hit the hands of his intended receiver and were dropped.
• Laurence Maroney (162 total yards and 1 TD) had the game that fantasy football players who pegged him as a late first round pick envisioned him doing regularly. The Patriots proved they can run the ball when needed and that makes them even more dangerous. That is not fair.
• Randy Moss (1 catch, 14 yards) did next to nothing, and it didn't even matter one iota.
  
• Jaguars runningbacks Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew were invisible on the ground once again (combined 19 carries for 66 yards, 3.5 yards per attempt).
• Jags QB David Garrard is a championship level player (22/33, 278 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT).
• The game was over when Ben Watson caught a 9 yard TD pass from Tom Brady late in the 3rd quarter to put the Patriots up 28-17. There is one team in the NFL that can play two possessions behind the Patriots and win, Indianapolis (more on them later).
• This Jacksonville team is not far away from competing for a Super Bowl. If they can add two of the following three (number one wide receiver, shut down corner, elite pass rusher) in the offseason, they'll be on the short list of serious Super Bowl XLIII contenders next season.

San Diego @ Indianapolis (Final: 28-24 San Diego)

• Peyton Manning (33/48, 402 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) had the second best game of any QB in the playoffs this week and lost. In fact, I'm pretty sure he played better in this game statistically than in any game in last year's playoff run that culminated in a Super Bowl XLI title and Super Bowl MVP honors for Manning.
• Someone want to tell me where this 3rd ranked Colts defense was when they needed it? Seriously, they gave up 411 yards to an undermanned Chargers team and couldn't hold a 4th quarter lead against Billy Volek and Michael Turner? Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders (3 tackles) was completely invisible and a non-factor.
• Indy may have gotten a bit pass happy in this game, but when the offense feels like it has to score every time, balance gets thrown out the window.
• Philip Rivers (14/19, 264 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) finally had the breakout performance we've been waiting for.
• Turning point of the game #1: Up 7-0 with the ball after intercepting Rivers, the Colts were driving deep into Chargers territory looking to go up 14-0. Marvin Harrison makes a big 3rd and 10 catch after missing 2 and a half months. Harrison, never one for his open field elusiveness, attempted to make a man miss and extend the play rather than just go down. He fumbled, San Diego recovered, and we had a game. Without that fumble, the Colts are likely up 14-0 and none of the ensuing drama ever happens.
• Turning point of the game #2: After a perfect pass and an even better effort to stay in bounds by Anthony Gonzalez on his 55 yard touchdown reception to give the Colts the lead back at 24-21. The Colts had the crowd behind them and needed only to stop a Billy Volek and Michael Turner led Charger offense to possibly extend their lead. On 3rd down, Marlin Jackson inexcusably grabbed onto the facemask of Chris Chambers in traffic when he already had position on him. The play would've been an incomplete pass down the sideline, instead the 15 yard penalty gave the Chargers life, and they scored the winning touchdown.
• Wouldn't you know it, Norv Turner has now won 2 more playoff games with the Chargers than Marty Schottenheimer did. He is also two career playoff wins shy (3-1) of Marty Schottenheimer's total (5-13). Holy crap, he's one game away from playing for a Super Bowl! How on earth did that happen?
  
• The Colts are now 0-3 under Peyton Manning when they are coming off a 1st round bye in the playoffs. By contrast, they are 2-1 on the road in the Divisional round when they play Wild Card weekend. At 2-4, the Divisional round is by far Peyton's worst record wise. He is 3-2 in the Wild Card (3 straight wins), 1-1 in the AFC championship, and 1-0 in the Super Bowl. Possible theory: this rhythm offense that Indy runs is predicated on reps and timing. A bye throws that off and then combine with the fact that Week 17 is fairly similar to a bye for the starters in Indy and that spells trouble when you go two weeks without regular reps.
  

New York @ Dallas (Final: 21-17 New York)

• Dallas head coach Wade Phillips still has not won a playoff game (0-4)
• America's team, the 'Boys haven't won a playoff game since 1996 and have lost 6 straight postseason contests. The Detroit Lions have "only" lost 5 straight playoff games. I'm just sayin' is all.
• Anyone want to explain to me how a team outgains another by 103 yards, gets 7 more first downs, goes 10-16 on 3rd down conversions, and has a 13 minute advantage in time of possession LOSES a game? Maybe it was the 11 penalties for 84 yards. Not to downplay what the New York Giants have accomplished, but it seems they did JUST ENOUGH to win this game. Can't complain obviously, the only stat that matters in January is the W and the Giants got that.
• Giants receiver Plaxico Burress has 5 catches for 43 yards in two playoff games. That won't cut it at Green Bay.
  
• The Giants offense was one of the most turnover prone in the NFL and Eli Manning was one of the most turnover prone quarterbacks. Yet they have not committed a single turnover in two road playoff games.
• The Giants have won 9 straight road games.
• While not finishing with the flashy numbers at any point of future Hall of Fame brother Peyton, Eli Manning has grown leaps and bounds the past few weeks.
• While one of the worst analysis stats of a QB's play, Eli Manning (2-2) has the same winning percentage as Peyton (7-7).

Sunday has not been a good day for my NFL playoff predictions. I sit at 5-3 overall. I am a perfect 4-0 on Saturday and 1-3 on Sunday (0-2 this week). There are no more Saturday playoff games *gulp*. Being knotted up with Keck for the postseason, will the agreement fest stop? Find out on Twaro's Take this week.