KIDWCKED
01-09-2010, 06:11 PM
c\p from TSN
The regular season is over and the National Football League playoffs begin Saturday. Yes, it's Wild-Card Weekend, one of the best sports weekends of the year.
One and done postseason formats are always intense and while series playoffs can be exciting, in the NFL every game is Game 7. It's the 'Any Given Sunday' (and in this case Saturday) theory taken to the extreme. No matter how good a team may have been in the lead up, one rough day now and the season is over.
New York Jets (9-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
(Saturday @ 4pm et/1pm pt on CTV and CTV HD)
This is the first of the three "return engagement" games this weekend. The Jets scored a lopsided 37-0 win over the Bengals in the regular season finale last Sunday. Although one could argue Cincinnati was already assured a playoff spot and the J-E-T-S need to win, it does not excuse the U-G-L-Y effort by the Bengals.
The troubling nature of their performance was not lost on the Bengals. "The Jets outplayed us in all three phases. We get a chance to regroup and get going again next Saturday afternoon," said head coach Marvin Lewis following the game.
Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) at Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
(Saturday @ 8pm et/5pm pt on CTV and CTV HD)
Last weekend Tony Romo and the Cowboys steamrolled the Eagles and claimed the NFC East crown. The Cowboys' offence passed, rushed and generally did whatever they wanted against Philly and on the other side of the ball, Dallas played Big D.
It was a convincing win and a rather embarrassing way for the Eagles to step into the postseason. With that said, the majority of the pressure in this one is still on the Cowboys and another playoff failure would not sit well. Both Romo and Cowboys' head coach Wade Phillips have a lot riding on this game.
Baltimore Ravens (9-7) at New England Patriots (10-6)
(Sunday @ 1pm et/10am pt on CTV and CTV HD)
With Wes Welker done for the season after tearing both his ACL and MCL on Sunday, the Patriots have a major hole in their offence. Enter rookie receiver Julian Edelman, who needs to carry over the momentum from his performance in Week 17.
Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and the rest of the Ravens will do what they always do, play punishing defence and run the ball. Wills McGahee may have explained it best after clinching their Wild-Card spot on Sunday. "Once we get in [the playoffs], we know we can do damage and now we're in there."
Green Bay Packers (11-5) at Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
(Sunday @ 4pm et/1am pt on CTV and CTV HD)
The Packers scored a 33-7 win over the Cards, but with most of Arizona's big guns seeing limited action, this Sunday things should be more even.
You know that in the backs of their minds Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarty and the rest of the Packers are hoping to get another shot at Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. On the other side of the field, the Cardinals have no doubt been carrying a "we were no fluke last season" chip on their shoulders. All the teams in the playoffs have something to prove, it just seems these two have even more.
The regular season is over and the National Football League playoffs begin Saturday. Yes, it's Wild-Card Weekend, one of the best sports weekends of the year.
One and done postseason formats are always intense and while series playoffs can be exciting, in the NFL every game is Game 7. It's the 'Any Given Sunday' (and in this case Saturday) theory taken to the extreme. No matter how good a team may have been in the lead up, one rough day now and the season is over.
New York Jets (9-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
(Saturday @ 4pm et/1pm pt on CTV and CTV HD)
This is the first of the three "return engagement" games this weekend. The Jets scored a lopsided 37-0 win over the Bengals in the regular season finale last Sunday. Although one could argue Cincinnati was already assured a playoff spot and the J-E-T-S need to win, it does not excuse the U-G-L-Y effort by the Bengals.
The troubling nature of their performance was not lost on the Bengals. "The Jets outplayed us in all three phases. We get a chance to regroup and get going again next Saturday afternoon," said head coach Marvin Lewis following the game.
Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) at Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
(Saturday @ 8pm et/5pm pt on CTV and CTV HD)
Last weekend Tony Romo and the Cowboys steamrolled the Eagles and claimed the NFC East crown. The Cowboys' offence passed, rushed and generally did whatever they wanted against Philly and on the other side of the ball, Dallas played Big D.
It was a convincing win and a rather embarrassing way for the Eagles to step into the postseason. With that said, the majority of the pressure in this one is still on the Cowboys and another playoff failure would not sit well. Both Romo and Cowboys' head coach Wade Phillips have a lot riding on this game.
Baltimore Ravens (9-7) at New England Patriots (10-6)
(Sunday @ 1pm et/10am pt on CTV and CTV HD)
With Wes Welker done for the season after tearing both his ACL and MCL on Sunday, the Patriots have a major hole in their offence. Enter rookie receiver Julian Edelman, who needs to carry over the momentum from his performance in Week 17.
Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and the rest of the Ravens will do what they always do, play punishing defence and run the ball. Wills McGahee may have explained it best after clinching their Wild-Card spot on Sunday. "Once we get in [the playoffs], we know we can do damage and now we're in there."
Green Bay Packers (11-5) at Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
(Sunday @ 4pm et/1am pt on CTV and CTV HD)
The Packers scored a 33-7 win over the Cards, but with most of Arizona's big guns seeing limited action, this Sunday things should be more even.
You know that in the backs of their minds Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarty and the rest of the Packers are hoping to get another shot at Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. On the other side of the field, the Cardinals have no doubt been carrying a "we were no fluke last season" chip on their shoulders. All the teams in the playoffs have something to prove, it just seems these two have even more.