Saturday, January 05, 2008
NFL Wild Card Weekend, part I
This should be a delightful weeekend of football. There are some good Wild Card games on tap. For a change on Wild Card weekend, most of the match-ups are toss ups. In fact, the Clarion could make a case for each of the road teams winning, quite the rarity.
In the first game of the day, the Redskins are riding a wave of emotion, back-up quarterback Todd Collins, and a four game winning streak. Collins, who hadn't thrown a pass in years, before being called upon to relieve the injured Jason Campbell midseason has been terrific. The Redskins should be credited for having procured a backup who knows the offense backwards and forwards. Collins spent ten years holding a clipboard for this same offense and offensive coordinator in Kansas City.
In addition to Collins, the Redskins have an excellent running game led by the inimitable Clinton Portis, ably backed by Ladell Betts. The Redskins also have skill at the wideouts. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El are a dynamic duo of playmakers. Every short slant against the Redskins is a threat to go to the house with those two. Chris Cooley is a more than serviceable tight end.
The Redskins also boast a stout defense. A defense anchored by under sized, future Hall of Fame middle linebacker, London Fletcher. The defense despite the tragic death of All-Pro safety Sean Taylor still boasts superlative backfield talent. Nickelback Fred Smoot would start on almost any other team in the league. Carlos Rogers, Shawn Springs, and LaRon Landy are all capable of perfoming at a very high level.
It is on the Redskins secondary that the Clarion believes today's game will turn. Both teams have excellent coaching. Seattle's Mike Holmgren is probably a better X's and O's guy, but Joe Gibbs is a master motivator leading a team on a mission.
Seattle's offense has struggled to run the ball. Yes, Shawn Alexander has aged. But even more important was the Seahawks allowing All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson to depart. Hutchinson was road grading for "the" Adrian Peterson this season. Holmgren has conceded Seattle's lack of a running game and adapted to it amazingly. Quarterback Matt Hasselback is having an outstanding year, passing for almost 4,000 yards and 28TDs against only 12 INTs. But the Clarion can't but somehow remember his failures of playoffs past. (including a game losing interception in this Wild Card round.)
Maybe this is the Seahwaks year, Quest Field is a notoriously tough road venue, but somehow, we're not feeling it. The gut says more like it might be a one and done for Seattle, and perhaps even a Mike Holmgren retirement. We like the Redskins to pull the upset. There is a little voice inside the Clarion that thinks this Redskins team could make a run. Maybe even a three game, road win, road win, road win run? Could it happen? Even if it did, the Pats would be waiting at the end to administer the smackdown.
In the night game it hardly feels like calling for the uspet, predicting the road team to win, after all Jacksonville just beat the Steelers at Heinz field a mere three weeks ago. Now Pittsburgh is without leading rusher Willie Parker. Jacksonville has two healthy and talented backs in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.
Also this is the Clarion firmly believes this is the time of year when the Steelers will truly begin to miss former coach Bill Cowher. He was forever under appreciated in the Steel City. Okay, he only won one Super Bowl, but his overall playoff record despite a string of average at best quarterbacks was phenomenal. He got to the freaking Super Bowl with Neil O'Donnell folks!! Jimmy Johnson had Troy Aikman. O'Donnell was washed up as soon as he left the Steelers. After O'Donnell, the Steelers foisted Kordell Stewart on poor Cowher, then Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. Even Roethelsberger in the Clarion's less than humble opinion is no beaut. And that is another reason that we like the Jags today, ECU alum David Garrard is no less skilled than Big Ben.
The Steelers have a first year head coach in Mike Tomlin. They are playing a back-up running back, though we like Najeh Davenport. They have a rookie wide receiver across from future Hall of Famer Hines Ward. The Jags are led by a seasoned Jack Del Rio. For the Clarion, it just doesn't add up. We're calling for the Jags victory.
Dear Readers-We promise not to pick both road teams tomorrow.
In the first game of the day, the Redskins are riding a wave of emotion, back-up quarterback Todd Collins, and a four game winning streak. Collins, who hadn't thrown a pass in years, before being called upon to relieve the injured Jason Campbell midseason has been terrific. The Redskins should be credited for having procured a backup who knows the offense backwards and forwards. Collins spent ten years holding a clipboard for this same offense and offensive coordinator in Kansas City.
In addition to Collins, the Redskins have an excellent running game led by the inimitable Clinton Portis, ably backed by Ladell Betts. The Redskins also have skill at the wideouts. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El are a dynamic duo of playmakers. Every short slant against the Redskins is a threat to go to the house with those two. Chris Cooley is a more than serviceable tight end.
The Redskins also boast a stout defense. A defense anchored by under sized, future Hall of Fame middle linebacker, London Fletcher. The defense despite the tragic death of All-Pro safety Sean Taylor still boasts superlative backfield talent. Nickelback Fred Smoot would start on almost any other team in the league. Carlos Rogers, Shawn Springs, and LaRon Landy are all capable of perfoming at a very high level.
It is on the Redskins secondary that the Clarion believes today's game will turn. Both teams have excellent coaching. Seattle's Mike Holmgren is probably a better X's and O's guy, but Joe Gibbs is a master motivator leading a team on a mission.
Seattle's offense has struggled to run the ball. Yes, Shawn Alexander has aged. But even more important was the Seahawks allowing All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson to depart. Hutchinson was road grading for "the" Adrian Peterson this season. Holmgren has conceded Seattle's lack of a running game and adapted to it amazingly. Quarterback Matt Hasselback is having an outstanding year, passing for almost 4,000 yards and 28TDs against only 12 INTs. But the Clarion can't but somehow remember his failures of playoffs past. (including a game losing interception in this Wild Card round.)
Maybe this is the Seahwaks year, Quest Field is a notoriously tough road venue, but somehow, we're not feeling it. The gut says more like it might be a one and done for Seattle, and perhaps even a Mike Holmgren retirement. We like the Redskins to pull the upset. There is a little voice inside the Clarion that thinks this Redskins team could make a run. Maybe even a three game, road win, road win, road win run? Could it happen? Even if it did, the Pats would be waiting at the end to administer the smackdown.
In the night game it hardly feels like calling for the uspet, predicting the road team to win, after all Jacksonville just beat the Steelers at Heinz field a mere three weeks ago. Now Pittsburgh is without leading rusher Willie Parker. Jacksonville has two healthy and talented backs in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.
Also this is the Clarion firmly believes this is the time of year when the Steelers will truly begin to miss former coach Bill Cowher. He was forever under appreciated in the Steel City. Okay, he only won one Super Bowl, but his overall playoff record despite a string of average at best quarterbacks was phenomenal. He got to the freaking Super Bowl with Neil O'Donnell folks!! Jimmy Johnson had Troy Aikman. O'Donnell was washed up as soon as he left the Steelers. After O'Donnell, the Steelers foisted Kordell Stewart on poor Cowher, then Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. Even Roethelsberger in the Clarion's less than humble opinion is no beaut. And that is another reason that we like the Jags today, ECU alum David Garrard is no less skilled than Big Ben.
The Steelers have a first year head coach in Mike Tomlin. They are playing a back-up running back, though we like Najeh Davenport. They have a rookie wide receiver across from future Hall of Famer Hines Ward. The Jags are led by a seasoned Jack Del Rio. For the Clarion, it just doesn't add up. We're calling for the Jags victory.
Dear Readers-We promise not to pick both road teams tomorrow.
Labels: NFL, Predictions, sports
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