Open Thread: NFL Divisional Playoffs, Day 1
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 1:01 PM EST
in Blog Series
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PrintThe 2009 NFL Divisional playoffs are upon us! What, you're not excited? Yeah, me either. Being a Buffalo Bills fan will do that to you - we haven't tasted playoff football in nearly a decade. I've forgotten that flavor.
Still, good football is good football, and at least one of today's matchups is sure to be exactly the type of football I love watching. Good defense rules.
Care to make a prediction about today's games? I know I am, even though I only correctly predicted one of last week's four wild card games. Who says you can't play the game if you stink at it? I'm diving in head-first again this weekend, starting with today's two matchups.
Baltimore Ravens (12-5) at Tennessee Titans (13-3)
4:30 PM EST, CBS
Titans coverage: Music City Miracles
Ravens coverage: Baltimore Beatdown
-If the cliche "defense wins championships" holds true, then this is going to be a championship playoff matchup. That's really the long and short of it. I love watching two smash-mouth football teams slug it out in a low-scoring game, so I'm going to love watching this one. The tough part is guessing who'll win - also an appealing characteristic of this game. I think Baltimore is a slightly better team, especially defensively, so I'm going with the upset pick.
Prediction: RAVENS 13, TITANS 9
Familiar faces: Ravens DT Justin Bannan, S Jim Leonhard, RB Willis McGahee.
Arizona Cardinals (10-7) at Carolina Panthers (12-4)
8:15 PM EST, FOX
Panthers coverage: Cat Scratch Reader
Cardinals coverage: Revenge of the Birds
- Remember what I just said about enjoying watching two smash-mouth football teams slug it out? The Panthers are that team. The Cardinals are not. If 2008 was anything, it was a year in which physicality, a strong running game and hitting the guy across the line from you in the mouth won out the vast majority of the time. Just look at the top two teams in each conference - if the Titans, Steelers, Giants and Panthers are known for anything, they're known for knocking the crap out of their opponent every single week. Sorry, Cards fans; your team doesn't stand a chance tonight.
Prediction: PANTHERS 31, CARDINALS 17
Familiar Faces: Cardinals OL Mike Gandy.
(Notice how neither the Titans or Panthers have a single, solitary ex-Bill on their team. OK, Josh Stamer is a Titan, but he's on IR - he doesn't count. No wonder those teams were a combined 25-7 this year.)
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Wait – the Panthers do have Darwin Walker. He was on the Bills roster for four whole months!
And the Titans have Eric King – drafted by Buffalo in the 5th round in 2005, cut after the season (despite playing in all 16 games), and signed by the Titans in 2006. He’s been on the team for three years and started one game for them.
Haha yeah, didn’t count Darwin for obvious reasons.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 3:59 PM EST up reply actions
Here we go
Titans 20
Ravens 9
Panthers 38
Cardinals 17
Players of the day? Cortland Finnegan, 2 INT’s of Flacco
9 Straight non-playoff seasons for the Bills. I don’t even know if words will be able to describe the feeling I"ll have if the Bills make the playoffs. God, I hope they make it again before the franchise moves to Toronto! Come on 2009 BILLS! I need for one time to actually make the playoffs in my adult life
MARVelous
Are you ready for some Football !
I am really looking forward to the Ravens/Titans game. If Collins can avoid turning the ball over, I see the Titans winning big. They have had a week to rest, and you can’t underestimate how much that helps a team with injuries. Plus, as much as I like the Ravens coach and a impressed with how well Flacco is playing, I still would like to see Willis McBigMouth get the crap kick out of him. Titans 24 Ravens 10
The Panther’s game should not even be close. I said the Cards would lose last week….oooops…..but with Boldin out or at least very limited, it will be much easier to double Fitz. Panthers 27 Cards 9
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"
By the way Brian,
here is the pic you wanted.
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"
by Joe P. on Jan 10, 2009 3:51 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
HAHA. Classic. Please rec this, folks!
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 4:00 PM EST up reply actions
my picks.....
bal-16
ten-10
car-24
ari- 13
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 10, 2009 2:38 PM EST reply actions
Love the newborn shot!
Looks like we are getting a wave. Hi there new Bills fan!
everything goes better with a BIG MACK
thanks.......
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 10, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
I changed my avatar to show off my future Bills fan.
The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.
nice pic....What do you mean future Bills fan?
You better start now before she knows better :-)
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"
nice....
yeah hopefully the Bills will be around and be semi decent by the time they grow up and realize what the game of football is all about.
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 10, 2009 10:06 PM EST up reply actions
BTW I hate the Titans blog name
Can we somehow force them to change it by like bombarding the website with spam? :-)
Ravens 17
Titans 14
Panthers 24
Cardinals17
I hope they are competetive games. The Ravens and Titans seriously don’t like each other so that should be a smashmouth game. And the Titans will be missing Mawae at center. I predict that loss will be meaningful. The Ravens are on a roll too. Look for Ed Reed to have a big game. Loved his pick of Pennington last week.
The Cards get to play a warm weather game so I do not look for them to get blown out. They will be (for all intents and purposes) without Boldin so others better step up. This is the time when a running game really matters so advantage Panthers. If Warner does his customary fold because it is an away game it will be a blowout.
everything goes better with a BIG MACK
Ravens-Titans has been a blast so far
I am just sitting here dreaming of what our D would look like if we managed to sign Fat Albert to play next to Marcus, that would be just awesome.
But, thats a dream, this slugging match right now is another dream that I am enjoying alot!
Now if only this gopher could play DE, we would be doing better, I mean, who couldn't play better than the corpse brothers Kelsay and Denney?
I'm sorry to say, but...
no way Edwards makes that throw for a TD that Flacco made.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 10, 2009 5:16 PM EST reply actions
The Ray Ray and Ahmad Hall hit was one of the best all year
Almost as good as when Reggie Bush got lit up a couple of seasons ago by Philly’s Brown
Now if only this gopher could play DE, we would be doing better, I mean, who couldn't play better than the corpse brothers Kelsay and Denney?
Doubt it, Fans would go nuts in Baltimore
Suggs or Brown may depending on how much cash Baltimore chucks at Ray Ray, then again, he may choose to stay for less than expected. Another question is if Ryan takes off for a HC gig, then we may see a bunch of dudes go FA instead of stay in Batlimore to follow him.
Gonna be an interesting offseason for the Ravens
Now if only this gopher could play DE, we would be doing better, I mean, who couldn't play better than the corpse brothers Kelsay and Denney?
Good point about Ryan
Ray is the oldest of the bunch, isn’t he? They might let him go rather than take the chance he breaks down.
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"
I doubt it. Baltimore is a classic organization and they will find a way to keep their golden boy. And like WabBillsfan said, the fans would go crazy and unlike Ralph Wilson, Steve Bisciotti appreciates and respects his fanbase enough to understand what he needs to do.
BEAST MODE, During the week plan on it & on game day thrive on it!
GO BILLS!
Section 336 Row 13
I really hope Turk is watching this game
And seeing how the slant is SUPPOSED to be run, and HOW it should be done with a tall WR. I mean, the Titans have been living on that slant to Gage.
Now if only this gopher could play DE, we would be doing better, I mean, who couldn't play better than the corpse brothers Kelsay and Denney?
Ravens are a textbook example of coaching.
Look at Jim Leonhard – he didn’t even stick with the Bills; goes to the Ravens and he’s a major part of their playoff successes.
Hope Ralphie’s watching this. It’s not too late to right the ship.
Oh and why would Ray Lewis be let go? Furthermore, I could see him doing whatever it took to stay a Raven. A change in teams for him would be akin to the Favre debacle, imo.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 10, 2009 7:15 PM EST reply actions
Leonhard is and always was a very heady player. If the Bills had any type of pass rush he would be the same player for the Bills. Get pressure on the QB and you DBs can make lots of plays.
The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.
The Bills are so far behind all of these playoff teams.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 10, 2009 7:24 PM EST up reply actions
titans
greatly miss Chris Johnson. His playmaking abilities is unreal and they really miss him
MARVelous
Is it me, or did anyone else notice he’s got quite the twitch?
I know I shouldn’t care, but so help me: If McGahee get to a SB, and worse – is on the winning team, i’ll be so pissed. He’s worse than Brian Cox in my book.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 10, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions
Wow. Ravens/Titans lived up to its billing. What a game.
Not so sure I’m too excited to watch Carolina pound Arizona into submission, though…
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 7:43 PM EST reply actions
Dyslexia strikes again… clearly, I meant “watch Arizona pound Carolina into submission”…
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 9:33 PM EST up reply actions
yeah um.....no one saw this coming
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 10, 2009 10:06 PM EST up reply actions
Who dressed Moose?
That has to be one of the worst suits I have ever seen. That handkerchief looks like somebody vomited in his pocket.
The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.
HAHA, I was thinking the same thing! Hideous.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 9:34 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah he is… they can’t touch him tonight.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Jan 10, 2009 9:34 PM EST up reply actions
I wonder if there are any teams that would pay me to pick their opponent to win?????
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations"
Boldin
I think this might trigger the Cardinals to trade him this year, now seeing how good they still can be without him. They will get a lot in return for him, maybe even 1 of the 2 first round picks the eagles have.
Anybody can win
Today’s outcomes demonstrate, once again, what we pretty much knew for the last two months – there is no powerhouse team and anybody could be in the Super Bowl this year. Not that it could have been the Bills, but hey…..you could have the Cardinals and the Ravens in it. The Big Game. What a joke.
Oddly, the way things looked at the end of the season, the best NFL team might have still been the Patriots! Amazing.
poor jake delhomme..........i feel bad for him.......
these arent your granddaddy’s cards…..
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 10, 2009 10:51 PM EST reply actions
My hat’s off to Kurt Warner. I have always admired him. He is a streaky QB but his streaks can last. He still has it. Great game Kurt and Fitz. James even looked ok.
Arizona is now something like 5-1 without Boldin. Next week they play in the cold.
everything goes better with a BIG MACK
dear god......
and if SD wins two division winners with the worst records will be hosting championship games…..Man the NFL is fun….with the Bills being the only buzzkill for me
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 11, 2009 3:03 AM EST up reply actions
What will be interesting to me:
If the Cards and Chargers were to get to the Super Bowl. 9-7 vs. 8-8.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 11, 2009 12:28 AM EST reply actions
i'm just amazed
two road teams walk on in and win today. NFL never ceases to surprise me. Cardinals looked terrible last 4 weeks of reg season and here they are in teh NFC title game and if friggn Philly wins, they will play the NFC title game in ARIZONA!
Titans really let that game slip away, they were clearly the better team just too many mistakes with ball security and Bironas screwed em missing that kick.
Hey its the NFL anything can happen. And yes that even means the Bills making a run next year
MARVelous
Cards were a HORRIBLE matchup for Carolina
Carolina MUST get on top of an opponent right away with their run game, otherwise, shootouts are too tough for them with only 1 real threat. Also, by getting early turnovers of Jake they forced him to play into their hands with additional turnovers. The reason is that like Losman, and a number of mid-level to low level QBs in the NFL, he can go one of two ways after a couple of TOs, he either sucks it up, prevents anymore, and makes the plays his team needs. OR as happened today, he gets WORSE as the game goes on.
I actually Fox hosed his team by NOT yanking Jake at halftime and putting Moore in. He needed to do something to wake his team up, also, their coordinators half time adjustements sucked even worse than the Bills, what a joke.
But, who would have thought that the Cards D would turn into a turnover machine (then again, some of those ducks Jake tossed up could have been intercepted by a corpse missing both arms and one leg)? Also, they have finally figured out the key to success, get up early on an opponent, and then pound them into submission.
Now if only this gopher could play DE, we would be doing better, I mean, who couldn't play better than the corpse brothers Kelsay and Denney?
Actually, Harbaugh screwed ’em by calling for a replay challenge.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 11, 2009 8:50 AM EST up reply actions
As they say in the sports world
Now if only this gopher could play DE, we would be doing better, I mean, who couldn't play better than the corpse brothers Kelsay and Denney?
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