VIKINGS 34 – COWBOYS 3
You might not know this by watching salivating dogs like Chris Berman, but people other than Brett Favre played in this game. There were actually some decent players on defense and receivers on the Vikes as well.
On the field Dallas came in way too cocky and way too under-prepared. There seemed to be little or no attention to detail, as they seemed to just assume the victory was theirs. The defense barely showed up, and I don’t know who was playing O-line for them.
Minnesota’s defense was too strong and too fast, and was one step ahead of their opponent every play. Styles make fights, and The Vikes’ style gave the Pokes fits, and it was over very early.
NFL Guy has no problem with the late TD thrown by Minnesota, this is the playoffs, but imagine what Favre would have done if the shoe were on the other foot! The press would have gone into an apoplectic fit against the evil Cowboy empire and poor, poor millionaire Brett. For some reason he is the media darling of whom they can never get enough. My theory is they love Favre because he is such a Mississippi semi-illiterate that the Chris Bermans and Terry Bradshaws of the world look brilliant by comparison.
Sadly, this team cannot win on the road, so we will be put through the whole Minny QB saga once again this summer.
As for Dallas, the last time they lost a playoff game by 30 plus points, they won 3 Super Bowls over the next 4 years. I doubt that will happen, but better days are ahead for them.
COLTS 20 – RAVENS 3
I’ve been saying it all year. The immature play from the Ravens drips right down from their coach, and this time it was very apparent.
Peyton Manning, love him or hate him, is as deadly as they have ever come under center. Baltimore presented a good defense, but Manning shredded it to pieces. My one complaint with him is that he will jump on the ground faster than any other QB maybe ever if the rush is near him.
The Colts were too fast and too savvy to be beaten by this team, and they methodically squeezed the life right out of the Ravens. It was quite impressive to watch. The defense took the ball away from Baltimore 4 times, and that is 5 times too many against an offense like Indy’s.
Baltimore is an aging team, and the window of opportunity might be closing for them, at least defensively.
As for Indy, the time is now, and if they can’t seal the deal, then trouble is brewing for one of the NFL’s most stable franchises.
But NFL Guy says this won’t happen; At least not next week.
SAINTS 45 – CARDINALS 14
See what happens when you’re all offense? Sure people who don’t really understand the game love the big points, like last week, but there are other parts to the game! Remember last year when the Cards could not hold the lead against Pittsburgh?
Defense wins championships.
And this time the no-D Cards went against a juggernaut, and were eaten alive.
Reggie Bush, maybe just for one game, showed what the Saints thought he would be when they took him second overall in the draft four years ago. He was playing in another dimension, though he amassed less than 100 yards rushing. And the truth is he might have no more than two games left in New Orleans.
QB Kurt Warner may have played his last game. His religious vision that Jesus told him he was to win five Super Bowls will not come true, but he is a Hall of Fame quarterback, and a compliment to the NFL.
Since Dallas lost, the Saints are to meet a team they can easily beat at home. Minnesota just does not play well on the road. If the Saints shore up their blocking, there is just no way Minny comes in and beats them.
In a few weeks, they will be saying Who Dat champion?
JETS 17 – CHARGERS 14
No one really thought Dallas would make it as far as they did, but everyone thought San Diego would make it to the title game. They played the Jets for crying out loud!
Well guess what, tough play beats finesse every time almost every time.
This was a tight one won because of NY’s great defense. But that is not the story here.
This just might be a loss so devastating to the franchise, that it takes them several seasons to recover. Remember the 1998-1999 Vikings? How badly were they crushed after losing to Atlanta in the last minute of the title game? Only now have they recovered. Coach Norv Turner’s contract was extended, and he might not be coaching playoff games for a while, but reconstructing a team.
As for the Jets, a team whose coach at one point publicly stated they were eliminated from the playoffs, it is off to bring the house at the Colts.
I really don’t think they win next week, but I didn’t think they’d win this week either…
