NFL Divisional Round: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

It was the NFL’s version of the Elite Eight. In reality, four of the teams did not look very elite. Once again, the first three games of the weekend were varying degrees of non-competitive. The favored home teams pretty much had their way in those games. Heading into the home stretch, the Saints, Colts and Vikings all had tickets in hand for next week.

Then came the fourth game. Could the top two seeds in each conference possibly advance to the championship games? No. The Jets put another fine defensive effort on display coupled with a solid running game while the Chargers looked like a Norv Turner coached team.

The end result of all that is that each of the eight teams contributed to its own fate, Good, Bad or Ugly. The playoffs are a time when relatively evenly-matched teams square off, and it is entirely possible for a team to play well and lose or play less than well and win. That was not the case this week.

Now onto the Final Four.

Thanks for reading this season, Team Ugly.

The Good
Indianapolis – The Colts defense held the Ravens to 3 points (a franchise low opponent’s score in the playoffs) after scoring 33 the previous week. The Indy offense put up enough points in the second quarter to go on cruise control the rest of the game. In Caldwell’s first playoff appearance as head coach, he showed good decision-making with time clock management and timeout usage to allow a second quick score by his offense before half-time. Another quiet victory for a team that seems to have a resolve and determination that has not been seen in previous years.

Minnesota – Many agreed before the game that it was almost an even match so its not surprising the home team triumphed. What is a bit surprising is the total domination exhibited in almost every facet of play. I wouldn’t go so far as to call Brett Favre ageless, but did even the most die hard Viking fans expect anything quite like this at the start of the season? Meanwhile, the defense withstood three early Dallas drives and yielded only 3 points in the process. They menaced Romo all day, sacking him six times, five by the D-Line.

New Orleans – This performance was dominant on both sides of the ball. This performance, at worst was good enough to silence the ranks of their detractors, both new wary faces confused by the 0-3 finish, and many season long critics who have accused the Saints of being paper tigers throughout. I can understand why many feel that Minnesota has the edge in the upcoming NFC championship, but if nothing else New Orleans has proven they belong in the game. How terrible for Minnesota’s defense that this offense, already pretty menacing, now puts Shockey back into the hopper (love him or hate him you have to admit he brings another facet to an offense) and has Reggie Bush seemingly finding a groove at the best time possible.

New York Jets – You can’t help but tip your hat to this defense almost every week they take the field, but particularly here in containing one of the better offenses in the league. During the game an announcer commented after a 3-and-out for the Chargers, that it was only the 3rd time all season the Chargers had done so. The drive itself was of minor consequence in the grand scheme, but that stat stood out as the perfect punctuation point on the statement of how out of sync the Jets Defense made Rivers and Co. look throughout the game. The Jets offense was a bit more sluggish out of the gate, failing to achieve a 1st down until midway through the 2nd quarter, but they found a comfort zone, started producing on the ground. Sanchez, while not putting up eye popping stats,did play a solid game and staved off the typical rookie QB playoff implosion may expected.

The Bad
Arizona – This team would have pulled a Good if only NFL games were 9 seconds long. Hightower’s run was a thing of beauty and a lot of Saints fans had to have a knot in their stomach after Arizona hit paydirt on their first play from scrimmage. Unfortunately for the Cards, the other 59:51 was not so kind to them. It goes without saying that the Arizona defense decided to take the postseason off, but the offense certainly doesn’t get a pass here either. Hightower’s 70 yd run accounted for over two thirds of their rushing yards on the day, and Warner/Leinart and the WRs didn’t fare much better.

Baltimore – The Ravens seemed flat after a big win in New England. Their execution was sloppy and lifeless leading to penalties on key plays and turnovers. Indianapolis played a solid game but left the door open for Baltimore to jump into it at any point. Baltimore failed time and again to make any kind of a move. You aren’t going to win a lot of road playoff games stepping on your own feet the way the Ravens did.

The Ugly
Dallas – By game play alone I would only have given them a Bad but its a matter of conduct that pushes them into the ugly for me. I realize a playoff loss is particularly frustrating and, embarrassing when it is a rout like this and emotions are running high, but it somehow makes defeat even more embarrassing for me when players from the team getting beat whine onfield, right after getting beat. There are documented cases of NFL teams scoring 2 or even 3 times in very short order and you just don’t mess around with that in the playoffs over a matter of chivalrous face saving for the down team.

San Diego – They looked unprepared, sloppy, and arrogant. They didn’t take their competition seriously and that falls on the head of Norv Turner. They went from the sideline telling Jets players they didn’t even belong in the game to getting flogged down the field by a relentless run game and a rookie QB that looked calmer than the “pro-bowler” Rivers on the other side. The Jets defense kept Sproles and LT in check, allowed zero big plays, forced dumb turnovers and penalties, and generally made the “best offense in the league” look like amateurs. The hottest team in the league looked like they dismissed this game and were already on their way to the AFCCG. Instead, they are on their way to the golf course.

Honorable Mention
Gary Brackett – Maybe the most underrated Colts player ever had another great performance.
Drew Brees – 23 of 32 for 247 yards and 3 TDs. Brees looked sharp after a long layoff from meaningful play..
Reggie Bush – 84 yards rushing and a TD in 5 carries. More important was how he did it, choosing to run through traffic instead of trying to run around it.
Ray Edwards – The Viking DE registered 3 sacks, 5 total tackles and a force fumble.
Brett Favre – Rather pedestrian numbers at 15 of 24, but then you get to the 234 yards and 4 TDs with some pinpoint throws.
Pierre Garcon – The play of the day was forcing a fumble on a pass picked off by Ed Reed.
Shonn Green – 128 yards in 23 carries and a big 53-yard TD run. Add in his single 4 yard reception and you have more than half of the Jets total offense and the bulk of the work in this win.
Sidney Rice – 6 catches, 141 yards and 3 TDs, including the initial 47-yarder.