The Future

I'll start off by saying this. Do not blame that playoff run on the goaltending. I don't care who you play. Whether it's a QMJHL team, an ECHL team, an AHL team, much less an NHL team, when you play as poorly as the Flyers as a whole played against the Bruins, a 7-3 loss at home, a 3-2 overtime loss at home, two 5-1 losses on the road, you ain't gonna beat anybody I just talked about. Anybody. All right? And that was a disgraceful performance in my opinion. We threw that series. We gave it away by doing that. We gave 'em the freakin' series. In my opinion that sucked. You can't play like that and expect to win a series. Holy crap I do not know who the hell we think we are when we do something like that. Unbelievable. 3 blowouts. We scored seven goals all series. That might be an NHL record. That's pitiful. I mean it's absolutely pitiful to perform like that. Aboslutely pitiful.

What's that? THE FUTURE? Don't talk about...THE FUTURE! You kidding me? We want to sign a goalie with a seven million dollar cap hit and you want to talk about THE FUTURE?!?!?!? I just hope this does not burden the franchise for the next decade!

Your Division I FCS First Round Schedule

I have nothing to do today so I have decided to make this college football day here at FARN!. I've already got the Week 13 schedule up for the FBS, and now I will put up the FCS Schedule. Why am I doing this, you ask? Because it is the first round of a college football playoffs, that's why! I am hoping that NCAA.com will do what they have done in the past for lesser sporting events and put up at the very least a radio stream so I can follow the games, especially seeing as one of the participants just so happens to be my Villanova Wildcats. In fact, the 'Cats are the 2nd highest seeded team in the whole tournament. All first round games are on this Saturday, so I encourage you to sit back, relax, and enjoy and now without further ado, here is your schedule! (all times PM eastern)

Holy Cross @ Villanova 12:00
South Carolina State @ Appalachian State 12:00
Weber State @ William & Mary 1:00
Elon @ Richmond 1:00
South Dakota State @ Montana 2:00
Eastern Illinois @ Southern Illinois 2:00
New Hampshire @ McNeese State 3:00
Eastern Washington @ Stephen F. Austin 3:00

You can click here to check out the brackets if you want to. Even if you are not familiar with any of these football teams, one thing is for sure, there is nothing more exciting than a win or go home playoff football game, regardless of the level of play.

Will The Phillies Game 3 Starter Please Stand Up.....

Pedro Martinez, come on down, you're the next contestant on Start For The Phillies In Game 3 Of The NLDS!!!! Via The AP.

Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel chose the aging right-hander over J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton, who made cameo appearances out of the bullpen Thursday, to face the Colorado Rockies in Game 3 of their NL playoff series Saturday night.

The best-of-five series is tied at one game each.

Martinez is 6-2 with a 3.40 ERA in the postseason, and Manuel said he likes his history in cold weather, too. The forecast for Game 3 calls for temperatures dipping into the 20s with snow flurries.

The 37-year-old Martinez sat out most of the year before signing with the Phillies as a free agent last in the season. He went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts.

So Pedro it is!

This is one of the benefits of having a deep starting pitcher roster, although, ever since his 8-inning shutout performance against the Mets, it seems as if his play has dropped off a bit.

This decision will ultimately judged based on hindsight. If Pedro pitches really well and has a great game, then it will provide the city of Philadelphia with a playoff moment it will celebrate for a long, long time. But if he falters, Charlie Manual will become a big-time goat and his decision to pitch both Blanton and Happ in Game 2 will be forever scorned upon.

I Interupt Your Regular Scheduled Program For This Live Blog

Halfway through the 3rd period of the Panthers-Flyers game and it's tied at 1 with 12:30 to go. All the Flyers need to do is get 1-point out of this game and they are in the playoffs.

JEFF CARTER SCORES!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A SHOT AND WHAT A GOAL!!! The Flyers now lead 2-1 and are 12:08 away from the post-season.

Zednik is stopped by Biron on the wraparound. Panthers only have 3 shots on goal thus far in the period.

Picked off! Pass to Zednik who shoots it! Save Biron!!!

8:27 to go.

Earlier, Mike Richards was awarded as the Flyers most valuable player. 7:25 to go in the game. Remember, the least the Flyers need to do is clinch is to send this game into overtime. Offsides on Florida.

Phone calls really do come at the worst times. 4:39 to go in the game.

I'm off the phone. Still 2-1 Philadelphia. I'd use CiL, but for this short of a blog, it's not worth setting it up and all.

Puck out of play with 3:18 to go and the Flyers still lead. That's 3:18 away from the playoffs!

That last goal was the 18th goal in which Jeff Carter gave the Flyers the lead this year. Talk about clutch.

Zednik tries to fling one on but it hits the side of the net. Icing called with 2:15 to go and the faceoff will be in front of Biron. Biron snares the bouncing puck off the draw and the clock is down to 2:01!

Potential icing on the Flyers is waved off. Weiss a wrap around and a chance...NO! Vokoun has gone to the bench! 1-minute to go!

Offside on Florida! And unless the Panthers can get 2 goals in 36.9 seconds, the Flyers are in the playoffs!

Shot on the empty net goes wide for the Flyers!

Backhander on Biron and he MAKES A HUGE SAVE!! 10-SECONDS TO GO!

Faceoff.....SCRAMBLE FOR THE PUCK!! PANTHERS TRYING TO GET A LAST MINUTE GOAL TO GAIN GROUND ON THE RANGERS!.....NOOO!!!!!! AND THE CLOCK HAS EXPIRED!! THE FLYERS ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2-1!!!!!!!

In other news, the Phils are currently losing 4-0 in the bottom of the 8th. But alas, this night belongs to the Flyers. I've got work to go. Congrats to the Flyers for once again making the post-season!

Good night all!

Eagles Conference Title Game Recap

"One minute you're on top
The next you're not, watch it drop
Making your heart stop
Just before you hit the floor
One minute you're on top
The next you're not, missed your shot
Making your heart stop
You think you've won
And then it's all gone"

That song by Linkin Park describes exactly what happened to the Eagles last night in the desert. It looked like they may have had it won. And then they hit the floor.

DeSean Jackson had just made the catch of a lifetime to put the Eagles on top, giving them 19 straight unanswered points and a 1-point lead after trailing by 18 in the middle of the 3rd quarter. It looked like the Eagles were gonna make an improbable comeback. Hell, one the ensuing drive the Eagles had forced a 4th and inches situation. But then Hightower made it to the outside, capping a drive that may eventually put Kurt Warner in the Hall of Fame.

It was an incredible game, one for the ages in Glendale. But in the end, the Eagles just did not have enough to respond one more time after Warner's drive. The Eagles had a chance to make it interesting, but the offense just missed some plays on that final drive. However, that was to be expected. The Eagles offense looked like they did the entire post-season. Slow-start, strong finish. The big story was the defense. After beating the physical ground teams such as Minnesota and New York, the Eagles lost to the team that likes to air it out in Warner and the Cardinals. Unbelieveable.

So after all of that, repeat after me: The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. No, that's no typo. The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. One of the all-time bad franchises is going to the Super Bowl and in a somewhat ironic twist, they're facing one of the all-time great franchises, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Aspeaking of historic, let's take a moment here and reflect on the Cardinals' stadium, University of Phoenix Stadium. First of all, it's one of my favorite NFL stadiums. Unlike some stadiums/domes, it is very pleasing to look at and to watch games from. However, more importantly, it's like the big time site for dramatic post-season finishes, both in the NFL and the college ranks. This is a stadium that opened in 2006 and look at what games have already been played there.

The 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with the Boise State miracles
Super Bowl XLII and the Giants upset of the then unbeaten Patriots and the Tyree catch.
Texas' dramatic comeback win against Ohio State in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.
Last night's thrilling NFC Championship game that culminated in what some are already calling a Hall of Fame drive

And that's not even including Arizona's post season upset of Atlanta a few weeks ago, Florida's upset of Ohio State in the 07 BCS Natonal Title game, and West Virginia's upset in the '08 Fiesta Bowl of Oklahoma.

Throughout this whole post-season there has been a certain left for dead theme, especially in the NFC. At 1:00 on Week 17, no one thought the Eagles had a prayer to make the playoffs. They needed Oakland to upset Tampa Bay. There was no way that would happen, right? Then look at the Eagles playoff run. While many had them to beat the Vikings, there was no way they could handle the Giants and beat them twice in the Meadowlands, right? And then the Cardinals. People were talking about revising the playoffs system to keep mediocre teams division winners like the Cardinals out. There was no way they could beat Atlanta. Michael Turner would run all over them, right? Then came Carolina. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart were going to dominate them, right? Then came the Eagles. That defense would be too much for them, right? The Cardinals had no chance, right? And now look. The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. And while if the Cardinals pull the upset, I don't think it will be considered the biggest upset in Super Bowl upset ever, but definitley the most improbable run ever. The Steelers of a few years ago, while a 6-seed, were considered a team with talent and while unprededented at the time, few were overly shocked that they made it as far as they did. Same story with 5-seeded New York last year. Again, they were a team with talent and they were never really counted out. Folks, this Arizona Cardinal team was flat out left for dead. Folks, this same Arizona Cardinal team is going to Tampa to play in the Super Bowl.

And lastly, a great big thanks to all those who joined me in the live blog of this remarkable title game. Twice you set a record for most comments on a post (The record was shattered in the 1st half thread, and you broke it again in the 2nd half). I hope everyone had as much fun as I did (despite the Eagles losins), your comments were hilarious, and even if I did not put yours in the thread, that does not mean I thought it was not funny. There was only enough time for me to copy and paste the best-of-the-best. Thanks again, and I hope that you come back soon and read more of what I have to say on various Eagles/other sports issues.

Which reminds me, seeing as the Eagles are done, I will be shifting my coverage to the football off-season in general, I'll get to you my what's sure to be God-awful mock draft, and I may even live blog a nationally televised hockey/basketball game involving the Sixers or the Flyers. While I may not post as regularly as some other bloggers, I'll get to you some of the more interesting stuff and maybe even provide you guys some links that you should check out. I also think I'll be live blogging the Phillies opener, assuming it's not being done at AA, and I will be your one-stop shop for all of the Eagles off-season moves (including my in depth coverage of the Eagles' draft). And depending on how things turn out, I may actually live blog the Super Bowl and/or Pro Bowl (Andy Reid coaching a Pro Bowl is worthy of a live blog). So just because Eagles season is over, the fun around here is just beginning. Thanks for joinng me for all of the Eagles live blogs and MNF live blogs throughout the season and I'll see you around.

"Hit the Floor" by Linkin Park lyrics (AZ Lyrics)

NFC Championship Game Eagles @ Cardinals Live Blog 2nd Half

Congrats guys on setting a Fire Andy Reid Now! comments record. Not that it's really saying much considering this blog's only been around for a few months, but nonetheless, congrats.

Second half kickoff in a few, and if the Eagles can't come back, let's hope this half is at least entertaining. Second half after the break.

Rackers kick is taken by Buckhalter who takes it to the 39. McNabb's pass is tipped at the line and incomplete. McNabb under pressure, somehow gets away and finds Klecko who gets out of the back field, down the sidelines, and he has a first down! But it will come back on the holding call and it's 2nd and 20 after all that. McNabb finds Avant who makes a nice catch for 14 yards and this is a huge 3rd down! McNabb finds Jackson and he has the first down! Westbrook gets the carry and he gets a couple. McNabb overthrows a wideopen Kevin Curtis! That would have been the play they needed!

Another 3rd down for the Eagles. McNabb is SACKED! FUMBLE! RECOVERED BY THE CARDINALS!

And executives at NBC are jumping off cliffs as we speak. James turns a loss of 2 into a gain of 4. And I'm surprised Andy Reid did not challenge that fumble.

"That's why McNabb thought he would have his backside protected." - Troy Aikman

False start on the Cards will move them back 5. Edge stumbles for a couple. Warner on 3rd down misses a wide open receiver! He missed a chance to put this one on ice permanently. Graham's punt is fair caught by Jackson at the 10.

Eagles would still have a chance if they would pull their heads out of their a$$es. The Cards will definitely let their foot off the throttle, that's just who they are. I've been subjected to a lot of their games this year. (Andy)

Best analysis of the day. Westrbook gets 7 on the carry up the middle. McNabb misses DeSean Jackson and it's 3rd down. Celek catches it on the underneath route and that's a gain of 7 and an Eagles first down. McNabb's pass is tipped and incomplete. Westbrook gets 8 on the carry.

"Good job of at least getting it into a pretty manageable 3rd down." - Troy Aikman

3rd down and 2 is more than just pretty manageable. Play action fake (Fire Andy Reid Now!) but McNabb's pass is caught by Celek for the first. Not quite sure what Reid/Mornhinweg was thinking but it worked, I guess. McNabb is SACKED FOR A LOSS OF 9! Baskett drops an easy repection and it's 3rd and 19 now for Philly.

McNabb just launches one over the middle on 3rd and long and IT'S SOMEHOW CAUGHT BY CURTIS! INSIDE THE 20! Jackson gets 4 on the catch. And wow, that catch by Curtis may have just saved the season for the time being. McNabb takes it off himself on the QB draw and he's at the 5! Eagles need more of that McNabb. As much as he wants to be a pocket passer, he is at his best when he is a threat to run the ball. Westbrook gets stuffed at the line.

2nd and goal, McNabb looks to the endzone and throws to CELEK WHO COMES DOWN WITH THE CATCH! TOUCHDOWN EAGLES! The extra point is good and it's 24-13 Arizona.

A running into the kicker penalty will in all likelhood the Cardinals will start this drive at their own 20 after a touchback (assuming the Eagles don't go with the surprise onside kick, that is).

It's amazing how many times you make a big play like that, it turns into something really positive." - Troy Aikman. (Via Secor314)

McNabb uses his legs on the run!" I prefer when he uses his elbows. (Via Rev)

Oh yeah, I forgot about the kickoff out of bounds. That's been one of the themes of the day thus far. Cards ball at the 40.

Wait, the 35? Did I miss something? Or is that a result of the penalty?

Akers funked that kick out of bounds. (Via Mal)

Joe Buck has a new word attached to his name. Warner misses his first two passes. 3rd down and KURT WARNER IS SACKED! LOSS OF 4 AND THAT'S A 3-AND-OUT!

Jackson takes the ball to the 38. Is it just me or does the Fox score graphic at the bottom of the screen that is shown before commercial look really awkward with the set up of the colors? That blue, green, red, and gray and gold do not look good together.

McNabb finds Curtis on the underneath route for a gain of 15. And this one is starting to have a different feel to it (*knocks on wood*). McNabb overthrows Curtis on the deep route. Westbrook gets the carry and picks up 4. Eagles need to convert here. McNabb finds DeSean Jackson for the first down! 10 yard completion and the Eagles are in field goal range, which is all they may need at this point. Westbrook gets 3. That little spot of sun at around the 40 yard line looks really weird, if for no other reason because the roof is closed.

Andy Reid blows his first timeout of the half. The only thing worse than Reid blowing that time out (Fire Andy Reid Now!) is that we get an extended shot of Joe "The Funk" Buck and Troy Aikman. McNabb throws it to Celek and HE MAKES THE CATCH AND RUNS INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN PHILADELPHIA! The extra point is NO GOOD! A bad hold from Rocca who was unable to get the laces turned around and it's 24-19 Arizona.

I guess it's just like the Eagles went for 2 and missed, as that's probably what I would have done.

As an aside, you should have seen me jump 5 feet out of my seat as Celek made the catch and score the touchdown.

Kickoff is kneeled down in the endzone by Arrington for a touchback. James picks up 3 on the carry. Warner's pass is TIPPED RIGHT BACK INTO HIS OWN HANDS! WARNER MAKES THE CATCH AND PICKS UP 3 ON THE ENSUING RUN! Scramble for the ball ensues, but the refs rule he was down.

That's the end of the 3rd quarter and I think we all need to catch our breaths, 24-19 Cards in what's shaping up to be a thriller.

"A good play was made in the hole."--Joe Buck
Not the first time he's said that, I'm sure (Via Rev)

James makes the catch out of the backfield and picks up 16 for the first down! James gets 5 on the carry. Hightower is tripped up in the backfield by Dawkins and it's another critical 3rd down. The pass for Fitzgerald is incomplete! Fair catch by Jackson on the punt at the 14.

Buckhalter makes the catch and picks up 12! McNabb's pass to Avant picks up 9. It's getting harder and harder for me to just sit still and watch this. I feel like jumping. Handoff to Westbrook and he has a first down. McNabb's looking deep......DESEAN JACKSON MAKES THE CATCH OF A LIFETIME!!!!!!!! TOUCHDOWN EAGLES!!!!! Eagles are going for 2. No good, but there's a penalty down. Holding on the Eagles. 25-24 Eagles lead the Cards.

I am officially pumped for my laryngitis diagnosis later in the week.

Did Larry Fitzgerald get traded at halftime? Did David Copperfield show up and make the wrong the man disappear? (Via Secor314)

Kickoff is taken to the 28 by Breaston. James loses a yard on the carry. Warner finds Fitzgerald for a first down at the 41. Pople makes the completion at midfield. James gets stuffed at the line and it's 3rd and short. Hightower with the carry and oh my this is going to be close.

"The line is unofficial." - Joe Buck

Drink! HIGHTOWER'S SHORT! 4th and inches! Biasness aside, if I were a coach, I'd go for it. And the Cards are! HIGHTOWER BOUNCES IT TO THE OUTSIDE, ESCAPES A TACKLE, AND HAS A FIRST DOWN!

Does this stadium have some wild post-season games or what? Edge picks up a couple. Fitzgerald makes the catch and he has a first down at the 23! Edge gets a couple. Fitzgerald makes the catch and he gets 7 yards and is just short of the marker! 3rd and short coming up. Hightower with a first down inside the 10! Edge is stood up at the line for no gain. Hightower goes nowhere and the Eagles will call a timeout. 3rd and goal coming up.

Buck: "The new series that has lying down to a science."Like Joe Buck being #31 on the top sportscasters list? (Via RJBO)

Asante Samuel showing the world his anatomical impression of the Liberty Bell on that last tackle of Fitzgerald. (Via Secor314)

You guys crack me up. 3rd and goal coming up for the Cards. Warner from the gun, pumps, screen to Hightower, HIGHTOWER BREAKS FREE AND SCORES! TOUCHDOWN ARIZONA! Cards are going to try for 2 and make it a 7-point game. WARNER CONVERTS TO PATRICK! 32-25 Cardinals!

What a game.

Buck: "The Little Engine That Could, the Arizona Cardinals, keeps on chuggin." (Via RJBO)

Buck must love children's books. Demps takes a knee in the endzone for the touchback. And here we go. Chance for the Eagles to make something happen again. McNabb's pass is off the hands of Westbrook and incomplete. 2:46 to go. 2nd and 10. McNabb finds Jackson along the sidelines for a gain of 9. 3rd and 1, we've seen this before. McNabb finds Celek for the first down! Westbrook makes the catch and has a ton of room to run and he picks up 19! 2:09 to go. Ball at the AZ 47. McNabb's pass is incomplete for Baskett.

It's worth noting that the Eagles have not had a big 4th quarter comeback win this year. Just saying. McNabb's pass is too high for DeSean Jackson! 3rd and 10. 2:01 to go. McNabb's pass is incomplete for Baskett! 2-minute warning. 4th and 10 coming up after the break.

Are we headed for OT? Will McNabb drive for a TD in the last 3 minutes? If he does someone has to explain the playoff OT rules to Donovan, I'd love to hear that conversation. "Wait a minute, but you guys told me before that there was only one OT!" (Andy)

That would truly the season coming full circle. MCNABB UNDER PRESSUER, THROWS, HAS CURTIS BUT HE DROPPED IT! INCOMPLETE! CURTIS WANTS A FLAG BUT HE WON'T GET IT AND THE CARDS ARE A FIRST DOWN AWAY FROM A TRIP TO TAMPA!

Hightower gets 7. Eagles call a timeout. That's their last. Hightower is just short of the marker.

"Hightower...keeps chugging." - Joe Buck

Short of the marker. 3rd and NFC Title Game (sorry for that channeling of Matt Vagersian). Cards will let the clock wind down and then call a timeout. 59 seconds to go. Hightower slips and he's short of the marker! And the Eagles will have a shot at a Boise State miracle.

The punt goes out of bounds at the 7. 9 seconds to go. And for once, I won't fault Andy Reid for trying something funky here. Anything has a chance in this stadium.

The Eagles go with the laterals! Jackson downs the sideline! LATERALS IT INTO THE HANDS OF DARNELL DOCKETT AND THAT'S IT! THE ARIZONA CARDINALS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! 32-25 is the final score in yet another memorable NFC title game and another crazy football postseason game in University of Phoenix Stadium.

My sincerest congrats to the Arizona Cardinals who have certainly worked for it. They weren't picked coming in, but time and time again they proved themselves in this post-season and Warner came through when they needed it the most.

32-25 Cardinals over the Eagles. The AFC title game is being live-blogged by SSR. I'll be there and I hope everyone else joins him. Thanks for all the hilarious comments today/tonight.

NFC Championship Game Eagles @ Cardinals Live Blog 1st Half

All right, it's almost time for kickoff in Glendale. Here are the picks from the people at Fox.

Frank: Cardinals
Jimmy: Eagles
Michael: Eagles
Howie: Eagles
Terry: Cardinals

And all 5 of them went with Pittsburgh in the AFC title game. And yes, Curt just confirmed that TB is flying out to Glendale. And we also get the official unveiling of Lebron's "big announcement". Yay, State Farm commercial! (Not that we didn't know that already).

Joe and Troy are coming up after the break.

"One of these teams is 4 quarters away from the Super Bowl and a trip to Tampa, Florida." - Joe Buck stating the obvious.

Not a bad rendition from Jordin Sparks. A bit over the top toward the end, but alas, we've seen worse.

When Joe Buck calls games in Arizona, the road team wins.The Giants were officially the road team in the Super Bowl.The Vikings beat Arizona.I conclude that the Eagles will win. (Via SSR)

Don't forget Philly's record with Buck the past few months. He's done the last 5 Eagles games where the Eagles have a 4-1 record and he called the Phils winning the World Series.

Akers kick is downed in the endzone by Arrington and we are underway! Edge picks up a couple on first down. Warner completes to Boldin for 7. Warner on third down finds Fitzgerald over the middle for a first down and a big gain past the 45! Boldin catches a quick pass from Warner and picks up 9. Edge pushes the pile forward for a first down.

Inside Eagle territory at the 40, Warner hands off to James who bounces it to the outside and picks up 16! James again with another carry and another first down inside the 20! Hightower picks up 4.

"How can a football blow off a tee in a dome? Maybe the noise knocked it off." - Joe Buck before the kickoff. (Via James Craven and Mal)

Kurt Warner finds Fitzgerald over the middle! Fitzgerald breaks a tackle! BREAKS ANOTHER TACKLE AND HE'S IN! TOUCHDOWN ARIZONA! The extra point is good and the Cardinals lead 7-0.

Can I get a "FIRE ANDY REID NOW!" please? (Via James Craven)

FIRE ANDY REID NOW! The kickoff goes out of bounds and the Eagles will have the ball at their own 40. How do you have a kickoff out of bounds in a dome? McNabb on first down is under pressure but he'll take off down the field for a big gain of over 20! That's the McNabb the Eagles need! Penalty was for an offsides on the Cards. Westbrook gets 4 on the carry. And yes, SSR, I think that tight end may be a traitor....

McNabb finds Celek on the completion but Celek gets walloped at the line and Joe Buck is being kind by giving him a yard on that completion. McNabb on 3rd down with all day and he finds Westbrook for 6 and a first down! Good grief! Is this an NFC title game or practice?

Toss to Westbrook gets a couple. LJ Smith catches it in the backfield and breaks a tackle and makes a nice play to turn what looked like a sure loss into a gain of 5. 3rd down and 4 becomes 3rd and 9 on the false start.

"Cardinals are coming." - Joe Buck.

Eww. McNabb has his pass batted down and that will bring up 4th come and on will come Akers to try a 45-yard and make it 18-straight post season field goals. Akers kick is up...AND GOOD! He killed that thing. 7-3 Cardinals still lead.

Joe B on Akers kick: "absolutely funked". (Via Mal
Mal, that came from Mr. Slamma Lamma Ding Dong himself (JamesCraven)

I was wondering what that second word was. Especially when I first heard it, I thought he said it was "absolutely fuc...." The kickoff is taken by Arrington to the 24.

"Eagles and Cardinals banging into each other today." - Joe Buck who clearly has his mind in the gutter today.

Handoff to James goes for a yard. Warner's pass on 2nd down is incomplete. 3rd down, and Warner finds Fitzgerald for 8. The punt by Graham goes 34 yards before going out of bounds.

McNabb can't connect with a wide-open DeSean Jackson on first down. Westbrook is stopped at the line as it seemed like Joe Buck had problems identifying the line of scrimmage. McNabb on 3rd down throws it up and it's TIPPED AND INTERCEPTED BY FRANCISCO! FRANCISCO DOWN THE SIDELINES AND HE LOSES THE BALL! EAGLES RECOVER AND HAVE A NEW SET OF DOWNS! INCREDIBLE!

McNabb on 1st down GOES DEEP FOR LEWIS WHO DROPS IT! Ex-Eagle Roderick Hood makes the play. Thanks for nothing Rod! McNabb puts the buscuit in the Baskett on 2nd down for the 1st and Kendra's happy. Westbrook busts one up the middle for a gain of 14 and into Cardinal territory! Buckhalter takes it and reverses field for a nice gain of 9. Buckhalter takes the carry and has the 1st down at the 35.

Well, that was a fun little quarter of football, wasn't it? 7-3 Arizona after 1.

"And he just tried squeeeezin' one in there." (Via David) Was that Aikman?

Troy, after the INT/Fumble: "good things happen around the football". Not really sure what that means and I don't think he does either (Via Mal)

Westbrook gets nothing. As Joe tells us the Eagles have done an incredible feat of running 4 straight running plays. McNabb's pass is incomplete. 3rd and 10 from the 35, McNabb has alld day dumps it off to Celek, tries to leap over the defender!...and gets taken down for a gain of 5.

Here comes Akers from 47-yards...NO GOOD! Akers streak is over and it's still 7-3 Arizona.

Warner on first down fires one deep down the field that is CAUGHT BY FITZGERALD WHO WALKS IN FOR THE EASY TOUCHDOWN! The penalty is roughing the passer and the PAT is good and it's 14-3 Arizona.

I'm not sure who...but somebody got absolutely funked on that play. (Via Mal)

There was definitley some funking going on on that play. And kudos to SSR for calling that play. We'd love to have you as our head coach in waiting in Philly.

Buckhalter gets 3 on the carry.

"Sold out this game in 6-minutes." - Joe Buck

That's a far cry from struggling to sell the place out for the wild card game against Atlanta. False start sends the Eagles back 5, but McNabb finds Curtis for 11. 3rd down and McNabb is SACKED! But holding on Arizona gives the Eagles a first down. McNabb finds Curtis over the middle! Curtis bounces it to the outside and he gets 47, all the way to the Cardinal 19!

Buckhalter picks up 7 on the carry up the middle. McNabb's pass for Lewis loses a couple and I have a feeling he won't be back next year. McNabb's 3rd down pass is incomplete and once again we'll see Akers.

Akers kick is up.....IT'S GOOD! No problem on that one and it's 14-6 Arizona.

Eagles may be losing, but I must say, this has been an entertaining game up to this point.

"You can bang them"-Aikman talking about what you can and can't do with the players involved in that defensive holding play. (Via Yet Another Idiot With A Music Blog)

Nice to see the NFL does not discriminate based on sexuality. Arrington takes the kick to the 27. James gets a big gain to the 47! Gain of 5 by Hightower.

"And here's Digger!" - Joe Buck

Arrington catches the pass and gets 17! From the 29, Hightower gets 3 on the carry. Pope makes the catch and he gets 15! Damn, Warner is lighting it up today. From the 14, James gets nothing.

And now a random fact that I just thought of. The Eagles have played 2-road NFC title games. Kurt Warner was the opposing QB in both of those games. Breston makes the completion for the first down by half of a football. 1st and goal from the 4, Arrington gets a yard. If there was ever time for a goal line stand, this is it. 2nd and goal, Warner's pass is incomplete but there's a flag down and that's pass interference and 1st and goal from the 1.

Warner on 1st and goal fires the FADE FOR FITZGERALD AND IT'S CAUGHT IN THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN CARDINALS! The PAT is up and good and it's 21-6 Cardinals.

What on earth did Buck say after the touchdown? It sounded like "Double-Double!"

Snap it McNabb, snap it! That ball was not out of bounds! FUCK! THEY'RE CHALLENGING! (End moment of homerism)

Oh. My. God. Kickoff out of bounds is a dead ball and that's Eagle ball at the 40. What a break for Philadelphia, and as an Eagle fan, I'll admit, that's not what happened.

Oh, they rule it touched Abiamiri. Anyway, that probably should be Cardinal ball ao I'm sure the Eagles will take it regardless. Celek picks up 8 on the completion. McNabb again to Celek and that's a first down. McNabb drops back and throws it to no one and gets called for intentional grounding.

Buck: "Play over, even if the call may not be correct." Ed Hochuli agrees. (Via RJBO)

Great way to officiate. Celek gets 8 on the completion and it's 3rd and 14. McNabb tries to launch one down the field for Avant who can't come up with it. Frankly, I'm just glad that it was not picked off. There were red jersies everywhere. Good punt from Rocca and the Cardinals are pinned inside their own 20. Boldin gets 5 on the completion and there's a penalty on Demps for unnecessary roughness.

Fringe. Sounds like a bad story about the New York Giants offense. (JamesCraven)

Hilarious! Warner fires and it's TIPPED BY MIKELL AND SOMEHOW CAUGHT BY BOLDIN! That ball did hit the ground though. The booth is reviewing it and this one should come back.

The call is reversed and there's not much of a reaction from the Cardinal crowd, which tells you exactly how obvious that one was on replay. Kudos to Boldin though for actually nearly catching it. It's 2nd and 10 form the 36. Arrington loses 6 on the carry and the Eagles call time out.

"Warner and Arrington banged into each other." - Joe Buck

Thank goodness he said "into". 3rd and 15, Warner finds Urban for 18 yards and a first down! Wow. Fitzgerald all alone makes the catch for 14. Warner throws it out of bounds.

"There's some history between these 2. If you go back to 1947...." - Joe Buck

Yeah, I don't think anyone playing this game was alive then. Warner is SACKED! 3rd and 17 and we've seen this before. Warner dumps it to Boldin who gets it to the 40. And on will come Rackers to attempt a field goal and maybe a dagger if this becomes a 3-score game.

From 49-yards out, Rackers kick is up.......IT'S GOOD! That may be a dagger. 24-6 Cardinals at the half.

I'll see you guys in the 2nd half thread.

NFC Championship Game Live Blog Pregame

It looks more likely than not that SSR and I are splitting the live blogs with me in the afternoon cap and SSR in the night cap. That being said, use this as your pregame open thread. Post your thoughts and predictions on the game here and we'll get the live blog kicked off when Joe and Troy come on the air.

JFein's pick: Eagles 31, Cardinals 27

P.S. Yes, this is (mainly) an Eagles blog but I will be running things in an unbiased as possible manner.

AFC Championship Game Preview

What: A re-match of Walt Coleman's latest gaffe
Who: The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
When: 6:30 EST
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: After losing two heart breakers to the Steelers, can the Ravens finally beat the Steelers?
Weather Forecast: 60% chance of snow showers, 25 degrees
Regular Season Meetings: Week 4: Steelers 23, Ravens 20; Week 15: Steelers 13, Ravens 9

Analysis: I don't know much about Ed Reed's religion, but one thing is for sure. God worships Ed Reed. Reed is a complete beast and he is everywhere and anywhere on the football field every and any play. There's a reason the Raven defense is once again one of the best in the league and a whle heck of a lot of it has to do with the play of Reed and Ray Lewis.

Wait a minute, great defense? Well how about the Steelers? They're the #1 defense in the NFL! This game is a battle of the top 2 defenses in the NFL (the Eagles are #3) and it should be one heck of a dandy, especially if the regular season games are signs of things to come.

Well, we know that both defense are going to do their thing, so let's look at the offensive side of the ball. The Steelers are led by veteran quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who while not having the best year of his career, has come through in the most clutch moments for the Steelers this season, with one of the most notable being Week 15 at Baltimore. The Steelers running back, Willie Parker, is the engine that makes this offense go. If the Steelers can't establish the running game, they can find themselves in trouble. However, if they can, they will definitley be in the game and most likely leading.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Raven offense is led by rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. Although nowhere near dazzling, Flacco has in no way hurt his team, something which the Ravens struggled with under Kyle Boller and Steve McNair. The rookie has done a real solid job and while his short and intermediate passes may need some work, the man knows how to throw a beautiful deep ball. The Ravens also have a running game that is the key to the offense, led by Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee. And much like the Steelers, this Ravens offense will go as the running game goes.

With two evenly matched teams, I see 2 x-factors in this game. The weather (remember, there is a chance of snow) and special teams. The team that makes the most big plays on special teams likely will come away victorious in this one.

Prediction: I subscribe to a theory that it is very difficult for a team in the NFL to go up to a team that it is evenly matched up with and beat them 3-times in a season. And that is exactly what the Steelers are up against, having beat the Ravens twice in the regular season in the final minute. However, Heinz Field in the snow is a tough place for any road team to win, regardless of time of year and stakes of the game. You know the Pittsburgh faithful are going to show up in full force and they will be determined to force Flacco and co. into false starts and making mistakes (as if the Pittsburgh defense is not enough). But in the end, I see the Ravens finally getting the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the game that means the most. Ravens 13, Steelers 10.

NFC Championship Game Preview

What: A conference championship game that no one saw coming.
Who: The Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
When: 3:00 EST
What Channel: Fox
Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman with Pam Oliver and the ubiquitous Chirs Myers working on the sidelines
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: How will the Eagles secondary fare against these dynamic Cardinal receivers?
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 77 degrees
Regular Season Meeting: Eagles 48, Cardinals 20

Analysis: Well then! No one saw this coming a month ago. But alas, it's the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game and the executives at Fox are jumping off cliffs as we speak. And while it is certainly a most unappealing matchup (no offense to Cardinals fans, but very few people outside of the Phoenix/Glendale/Arizona market care about this team), this actually has the potential to be a very good game.

The Philadephia Eagles are about as red hot as anyone, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Ever since the loss to the New York Giants in Week 11, this defense has played lights out. And yes, I know the Baltimore game was a blowout, but not many of those points were the sole fault of the defense. However this game will pose a different test to the Eagles' defense. The past two games it has been about the Eagles' run defense. This game will focus more on the Eagles' secondary and can they stop when of the best receivers in the NFL, Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals run game has come alive in the past few weeks thanks in large part to the re-emergence of Edgerrin James, however, the Eagles faced a lot worse the past few weeks with the Purple Jesus of Minnesota and Earth, Wind, and Fire in New York. It is worth noting that none of those teams were really threatening through the air. But what about Eli Manning, JFein? Well, it was quickly established in that game last week that Eli would not be able to throw in the wind at his own stadium. And minus a big play-making receiver on the New York side, there was just no way that Eli would beat the Eagles and Jim Johnson noticed that and spent all of his defensive resources, if you will, to stop the run.

Enough with the digression, though. Point being is that Arizona is a different animal. And it will definitley be to their advantage that this game is in the desert. Could you imagine if they played in Philly today? For those that don't know, it is currently the coldest here that it has been in years with temperatures in the single digits now, and a high that won't come close to 20. Oy, another digression. Anyway, the Kurt Warner is thanking his lucky stars that the game is Sunday in the desert (here it's going to be slightly warmer than it is now, but a chance of snow exists). And so maybe the Eagles. The Eagles play in a cold-weather city, but they are not necessarily a grind it out cold-weather team. Even though Andy Reid has been relying on the run a whole lot more than he ususally does (I'm just as shocked as you are, this maybe the best I've ever seen him with McNabb at QB). So this Eagle offense should not have any problems moving the ball. The temperature is going to be fairly comfortable, roof open or closed, the Cardinal defense is nowhere near the threat of Minnesota's and New York's defense, and oh yeah, the Eagles lit them up for 48 on Thanksgiving day to end their mid-season cold streak.

Prediction: I have picked the Cardinals to be blown out in each of the last two weeks. Look at how that's turned out for me. However, I may be stupid, but I'm doing it again. Except I don't think that this is going to be a blowout. The Eagles defense is awesome, yes, but the Cardinals have momentum and they have a fan base now that has NEVER been this excited about Cardinal football. Regardless of who wins, the winner of this game will cement themselves as one of the most unlikely Super Bowl contenders of all time, and that unlikely contender will be the Philadelphia Eagles, the same team that was left for dead at 1:00 PM on Week 17 of the NFL season, will be going to the Super Bowl, beating the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 31-27.

Eagles Divisional Round Recap (And a Big What Is Going On Around the NFL)

So let me get this straight. The Eagles' most tumultous season since the Terrell Owens debacle has resulted in the Eagles going to the NFC Championship game. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Okay, seriously, what is going on in the NFL?

The only thing perhaps a bit more bizarre than the Eagles turning this season into an NFC championship season is the fact that the Eagles are playing the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Arizona! Good grief, what has happened to home field advantage in the NFL? The Eagles just became the 1st 6-seed to beat a 1-seed in the NFC and consequently, the first 6-seed in the NFC to appear in the conference title game. Remember when people were saying that the NFL should amend their playoff system so that teams like the Cardinals who stumbled into the playoffs could not get in and 11-5 teams like the Patriots could make it? Yeah, those people are quiet now.

Both 6-seeds remain. Pittsburgh was the only home team to win this week. And, oh yeah, in case I did not mention it before, the Arizona Fucking Cardinals are hosting the NFC Championship game!

Shifting back to the Eagles-Giants game, it all came down to the Eagles defense. And they were nothing but spectacular. While I have my doubt about Andy Reid (although he is succeeding in making me look like an idiot with my blog title), one person I have always loved is Jim Johnson. He is the man and his defenses are awesome. However, several times in the past, they would crumble in big games against teams just like the New York Giants with a power running back and a real good change-of-pace back. Not this time!

They held beautifully and Eli Manning struggled in his own stadium throwing the ball (although in his defense, as a resident of the northeast, it was cold and a heavy wind in cold weather is absolutely brutal). The Giants started out looking good with that long kick return deep into Eagles' territory to open up the game. However, the Gmen could only muster a field goal out of that drive. That would be a theme for the day as the Giants would not get in the endzone all afternoon. Their only scores were 3 field goals and a safety.

The Eagles forced 3 turnovers which included two interceptions of the unstoppable Eli Manning. who must have forgot to bring his Citizen Eco Drive with him to the game. He constantly missed his targets and while McNabb was not great, and while he himself threw two picks, he was more efficient than Manning, was able to move the ball in the second half, and was a more-effective game manager. It did not start that way, though. The Eagles offense reverted back to Cincinnati and Baltimore form in the first 28 minutes of the game, not being able to move the ball at all. However, the Giants played back at the end of the half in sort of a prevent defense. And the rest is history. Really. For the first time in NFL history, a #6 seed in the NFC but a #1 seed in the NFC and for the first time in NFL history, a game ended with the score of 23-11.

In the playoffs, one thing is a must. A good defense. The top 3 defenses in the NFL still remain (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Philly). As far as Jim Johnson goes, he's had many great defenses in the past with the Eagles. But this one is definitley the best defense the Eagles have had in quite some time. It will be interesting to see how they handle a Cardinal team that has no doubt rejuvenated themselves since they took their Thanksgiving day beating.

The Eagles are going to Arizona to play the Cardinals in the NFC title game. Had you made that prediction at 1:00 on December 28 (Week 17), you would have been laughed at, called crazy, and placed in the insane asylum. But alas, that is the craziness of the NFL. And I'm loving every minute of it.

Divisional Round Preview San Diego @ Pittsburgh

What: A game that is sure to set a record for the least amount of money wagered in Vegas for a divisional playoff game. Yeah, there was a little controversy last time...
Who: The San Diego Chargers and the Pittsburgh Chargers
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
When: 4:30 PM EST
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: The Chargers were 4-8 and they are in the playoffs. Their comeback is so inspirational and amazing. And what about the Steelers. Big Ben can do no wrong! If Roethlisberger was Tim Tebow we would both be in the hospital with a more serious Tebowner than Gary Danielson.
Weather Forecast: Cloudy, 26 degrees
Regular Season Meeting: Steelers 11, San Diego 10

Analysis (I've finally given this section a name; very original, isn't it?): As I linked earlier, the San Diego Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers played a tight game that Vegas bettors will never forget. Lost in all the hooplah of whether the garbage time pick six by Polamalu should or should not count was the fact that these two played a very good defensive game.

However, something is telling me that we won't be seeing the same thing again. Just a feeling, but I think the score is going to be slightly higher this time. Darren Sproles is going to be the Nissan Z Factor, er, x-factor, in this game (Sorry for that BCS reference, I just can't get over the idiocy of the "z factor"). He had a monster game last week against the Colts and while we won't be able to get near the production he got against the Colts defense against this Steelers defense, the Chargers are going to need him to make some big plays, especially seeing as the play of Ladainian Tomlinson is becoming more and more like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.

The Steelers may also end up relying on the rushing attack against the San Diego Chargers, especially with the uncertainty that Big Ben truly is 100% after being carted off on a stretcher two weeks ago. Lucky for them, when not injured, the Steeler running game has provided them with a much needed spark. Willie Parker leads the team in rushing and will need to be the engine that makes the offense go. Parker is the player to watch for in terms of the Steeler offense. If he can get going, watch for the Steelers to put up big numbers offensively. If not, then look for the offense to struggle as Big Ben may not be able to carry the Steelers to victory in this one.

While some may call him a douchebag, there is no denying the success that Phillip Rivers had had this year at QB in San Diego. He was literally snubbed of the Pro Bowl and he is seeking his revenge in a big way. The Chargers have won their last five games and may just be the hottest team in the playoffs. If Rivers plays well, this can be a big night for the Chargers. However, with Troy Polamalu in the Steeler secondary that could end up being unlikely.

Prediction: This one's actually a tough one for me. I have a feeling that this one is going to go down to the wire and while it won't be as low scoring as the first game, we will more than likely be the witnesses to a defensive struggle. I know that my picks are more often than not what the rest of the country is saying, but I'm going to go out on a limb on this one. Nate Kaeding will kick a game-winning to field goal as time expires to give the Chargers a 20-17 win over the Steelers.

Divisional Round Preview Philadelphia @ New York

What: The rubber match for the year between the Eagles and the Giants
Who: The Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Football Giants
Where: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
When: 1:00 EST
What Channel: Fox
Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman with Pam Oliver and Chris Myers working the sidelines.
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: The Eagles are the New York Giants of last year.
Weather Forecast: Mostly Cloudy, 33 degrees
Regular Season Meetings: Week 10: Giants 36, Eagles 31; Week 14: Eagles 20, Giants 14

It's round three of the Giants and the Eagles (and the first round 3 we have seen thus far in the playoffs) and this should be a good one to say the least. The underdog Eagles come in red hot, winning five out of their last six games, whereas the favorite Giants are struggling, having lost 3 of their last 4 games.

The first game that these two played was a 36-31 thriller that was won by the Giants because the Eagles could not convert in a 4th and short situation. The second game was a game that was dominated by the Eagles, yet the reason the score appears close is because the Giants scored a TD via a block field goal return and another TD in garbage time with less than a minute to go in the game.

However, this game will be a lot different than the last time the Eagles were in the Meadowlands when the Eagles dominated them. The reason: Brandon Jacobs will be in the line-up this game and he was part of the reason the Giants were able to score 36 points on the Eagles in the first meeting. If the Eagles can contain Brandon Jacobs than they may be in good shape, but, it must be noted that the Eagles seemed to struggle a bit with the Vikes' change of pace back, Chester Taylor and frankly I'm surprised the Vikes did not go to him more often. So even if the Eagles can stifle Brandon Jacobs, it will be interesting to see how they deal with Earth, Wind, & Fire.

The Eagles offense on the other hand, will need an all-around big day from Brian Westbrook. Why? Because Westbrook, while somewhat smaller in stature, is a Giant killer, having been the dagger many times including the '03 punt return for a TD in the Meadowlands winning a game for the Eagles that they had no business winning. And of course, one can't forget the huge plays he made a month ago in the Meadowlands. The Eagles will need another solid effort from Donovan McNabb who will have to be mistake free in this must win game that both teams are sure to get up for. If the Eagles can drive the ball consistently, they stand a chance at winning. If the Eagles' offense from Cincinnati and Baltimore shows up this time, unlike last weekend against the Vikings where the Eagles' D stood a chance at saving them in case they laid an egg, the defense may not be able to hold their own against the Giants potent rushing attack. And oh yeah, they have a Super Bowl winning quarterback named Eli Manning, in case you forgot.

Prediction: Sigh.....sometimes going into games you have feelings about the outcome, whether they be positive or negative. And sadly, despite beating the Giants at Giants Stadium a month ago, I do not have a good feeling about this game. There is just something in me that says that this will be a game where the Eagles fight hard and give it absolutely everything they got, and yet, it just won't be enough to overcome the Giants in the playoffs. As much as it pains me to say it, I'm picking the Giants in a close one, 31-28 over my beloved Eagles.

Divisional Round Preview Arizona @ Carolina

What: An unlikely matchup that will produce the result that is likely.
Who: The Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
When: 8:15 PM EST
What Channel: Fox
Announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl "Moose" Johnston, Tony "Goose" Siragusa
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: The Carolina Panthers have such a dominant and dynamic running game.
Weather Forecast: Cloudy with a chance of showers later in the game, 53 degrees
Regular Season Meeting: Week 8: Panthers 27, Cardinals 23

I'll be the first to admit that I did not think that the Cardinals stood a chance in hell against the Falcons. To their credit, they surprised the shit out of me (which given my record of picking games, I guess really is not that big of a feat, but I was certain the Falcons would be here). So now they are traveling to the east coast where they have not won a game against a team a Carolina Panther team that has not lost at home all year.

That alone is a huge obstacle to overcome, and yet one can't help but notice the team that they are going up against. The Panthers are not a fluke team. Their rushing attack is one of the best in the league, consisting of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart who have combined for 28 touchdowns this season.

The only chance the Cardinals may have in this game is to get to an early lead and force Delhomme to throw the ball. Delhomme has pretty much been the only glaring weakspot in this Panther offense and while Steve Smith is a dangerous receiver, the Cardinals would be more than happy to get into an offensive aerial show against the Panthers, for they have Kurt Warner and two of the best receivers in the NFL in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. That may be their only chance. And even then, that would require Kurt Warner to play the game of his life, and at his age, there is no guarantee he won't throw a costly interception or two.

The most interesting part of this game in this otherwise unenticing divisional round match-up (the only one of it's sort) would be the ramifications of a Cardinal upset. That would pretty much raise the stakes of the Eagles-Giants game ten-fold, as if it was not a high stakes game already. For if Arizona wins, the winner of the Eagles-Giants showdown (I'll have a full preview of that one tomorrow), may very well earn themselves a free ticket to Tampa Bay as both the Eagles and the Giants mopped the floor with the Cardinals during the regular season.

Prediction: I'm sure you pretty much guessed by reading above who I am going with in this one. Not only have the Cardinals not won on the east coast and the Panthers not lose at home, but on Monday night, the only bit of mojo they had going for them, the underdog always winning at University of Phoenix Stadium was lost when Texas became the first team that was favored to ever win a post-season game there. So any mojo or dirt that they might bring to Carolina for good luck is no more. Basically, the Cardinals are up the creek without a paddle in this one and will be (figuratively) eaten alive by the Caroina Panthers by a score of 38-17

Divisional Round Preview Baltimore @ Tennessee

What: An Epic Defensive Struggle
Who: The Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans
Where: LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee
When: Saturday at 4:30 PM EST
What Channel: CBS
Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: Wait a minute, the Tennessee Titans were the last undefeated team in the NFL? We completely forgot about that. Oh, but aside from that, these two defenses are just so good we won't be surprised if it goes to Triple overtime with the score tied at 0.
Weather Forecast: Cloudy, 45 degrees
Regular Season Meeting: Titans 13, Ravens 10

For the second time in three years, it looks like Greg and Dan will get a very low scoring game in the playoffs involving the Baltimore Ravens (See Colts-Ravens a couple of years ago). This one, however, should be quite an entertaining game, especially seeing as there are obvious parallels with the two teams.

For starters, both teams improved upon their record from last year (the Ravens more so than the Titans, however both did improve). But just look at these teams, I honestly don't know where to start. Both teams have defenses that can be absolutely dominating. The Titans defense suffered from injuries toward the end of the year, however it does look like Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth will be back in the line up this Saturday at LP Field. The Ravens' defense was lights out against the Dolphins last Sunday and what can I say about Ed Reed. The man is just a beast. Superman (and Tim Tebow) wear Ed Reed underwear.

Another similarity can be drawn by looking at both offenses. The biggest threat that the Ravens boast is their 3-headed monster rushing attack consisting of Willis McGahee, Le'Ron McClain, and Ray Rice, all of whom have rushed for over 500 yards this season. The Tennessee Titans also have a powerful rushing offense consisting of Chris Johnson, the rookie out of East Carolina who rushed for over 1,000 yards this year. And just as an aside on Johnson, I had not even heard of the man until I saw last year's Sheraton Hawaii Bowl pitting East Carolina against Boise State. And just by watching that game, I could tell that he was going to be something special in the NFL. And it looks like that (for once) I was right. Anyway, back to the match-up, Johnson has not had to do things on his own, as Lendale White, the back-up to Reggie Bush at USC averages 3.9 yards per carry himself and has proven to be a very valuable weapon in short-yardage situations.

And in yet, another similarity, both are led by a quarterback who have done just enough to get their team to where they are. Both Joe Flacco of the Ravens and Kerry Collins of the Titans have done just enough to manage the game, and rarely, if at all, have been the reason for the team's defeat in the games that they lost. But at the same token, neither has necessarily wowed anyone with their numbers and thus, even if there are quite a few injuries at QB for the AFC, it is unlikely that any of these two will be in the Pro Bowl. Where they differ is in experience. Kerry Collins started the year as a back-up to Superman himself, Vince Young (he has the Ed Reed undies as well), but due to the injury to VY week 1, Collins was forced to step in and the Titans have never looked back. The Ravens, desperate for someone other than Kyle Boller and unwilling to rely on little Troy Smith, drafted Joe Flacco out of Delaware, and he is just the man they needed. He stepped in as the starter in the beginning of the year, and he has not looked back either.

Prediction: While I am generally a bigger fan of offensive games as opposed to defensive games, this sure-to-be defensive game is going to be a dandy to say the least. I can appreciate a good defensive struggle when I see it and damn it to hell that I probably won't be able to catch it as I will most likely be spending the afternoon moving back to college for the upcoming semester. Oh well, I'll catch up on the good stuff by reading S2N's live blog at AA (assuming he's doing it) and then watching NFL Replay on the NFL-N if the game is even half as good as I think this one will be. Give me the Ravens avenging their Week 5 loss and upsetting the top-seeded Titans by a score of 16-13.

Eagles Wildcard Recap

Well it's about darn time, isn't it? How many times have we seen the Eagles in a close game in the 4th quarter and lose? Way too many, I know. But not this time. For the first time this year, the Eagles won a close game and it could not have come at a better time.

All of the Eagles wins before this game have been blowouts (the fact that the Giants win was close on the scoreboard at 20-14 does not count as they scored a TD in garbage time; the Eagles dominated that game). This game, was a good, close game and the Eagles found a way to win. The screen to Westbrook for the TD and the moment he scored I instantly knew that the Eagles were going to New York to play the Giants in the divisional playoffs (more on that one later in the week).

The Eagles' playmakers stepped up when they needed to. Up 9-7, Asante Samuel picked off Tarvaris Jackson and returned it for a touchdown (I've got the video of the epic end of that return at the bottom). Westbrook with the game in question, took McNabb's screen to the house to cement our plane tickets to the Meadowlands.

But what about the rest of the game? Some say that aside from another outstanding performance by our defense, the Eagles' offense sputtered. I say not. I say they did just enough throughout the entire game to put the pressure on the Vikings' offense to make a play and aside from Adrian Peterson's 40-yard run, no big plays were made. The Eagles did an excellent job of controlling field position that entire game and the Vikings were never able to successfully reverse it in the second half. Every time they pinned the Eagles deep, the Eagles took it to midfield and pinned the Vikes back deep. The Viking offense never had a chance.

The pressure (both of the game and that of the Eagles' defense) got to him in the end and when he was needed the most in a big game against a defense not consisting of 2nd string players (i.e. Week 17 vs. New York), he (and subsequently the Vikings) fell flat on their face. He had time, there was 6 minutes on the clock after the Westbrook TD (which by the way, if you haven't heard Merrill Reese's call of that yet, go check it out, it's classic), which can be an eternity in the NFL. The Eagles' defense just played Eagles' defense and that was more than enough to ensure victory for the Eagles.

The Eagles will have to pull off all the stops, though, if they are going to beat New York who will be healthy and will have Brandon Jacobs in the lineup. Jacobs, who was absent when the Eagles beat the Gmen, could play a pivotol role in this week's divisional playoff game.

And now, as promised, courtesy of Tirico Suave, here is the epic conclusion to Samuel's pick six.



I love me some schadenfreude! That is the first time that I can recall that a football player has ever been bodyslammed like that before. Good grief. So funny......so, so funny.

Chris Clemons Destroys Tarvaris Jackson (Tirico Suave)

Wildcard Preview Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings

What: A Game That May Be Blacked Out In Minneapolis
Who: The Philadelphia Eagles and The Minnesota Vikings
Where: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
When: Sunday, 4:30 PM EST
What Channel: Fox
Weather Forecast: Indoors
Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman with Pam Oliver working the sidelines
Announcers' Turning Point of the Game: I still can't believe the Eagles humiliated and beat the awesome Cowboys 44-6! That was mean of them!

Ah yes, a game that a week ago Eagles fans like me would laugh at if you told us (me) that we would be playing in it. But alas, the chips fell the right away, the Eagles smashed the much-hated Cowboys, and low and behold, the Eagles are in the playoffs.

The Vikings come into this having just clinched the NFC North last week with last second field goal to beat New York (If my memory serves me correctly, the Vikings beat the Giants before the Texans officially beat the Bears, although the game was out of hand by the time of the field goal, so that FG should be considered an NFC North winning figgie). But they struggled against a Giants defense that was playing mostly scrubs, especially during the end of the game.

Ever since the loss to the New York Giants on SNF, the Eagles' defense has been absolutely lights out. They have been the immoveable object that everyone said the Minnesota Vikings' defense would be coming into this year. They forced turnover after turnover last week against Dallas, been a solid wall throughout the year, and have rarely given up any big pass plays over the top.

The Vikings' offense, outside of Adrian Peterson, is mediocre at best. And while Tarvaris Jackson has been hot in the past few weeks, one must really look hard at the defenses he faced. The Detroit Lions (yes, the 0-16 Detroit Lions), the Arizona Cardinals (and their finesse defense), the Atlanta Falcons (a credible opponent; a Vikings loss), and the New York Giants (oh wait, they sat out most of their starters; and when they were playing starters, the Vikings could not move the ball). They do have some deep threats in Benard Berrian and Sidney Rice, but the Eagles have seen much more talented receivers throughout the year. Hell, they saw more talented receivers last week with T.O. and Roy Williams but unlike Dallas, at least Minnesota is a team, and not a collection of individuals who wear the same clothes on Sundays (I'll take the +1 for that one)

The biggest battle of the game will be the Eagles offense, against, well, the Eagles offense! What offense will show up is the million dollar question in this game, no doubt about it. The Vikings are pretty stout up the middle, but other than that, they really do not boast anything special (except for maybe Pro Bowler Antoine Winfield). There is a chance that big Pat Williams will play for the Vikes. He's trying to make it. And in my mind, that would be a good thing for the Eagles. No, I am not rooting for them to lose, I just think that if Pat Williams plays that will force the Eagles to pitch the ball to Westbrook to the outside where Westbrook is effective instead of up the middle where for the most part Westbrook is ineffective.

If the Eagles offense does not show up and play like they did against Cincinnati, Baltimore, and Washington, then I see this being a yawner of a game where I would be surprised if any teams hits double-digit points. But alas, I see the Eagles getting up for this game. If you can't get up and play well in the playoffs, then you don't deserve to be there. The Eagles will be riding a huge wave of momentum after beating Dallas 44-6 and should dispatch of Minnesota with little problem, beating them 28-10

Wildcard Preview Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins

What: A wildcard battle with two hot teams capable of running the table and advancing to Tampa.
Who: The Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins
Where: Dolphin Stadium, Miami, Florida
When: Sunday 1 PM EST
What Channel: CBS
Weather Forecast (As of 1/1): Partly cloudy, 77 degrees
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: Yawn, I don't care, the Patriots, Steelers, and Brett Favre are not in this game.
Regular Season Meeting: Baltimore 27, Miami 13

I apologize ahead of time if this one seems a little shorter, but I do not have a lot of time right now. The Miami Dolphins were 1-15 last year. And you can bet your bottom dollar that Detroit this year made them feel so much better about their season last year as now everyone has forgotten about the 07 Dolphins. Going 11-5 this year also helped that. But back to the 1-15 season, if you remember that one game that the Dolphins did win last year was in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens. Coincidence indeed.

Of course the Ravens were by no means great last year. They were 5-11! However, drafting Joe Flacco out of Delaware certainly aided them this year. He has been very solid at the position and the Ravens could not be more happier with their draft day selection. The Ravens' running game will be a big factor in this one. Joe Flacco is playing in the biggest game of his young career and it will be necessary for Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain to take some of the pressure off him. Another key for the Ravens will be their defense, led by one of the greatest defensive leaders of all time and a sure-fire future hall-of-famer, Ray Lewis.

In the regular season meeting, the Dolphins came in with the wildcat formation and no one yet to stop it. The Ravens were the first team to do so. They stopped that formation cold and it may be up to Chad Pennington to air it out if the Dolphins want to have a chance.

Give me the Ravens winning a 17-14 defensive struggle.

Wildcard Preview Indianapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers

What: A Saturday Night Showdown
Who: The Indianapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
When: 8:30 PM EST
What Channel: NBC
Weather Forecast (As of 12/31): Partly Cloudy, 58 degrees
Announcers: Al Michaels and John Madden
Announcers' Talking Point of the Game: These two teams play close games. If the game is a blowout, they then focus on the future of the Denver Broncos sans Mike Shannahan.
Regular Season Meeting: Colts 23, Chargers 20

The last 3 games that these teams have played have all come down to the wire. The Bolts barely beat the Chargers twice last year however it was the Colts who barely beat San Diego this year. Will the trend repeat itself? Will the team that won the regular season meeting, win the playoff meeting?

The San Diego Chargers are a completely different team now than they were then. They are one of the hottest teams entering the post-season and they are flying high. Since losing to Atlanta, the Chargers have won 4 in a row.

Wait a minute, you want to talk about streaks? The Indianapolis Colts have won 9 in a row! They started 3-4, but now they are 12-4 and there's a reason why I say the Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, it's because the Colts are the hottest team in the NFL.

However, Indianapolis has benefitted greatly from an amazingly easy schedule. The last time they played a team in this year's playoffs was well, Week 12 against these very same Chargers. A big time question in this one is can Indianapolis adjust to a level of competition on the opposing side that they have not seen in a couple months?

Phillip Rivers maybe be a douchebag in the minds of many, but there is absolutely no arguing the success he has had on the field and it is a damn shame that Jay Cutler is in the Pro Bowl instead of Rivers. And while this has been by no means at all his best year, Ladainian Tomlinson is still a threat in the backfield and can break a big run at any moment. Maybe even a bigger threat out of the back field is someone who could end up being the most prized free agent this off-season in Darren Sproles.

The Colts, on the other hand, possess Mr. Calm, Cool, and Collected himself, Peyton Manning. Manning the Elder is a candidate for the regular season MVP and face it, the guy flat out does not make mistakes. The Colts, while keeping teams like the Jags hanging around a little longer than perhaps they should have, have found a way to win and most of that can be credited to their QB.

And let's not forget about the defenses. The Colts defense did the near impossible task of holding the Browns to without an offensive touchdown. Wait, what? Oh, silly me. Regardless, the Colts do have a good defense. The Chargers lost Shawn Merriman at the beginning of the year, and have struggled a bit on defense, but it seems like they might be finding their groove. But in those last 4 wins, they have not played an offense the caliber of the Colts'.

I expect another entertaining game with lots of back-and-forth action. If the last 3 meetings are any indication, this is can't miss football. In the end, in yet another thriller, the Indianapolis Colts will do what they've done all year and find a way to win, 27-23 over the Chargers.

Wildcard Preview Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals

What: The start of the 2008-09 NFL playoffs
Who: Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
When: Saturday at 4:30 PM EST
What Channel: NBC
Weather Forecast (Assuming roof will be open, as of 12/30): 40% Chance of showers, high of 60 degrees
Announcers: Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth with Tiki Barber serving as a Sideline Reporter
Announcers Talking Point of the game: Should the NFL playoffs be amended in order to prevent mediocre division winners such as the Cardinals to have a home playoff game?

After what was seemingly a decade of underachieving, the Arizona Cardinals have made the playoffs. Oh wait, that's only because the rest of the NFC West sucks.

Nonetheless the Cards are in the postseason and they are the home team. In this game, you really have two contrasting styles. You have the Cardinals who have become more or less a very finesse team and the Falcons who love to pound the ball with Michael Turner. Already it looks like a mismatch for the Cardinals, and we haven't even begin to talk about Matt Ryan. The rookie has had an absolute sensational year and is definitley a lock for rookie of the year. The Falcons were a team that was left in shambles when the Vick Dogfighting Scandal broke, but Ryan after being booed on draft day by the Falcons fans, is now more or less a cult hero and he has played like it.

The Cards offense does have the potential to strike though. While the running game this year has for the most part been ineffective, there's a reason the Cards quickly emerged as the best of the worst in the NFC West and that reason is Kurt Warner. He still has an arm and he can still make plays. Will it be enough to beat the Falcons though? That I highly doubt.

However, we must consider the venue. Yes, University of Phoenix Stadium. In 3 football postseason games played there (college and the NFL) the underdog has won every game. Boise State in the 07 Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma, West Virginia over OU in the 08 Fiesta Bowl, and who will ever forget Super Bowl XLII when the Giants made the Pats 18-1. Will the underdog make it 4 for 4? If past trends mean anything, we'll be in for a surprisingly wild ride.

But, what is this but a mere coincidence? You can see it as you like but in this particular case, I'm going on the side of odd coincidence (I'm currently growing an Eagles' playoff beard and I wore Phillies' color tee-shirts everyday during the NLCS and World Series, so I'm not totally a coincidence person). Therefore, I will take the Falcons in this one 31-10 over the Cardinals.