411's NFL Round Up 01.14.09: Divisional Playoff Edition

Posted by Emmett Wilks on 01.14.2009

I still can't believe that the Arizona freaking Cardinals are hosting the NFC Championship game...

Just as we sit nice and cozy in our homes and think we've got everything all figured out, the NFL Divisional Playoff Round hits, and we realize that we actually know close to nothing. Both top seeded teams eliminated. A rookie QB leading a team to two playoff victories. The best rushing team in the last 10 years (NY Giants) are unable to convert three short yardage runs when it mattered the most. The Arizona freaking Cardinals are hosting the NFC Championship game. I mean seriously, what on earth is going on here. So, without further delay, onto the Round Up!

QUICK NOTES

What is that I hear, is that the thundering herds of fair weather Cardinals fans racing to buy up tickets for the NFC Championship game? While Arizona's Wild Card game needed an extra 24 hours to sell remaining seats, this weekends NFC Championship took just 6 minutes to sell every seat. Look, I understand the whole "well they'll just break our hearts" vibe that may have been going, but this stinks to high heaven in a number of ways. Football is a game of passion and intensity. You don't demonstrate that when support your team only in the good times, even when those good times have been very rare over the years.

Speaking of Flacco, there is a new contingent of folks who are now trying to say that our boy Joe was robbed of a Rookie of the Year award after his two solid playoff performance. While I remind everyone that the Rookie of the Year is a regular season award, I still don't think I would take that distinction away from Atlanta QB Matt Ryan Let's be clear folks, Flacco has played very competent playoff football, but nothing overly amazing. His 44% completion percentage in the last two games is evident of that. Rookie of the Year winner Matt Ryan would What he has done is been solid when he is needed, and not made big mistakes when he could easily had done so. Such an accomplishment, not screwing up, is actually a very underrated trait. Flacco has been tremendous at that all season. But let's not forget the tremendous benefits he receives from that exceptional Ravens defense. Flacco is a great young talent, but let's wait just a minute before we anoint him the next Tom Brady.

Though I really don't delve into the college game too much, I was happy to see Florida QB Tim Tebow decide to stick around for his senior year. The projections of his NFL potential are all over the map, but I am a firm believer that no underclass player should jump unless they are 100% certain they will land in the one of the first 2 rounds of the draft, a status that would likely not have accompanied Tebow. We'll get into his future prospects at QB or H-back at another time, but I believe that the college game and Tebow himself will benefit greatly from this decision.


COACHING CAROUSEL

After a few weeks of speculation, Colts coach Tony Dungy has officially retired from coaching pro football. I have always had a very strong affinity for Dungy and what he has meant to the game. Not just as an X's and O's man, but as a community leader, inspiration, and role model to millions of young people. The tragic death of his son in 2005 and the strength he demonstrated following that loss enhanced what was an already saint like reputation in the NFL. Dungy's head coaching career began in Tampa Bay, where the Bucanneers had played the role currently held by the Lions as the NFL's laughing stock. Dungy, along with his long and brilliant semblance of coaching talent, would remake that franchise into a perennial winner, leading them to the playoffs, and laying the groundwork for a Super Bowl team. After his disgraceful firing in 2002 following a tough playoff loss, he took the reins of the Indinapolis Colts, and along with VP of Football Bill Polian, Dungy built the Colts into one of the most dominant and consistent teams of the decade. Since 2003, the Colts have won no less than 12 games a season, a testament to Dungy's leadership and coaching ability. Long time assistant coach Jim Caldwell will take the reins in Indy, which a three-time MVP quarterback in Peyton Manning to ease the transition. The game will not be the same without Dungy.


The loss of Tony Dungy is not only a loss for the Colts, but the entire NFL

The Denver Broncos announced a new head coach in 32 year old Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Despite his youth, McDaniels has put together one of the most enviable resumes ever seen by a first time head coach. In three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Patriots, McDaniels helped engineer the most prolific offense in NFL history. The 2007 Pats litany of records was staggering; most points in a season (589), most touchdowns (67), most touchdown passes by a player (Tom Brady with 50), and most TD receptions by a player (Randy Moss with 23. This past season was perhaps even more impressive. With Brady injured in week 1, the Pats turned to Matt Cassel, who hadn't started a game since high school, and ended with 11 wins, a top 5 offense, and Cassel ending the season with 3,693 passing yards and 21 TDs. Much of that credit must go to McDaniels. He of course walks into one of the best situation a rookie head coach can be in. A talented offense lead by a solid veteran in Jay Cutler, a young and talented offensive line, a group of potential mega-star receivers, great ownership, and a loyal fan base. The big problem, and what got his predecessor Mike Shanahan fired, will still be the defense. McDaniels will need good management help to fix that mess, but it is within reach. The

In the front office world, Patriots scouting and draft guru Scott Pioli has, according to ESPN, accepted the position head of football operations for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs franchise has been through a very rough stretch the last two seasons, mustering just 6 wins the last two seasons. This will likely spell the end for Herm Edwards as head coach of the Chiefs, ending a disappointing run. Rumor mill has Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as the top candidate for the job, which I have said before would be a great move. A Spagnuolo coached team with Pioli stocked talent could prove to be just what the Chiefs need right now.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Arizona Cardinals- 33

Carolina Panthers- 13

Just a clarification for some of the Round Up readers. The Game of the Week is not about the most competitive or exciting game. The element of surprise performance; both good and bad, domination, and importance play just as much into my assessment as how close the game was. So, yes, while the Ravens-Titans game was easily the most hard-fought contest, what sticks out in my mind more than anything from the weekend was the total collapse of the Panthers, and the meteoric ascension of the Cardinals. The Cardinals defense not only limited on of the games best receivers in Steve Smith to just 2 catches for 43 yards, but also stopped a vaunted and powerful rushing assault to just 75 yards. Take away DeAngelo Williams' 31-yard run, that average looks very pedestrian. Granted, the Panthers were forced to abandon the running game early, but even when they tried, it was never that really effective. But also don't forget the magnificent performance from the Cardinals offense. With Kurt Warner leading the charge, the Cards took advantage of the Panther miscues, scoring off turnovers and playing effective offense the entire game. Entering with a 5-2 postseason record, Delhomme went into this postseason with a 5-2 postseason record, and a 95.0 QB rating.

But Delhomme's two interceptions and lost a fumble in the first half, bad throws, and holding the ball made him easy pickings for the Cards. Three more picks in the second half doomed any chance the Panthers had to come back. Let's just make it clear, this was a stunning development. A co-worker of mine told me three days before this game that "if I had to bet the house on one game this weekend, this would be it." Well, I guess I wasn't the only one, but it doesn't make last weeks prediction any less absurd now. But the big question remains. What does this mean for the Cardinals?

Kurt Warner is playing likes its Nineteen-Ninety-Nine (yes, I got Prince reference in this week!), and Larry Fitzgerald has officially established himself as one of the games elite players. Couple that in with a suddenly active running game and a defense that is playing like its hair is on fire, this once totally disparaged and mocked team has every chance to win it all. Arizona will get to host next weeks NFC Championship, and will only get richer with the potential, but not certain return of receiver Anquan Boldin from injury. But this has no doubt been a magical run for the Cardinals, and the newfound praise is rightly been earned.


OFFENSIVE

Willie Parker

While Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald has bit more panache to his weekend, Parker did the dirty work for the Steelers. Parker rushed for 146 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns, the second a 16-yard TD was the final nail in the coffin for the Chargers, putting the score at 35-14 with 4:41 remaining. That final touchdown drive, Parker took over the game, gaining 51 yards, including a 27-yard dash over the right side.


Parker proved his best when the Steelers needed him the most; in the fourth quarter

Runners Up

Larry Fitzgerald- Another incendiary playoff performance for Fitzgerald, whose 8 catch, 166 yard, one TD performance helped catapult the Cardinals offense to 33 points over heavily favored Carolina.

Kurt Warner- And the man who throw those passes to Fitzgerald wasn't too shabby either. Playing without his second best receiver Anquan Boldin, Warner still posted his best postseason game since 2001, going 21-of-32 for 220 yards and a TD.


DEFENSIVE

Cardinals Secondary

While Panthers QB Jake Delhomme played one of the worst games in playoff history, it was not entirely his own doing. The Cardinals secondary was terrific in the biggest win in their franchises history. Five different players picked off Delhomme, and Not only did they collect 5 interceptions, but also held one of the games great receivers, Steve Smith, to no catches until :52 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. Rookie corner Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie picked a pass and deflected 4 more. While great pressure from the front seven was a big part, it was the secondary that really made the game unattainable for the Panthers.

Broderick Bunkley- On two critical fourth quarter short yardage plays, Bunckley stuffed the Giants attempts. The third year pro out of Florida State has been stellar this postseason for the Eagles.

BUST OF THE WEEK

Jake Delhomme

One of the easiest decisions ever made for the awards section. This performance was legendarily awful. Like the Chevy Chase Show awful. 6, count them, 6 turnovers, helped end the Panthers Super Bowl hopes in one massive feel swoop. 17-of-34 for 205 and a TD, that doesn't appear as embarrassing, but he was unable to find his best weapon, Steve Smith, until late in the 3rd.

Runner Up

Ravens-Titans officiating crew-

The darn clock hit zero and remained that way for at least a second. The Ravens critical 3-and-2 conversion should not have happened. I am not going to run up and down the hallway screaming about this, because the Titans blew enough plays in the game to have rightly lost. But as they say, "we'll never really know" what could have happened had the play been blown dead. Just a terrible, terrible job at a critical part of the game.

MOST SUPRISING DEVELOPMENT

Donovan McNabb is still a playmaker

Its been just another season of unwanted headlines for McNabb. A well documented benching in week 10 against the Ravens, more calls that this would indeed be his final season, and doubters and critics once again chomping at the bit to bring him down. But McNabb may have well been synonymous with perseverance. On Sunday, he orchestrated an efficient offensive performance that helped send the Eagles back to the NFC title game, his 5th in a 10-year career. While it wasn't a game for the ages (22-of-40 for 217 yards, 1 TD and 2 picks), it was still enough to get the job done. His 3rd quarter, 3rd-and-20 pass to Jason Avant, after shaking three would-be tacklers, which led to a lead changing field goal, was vintage McNabb. Next week could cement McNabb's legacy as one this era's greatest quarterbacks.


LEAST SUPRISING DEVELOPMENT

Without a Plax, you cannot pass.

Yes indeed, the loss of Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress may have indeed cost the Giants a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champs. Suspended back in week 6 after he accidently shot himself in the leg with an unregistered firearm, Burress turned out to be a bigger loss than maybe anyone really knew. As I mentioned after the Giants win over the Panthers a few weeks ago, their biggest problem was playing without a go-to third down player, which Burress was. QB Eli Manning and the Giants were only able to convert 3-of-13 third downs. Early in the season, with Burress in the lineup, the Giants were able to work the run game and passing game in sync with one another. The Giants play action was among the most dangerous plays in football. The loss of Burress in a playoff game all but killed that threat. This week, a host of Giants players have publicly stated a desire to bring back Burress, including straight-laced QB Manning. With every moral and legal issue aside, from a football point of view, a Giants team without Burress is simply not good enough to win the big one.


Burress was indeed missed by the Giants this postseason

NEXT WEEKS PICKS

Well, 50% last week wasn't so bad, but I would really like to go for 100 this week. We'll start with the NFC game, where I see the Eagles being able to top the host Cardinals in a very close game, 24-21. Warner of the Cardinals will be able to make some plays, but the Eagles secondary is better than anything else Larry Fitzgerald has seen thus far in the postseason, which could go a long way to limiting him. Offensively, the Eagles have the advantage of Brian Westbrook, a player that will take all 11 Cardinals defenders to stop. He will be the X-factor that will turn the tide for the Eagles.

There is no true-blooded football fan that is not overjoyed about a Steelers-Ravens match-up for the AFC Championship game. There are stars galore; Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and rookie sensation Joe Flacco ready to do battle with James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and Big Ben Roethlisberger. If it were a movie, you couldn't ask for a better ensemble cast than that. The number 1 (Steelers) and 2 (Ravens) defenses in the entire league will attempt to stop each other opportunistic offensive units. Most accept a low scoring slobber-knocker of a game, and I don't think either team will disappoint. But one will have to be the winner, and even though I have already made the mistake once, I am forced to do it again and say the Steelers will finally force Falcco to make the big mistake, sending the Steelers to the Super Bowl, 24-10.


We'll all just have to wait and see. See you all next week.