Goodbye Peyton

Hall of Famer. Legend. Icon. Savior.

All these words come to mind when thinking of Peyton Manning and his career thus far. But one that means more to most Colts fans and probably more to Manning himself is committed. His press conference provided the rest of the world insight into that very fact. Manning could have come on and be upset about leaving and said very few words and answered very few questions, but that isn't the type of man he is. "I'll be a Colt for life," he said. It will be hard to picture him as a 'Colt' when he is in another uniform once the fall hits, but his heart will always lie with Indianapolis and today further cemented that fact in the minds of the fans. He thanked the organization, the coaches, the media and was clearly upset, but once he started talking about the training staff, the equipment managers and the fans is when the sadness really broke through, but through all the hard times he has already faced in his career, he held his composure well.

He never put himself over the the Colts organization. He could have taken the money, came back and gave Indianapolis four more great years and one last push at a second Super Bowl title, but he and everybody else knew that wasn't the right move. Andrew Luck is ready to play and Manning is handing the ball over. As much as it hurt Manning to say goodbye to the city that he helped build, he did it with class and respect.

"Number 18 will never be worn by a Colt again on the field." I'm glad Jim Irsay did this. Since we couldn't bring him back there is no better way to honor him than to retire his jersey. Five years from now there will be a great ceremony honoring the career of Peyton and I can only imagine that they will plan it when New England comes to town. Once the generation of those who grew up watching Manning play start having kids, I have to wonder how many will be named Peyton? You also have to wonder how long until he gets his own statue in front of the stadium that he delivered? Without Manning, would the Colts even be in Indianapolis still? And the Super Bowl that was loved by thousands of fans would never have happened without Manning. Indianapolis owes a lot to Manning and it's only right that he gets honored in every way possible. Thanks for 14 great years Peyton.

Conference Championship Weekend

One of the most exciting weekends of the NFL season has finally arrived. Conference championship weekend features two games that will be surely nothing less than amazing. Last week, the Patriots rolled past the Denver Tebow's in impressive fashion while the Ravens have T.J. Yates to thank as his poor decisions cost the Texans a chance to Foxboro. The 49ers used a late score by Vernon Davis to get past the Saints and the Giants rolled over the Packers who looked a little rusty from their week off. The destination is Indianapolis and only two teams can book their flights on Sunday. Who will it be?

The first game on Sunday will be the New England Patriots playing host to the Baltimore Ravens. This game is an interesting one because the Ravens are always one the league's top defenses while the Patriots had a historically bad defense this year, but they were able to capture the number 1 seed in the AFC behind a potent offense that ranks among the leagues best. The Ravens have a strong run game, but that's about it. Flacco has yet to prove himself to be an elite quarterback and Ed Reed called him out earlier this week saying that he looked "rattled" in the Texans game. That would be because he was. The offensive line did not give him time to scan the field and he was running for his life the the majority of the game. The Patriots are going to have to find a way to stop Ray Rice, or at least slow him down and make Flacco beat them. If they can do that then I like their chances.

When it comes to picking a winner of this game I remind myself of an old saying. "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." Good thing for the Ravens is they have a championship defense. Although they are aging quickly, they will still hit you in the mouth and play for 60 minutes. Bad thing for the Ravens is that they are facing Tom Brady. He came out against Denver and played like he has something to prove this year. He knows that he has to lead this team to victory because of the lack of defense that his team plays. The week off for the Patriots gave them a chance to get healthy and they looked like they had a little extra pep in their step last week. This is going to be a game of big plays for either side. I expect to see the Pats pick off at least one Flacco pass while the healthy of Ed Reed depends on interceptions for the Ravens. In the end, I think the Foxboro crowd and Tom Brady are too much for the Ravens to overcome.
Patriots 34 Ravens 20

The NFC championship game seems to be one for the ages. The surprise San Francisco 49ers under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh host the surging New York Giants who are the hottest team in the playoffs right now. If you like defense then this is the game for you. The 49ers have one the best defenses in the league, while the Giants defense has come along through the last two games of the regular season and into the playoffs. San Fran was able to slow Drew Brees for the majority of the game last weekend and Alex Smith played hero as he led two late touchdown drives that sealed the deal. Eli Manning is trying to earn his place among the league's elite. A win here will certainly notch his place with Brady, Rogers, Brees, and the other Manning. He does have a strong receiving corp to back him up and a couple backs that are an absolute load to bring down.

Picking a winner of this game comes down to one thing. Which team is going to make the big play. The 49ers have shown big play capability with Vernon Davis and Frank Gore can break a big run at any time. Michael Crabtree has big play capabilities, but he is not very consistent. A place of concern has to be Ted Ginn Jr. He is a return specialist, but will probably not play in this game because of a knee injury. For the Giants, you have to look no further than Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Nicks is having a fantastic playoff run and is gaining confidence with every snap. Cruz can catch a five yard out and turn it into a 90 yard touchdown in the drop of a dime. But as exciting as both offenses can be, the game will be won on the defensive side. Which defensive line will cause the most havoc in the backfield? The Giants have one of the fastest lines in the league and can get to the quarterback before he even reaches his five-step drop. The 49ers possess brute strength in Justin Smith and have a speed guy of their own in the rookie Aldon Smith. This game has been causing me fits all week thinking about it, but in the end I think the 49ers deliver more bone-crushing, ball-jarring hits and cause more turnovers and end the Giants magical run.

49ers 31 Giants 27

Divisional Round Predictions

After this weekend, we will be down to four NFL teams, but which four will it be? Last weekend showed the Texans come out hitting on all cylinders to knock off the Bengals in their franchise's first playoff appearance and the 6-time Super Bowl champion Steelers saw first hand what Tim Tebow is capable of. The Saints marched right over the Lions behind the arm of Drew Brees while the Giants defense dominated the Falcons. This weekend's match-ups are just as intriguing and could feature an upset or two.

The first game of the weekend showcases the high-powered offense of the Saints and the hard-nosed defense of the 49ers. This game is an interesting one because the 49ers haven't been to the playoffs in NINE years. Quite the drought. The Saints on the other hand are trying to reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons, which is a pretty impressive feat if they can accomplish it. The 49ers also have first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm who should run away with Coach of the Year honors and you have to wonder how prepared he will have this team, but my guess is they will be ready.

The old saying of "offense wins games, but defense wins championships" is one that applies to this game. The 49ers have one of the best front sevens in all of football and with NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis playing linebacker, it makes for a long day for opposing offenses and especially opposing running backs. Did I forget to mention Aldon Smith? He has 14 sacks on the season and he is a rookie. The Saints offensive line will need to have their best performance of the season in this game. Drew Brees will have to win this game for the Saints and the only way for him to do that is if he throws for over 370 yards. The 49er offense isn't high powered by any means, but they are consistent and in the NFL consistency isn't a terrible thing. Will Smith is going to have to get pressure on Alex Smith send him to the turf on multiple occasions. He should be able to get some pressure because the 49er offensive line has struggled a little bit this season, giving up 44 sacks on the season. The selling point for me here is that this game is at Candlestick Park and not the Superdome. Do I think that the Saints can win on the road? Sure, anything is possible. But the 49ers defense is just a little too good for me to take the Saints in this one.
49ers 24 Saints 20

The night-cap on Saturday showcases NFL fan favorite Tim Tebow and his Broncos traveling to Foxboro to take on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Broncos shocked a lot of people last week by knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers on the first play in overtime, but where they did not shock anyone, aside from the overtime, is their play calling. They ran the ball 23 out of 24 times on first down, which is what they have been doing all season. When they had their thre3-game skid at the end of the season, teams started keying on this and were forcing Tebow to make throws from second and third and long, which is something that we see he is not very comfortable with yet. The Patriots, on the other hand, had a week off to get healthy, which normally doesn't spell good news for opponents.

For the Broncos to pull this one off, they need to change their play calling. Mix up run and passes on first down. Maybe come out and run a play-action the first play of the game. They have to keep the Patriots guessing because they will need to be able to run the ball effectively to stand any chance in this game. Running the ball well shortens the game, which in turn keeps Tom Brady and the potent Patriot offense on the sidelines. Did Tebow gain confidence after his performance last week? Without a doubt, but the question here is if he can bring that confidence with him on the road. Eric Decker probably will not play after suffering a knee injury last week, which hurts the Bronco offense a little, but Demaryius Thomas showed that he can step up and make plays when he needs to. The Bronco defense is going to have to play better than they did last week if they want any chance of stopping Tom Brady. They have to get pressure on him because if he has all day to stand in the pocket and read the defense, he will torch them. Welker, Hernandez and Gronkowski make for a three-some that is difficult to contain. The Broncos managed to contain Welker and Gronkowski in their first meeting, but Hernandez torched them for 129 yards. They have to find a way to keep the receivers in front of them and eliminate the big play. I like this one to be a closer contest than some people will think, but in the end Tebow-mania will be shelved until next season.
Patriots 34 Broncos 24

If you're a fan of stout defensive play and physical running back play, then Houston and Baltimore is the game for you. Houston has all the momentum in the world right now after capturing the franchises first playoff win last weekend over the Bengals and their defense turned in one of their finest performances of the season. J.J. Watt was the difference maker defensively for the Texans as he had an interception return for a touchdown and forced Andy Dalton into some bad throws and threw him to the ground on multiple occasions. When he plays the 3tech spot for the Texans, he takes two lineman out of the picture, freeing Brian Cushing to make plays. Baltimore, as old as they are getting, still has one of the best defensive units in the league, led by future Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

This game can go either way. T.J. Yates showed that he can make big time throws when he needs to, but that is not his strength. He didn't make many bad decisions last week and that was a huge reason that they won the game. having Arian Foster on your team is also a huge boost as he has the power to run over anybody, but the speed and quickness to make a defender miss and take it to the house. Joe Flacco has yet to impress me in his NFL career. He shows flashes of greatness, but will follow those up with performances that make you question whether he should even be the starter or not. Ray Rice is the staple that holds the offense together. When things aren't going their way, just hand him the ball and he will keep you in games. Much like Foster, Rice has power that most backs do not possess and he also has great vision. His short stature allows him to hide behind his offensive line and then burst through the hole before he is even touched. This game is going to be a good old fashioned slug fest, much like Pitt/Bal have been known to be in the past. The week off will be good for the vets on the Ravens side as they will heal some bumps and bruises, but the Texans are coming into this game with confidence that is sky high. I'm taking the Texans in this one. Low scoring, hard hitting and running backs that will decide the difference in the game.
Texans 20 Ravens 17

The final game of the weekend carries a heavy emotional tag with it. The Giants head into Lambeau Field to take on the defending Super Bowl champions, but the game took a back seat for some when early this week offensive coordinator Joe Philbin's son was reported missing and then discovered at the bottom of a river. You have to believe that the Packers will come out ready to play, but you can imagine that they will be mentally and emotionally exhausted. The Giants on the other hand come in as hot as any team in the playoffs and their defensive line is playing the best football they have played all season.

The Packers possess what many believe to be the MVP of the NFL season in Aaron Rogers. He has been stellar all season long (45 TD 6 INT) and he has a nice receiving corp to thank for those numbers. Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings have become a pretty dangerous one-two combination and you can only hope to contain them. The Packers are going to have to find a way to protect Rogers against the pass rush of the Giants. The Falcons were unable to do that last weekend and it made for a long day. Don't expect Ryan Grant to be much of a factor in the run game, but where he will be valuable is in pass protection and slip-screens. The Giants want to rush the passer and blitz and with a player like Grant, you are able to counter those things. Jermichael Finley will also be a huge factor in this game and he should catch a lot of quick crossing routes or short curls. The Giants have a pair of bruising running backs with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw and expect them to get a lot of the work load. Eli Manning will have to make big throws when called upon and David Dielh and Kareem McKenzie will have to slow Clay Matthews off the edge to give Eli time. Will this be a repeat of the 2007 Super Bowl where the Giants took down the leagues best team? This one is a serious toss up, but I think the Packers will come out and find a way to win this game for their OC.
Packers 24 Giants 21

Wild Card Round Predictions

This Saturday marks the beginning of the quest to capture the Lombardi trophy. Four teams will live to fight another week, while four others will be sent home to an off-season of mending injuries, family time and phrasing sentences with would have, could have and should have. I am going to go through my predictions for this weekends games and let it be known that I am not a professional, but just as eager fan wanting to weigh my opinions with the best of them.

The first game will feature a couple of surprise teams. The Houston Texans playing host to the Cincinnati Bengals. At the beginning of the season, how many people would have called this match-up. The Texans had an advantage of playing in a Manningless AFC South Conference which has been down as of late. None the less the Texans captured their first division crown and secured a playoff berth, a first for the franchise. All of this was behind not one, not two, but three different quarterbacks with rookie T.J Yates securing the job for the remainder of the season. The Bengals on the other hand are one of the biggest surprises of the season. After Carson Palmer decided he did not want to be in Cincinnati any longer, the Bengals were forced to find a replacement and find one they did. Andy Dalton, in my opinion, is the front runner for Rookie of the Year honors after he turned around a franchise that went just 4-12 the year before.

The Texans limp into the playoffs with three-straight losses, while the Bengals secured their spot after the Raiders stumbled against the Chargers. The battle of the rookie quarterbacks takes center stage on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and I see the Bengals coming out as winners here. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green have turned out to be quite the tandem and with Jerome Simpson and Jermaine Gresham establishing them selves as reliable targets, the Bengals have a high-powered offense that will be tough to stop. J.J. Watt will have to apply pressure to Dalton and force him out of the pocket where Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans have a better chance of running him down. The Bengals front seven have been playing very hard all year and they will need to bring their A game to stop Arian Foster and force Yates to throw the ball. The Bengals end their 21-year playoff win drought on the road.
Bengals 31 Texans 17

The 8:00 p.m. game Saturday showcases one of the leagues top offenses against another surprise team. The Saints are led by record-breaking and MVP candidate Drew Brees and they are coming in as hot as any team in the league. They have won eight in a row and have three consecutive blow out wins. The Lions have been an up and down team this year, but when they are clicking, they are a very dangerous team. Matthew Stafford has thrown for over 5,000 yards and has to be in talks as the Comeback Player of the Year.

This game is a tough one to figure out. Both offenses are extremely dangerous and can put up points in a hurry. New Orleans will have to get to Stafford early and deliver some big hits to him, we all know that he is injury prone. Will Smith is the anchor of the defensive line and he will have to have his motor going the entire game. Tracy Porter will have to try to contain Calvin Johnson, which is much easier said that done. He will have help with Roman Harper over the top, but he can't rely on Harper to be there every time. The Lions need to play the way that everybody expects them to play and that is hard, fast, physical and nasty. I'm not talking cheap shots and late hits, but just being relentless up front. Vanden Bosch and Suh will give the Lions offensive line all they can handle. And did I forget to mention the 320 lb Corey Williams? He and Suh nearly require two blockers on every play which opens things up for the linebackers to step up and stop the run game. Jimmy Graham is going to be the difference maker in this game and the Superdome will be too much for the Lions to overcome.
Saints 38 Lions 31

Sunday at 1:00 p.m. showcases a team that, in my eyes, has a great chance to get back to the Superbowl and another who seems to simply be in their way. The Giants are starting to play VERY good football and that can be attributed in large part to their defense. The defensive line has been playing out of their mind good and let's not forget about the "other" Manning. Eli is starting to establish himself as one of the leagues elite quarterbacks and he was nearly joined the 5,000 yard club this season (missed by 67 yards). The Falcons are a team that hasn't been overly impressive this year and have quietly won football games. Led by Matt Ryan and Michael Turner, the Falcons can sneak up and win this game if the Giants do not come out ready to play.

The Falcons can win this game by controlling the tempo of the game. Look for Turner to get a ton of carries to try to counter the fact that the Giants have one of the best pass-rushing defensive lines in the league. I also expect a lot of play-actions and quick hitting slants and curls out of the Falcons. If the Giants cannot get to Ryan, they may be in for a long night defensively. For the Giants, they will need to establish the run early behind the legs of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. This will enable them to hit the big play to Victor Cruz, but let's not forget about Hakeem Nicks, Jake Ballard and Mario Manningham who are also dangerous targets. In the end, the Giants march on behind the arm of Eli and the relentless pressure of their defensive line.
Giants 41 Falcons 17

The final game and the one that I am most excited about is the Denver Broncos hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Broncos are led by Tim Tebow who led them to the playoffs after taking over for a team that was 1-4 while the Steelers come in battered and bruised, but always a dangerous team. The Steelers have been hit by the injury bug as of late with Big Ben's ankle and Rashard Mendenhall tearing his ACL in the teams last game against the Browns. Ryan Clark will miss this game as well because he carries the Sickle Cell trait. Coach Tomlin thought it was in Clark's best interest to not play in this game.

I see this game as a defensive battle. The Broncos have shown that they are a very predictable team with Tebow under center. The Steelers are going to stack the box and force Tebow to beat them with his arm. The only way that the Broncos knock off the Steelers is to unleash Tebow and I see that happening this week. Elway has said that Tebow is walking around with an edge this week. When the spotlight comes on for prime time football, Tebow is at his best. A 50-50 mix of run and pass on first down will keep the Steelers off balance enough for Tebow to lead a couple touch down drives. The Steelers will struggle with the absence of Mendenhall and with Big Ben struggling with his ankle, there is no way that I see the Steelers stealing this one at Mile High.
Broncos 17 Steelers 10