Indianapolis (13-4) at Baltimore (13-3)
Saturday’s AFC tilt features Colt quarterback Peyton Manning helming one of the conference’s top passing units against a Raven D yielding an NFL-low 13 points per game. Since Baltimore’s head coach Brian Billick took the reins of the offensive play calling in Week Eight, the Ravens have posted an average of 26 points in nine wins. However, the Ravens have turned the ball over nearly 40 times, and with rain in the forecast the humidity might lead to a few mistakes. The Colts have forced 35 turnovers this season, but have only coughed it up 16. Despite having problems stopping the rush running back Jamal Lewis shouldn’t be a problem for a Colts team that last week kept Kansas City’s Larry Johnson to 2.5 yards a carry.
On the other end of the ball,the Raven’s 60-sack pass rush goes up against an Indy offensive line that has yielded a paltry 14. Manning threw three interceptions last week, a third of his season’s total, but Baltimore’s sterling secondary shouldn’t sit on this quarterback’s passes. For his career, Manning is 3-1 against Baltimore while sporting a QB rating of 92.
Joseph Addai won’t come close to the 122-yard rushing effort he had last week but he will be active receiving out of the backfield as the third option. Addai will keep the chains moving for Indianapolis, as three-time pro bowl safety Ed Reed stays preoccupied with the 2700 yard, 21-TD-receiving tandem of Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. The Ravens may be able to keep the Colts out of the end zone, but expect kicker Adam Vinatieri to tee-off for trips early and often. Indianapolis nest the Ravens in Baltimore as they win 23 to 16.
New Orleans (10-6) hosts Philadelphia (11-6)
Two evenly matched and well-coached teams meet up in the bayou Saturday night in the first NFC clash.
The Saints, led by pro bowl quarterback Drew Brees helming the top-passing offence in the league, will try to quell the surging Eagles, who will rely on the shifty running of tailback Brian Westbrook.
Philadelphia has regrouped after the loss of quarterback Dononvan McNabb behind Jeff Garcia, who has the Eagles on a six game winning streak. While he’s conservative in the pocket, Garcia will have to stretch the field with by gunning for wide outs Reggie Brown and Donte’ Stallworth. If Philadelphia can sustain an offensive balance in play calling and keep the Saints from honing in on Westbrook, New Orleans’ lack of defensive playmakers will be apparent. The Sants have the least aggressive defence in the post-season, fielding a unit that has only 19 takeaways.
Rushing for nearly 130 yards a game, running backs Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister will leave soft spots for Brees to find recievers Bush, Marques Colston and Joe Horn out in the open. This core formed the best passing offence in league this season, and will lead the Saints in what should be a scoring showcase.
Expect lots of yards and lots of points as New Orleans jazzes off to a 34 to 24 victory over the grounded Eagles.
San Diego (14-2) hosts New England (13-4)
Facing the Chargers in Sunday’s late game, the Patriots go against the league’s best offence and defence, along with MVP and season touchdown record holder LaDanian Tomlinson. Going for their fourth title in six years, New England’s defensive line of Richard Seymour, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork should slow the Charger’s vaunted running attack, but to be successful, they’ll need help from linebackers Teddy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel. If the duo can muffle whatever edge fullback Lorenzo Neal attempts to establish, they should keep San Diego in third-and-long situations. LDT and pro bowl tight end Antonio Gates will get most of the looks, but if quarterback Philip Rivers throws for more than 25 passes, expect the Patriots to intercept their share.
New England has a 7-1 road record this year, and to remain successful they’ll have to declaw a San Diego D that has 61 sacks, tops in the league. Expect Brady to look off the Charger secondary by hitting tight ends Daniel Graham, David Thomas and Ben Watson in the intermediate passing game. If New England can nullify linebacker Shawne Merriman to coverage duties, Brady will have ample to time to spring a shaky wide-receiving core for long gains. Once in the red zone, New England gets predictable, relying on the punishing running of backs Corey Dillon and Larence Mahroney, who combined have scored 20 touchdowns.
Brady is 10-1 in the games that matter, while opposing coach Marty Schottenheimer has a 5-12 post-season record. True to form, the Chargers faced three playoff teams this year, and lost twice. San Diego shoots out in front, but New England refuses to wilt en-route to a 27 to 24 victory.
Seattle (10-7) at Chicago (13-3)
Sunday’s conditions will be rainy and close to freezing, great news for the conference’s best defence in the Bears.
Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher will be responsible for shutting down 2006’s MVP Shaun Alexander and the Seahawk running attack while Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck attempts to weave his way through a Chicago D that gave up 16 points a game this season. The Seahawks will get their yards on a handful of solid drives, but kicker Josh Brown will be responsible for most of Seattle’s points, as the Bears bend but don’t break in the red zone.
On the offensive side of the ball, Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman has been inconsistent all season, and if the game is on the line, he has proven himself a liability by throwing 20 interceptions this year. While I don’t expect him to be replaced with back-up Brian Griese, he won’t have the 100 point QB rating he posted last time he faced Seattle. The Bears defeated the Seahawks 37-6 on Oct. 1, and Seattle has back-ended their way into the playoffs since, surviving a botched field goal against Dallas last week to make their way to this weekend.
With both teams sporting sizable question marks, the tide could turn in special teams. With five touchdown returns this season, Chicago’s Devin Hester will get plenty of chances to drive the mojo metre in the Bears direction. Alexander and Hasselbeck have been injured for most of the season, and in what is sure to be a bruising, plodding struggle their aches will catch up with them. A late-breaking TD should turn it for the Bears, as they blister the Seahawks back to Seattle winning 16-9.
