Divisional Round Playoff Preview!!! Saturday

Saturday January 14, 2012
10:14am

Saints at 49ers-
This is difficult game for me to predict because I think I've only seen the 49ers play maybe 3 games in the past 5 years due to scheduling.  I can really only rely on stats and word of mouf.  I predicted a Saints win and huge game from Brees last week mostly because of the fact that I expected that game to be a shootout. However, the Saints haven't been half the team on the road this year as they are at the MERCEDES BENZ SUPERDOME.  I've also heard comparisons between this years 49ers defense and the 85 Bears defense.  Obviously, that's probably a bit of an exaggeration, but some of San Francisco's defensive stats are staggering.  San Francisco will have to run the 9 velcro (from their Madden 12 playbook) to keep Brees from running screens to Sproles all afternoon.  I really don't know how San Francisco's offense works, but I'm pretty sure running the ball mixed in with 5 yard passes to Vernon Davis will be enough to move the ball into field goal territory, where the NFL's real MVP David Akers will be able to put points on the board.  I'm not sure Alex Smith will take enough chances to even allow a below-average Saints defense to capitalize off of mistakes.  I'm taking the 49ers in a really close game.  Good for the 49ers organization.

Broncos at Patriots -
I don't want to get cocky here, because we all saw what happened when I did that last year.  I respect and fear Denver's solid defense and strong running game.  My biggest problem with thinking they have a shot is imagining Tebow playing a perfect game.  I think if Timmy plays as good as God could ask for, the Broncos have a ceiling of 24 points.  Yes, I keep hearing about how awful the Patriots defense is and how they allow more yard than any other team in the NFL.  They also have better than league-average numbers in POINTS allowed per game, and a defense that is very good at forcing turnovers.  Those hypothetical 24 points are not going to be enough to stop these Patriots.  They simply have too many weapons offensively and just have too many ways to beat you.  Between the 2 TE attack, having to deal with Welker (who despite his size, is probably one of the 5 best WR in the NFL), and having to deal with oft forgotten deep threats like Deion Branch or even Chad Ochocinco, Denver simply just doesn't have enough coverage to get this job done.  X-Factor: if Logan Mankins doesn't play and Brady is under pressure all evening, he could be forced into making mistakes.  I think there is a limit to what Tebow can do, but if he has the defense helping him out, it is a different story.  I'm taking the Patriots with a comfortable lead by the start of the final quarter.

As you all know, the Patriots are my preferred NFL team.  It is awesome to cheer for such a successful organization, especially one with such great management and coaching.  However, there are some fortunate organizations in sports such as the Yankees, Colts, Pats, Heat, (the Bulls and Blackhawks for the next 5-10 years) where making the playoffs is expected.  The regular season is fun, but after a playoff loss, you're not hoping to get back to the playoffs next year; you are simply WAITING for the next playoff game.  The Patriots have not won a playoff game since January 2008 before their loss in Super Bowl XLII.  The next year, the Pats became only the 2nd 11-5 team in NFL history to miss the postseason.  And the next 2 years, a loss in the first round in Foxboro.  There has been a lot to cheer about in the Patriots organization in the past 4 years, but for fans, the season really begins tonight.  The country seems to be obsessed with the Brady-Tebow matchup.  I have almost forgotten who were are playing.  The Patriots need to win this game to get a playoff losing streak off of their backs.  If Denver pulls off the upset tonight, a team that has gone 64-16 the past 5 regular seasons will be taking heavy criticism and may even lead to some personnel changes.  So what I'm really trying to say is that it was another fun regular season (especially going under the radar this year), but I've been patiently and anxiously waiting for this day for exactly one year.  Go Pats.

A few additional notes:
- Go Bulls...Just ran over the Celtics last night...Looks like their perennial winning might be stopped in this condensed season
- Go Blackhawks...playing the Redwings again in Detroit with only a 1 game lead over them
- Go Florida State...the giant slayers always pull off the big upset (it was Duke last year; UNC tonight)