Do these matchups sound familiar to you? Well, they should. All four games this weekend are rematches of games that have already been played during the regular season at least once.
So what makes Saturday and Sunday’s showdowns so special? Duh! The winners go to their conference championship with a chance to play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. I’m siding with the road teams in the AFC and the home teams in the NFC. As of now, I like the Ravens to play the Giants in the Super Bowl since the Colts got knocked out last weekend. On to the predictions…
NFC
Philadelphia @ New York: The Eagles and Giants have already played each other twice this season, splitting both games, so this game should be boring, right? Wrong.
Both teams know each other so well that they will both have to improvise their game plans to counter what they expect of each other and throw in some elements of surprise to do the unexpected. Sounds kinda like a chess matchup, right?
Oddly enough, the road team has won both games in this series this season. The Giants won a 36-31 shootout in Week 10 and the Eagles came out on top of a 20-14 game in Week 14.
The winner of this game will be the team that can run the ball and the clock. In Week 10, the Giants held the ball for just under 40 minutes and ran for over 200 yards.
The last Giants-Eagles game, the Eagles had possession of the ball for nearly 35 minutes and Brian Westbrook out-gained the Giants on the ground.
Considering the fact that the Eagles will be playing on the road for the second week in a row and have traveled for three of the last four weeks, the Giants clearly have the advantage having a bye last week.
A well-rested Giants offense should be able to keep the Eagles on the field, and the well-rested Giants defense should be able to keep the Eagles offense off the field. If the Giants can contain Westbrook, on the ground and in the air, the game is theirs.
Prediction:
Philadelphia Eagles 20
New York Giants 23
Arizona @ Carolina: In Week 8, the Cardinals blew a 14-point lead and the Panthers rallied to come from behind and win 27-23. The Cardinals’ rushing game was nonexistent and the Panthers’ was dominant.
A Kurt Warner interception in the end zone and an Edgerrin James fumble led to 10 points for the Panthers in a game where Warner was forced to throw the ball 49 times.
The Cardinals have lost all four games this season, in which Warner has attempted 45 or more passes. The Panthers have not lost at home this season and should have no problem shutting down the low-key Cardinal running game.
Expect Warner to throw the ball no fewer than 45 times, and expect similar results to follow…a Panthers home victory and a Cardinals loss.
Arizona Cardinals 24
Carolina Panthers 34
AFC
Baltimore @ Tennessee: A low-scoring, field goal-kicking, brutal defensive battle is what is expected.
I beg to differ.
The two squads met in Week 5 and the Titans edged out the Ravens 13-10 in Baltimore.
This time, the game will be played in Tennessee, but Baltimore will have revenge on its mind.
The last time they met neither team was able to move the ball well down the field in the air. However, the Ravens’ rushing assault was superior to that of the Titans.
Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco throw an interception on an attempt to make a game-tying drive, his second interception of the game, which sealed the deal for the Titans.
The 23-year-old threw seven picks in his first five games, and since then has thrown just five in a span of 12 games.
Look for Flacco, the Raven’s rush, and safety Ed Reed to put up a lot of points on the board this week.
The Titans offense is going to struggle miserably.
Kerry Collins, 36, is going to suffer. The Ravens are going to knock him down numerous times, and this could be the last game of his career.
Prediction:
Baltimore Ravens 27
Tennessee Titans 12
San Diego @ Pittsburgh: Earlier in the year the Chargers lost an ugly, snow-filled 11-10 game at Pittsburgh. Big Ben completed 31 of 41 for 308 yards, yet, failed to throw a score. Willie Park ran for 115 and has been ineffective since – running for 116 yards and a score against the Browns does not count. Parker scored five touchdowns on the year, three of which came in Week 1.
Parker will not be any concern to the Chargers.
If the Chargers can knock Big Ben down (or out) early in the game, the Chargers will have a great chance to knock the Steelers out of the playoffs.
Not sure if LaDainian Tomlinson will be playing, but I’m expecting a big game from the little Darren Sproles. The five-foot-six-inch back has run for 220 yards and three scores in his last two games.
Sproles and quarterback Philip Rivers – who has thrown 13 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions in seven weeks – should lead the Bolts to the AFC Championship if they continue to play the way they have in recent week’s.
Prediction
San Diego Chargers 24
Pittsburgh Steelers 17
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