The Real Deal:
So with Sunday's slate of game's over and done with, the N.F.L. Playoff Picture has become a bit more clear, and a bit more complicated. I'll break down the teams that've already clinched and the teams that still have a chance.
A.F.C.:
#1. Seed/South Division Winners: Tennessee Titans: With a win over Pittsburgh, in Tennessee, the Titans clinch home-field throughout the playoffs. Now dispite being at home, I believe this was an underdog victory for the top A.F.C. team coming in.
Pittsburgh has been playing Playoff style Football, and I'm unsure what the issue was with this game. It seemed very hard-hitting and smash-mouth with a small score for the beginning of the game, however when it was all said and done.. Tennessee rolled to the tune of 31-14. I haven't had a chance to watch the game fully, but from the reply I've seen it looks like a 4th down turned to a TD helped Tennessee pretty much shell-shock the Steelers.
The question that should be on everyone's mind is.. does this finally make Tennesee "for real"? Well, the fact is they aren't the #1 overall Seed by defeating an END-LESS amount of pathetic teams.. but once again, it's not like they had a tremendously tough schedule either. They've still got losses to New York (Jets) and Houston (Texans) on their card and that makes them very shakey.
Pittsburgh has had to contend with Baltimore on their heels all season long, and while some could say the Titans had the Colts.. it wasn't nearly as close as you'd think. Meanwhile, the Steelers have also had tougher match-ups than the Titans, so with that said.. I still believe, even at the first overall seed.. Tennessee still isn't the best team in the A.F.C.
This was a great victory for them, regardless of what I believe the team is overall. And this will no doubt boost their morale into the Playoffs, even IF they drop a game to Indy, which at this point could happen since Tennessee doesn't have anything to play for and they need to rest some injured players.
None-the-less, I firmly and strongly believe that once Tennessee does host their first Playoff game in the 2nd round.. they'll fall. Until they defeat a team like Baltimore or Indianapolis IN the playoffs.. it's just unknown on if they're fully the real deal. Now, in 3 weeks time we'll know and I'll be the first to say "They're the real deal" if they can do that. Until then, they're at best only the 2nd or even 3rd best team in the A.F.C.
#2. Seed/North Division Winners: Pittsburgh Steelers: As mentioned earlier, with a loss to Tennessee the Steelers gave up homefield throughout and shocked a lot of people. Does this hurt them? Absolutely.. but not greatly. You see, I've always known Pittsburgh for being one very dominate thing.. a great road team. Some teams would thrive off homefield throughout, but Pittsburgh likely doesn't care.
It would no doubt help Pittsburgh to have homefield throughout in a cold and wintery weather setting in Pittsburgh, but that just won't be happening, without a Titans loss in the 2nd round.
The Steelers clinched their division with the 2nd victory over Baltimore a week or so back. And with the lack of opponent's in the West, and the fight in the East, they've also clinched a first-round bye.
Now, I mentioned in my review that I believed Pittsburgh to be the best team in the A.F.C., but after Sunday's loss, I'm no longer even confident that they are. The loss to the Titans hurt them greatly, and when you factor that in with the ways they've won a couple very close games to Baltimore and Dallas.. Pittsburgh has been coasting by a couple weeks making people think they're a lot greater than they're playing.
Sometimes people often believe that a team tries to "elude" their post-season (possible) opponents, by not playing to their full potential. (Broncos believing the Colts were soft in the 03-04 season) The VERY FIRST THING that leaps out at me when thinking about that Broncos game, when looking at the Steelers.. is what LenDale White did regarding the "Terrible Towel". If that doesn't fire up a Steeler after a loss, then I don't know what will.
Pittsburgh's worst future-istic out-look could be a third game against the Baltimore Ravens, or a match-up against the Indianapolis Colts. Think back to Dallas/New York last year, and how hard it is to truly defeat a division rival 3 times in the same season. Then think back to how the Colts defeated the Steelers when they were just starting to reclick. Now you have a Colts team that's red-hot, and a Baltimore Ravens team that's likely furious about the way they lost the 2nd game to Pittsburgh.. and you have 2 very dangerous Wildcard opponents. (assuming Baltimore clinches)
In the end, if Pittsburgh can manage to get by either of those teams (Indy/Bal.) then I believe firmly that they'll be in the Superbowl. I do NOT believe the Titans can upset the Steelers a second time. And I definately don't believe anyone from the West or East could defeat them either.
#3. Seed/East Division Leaders: Miami Dolphins: 1-15 a year ago, the Tuna has done it again. How is beyond me. Especially when you realize that in the end, he's just one person and realistically that isn't suppose to make your entire team Super-great. However, as in this case especially, it does.
I said it in my review, and I stand by what I said. Chad Pennington will single-handedly give every New York Jet fan the middle finger, on their way to the post-season. The Jets are so awful right now, and with Broadway continuing to weigh them down, they won't be making the post-season. I could be wrong, but a major turnaround would have to factor into it being wrong.
The major question on my mind is.. WHAT makes this Dolphins team click so well, that it's carrying them to the post-season. The answer? The fact that they're a well rounded (not great) Football team. No one individual is responsible for this success.
You have Pennington helping by not turning the ball over. You have Williams and Brown helping in running down opponent's throats. You have the Defense (lead by Joey Porter) holding opponent's big-time, and you have a young core group of individuals all filling in the middle, helping when they can, where they can. That's what makes this team a very dangerous opponent, but still very "green".
The first thing that hurts the Dolphins right now is the fact that they'll likely be facing the Baltimore Ravens in the post-season/Wildcard. While Miami will be at home, that isn't exactly a helping factor. Baltimore's Defense is a LOT greater than Miami's, and Baltimore's offense is very underrated and explosive. The last time these two teams met, the Ravens shutdown the "Wild-cat" and went on to win. In this case, I think history will repeat.
Regardless, I'm a band-wagon Dolphin fan, just because of how well this team has turned around. It amazes me beyond anything, outside of what Atlanta's doing. (more on that later) The only question is.. will this year's Dolphin's show up again next year?
#4. Seed/West Division Leaders: Denver Broncos: The only reason I'm even mentioning this team is because "on paper" they're still "in". But in one week's time, they won't be.. I'm very sure of that, and I couldn't be happier about it.
As a Panther fan, I could lothe several division teams. (Atl., NO., TB.) And I could also dispise the Pats for our Superbowl loss.. but as a Football fan in general, the Denver Broncos are the single most dispised team by me in my book.. because of their big mouth'd QB and WR.
This team as a whole is horrible. Their Defense sucks due to injury, and even if they weren't injured I still believe they wouldn't be great. Their offense is lacking a RB, and they've went through more RBs than any 2 other N.F.L. teams this year.. yet their star WR and QB still manage to run their mouth's about how great they are.. what the fuck?!
Joey Porter was right. Brandon Marshall is a baby. When he gets the ball, he thinks he's God's greatest gift.. and when he doesn't, he refuses to believe it was because of anything he did or didn't do. Meanwhile, Cutler at some point between last year and this year fell out of a tree and hit his head one too many times.. because the stupid kid believes he's greater than half the Hall of Fame QBs out there.
Denver faces a semi-hit San Diego team, but more importantly they face them IN San Diego, and they face a team that is majorly STILL pissed off about Week 2's controversial loss. Denver will need a miracle and more to get out of S.D. alive and in the post-season. I DO NOT believe it'll happen.
#5. Seed/Wildcard: Indianapolis Colts: The Colts are on a major winning streak right now, and that's pushed them into a Wildcard spot. This is the first time in several years they haven't clinched their division, but they're still a Post-season team that's dangerous.. possibly even more so than their Division winners.
I believe Indianapolis will face either Denver or San Diego in the Wildcard. If it's Denver, by some twist of fate, I think it'll be a repeat of the 03-04 match-up that Indy rolled Denver in. If it's San Diego then Indy could face some issues, especially since earlier this season SD rolled and still holds heat toward Indy.
While the Colts are red-hot right now, I don't believe they're as big of a threat as some would consider. I could be contradicting myself right now because I did say the Colts were a threat, earlier, but the fact is.. they've had a lot of up-and-down issues, including almost losing to Jacksonville. (Granted, that was a divisional game)
I do believe if the Colts running game can get on track, and their Defense can stiffin' up in the post-season that the Colts could make a run at the Superbowl. However, everything depends on how Peyton plays. I can see them moving beyond the Wildcard, but I'm unsure about anything beyond that.
#6. Seed/Wildcard: Baltimore Ravens: I want to believe in Baltimore as a post-season team, but I'm still just iffy at best. Their Defense is on-again/off-again from year to year. This year they seem to be "on-again" but the question is.. is this a very of last year's Jacksonville Jags?
The Ravens' offense is clicking and they did confidently defeat a hot Dallas team, in their very last home game in that dome. Just like the Colts, I firmly believe Baltimore can manage it's way to a 2nd round playoff spot by defeating Miami or whomever their Wildcard opponent may be.. however from their I'm unsure what to think.
The Ravens barely lost to Pittsburgh and Tennessee, but they still lost and that's always key. I do NOT believe Pittsburgh can defeat Baltimore for a 3rd straight time in the same season.. however I don't think Baltimore will face Pittsburgh, I think they'll face Tennessee. With that said, the Titans rallied to come back and win earlier this year.. and with the confidence they'll have going into the post-season, it all depends on which Defense holds more.
Still Alive:
1. San Diego Chargers: While they have the best chance of any of the "Still Alive" teams to make the Playoffs, the fact is.. the Chargers are NOT a playoff caliber team. Their offense has been shakey at best, and their Defense has fallen off the map.
The Chargers in my mind will firmly make the Playoffs, if for no other reason than redemption over Denver. But once in, it'll be Indy or Baltimore and either of those teams can definately roll a roller-coaster Chargers team.
Phillip Rivers is a very underrated QB, especially with what he has to work with. He should've made the Pro-Bowl over Favre, but due to lack of name, he didn't. I have no clue what's happened to L.T., but my guess is the line is falling apart and his bulldozer (Neal) has left the team to join Baltimore.
The WRs are hot and cold. Chambers was more than happy to get away from Miami, and now I question if he wonders if he made the correct choice. Meanwhile, Jackson has shown flashes of greatness but is still mysterious in appearance from game to game. Finally, Gates is having one of his worst seasons ever due to injury or age, either/or. All of that makes it hard to put faith in this team to do anything, including barely beat Denver. (albeit I'd still put everything in believing they will do that)
2. New England Patriots: The irony of this entire set-up is the fact that selective things have to go selective ways. In order for New England to make the playoffs, they must win and hope that the Dolphins lose.
Regardless of where they finish or how, and 11-5 without making the post-season IS possible. One thing is for sure.. Matt Cassel is going to be a HOT Free Agent. The only issue is, is it Cassel's talent, or Bill's teaching??
New England has come a very long way from Week One and the loss of Tom Brady. That's what amazes me the most about this Coaching staff and this Franchise. They just replace greatness with durable-ness. This team is everything it's fans believe it is, and I'm definately NOT a Pats. fan.
But I'm not stupid/naive either.
Wes Welker is a huge boost to this team, and Moss doing what he's always done helps a lot as well. The shear fact that this Defense is doing what it's doing, with as many stars as it's lost is the big underlining story that many don't notice though. And in the end, unfortunately, New England is NOT in control of it's own Destiny. Sadly, all because of how awful the Jets are.. I don't think New England will make the post-season, but not because of anything they'll do in Week 17, instead because of everything the Jets WON'T do.
3. New York Jets: Continuing with the irony of the set-up to get in. Not only do the Jets have to win over the Dolphins, but they have to hope the Patriots can lose. Out of everything, this is a double edged sword that is going to kill New York either way it goes in.
First, it's highly unlikely that New England loses with as good as they've been playing. Second, as I've been saying for a while now.. Chad Pennington has a grudge, it might not be television "big" or noticable.. but I guarantee he'd love nothing more than to be the reason why this team fails and his new team makes it.
The incredibly bad outlook here is.. New York can NOT win on Favre's arm. Yet they won't (likely) be able to run against a tough Miami Defense. New York's Defense will need to somehow pull out the victory in order for the Jets to have any luck, and the plus side to that is.. they'll be facing their former QB, so they should know most of what he's capable of doing.
Regardless, in the end.. Denver has a greater chance of making it to the Superbowl, than the Jets do of making it to the Post-season.
