Another week closer to the prize. After going 2-2 again last week, I am sitting at 4-4 thus far and I can't complain. So we don't have 2000 all over again, thankfully. I didn't really want to see the Giants go any further. Sunday has both Championship Games, so let's get right to them.
Eagles at Cardinals
What we might have though is 1948 all over again? That was the last time that the Eagles and Cardinals met in the playoffs. These two teams met more recently, but no one probably remembers because it was on Thanksgiving night on the NFL Network.
Here's a quick recap of that game. Donovan McNabb got pulled for Kevin Kolb. And collectively you all say, "Ohhhh, that game. Is that when he got pulled?" Yeah, except he got pulled with a 48-20 lead. More people will remember this game as the one that Brian Westbrook went off for 4 touchdowns.
So we are at the here and now, and suddenly the Cardinals have a run defense? They allow just 60 yards to the Falcons on the ground and then just 75 to the Panthers. Where has all this come from? Can they stop Brian Westrbook? The more important question though is, can the Eagles stop Kurt Warner?
The Eagles are going to bring the blitz to try and disrupt the rhythm of the passing game. The Eagles allow just over 180 yards passing per game whereas the Cardinals averages close to 300 in the air attack. Can Brian Dawkins anchor the secondary of Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown?
My X-Factor for this game is the combination of Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower. Not for what they can do with the ball, but for what they do without the ball. The Eagles will have pressure all day on Warner but will James and Hightower be able to pick it up? It will come down to a few big blocks which allow Warner that extra time to make the pass down field.
Expect screen passes to counter the blitzes. A lot of people are down on this year's NFL playoff teams now, but don't be. A lot of people are also writing off the Cardinals in this one. The Cardinals have been all over the field defensively and will need to keep that up in order to make it to the Super Bowl. Seven interceptions as a team thus far will make Donovan McNabb think twice before throwing into coverage. Which McNabb will show up? The one who got pulled when he was trailing or the one who got pulled last time versus the Cardinals?
I still like the Cardinals as my sleeper team. I am on their bandwagon. As happy as I am that the Giants are out of the playoffs, I don't want to see the city of Philadelphia win anything else. Cardinals win because of crucial defensive turnovers late, 37-30.
Ravens at Steelers
Well, if the Cardinals and Eagles were both in the top 6 in the NFL in scoring offense, then it only makes sense that the Ravens and Steelers are in the top of the NFL in scoring defense. A completely different type of game than we are going to see in the afternoon affair.
These division opponents have already met twice this year with Pittsburgh winning both by a total combined score of 7 points. In fact, since 2001, these two teams have played in 9 games in which winner won by less than a touchdown.
As noted on ESPN, the Ravens have not had a bye week since week 2 of the NFL season. That is a full 17 weeks straight of banging bodies and no rest. Will that be a factor in this hard-nosed football game? It is an easy excuse if they lose, but I think that when it comes to the playoffs the adrenaline kicks in and every team has one thing on their mind. These are professional athletes and fatigue should not play a factor that it does at times in the NBA playoffs or MLB playoffs.
Joe Flacco is on the road again against a team he has struggled against, throwing for a combined 300 yards in two games, completeing just under 50-percent of his passes with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. The running game has always been the backbone of this Ravens team so it will rest on their shoulders to get the win.
The Steelers are just fundamentally sound all around. Ben Roethlisberger is healthy and has the experience in the big game. Sure the running game hasn't always been there for the Steelers this year but they don't need to score 3 touchdowns to get the win. The X-Factor will be Big Ben and his ability to control the clock. Look at last week when the Steelers had the ball for the entire third quarter with the exception of 17 seconds. You can be sure that this game won't be as exciting as the earlier game. Roethlisberger will use the entire play clock to get his team in position to score.
I would love to see the Ravens win but I think that there is too much against them in this battle. They are going into a hostile Steelers field with snow expected. The odds are against Flacco from winning three straight on the road and I don't think that he can limit the turnovers. In the end it is the Steelers victorious, 24-10.
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