This weekend is one of the big ones on the NFL calendar!

It’s Championship Sunday and the games will decide who we see in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.

The first game on tap is the San Francisco 49ers at the Atlanta Falcons for the NFC Championship.

It’s the Niners rookie sensation quarterback Colin Kaepernick vs. Atlanta’s seasoned veteran QB Matt Ryan, who actually won his first playoff game ever last weekend when the Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks. While Ryan has a decent passing game and does know exactly who to pass off to to get some yardage up the middle, Kaepernick can do all that plus he isn’t the least bit afraid to run the ball for yardage or score a touchdown himself.

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The game will be on at 2 p.m. Central Time on Fox.

Next up, is the AFC Championship pitting the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots.

Baltimore has played with quite the chip on their shoulder this postseason. Taking down the Indianapolis Colts in dramatic fashion and the Denver Broncos, almost as if they were the ones all the experts were predicting to win it all in New Orleans. Joe Flacco hasn’t played like Joe Flacco. He’s played like a real pro. And Ray Lewis. Well … it’s as if no one, especially his team mates, wants to see  his last game as the NFL’s most feared defender.

And the New England Patriots. Well. They are the Patriots. Led by cool, calm and collected Tom Brady and a fiery band of backs and receivers who will smash, bash and run over anyone to get the ball Tom passed to them to the endzone. It’s Tom Brady. He’s been in the league and in this position many times. Can he continue his ways and lead the Pats to another AFC Championship win?

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The AFC Championship kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Central on CBS.

In case you had not heard the jokes or seen the 693493484028042 memes floating around the Internet (like the one below, included in case you genuinely haven’t seen them and honestly, I’m wondering how that is even possible) Russell Wilson, rookie quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, does in fact have more playoff wins than Matt Ryan, fifth-year quarter for the Atlanta Falcons.

So, not only did Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn for the starting job, lead the Seahawks to an 11-5 season,  finish with the highest regular season QBR in NFL history and the most passing TD’s by a rookie in a single season, finish the season with a better playoff performance than both Andrew Luck and RG3, he also now has a better playoff record than Matt Ryan? Say it isn’t so, universe!

Something else Russell Wilson has over Matt Ryan? A really fantastic commercial advertisement.

Check it out.

Now, this is impressive for a number of reasons.

1. Matt Ryan doesn’t have a commercial? How is that possible? (Unless you count this Sports Center promo as a commercial, which I really don’t — though it is pretty adorable).

2. This commercial is equal parts informative and inspiring and that’s actually pretty rare from a commercial, you guys.

3. This glorious advertisement somehow flew under the radar, likely because the airwaves and the interwebs were consumed with ads featuring RG3, Drew Brees and Tim Tebow, quarterbacks that coincidentally, are not playing in the divisional round. Boom.

It’s quite possible that following Sunday’s divisional showdown in Atlanta, Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan could be tied in the playoff wins category, but I am pretty sure that Russell will still have the upper hand in the commercial department. This is insight you can’t get anywhere else, people.

Moral of the story? Russell Wilson is awesome and we should all spend more time talking about him.

In honor of Russell Wilsom’s awesomeness, let’s all give him a follow on Twitter, @DangeRussWilsom. It’s simply absurd that this upstanding gentlemen only has 177, 092 followers (as of Saturday evening).

Oh and nice avi, bro.

Update: More Russell over Ryan-ness, y’all: Russell Wilson also tops Matt Ryan in playoffs “trustworthiness” according to NFL.com.

The playoffs and the road to Super Bowl XLVII is finally here!  The defending champion New York Giants will have no shot at defending their title after they were eliminated from playoff contention Week 17.  A new champion will be crowned on February 3rd.  Here is a look at the playoff picture and how I think it will pan out.

Please note:  These are merely predictions.  The Divisional, Championship, and Super Bowl matchups are subject to change.  Nothing is final. » Continue reading “2013 NFL Playoff and Super Bowl XLVII Predictions: Who will win it all?”

Despite a wild game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were unable to hold off the Atlanta Falcons and snapped their four game win streak with a 24-23 loss this Sunday.

The Bucs couldn’t hold off the beautiful Tony Gonzalez and his Falcons

There were chances aplenty for the Bucs, led by QB Josh Freeman who was 19 of 30 for 256 yards. But rookie Doug Martin, who entered the game leading the NFL in total scrimmage yards, was limited to 50 yards rushing on 21 carries. Martin did score Tampa Bay’s two touchdowns on a pair of 1-yard runs into the endzone. Vincent Jackson also contributed offensively with 96 yards from 5 catches.

The Bucs defense forced two turnovers from Falcons QB Matt Ryan, but the Bucs could only convert these chances into field goals, limiting their great defensive efforts.

The Falcons have a habit of holding on in the 4th quarter, and the Bucs couldn’t break it.  Tampa Bay had two final chances to take back the win at the end of the game, but a 56-yard field goal flew wide, and Freeman’s final pass into the endzone fell into the wrong kind of traffic.

The Buccaneers are now 6-5 and face off against the Broncos next Sunday.

Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan

We’ve just about at the mid-point of the 2012 NFL season. With Week 8 kicking off tonight, it’s time to break down the quarterbacks in the league and see where they rank power-wise.

1. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons
As a rule of thumb, until you’ve been beaten, you’re the best. Ryan and the Falcons are 6-0 (the only undefeated team left), coming off a bye-week, and are preparing for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. in the first six weeks he’s completed 160 passes in 236 attempts for 1,756 yards with a 67.8 completion percentage. He’s thrown 14 touchdowns and ran in a touchdown himself. Ryan is connecting well with Julio Jones and is utilizing his tight end Tony Gonzalez better than ever. Ryan, though, has already been sacked 13 times for a loss of 107 yards and has thrown six interceptions. A little better movement in the pocket, and no one is going to stop this guy. The Falcons are going to eventually lose a game, but it won’t come this week.

2. Eli Manning – New York Giants
Sometimes he has great games and sometimes he has not so great games. However, at the end of the day, Manning finds a way to win. Manning is one of those quarterbacks that will continue to prove that games are never over until the clock reads 00:00 and will set the team up for either a field goal or a touchdown to tie or take the lead. So far this season he is 169-for-265 for 2,109 yards with a 63.8 completion percentage. He’s also been sacked only five times for 40 yards. Manning has a way of staying calm in the pocket and finding his receivers for big yards. He’s coming off a fourth quarter comeback against the Washington Redskins where he threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with under two minutes left in the game. There’s no stopping him when there are less than two minutes remaining.

3. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers
It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Packers, but they are 4-3 and the last two weeks for Rodgers have been powerful ones. He handed the Houston Texans their first loss of the season when he threw six touchdowns on the night. His offensive line does have to get better though as he’s already been sacked 26 times for a loss of 142 yards. He’s been sacked five times in the last two weeks, but still managed to throw nine touchdowns for 680 yards. He is coming off an MVP season and if Packers can protect Rodgers better, he will be one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league. Sorry, Rob Parker, but Rodgers is not the best quarterback in the league this year. » Continue reading “2012 Mid-Season Quarterback Power Rankings”

Julio Jones

The first of the early afternoon games is over as Atlanta defeated the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, 40-24.

Matt Ryan had three touchdown passes and ran for another in the win against Kansas City. Ryan finished a yard shy of 300 yards as he completed 23-of-31.

Julio Jones was the recipient of two of those touchdown receptions. Jones caught both of his TD passes in the first half as he caught six passes for 108 yards.

Tony Gonzalez had the other touchdown reception as he finished with 53 yards. Roddy White was shy of 100 yards receiving, catching six balls for 87 yards.

The Falcons will be home next Monday night to play the Denver Broncos at home.

The New York Football Giants, who barely squeezed their way into the playoffs with a victory over their division rivals in the final hours of the season, finally achieved playoff victory for the first time since their magical Super Bowl run in 2007. And this time it was decisive, as they defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 24-2 at Metlife Stadium.

You read that right. The score was 24-2. For a game that was supposed to high-scoring, the Falcons managed to only score 2 total points, both of them defensive, making them the first team to finish a playoff game with just 2 points. It was an embarrassment for the Falcons, who were eager to avoid another one-and-done trip to the playoffs.

I will admit I was somewhat surprised by the lack of offense in the first half. Both defenses played well, hung in there and the Falcons seemingly had the upper hand when they earned a safety. Who would have thought that the Falcons would  momentarily be more effective in getting to the QB?

However, the defensive battle that was the first quarter and some quickly became the Giants ball game. For all the heat that is coming down on Matt Ryan (see bottom for more on him), let’s give credit where its due. The Giants dominated in all 3 phases of the game and they deserve credit for that.

Observations

• Falcons Failures in Short yardage : The Falcons were unable to convert in several short yardage situations, including several 4th and long/4th and inches scenarios that could have been game changing. Let’s also give credit to the Giants defense who put together big stops in these key moments.
• Mike Smith was out-coached : I have to say that I admire Mike Smith’s confidence in his guys, especially in the  playoffs when it’s so often go big or go home. And if those conversions had been successful, perhaps we would be applauding his gutsy decision-making rather than criticizing, but such is life. But if you’re going to do it, Mike Smith, at least try to make it look like you’re not going to run the same play you ran the first time. At least try to trick the defense into believing you’re not going to  run a QB sneak.
• That said, Points are Points are Points. And you only had 2. Total.
• Questionable Play-Calling : For all of Mike Smith’s missteps (and there were many), Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has a few missteps of his own. In the first half, the Giants mysteriously ran on 3rd and 9 and also went with a strange play near the goal line on 4th and inches. Fortunately for the Giants, they were able to make enough adjustments and overcome the inconsistencies. For what it’s worth, I get the impression most Giants fans aren’t huge fans of Gilbride and the team has been successful in spite of him because of Eli’s ability to make adjustments. This is coming from someone who doesn’t watch every Giants game, so feel free to let me know if I’m wrong. Then again, maybe ever fan base hates their offensive coordinator.
• Drops : Roddy White and the Falcons receivers did little to help out their QB in several key spots. I will admit that not all of the balls were perfectly thrown, but if you watched the Steelers-Broncos game you watched a game filled with receivers making big plays.
• Giants Running Game : The Giants running game was near the bottom of the league for a good portion of the season but it looks like they have found their grove at the right time. Both Bradshaw and Jacobs (especially Jacobs) broke off several nice long runs which kept the Falcons defense guessing. The running game will be pivotal for the Giants as the move into the next round of the playoffs. On the flip side, the Falcons were unable to get anything going from their running game and it really hurt their entire offensive rhythm and contributed to their failures.
• Pass Rush : Yes, the Giants were extremely successful rushing the passer and for a while there, so were the Falcons. But the Giants front four were way too much for Matt Ryan to handle. As I pointed out in my game preview, Osi’s return to the lineup gives the Giants the versatility they’d been looking for all season and the combination of JPP, Tuck, Osi and Kiwanuka will be tough for any opposing QB. (While we are on the subject, I would like to at least give credit to Falcons John Abraham, who played well opposite McKenzie.).
• Offensive Line Play : Both lines did not play great, but the Giants figured things out as the game went on.
• Steve Weatherford is awesome : Actually, both punters were excellent.
• Hakeem Nicks had his big stage, #1 wide receiver moment. Twice. What’s scary is that all three of the Giants receivers are dangerous and any one of them could easily have a game like Nicks has today.
• Who knew Eli was so..mobile? Actually, he has made a number of great plays this season with his legs. Great to see.
• Ryan in the no-huddle : Atlanta finally had some success on offense with the no huddle late in first quarter. Ryan was controlling tempo and calling protections and it worked, though they weren’t able to get a touchdown from it. This is something they can build on next season and use going forward but it just wasn’t enough for them today.

Conclusion

Falcons -I have two eyes and I can clearly see that Matt Ryan was off. He picked up some stream when running the no huddle in the first half but for most of the game he appeared rattled and nervous. The Giants pass rush (that he called the best he had ever faced) had Ryan completely off his game and he couldn’t make his reads or throws. Moreover, the Falcons couldn’t run the ball, an element that has been key to their offensive approach.

I somehow find myself in a position where I have to constantly defend quarterbacks. People are killing Ryan, saying he can never win a playoff game and that he is overrated. Please, people. He is still young (Eli has been in the league nearly twice as long as him) and he has quietly lead the team to a 43-19 record. I have no doubt he will have more opportunities to show what he’s got and I look forward to him hopefully proving us all wrong.

Lastly, and what makes me sad, is that Tony Gonzalez will likely never get a playoff win in his entire NFL career.

Giants - The Giants have to feel good about themselves heading to Green Bay. Obviously Eli and the receivers have been excellent all season (that excellence continued today), but the two elements that the Giants have been somewhat missing – the running game and defense – are finally coming together. When you are balanced on offense and that dominant on defense then you can threaten to go toe-to-toe with team like the Packers. The Giants do have to be careful about making silly mistakes; they had several very costly penalties in the first half  that fortunately the Falcons were unable to take advantage of.

I will leave you with this random thought: The last two teams the Falcons have lost to in the playoffs have gone on to win the Super Bowl. I’m not saying; I’m just saying…

Eh. I  guess Vegas doesn’t care. The Packers open as 10 point favorites over the Giants.

The New York Giants host the Atlanta Falcons at Metlife Stadium for Round One of the NFC Playoffs. It is both franchise’s first meeting in the post-season.

The Giants have been flying high after defeating their cross town rivals and “America’s team”, the Cowboys, last week on prime time and earning their first trip to the post season since 2008. The Giants recent surge has prompted Twitter’s favorite joke : This is the third week in the row the Giants match-up against someone whose last name is Ryan.

Hahaha. How funny. But, seriously, as far as similarities go, they end with the last name.

The Falcons are looking to right the ship after a one-and-done trip to the post season last year. The earned the right to play the Giants, not their divisional-rivals the Saints, in a 45-24 win over the Bucs.

This is the Falcons fourth straight winning season and the first back to back trip to the playoffs in franchise history.

I believe these teams are very evenly matched and that Atlanta is being largely underestimated by the national media, which gives me pause. There is much more to this game than meets the eye, and I’ve outlined the major aspects of the game and examined how these two teams stack up head-to-head. (And I will just go ahead and give you fair warning : You’re going to hear the words ‘pass rush’ a lot).

The Quarterbacks

Matt Ryan - Ryan has played excellent in the second half of the season after starting off pretty slow, perhaps because he was finally able to get both Roddy White and Julio Jones together on the same field.

In spite of breaking the Falcons franchise record for passing yards in a season, critics point to Ryan’s 0-2 playoff record as a huge mark against him. A playoff win could help push Ryan into that next tier of quarterbacks.

Ryan really needs time to make his throws. If he has to wait too long for something to happen, he is more prone to bad decisions and mistakes. He will need to be well protected to be effective.

Eli Manning - Eli is having one of the best season’s of his career and finally inserting himself into the elite conversation that has normally been dominated by his brother.

Eli and his receivers are averaging the 5th most passing yards per game in the league. It will be interesting to see how the Falcons chose to defend Eli; if you blitz him, like the Cowboys did last week, he will pick you apart.

Though Eli has played at an extremely high level this season, he still has a tendency to force throws at times and get picked off. Eli has three 2+ INT games this season. The Giants lost all three.

Advantage : Eli. Slightly. I will add that if Ryan can be effective against the Giants pass rush, it could be the difference in the game.

The Running Game

Falcons – Turner hasn’t quite been himself since he injured his groin a few weeks ago but he is still the focal point of the offense. Mike Smith knows this team has to run the ball first in order to be effective and they will do just that. The Giants run defense puts this match-up in their favor, even if Turner is a little slow.

Giants – Bradshaw is also an essential part of the Giants offense. When they were without him and Jacobs was forced to carry the load, the Giants were near the bottom of the league in rushing totals. Neither back excels in the passing game and unless the Falcons run defense falls apart, I don’t really see them being a huge factor.

Advantage : Falcons

The Receivers

Falcons – Roddy White is the Falcons all-time leading receiver. He was also the most targeted receiver in the regular season and in targets per a game (11.2), though he did lead the league in drops.

What Julio Jones  has been able to do since returning from his injury is incredible, and is he shaping up to be exactly what they had in mind when the Falcons risked it all to move up and get him. Julio is the deep threat, the big play guy that they were missing. All he needs is to break one tackle and then he is gone. The impact he’s had on the offense is palpable and part of the reason he won December Rookie of the Month.

While their receiving game is potent, it’s essential the Falcons run the ball enough so that they can set up for the play action.

Giants – Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz combine for one of the most lethal receiving trios in all of football. All three receivers are very good in the all-important yards after the catch stat- they just have to catch it in the first palce. Sadly, the Giants lead the league in drops.  Imagine what Eli’s stats would have looked like had they not.

The Giants typically run Cruz out of the slot and I would imagine they will do the same here. He has been so dangerous with his speed that can turn one missed tackle into a gigantic play.

Nicks is a little banged up and he has been used primarily as a decoy as of late but his presence alone is enough.

Advantage : Push

Tight Ends

Falcons – Tony Gonzalez has been drinking from the fountain of youth and put together another excellent season for what will probably be a Hall of Fame career. Gonzalez will be essential to Ryan’s success, especially on third down. The Falcons are 6th best in league on 3rd down conversions.

Giants – Jake Ballard should be back for this game but it may not matter. The Falcons defense is quite good not only defending the run, but also in dropping back to defend the short passing game. They have been the best in the NFL at defending opposing tight ends and if the Falcon’s take away the deep ball and force Eli to rely on the short passing game, they will likely win the battle.

Advantage : Falcons

Offensive Line

Falcons – The Falcons Offensive line has struggled a bit in protection this season, but have only given up 7 sacks in the last 6 games, which is part of the reason why we saw Ryan be more effective down the stretch.

They have been great working in tandem with the running game.

Giants – The Giants o line hasn’t been much better and they’ve allowed 7 sacks in the past 3 games. They have also struggled to open things up for the running game.

Advantage : Atlanta, by a hair.

Run Defense

Falcons – Run defense has been quite good all season and finished third overall. They have stopped opposing backs for no gain or a loss on 23 percent of carries, good for second best.

That is due in large part to Sean Witherspoon and LB Curtis Lofton, who both quietly had Pro Bowl caliber years. The Falcons DTs are very underrated and could cause problems for the Giants. They are also quite good dropping back into coverage.

Giants – The Giants run defense is near the bottom of the league but they have had a lot of success against Atlanta’s style of runner (they typically struggle against speedier guys like LeSean McCoy).

Advantage : Falcons

Pass Defense

Falcons - The Falcons typically rush four and drop the rest into zone, so don’t count on seeing the same type of coverage that Rob Ryan’s defense showed last week. I’m not saying it will be successful but that’s their M.O.

John Abraham is their primary pass rusher and he will try to get in Eli’s face and bring him down, but that is pretty much all they have got.

The Atlanta secondary is mostly good, thought inconsistent and can easily be picked apart (see Saints MNF game). Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson will have their work cut out for them against the Giants receivers, especially with Cruz operating out of the slot. Will they ask Grimes to abandon his usual side of the field and stick like glue to Cruz?

Giants  - The Giants pass defense goes through their pass rush, which is one of, if not the best in the league. However, if you can get past it, opportunities await.

The combination of Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre Paul is just scary and they are the biggest factor in the Giants decent turnaround on defense (injuries kept the unit from playing together all season). LB  Mathias Kiwanuka is also a very important piece up front, though he is in on both passing and running plays.

The Giants secondary has really struggled this season between injuries, poor tackling and blown coverages. Corey Webster leads the team in interceptions but opposite of him is Aaron Ross, who is a bad match-up against Julio Jones.

Advantage : Giants pass rush wins out.

Special Teams 

Falcons – Returner Eric Weems has had no where near the season he enjoyed last year but he still consistently gives the offense excellent field position.

Kicker Matt Bryant is very consistent but keep in mind he plays the majority of his games in a dome.

Giants – Punter Steve Weatherford has been phenomenal this season as has kicker Lawrence Tynes.

Advantage : Push.

Key Match-Up : Matt Ryan vs. Giants Pass Rush

As Matt Hamilton, a researcher and writer at NFL Playbook pointed out to me, not only has the Giants pass rush been good, but Osi’s return has given them added versatility and made them even better.

However, Ryan has been extremely productive when running the no-huddle offense this year. If Ryan can key in on the pass rush, make adjustments and call protections, he might be able to get the ball out to Gonazlez or the receivers and hit the Giants where they are weaker in the secondary.

Home Field Advantage (?)

The Falcons play the majority of their games in a dome, which would traditionally give them a disadvantage in the chilly. January air at MetLife Stadium. But Matt Ryan is actually experienced played in cold weather from his college days (he’s also from Philly) and it’s going to be a perfectly pleasant 44 degrees in NY tomorrow. In other words, this perceived “cold weather” factor is being greatly overstated.

Secondly, the Giants have actually won more road games than home games this season (4-4 at home). Eli Manning has also never won a home playoff game and he also throws more interceptions at home. When it comes down to it, that really doesn’t mean much and frankly, who cares, but I just wanted to point out that this alleged “home-field advantage” is really nothing but hype.

Prediction

I’ve been pretty good picking games this year but I’m still going back and forth on this one. Perhaps I am secretely torn by my crush on Julio Jones and my wish for Matt Ryan to win a playoff game, especially after their rough loss last season (And doesn’t that make any pick I make biased?).

In an effort to be fair, I took a Twitter poll to get a feel for what other people had to say

63% believe the Giants will in; 37% picked the Falcons.

I predict the score will be 27-24. Pick a winner and I won’t criticize either decision.

Several NFL games were filled with excitement Sunday and sure to either help or worsen that hangover you have from New Year’s Eve celebrations! If things were just too bad for you to watch, sit back and I’ll try to get you informed as best I can! Remember, if you are looking for a specific team not covered here check the team sites!

Cardinals 23, Seahawks 20
It came down to overtime for the Cardinals. Again!

Larry Fitzgerald had an awesome catch during overtime to set up Jay Feely for a 28-yard field goal to seal the victory for the Cards. The win moves them to 8-8. This was the fourth overtime victory of of the season for the team.

This is the second consecutive 7-9 finish for Seattle. The team seems to make strides of improvement and then … flounders as the season winds down. For Seahawks fans sake, I hope Pete Carroll and the gang make some improvements.

Here’s a little more on the game between the ‘Hawks and Cards!

Giants 31, Cowboys 14
Victor Cruz and Eli Manning led the Giants to a playoff spot and the 8-8 Cowboys didn’t make it for a second season.

Manning was 24 of 33 for 346 yards and 3 TDs. Cruz had six catches for 178 yards and he did his ever popular touchdown salsa after the first score … which just so happened to be a 74-yard play. » Continue reading “What Happened Sunday!”

Carson Palmer had a bad game.

There was lots of exciting NFL action to be watched Sunday! I’m going to break down the good, bad and ugly of it all. Remember if you are looking for a specific game not listed below, check the team sites!

Packers 46, Raiders 16

Good: The Packers cruised to victory and are now 13-0. Aaron Rodgers was 17 of 30 passing for  281 yards and 2 TDs. He surprisingly threw an interception too. Jordy Nelson and Ryan Taylor caught touchdown passes. Mason Crosby was four for four on field goals including a 49-yard bomb in the third quarter.

Bad: Packer receiver Greg Jennings injured his left knee in the third quarter.

Ugly: Carson Palmer. He’s so ugly he has no alibi! Palmer was 24 of 42 passing for 245 yards,  a touchdown pass and a whopping four interceptions.

Ravens 24, Colts 10

Good: Ravens QB Joe Flacco was 23 of 31 passing for 227 yards and two TDs – one to Torrey Smith and the other to Dennis Pitta. Ray Rice ran for 103 yards and a TD. » Continue reading “Good, Bad and Ugly Sunday Roundup”