NFL
I have found this year's NFL playoffs just delightful. But how can that be if I'm a fan in the "anemic" NFC West? Wait (be patient there's a lot more). Listen (correction: read), and you might share my opinion. If nothing else, for you quasi-sports fans, you'll get a unique highlight reel so you can "act cool" at your next party knowing how the NFL playoffs shaped up.
At the beginning of the season, like any true football fan, I believed in my team and hoped for a playoff berth, maybe more. This year, I felt such goals were attainable. Them experts got me going, yet again... Even with an 0-5 start, I still believed because I'm a loyal fan and it's not over 'til it's over. Unfortunately and eventually, reality kicked in and even a 7-9 NFC West crown was unattainable for the Niners.
Luckily for me, I was able to turn my sports addiction into an appreciation of the sport (half-truth, I can't kick the dependency). My focus shifted from rooting for my home team to simply enjoying the most competitively balanced professional American sport. A rarity when there's so much moolah at stake to win. You can't say the same about MLB (America's pastime) or the NBA (where one player IS the franchise). Too often, the rich stay rich and buyout the rest unlike the NFC South, where turnarounds surface in only a year. However, one cannot be too greedy. I'm still shaking from that November orange and black parade and too much confetti may just end up blinding me.
I had to enjoy what NFL postseason offers other than your own team's success: amazing games, awesome plays, and infinite surprises. Thanks to DVRs, weekends, and sticking to doing what I love, I was able to catch at least a majority of all the games. Let's recount history the old fashion way, chronologically.
The Wild Card Round
- New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks
This game wouldn't have been as amazing if it weren't for the pregame buildup. I had to eat my own words of a St. Louis Rams 8-8 playoff prediction. I told the "east coast bias" haters to go away because 8-8 had been done before. With the 7-9 Seahawks clinching, Jon Gruden and fellow experts got to tear into the NFC West champ. This was the first sub .500 playoff team (so what!) and many believed the Seahawks didn't deserve a shot. Who decided that golden rule all of a sudden? They earned it within the current rules (and more importantly to the critics) they backed it up.
Even as the host team, the Seahawks were written off. "They" said "no chance" against the defending Super Bowl champs. Hasselback, Carlson, Lynch, and the entire Seahawks team and fan-base proved otherwise. In fact, Lynch's epic 67-yard TD run registered a disturbance to the nearby seismic monitoring station. I know Lynch is a beast, but that energy is all 12th man. Home Field Advantage.
- New York Jet's @ Indianapolis Colts
They say defense travels well. That better be the case if you're playing Peyton Manning on his turf. Containing the best leader in football to 16 points is exactly what the Jets needed to do. Manning led a go-ahead field goal drive with 53 seconds remaining. However, "The Cardiac Kids" kept their season pumping and responded with a game winning field goal drive of their own. It just shows that there is only so much one man can do in a TEAM sport.
- Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs
I told you defense travels well and I told you it was a team sport. Boom, roasted. Game, Ravens. Honestly, I didn't catch much of this game and I bet the home side wishes it hadn't either. At least Kansas City got a home playoff game. A big improvement over the recent Chargers' stranglehold on their division.
- Green Bay Packers @ Philadelphia Eagles
This one was a doozie to predict. My friends and I felt that whoever won this game could wind up winning the whole shebang (by the way, the verdict is still out). Rodgers vs. Vick was the marquee match-up and I went with Vick and the Eagles. My family probably would joke and quote the Grail Knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: "He chose poorly." I picked the glitzy offense instead of the one led by a man I knew was rock-solid since his days at Cal. Maybe I couldn't handle seeing success stem from the player that the Niners passed on for a guy who had "better physical tools." Let's underestimate the brain, that's smart... (don't do it again Niners!!!)
Whatever, my selfish reasoning didn't matter. The game was exciting and the deciding play didn't drop until the last minute. Defense stepped up again and took advantage of a mistake made "between the ears" by Vick. After earning enough yards to get within striking distance, Vick decided to rush an "All-Go" play instead of spiking the ball to regroup. As a result, he chucked a ball towards an end zone bound Riley Cooper (who?) and Tramon Williams came down with it instead. Game Packers.
The Division Round
- Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
What was expected to be a heavyweight bout was exactly that, a slugfest. The Ravens and Terrell Suggs came out strong, but in the end Steel City dropped the hammer on their rivals. My fantasy football aspirations took a hurting along with the Ravens. They couldn't hold off Ben Roethlisberger and his desire to win. The highlight play? A 58 yard gain on a third-and-19 bomb from "Big Ben" to a one-handed catch by Antonio Brown (who again?). This set up the game winning score to complete the Steelers' comeback.
- Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons
"Whoa" à la Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. Did anyone expect such domination from the Pack playing at the number-one-seed Atlanta? I doubt it. "Matty Ice" and Co. had been pushing records with their play at home for three years now. I stopped watching this game in the second half when the blowout was in full force. The Packers' punter had the day off too. The Packer's defense certainly flew under the radar in this one. Yes, "A-Rod" was great (a dome and turf sneak-peak for Dallas), but the Packer's D held Turner to 39 yards rushing, picked off Ryan twice (one for a TD), and gave up only two touchdowns, one of which was basically in "garbage time." I don't know if Rodgers was unstoppable or whether the Falcon's left their D somewhere other than at home. I do know that the result was unexpected.
- Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears
The Bears crushed any underdog hopes for the Seahawks this time (Hey Seattle, wasn't the week-long ride fun though?). Urlacher's-led-defense looked focused and like the Falcons/Packers game, "garbage time" allowed the Seahawks to make it seem closer than it really was. Injuries hurt Seattle, and Carlson going down was mammoth. Maybe knowing their rival Pack would come to town made Da Bears hungry to take care of business. Tuning out most of this game was crucial to rest my brain from playoff football delirium.
- New York Jets @ New England Patriots
J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets! (I envy their cheer) Boy, was I ecstatic that the Jets took down the Patriot Empire. I have been amused with the Jets this season from their Hard Knocks training camp to their calculated trash talking. The problem with trash talk: you must do it well and then you got to back it up. The Patriots played into the Jet's game and did neither. Tom Brady, don't forget karma when you taunt an opposing coach next time. The Jets' excitement only carried me so far. I have to admit, I felt like some Presidential elections (not '08's). I voted for one team, not because I truly wanted it to win, but because I really, really, didn't want the other team on top. Sadly, that belief paid off in my fantasy football playoff redemption league. I refused to select any Patriots for the playoffs and not surprisingly I was in the minority. The minority opinion does succeed if it's truly the right one.
As for the game, team play is greater than "expert" opinion. It appeared as if the Patriots were winning early, but that Jets' defense harassed Brady and controlled most of the game. An "abominable snowman rare" pick of Brady occurred early and an ideal Jets' run-TD by Shonn Greene sealed it late. A 3-0 lead was all the Patriots got and although it was close the entire game, defense led the way to a New York victory.
The Jets' truly willed their way to winning this game. It was evident in their post game interviews and uncontrollable exuberance. The Jets' happiness had to punch through all the hatred between the teams that had been showcased by the media. However, celebrating at the cost of a penalty to your team is a no-no. Shonn Greene better have his head on a swivel in the next division rematch. People don't forget (ask any baseball player who's gotten "chin music"). C'mon Man! Respect your opponent. What's wrong with the simple fist pump? The "No Fun League's" rule to curtail excessive celebration is necessary to stop individual spotlighting. That's why running off the field of play and celebrating with your team or your fans is allowed.
The Championship Round
- Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears
The Pack are still rolling. They came in prepared, taking control early with a Rodgers-esque drive and their defense kept them in control. You could feel that sense in Soldier Field's quietest moment after a B.J. Raji pick six. My favorite defensive play was executed by Rodgers, making a touchdown saving tackle on an Urlacher interception return. Even QBs know the importance of D. An ineffective Jay Cutler and a subsequently truly injured Cutler couldn't keep up. At least, Maurice Jones-Drew (UCLA!!) apologized and his joke wasn't aimed at questioning Cutler's toughness like everyone and their mother was doing. While you can't play on a sprained MCL you can hope that your team prepares well-enough and your second, nay, third-string quarterback can make things interesting. Caleb Hanie did exactly that and brought a glimmer of hope to the Bear's faithful. There's always next season (unless the filthy rich are greedy for a lockout).
- New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Yet again I rooted for the losing team, but good football still brought me joy. I'm glad the Jets and Sanchez never gave up and made the biggest comeback in championship history a possibility. When we all thought it was over at 24-zip; surprise surprise, touchdowns and a safety made the Steelers' huge lead vulnerable. As expected, the Steelers were trying to run out the clock by running the ball, but unexpectedly a third down shotgun formation and empty backfield resulted in an another Antonio Brown (who is this guy?) catch for the game sealer. In what was a match-up of defense, I'm glad the most exciting and instinctive defensive player is going to the Super Bowl. Yes, I am glad for, uh, a USC Trojan: Troy Polamalu. I also have praise for Mike Tomlin and the rest of the Pittsburgh coaching staff: a blueprint for ownership and coaching. On to Dallas for Pittsburgh and their fans.
THE Superbowl
- Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.
If you've read this far then you know I ain't watching the Super Bowl for the commercials (even though they are entertaining for a change). I will watch because I am a SPORTS FAN. I could be an "expert" here and expect certain results. The best part is if I did, it would only cause me to be more surprised. Maybe Rodgers will dominate the dome, maybe Big Ben will be taller than the rest, or maybe defense will bring home the Lombardi Trophy. I do not know!!!! I only have one true expectation that I know will happen. I'm going to have a big smile on my face enjoying the game and knowing millions of others will have an even bigger smile when THEIR team wins it all this year.
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