Clarion Content

The Player of the Week, from the Playoffs Week 1
Mike Scifres

The Clarion Content is loathe to make any predictions for this week's games. We wouldn't want to jinx any of the teams we are rooting for or against. So then, here are a couple of quick comments on each of this weeks games, in the order they will be played.

Saturday, January 10th

Baltimore Ravens at the Tennessee Titans

Baltimore has a great defense. Ed Reed is making a case for the Hall of Fame. Ray Lewis, if character concerns are set aside, will be a first ballot Hall of Famer. The Ravens defense is darn good, but so is the Titans. The Clarion Content has long admired character guy and Syracuse alum, Keith Bulluck. Both teams have strong running games and weak quarterbacks. Baltimore's quarterback is a rookie who cost them their regular season game against Tennessee. The Titans quarterback is Kerry Collins who has been around long enough to get shellacked in the playoffs more than once. This game is going to be close. It could be decided by a field goal either way. Tennessee has a slight edge in the kicking department behind, Rob Bironas. They also have the benefit of a week to rest and lick their wounds, plus home field advantage.


Arizona Cardinals at the Carolina Panthers

The Cardinals celebrated last week's Wild Card victory by dumping Gatorade on head coach Ken Whisenhunt. Doesn't exactly give off the feel that they been here before. But why not? They haven't been here before, last week's win equaled the Cards cumulative playoff victory total of the previous sixty years. Yet remember, they played the Panthers competitively in mid-season, leading 17-3 in the second half before Steve Smith and Jake Delhomme took the game over. Delhomme has the third highest passer rating in the playoffs all-time. He trails only Joe Montana and Bart Starr, not bad company. The Panthers pass defense looked awfully vulnerable in week 17 allowing Drew Brees to throw for nearly 400 yards in a game they had to win to get home field. The Panthers are hoping for help from rainy and cold weather to slow down Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. The Panthers have had trouble generating pressure in recent weeks. The Vegas oddsmakers have installed the Panthers as ten point favorites.


Sunday, January 11th

Philadelphia Eagles at the New York Giants

The Eagles have underrated, under-respected quarterback Donovan McNabb at the helm. Unfortunately, he has the millstone of Coach Andy Reid around his neck. McNabb also has zero even halfway decent wide receivers. Only one wideout caught even 500 yards in passes for the Eagles this season. The Eagles managed nine offensive points last week against a stumbling Vikings team that was missing two of their best defenders. Bryan Westbrook is a talented player with a knack for making the big play at the right time, but will the Eagles run enough to keep the Giants honest? Nobody in the league has more predictable play calling than Andy Reid, whereas Giants Coach Tom Coughlin seems to have come into his own in the last two years. The Giants are not the team they were last year minus Osi Umenyiora and Plaxico Burress. The Eagles also have a terrific defense. This game will come down to Eli Manning's ability to limit the Giants turnovers.


San Diego Chargers at the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Clarion Content is quite upset that the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team with a tragic history of brain injuries, is sending Ben Roethlisberger back into the fray, especially after he admitted his head was still bothering him in practice this week. We are rooting against the Steelers on the basis of this despicable, callous use of a human being. The Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers has been a Clarion Content fave since he was at North Carolina State. The diminutive Darren Sproles showed starting running back LaDainian Tomlinson last week that it is the size of your heart that matters, not your physical size. The Steelers have a terrific defense and they gutted out an 11-10 regular season win at home against the Chargers. Can they do it again with a banged up Ben Roethlisberger, coming off of his fourth career concussion? Behind a subpar offensive line? Do they have enough offensive weapons beyond the gritty Hines Ward? San Diego has the special teams edge.

Labels: NFL, sports