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Not Another Predictions Column! Playoffs: Wildcard Round

AFC: WEEKLY UPSET GAME - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS

These two teams just met recently and played a hard-fought battle in which the Jaguars emerged victorious, in Pittsburgh. After being ahead for most of the game, the Steelers came back and tied it. Unfortunately for the Steelers, the Jaguars scored again and won 29-22. The injury bug has been biting the Steelers hard – running back Willie Parker and tackles Marvel Smith & Max Starks are all injured. Both of these teams lost games they should have won last week, but various starters were resting. The Ravens defeated the Steelers 27-21, and the Texans outscored the Jaguars 42-28. Quarterback David Garrard has been rocking steady all season long for the Jaguars, limiting his mistakes and capitalizing on his opportunities. No one that I have seen is giving the Steelers much of a chance in this game, pointing out a few different factors to support that opinion. One, that the Jaguars defeated the Steelers not more than a month ago. Two, the Steelers are reeling from various injuries, whilst the Jaguars are at full-strength. Three, the Jaguars have a better record (11-5) then the Steelers (10-6). Guess what? Those reasons do not mean anything to me. We are officially in January football now, and January football is completely different from pre-January football. Regular season records mean nothing (New England, are you listening?). Regular season feats mean nothing (Still there, Bill Belichick?). Defensive rankings mean nothing (think Indianapolis Colts circa 2006). The playoffs wipe all slates clean. Jacksonville made the playoffs, but they are one & done as the Steelers win it this week.

AFC: TENNESSEE TITANS @ SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Vince Young wears the jersey number 10. Why is that number significant? Well, it happens to be one number higher than the number of touchdown passes he’s thrown this season. Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme threw eight, and he did that in three games. Somehow, though, the Titans kept winning games this season. The Chargers have won ten of their last twelve games, and LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 1474 yards with 15 touchdowns. That’s an off-year how, exactly? Philip Rivers had a topsy-turvy season, sometimes playing really well; and at other times struggling, but he still passed for 21 touchdowns and 3100 yards. Due to an ankle injury, Vince Young’s favorite receiver Roydell Williams will not play in this game. Justin Gage will thus be Young’s main target in this game. Gage is an interesting wide receiver prospect who has been hampered by injuries before, but really has just never ended up in a system that suits him with a quarterback that suits him. That quarterback may end up being Vince Young, or perhaps someone else. The Titans barely managed to defeat the Colts’ back-ups last week, though Vince Young missed most of the game with an injury. San Diego and Tennessee played in the regular season – the Chargers escaped with an overtime victory, but they felt that that was the most physical game of the season for them. Expect another close battle this time around, but without a different result. Chargers win, thus knocking out both of the wildcard teams in the AFC.

NFC: NEW YORK GIANTS @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

If I were a Giants fan, right now I would be just a little worried. Eli Manning actually showed up in a big game last week against the Patriots, seriously making the Patriots work to reach 16-0. Such a performance was unlike Manning, and it would be no surprise at all if he flops this week. However, I refuse to continue to lower myself and only talk about Eli Manning in this space. The Eli Manning issue has been discussed ad nauseam by newspapers and websites all over the country, including the Philadelphia Inquirer. Go read them if you want Eli Manning discussion. Tampa Bay’s young running back Earnest Graham rushed for 898 yards in the regular season, and that is without being a starter the full year, and not playing in the last game of the season. Speaking of which, Tampa Bay should be thankful their backups are not their starters, as the Carolina Panthers dispatched the Bucs 31-23 last week. By the way, apparently the Buccaneers’ main page considers the Panthers to be “a thorn in the Bucs’ side.” We will remember that for next season, Tampa Bay. We will remember. Panthers’ running back DeAngelo Williams piled up 121 yards and two touchdowns against a mixture of Bucs’ starters and backups, and now the Bucs get to deal with big Brandon Jacobs, the Giants’ latest thousand-yard rusher. Another efficient quarterback this season, the Bucs’ Jeff Garcia was not prone to making mistakes. He led the Bucs on a steady path of victories, slinging together good outings. However, I feel that the Bucs’ future may be brighter with Luke McCown at quarterback. I have one anecdote to state before I make my pick for this game: I missed the beginning of the Panthers-Bucs showdown because I was out, but I was listening to it on the radio. Eugene Robinson, one of the analysts on the Panthers Radio Network, said, “I do not believe Luke McCown can make plays with his legs.” I immediately said, “What Luke McCown have you been watching, Eugene?” Typically I agree with many of the things Eugene says in his commentary, but two minutes later, I arrived at home, flipped on the TV, and another two minutes later, there’s Luke McCown ripping off a 30-yard run right by linebacker Thomas Davis. Foot, meet mouth. I have been going with the home teams so far, and I believe that the Bucs have a good chance to win this game, but I do find it hard to pick against the Giants. For this week, I am going with the Giants on the road to be the first wildcard team to win.

NFC: WASHINGTON REDSKINS @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

People say the Seahawks are overrated because of their schedule. Well, the Seahawks do not choose their schedule, but they still have to play it. Seattle is often over-looked because of their schedule, because of their location, and because they appear inconsistent. For example, Seattle came into Carolina a few weeks ago and should have thoroughly throttled Carolina. Instead, Carolina pretty much controlled the game throughout. Seattle’s running game is a little inconsistent, but it reminds me of Carolina’s rushing attack in 2005. Many times I defended it back then by saying that in ’05 Carolina’s rushing game did what it had to do to constitute itself as enough of a threat to give Steve Smith the opportunities he needed. Seattle’s rushing game circa 2007 is very similar to that. It does what it needs to do to give Matt Hasselbeck opportunities to find receives like Bobby Engram, Nate Burleson, Deion Branch, and DJ Hackett. Washington is on a roll, motivated by the death of Sean Taylor, the play of their defense, and the steady hand of veteran Todd Collins at quarterback? Hey, quick question, is Collins in the Pro Bowl yet, like Tony Romo was last year? Be consistent, after all, voters! Clinton Portis has been running well, the receivers have been making plays, and the defense has been shutting down offenses. Washington is the team no one wants to play. However, emotional highs do not always work. Emotion runs dry, sometimes, and this is the week that I believe the emotion runs dry. Seattle wins it.

Last week I went 11-5, and went 166-93 for the regular season.

By Robert “RingLeader” Gilbert

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