OMG! Did you guys see last night's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game between Oklahoma and Boise State? One of the best games, if not the best game, I've ever witnessed. Plus the hook-and-lateral and statue of liberty plays by the BSU Broncos were spectacular! Anyways, for those who didn't see the final minutes of the game, here's the video:
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Anyways, the NFL post-season starts this weekend, so right now, I'm bringing to you my predictions for the NFL Wildcard Weekend:
Kansas City Chiefs (9-7) @ Indianapolis Colts (12-4) - Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, 4:30 PM EST (NBC)
- The Colts started the season 9-0, becoming the first team in NFL history to start 9-0 in back-to-back seasons. But they finished the season 3-4, dropping them to third in the AFC. Sure, they have Peyton Manning and their offensive artillery. But their run defense sucks more than Jenna Jameson in a gangbang. They just can't stop the run. And the worst thing for the Colts this Saturday is facing a Kansas City Chiefs team that heavily relies on their running game.
All-Pro running back Larry Johnson will be the key to this match-up, and at the end of the day, the Chiefs will come out victorious, and Peyton's 2006 season will end up once again in disappointment. Well, at least he's got a great career in doing TV commercials, which are, in one word, priceless. Chiefs 31, Colts 27.
- The defending NFC Champions have struggled throughout the season with key injuries to Matt Hasselbeck and last year's MVP Shaun Alexander (Madden Curse!). But now that both of them are healthy, and facing a Cowboys team who's been down the past couple of weeks, the Seahawks are primed to duplicate their feat in 2005.
On the other hand, the Cowboys, led by Tony Romo and headcase Terrell Owens, will take their show on the road and try to win a playoff game for the first time in 10 years. It will be close, but I'm picking the Seahawks. Seahawks 28, Cowboys, 20.
New York Jets (10-6) @ New England Patriots (12-4) - Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007, 1:00 PM EST (CBS)
- A battle of AFC East rivals, this game will feature two brilliant head-coaches with Eric Mangini of the Jets (the student) going up against Bill Belichick (the mentor) of the Pats. Thanks to the guy dubbed as "Man-Genious" or "Man-Genie in a Bottle", the Jets came out of nowhere to secure a playoff spot and Chad Pennington has played efficient throughout the season and is one of the leading candidates for Comeback Player of the Year after being sidelined most of last season. Meanwhile, the Pats, who've won the AFC East for the 4th straight year, will be led by Tom Brady, but will be without Rodney Harrison, who was sidelined with an injury he suffered last week.
Okay, so I am a big fan of Pennington and the Jets. What they've done this year is truly remarkable, and I won't be surprised if Mangini wins Coach Of The Year (although I think Sean Payton of the Saints will win it). Before this season even started, nobody even picked them to make the playoffs or even win at least 5 games. Having that said, and I hate to say this, the Patriots, thanks to their postseason experience, will beat the Jets. Tom Brady's just clutch at this time of the year, and at the end of the day, the Pats will win. Interesting to see the post-game handshake between Mangini and Belichick though. Patriots 24, Jets 7.
New York Giants (8-8) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) - Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007, 4:30 PM EST (FOX)
- An interesting match-up between two NFC East teams. One team's ice-cold, while the other team's red-hot. The Giants started 6-2, but struggled the rest of the way and almost didn't make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Eagles were left for dead after Donovan McNabb went down with a season-ending injury and at one point were 5-6, until Jeff Garcia came out of nowhere and led the Eagles to a strong finish, winning their last 5 games.
Before the season started, I said to myself that Eli Manning is one of my top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL. I even posted that in one of the threads in PinoyExchange. After watching him play the last 2 weeks, he made me look bad and dumb. I can't believe that this was a guy who went #1 overall in the 2004 Draft and still hasn't lived up to his potential. The guy who was originally drafted by the Chargers, he was traded to New York because he doesn't wanna play in San Diego. And who did the Bolts get in return? Hmmm, let's see... Philip Rivers, who's an up-and-coming quarterback and led the Chargers to a 14-2 record, best in the NFL... Nate Kaeding, one of the great place-kickers in the NFL today... and a draft pick that turned out to be a freakishly beast of a linebacker named Shawne Merriman a.k.a. 'Roid Rage.
Anyways, enough hating on Eli and the Giants. The Giants have a chance if they let Tiki Barber take over and give him the ball. Still, I'm taking Iladelph in this one. Eagles 21, Giants 10.
