We haven’t been around for a bit because of Christmas, New Years, and such…but we’re back for a preview of every team in the NFL playoffs. Thankfully, the Steelers have a week to sit and watch games like us, but one or more of these teams will be going toe to toe against Pittsburgh before you know it. Onto the previews…
Falcons 11-5
What a surprise. It seems like yesterday that Mike Vick was leading the Falcons into the NFC championship game and trying to prove a mobile QB doesn’t suck in the NFL. But Mike Vick is ancient history after Matty Ice led the Falcons back to the playoffs this year. It would be easy to say that the offense leans heavilly on Michael Tuner, but Matty Ice has thrown for over 3,400 yards and had a better season than Big Ben. The defense could be a liability, but ball control by the Falcons offense could make up for an average D. Still, a defense allowing nearly 350 yard per game and a rookie QB don’t get you to the Super Bowl.
Ravens 11-5
You know all about the Ravens by now. Their defense has been nasty for years and they finally seem to have found a competent QB to run the offense. If we had an MVP vote, Ed Reed would have gotten it. A lot of people might quickly look at the Ravens and say that they have no offense and beat a dead horse. But having played them twice, Steeler fans know that they are capable of running the ball and Flacco is already years ahead of Kyle “I Should Have Been A” Boller or Anthony “Never” Wright. The Steelers barely won both games against the Birds this season and if there is one team I’m not wanting to see against Pittsburgh, Baltimore is it. I don’t think anybody would want to face these guys.
Colts 12 – 4
The Colts are a James Harrison bad snap away from the couch. People pronounced Indy dead a long time ago, but Peyton Manning chipped away and won game after game, causing sports analysts to fellate him more than ever. (MVP? Please). The Colts defense is still shaky, Bob Sanders or not. Watching the first meeting between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, only a jagoff Colts fan would have said the Colts were the better team then. A lot of people don’t want to face Indy because of Manning, but I say bring them on. Is there a worse playoff QB the past two decades than Peyton Manning? No. He rode the coattails of a hot defense to a Super Bowl, but has been nothing but a joke in January.
Vikings 10-6
Their run defense is sick, especially at home, but the heart and soul of this team is Adrian Peterson. Tavaris Jackson or Gus Frerrotte aren’t going to win any playoff games by throwing the football, so this team goes as far as AP takes them. Pretty simple to figure out, but the answer doesn’t look good for Vikings fans.
Panthers 12-4
What we know as Steeler Football has turned into Panther football. These guys have proven that they can run the ball against anybody. Jake Delhomme isn’t anything to write home about, but any QB can be dangerous when throwing the ball to Steve Smith. But the question for Carolina is defense…they are 20th against the run and 16th against the pass. If they meet a team like Minnesota or NYG in the postseason, they might be screwed.
Cardinals 9-7
Much has been made about the Cardinals terrible slide into postseason play. If you thought the Steelers have played bad at points this year, then watching Arizona since they clinched the division would send you into a deep coma. We like Arizona for a lot of reasons. Ken Whisenhunt is a good man and a good coach…he’s worked wonders for Arizona. Offensive lineman Reggie Wells is a graduate of Clarion University, WR Steve Breaston is from Woodland Hills high school, and Levi Brown and Larry Fitzgerald starred at local colleges. Everybody has written off the Cards already, but they play like a different team at home and can score a lot of points. The first game should be winnable against Atlanta, but in even mildly bad weather, the offense won’t score.
Patriots 11-5
The Patriots come into the playoffs as one of the hottes……….oh, wait…
Dolphins 11-5
The Dolphins finding a way to win the crappy AFC East is the story of the NFL this season. Old friend Joey Porter is playing as well as ever and the Wildcat has given the Dolphins a different look than any other offense. But those gimmicks and a first year head coach don’t always make for a great combination come playoff time. If there’s one team we’d want to play at Heinz Field, it’s Miami.
Giants 12-4
Another team that the Steelers had a shot to beat in the regular season. Everybody knows about the Giants…this year they aren’t coming in under anybody’s radar. They are the team to beat, no doubt about it. I’d be surprising to see anybody else winning the NFC, but then again, how often do number one seeds meet in the Super Bowl? Check your facts if you think it’s a common occurance. The Giants have a great shot at a second straight Bowl, but they’ll have to run uphill this year to do it.
Chargers 8-8
When we interviewed the fellas at Bolt Talk earlier this year, they were stunned. The Chargers were a favorite to win the AFC, but came out of the blocks slowly. Usually an 8-8 team is a joke, but the Chargers will be a tough out. They have nothing to lose and a QB who is playing as well as anybody. The Chargers got a lucky draw with the Colts, a team they’ve beaten five out of the last six times. Cromartie usually owns Manning and the Chargers won’t be scared of the Colts high octane offense. This is probably the best 8-8 playoff team we’ve ever seen and expect them to play like it.
Eagles 9-6-1
As much as we hate anything associated with Philadelphia, watching them pummel the Cowboys last week was awesome. When McNabb is hot, the Eagles are a very good team. Jim Johnson is the best defensive coordinator not named LeBeau, and Philly will pressure any team they face. Having a guy like Asaunte Samuel in the secondary helps too. Like the Chargers, these guys don’t come in as a team to beat, but nobody wants to play them.
Titans 13-3
We’d love to have some spare cash because the Titans aren’t winning the AFC. Bank on it. No clue what Jeff Fisher was thinking last week when he let the Colts steamroll the Titans before the playoffs. A blowout loss to a division rival and possible playoff foe isn’t what you want fettering in the minds of your players. The Titans haven’t been in the position of favorite in a long time and the immaturity displayed on the sidelines after the Steelers game shows that they don’t know how to handle winning. The Titans played .500 football over the end of the season and we can see any AFC team outside of Miami giving them real fits.
Steelers 12-4
12-4? Whodda think it? Bam was on the record as saying the Steelers would go 10-6, but even with injuries and a lackluster offense the Steelers lost only 4 games with a killer schedule. The formula for the Steelers success is pretty simple: don’t turn the ball over on offense and rely on the D. It wouldn’t surprise any of us if Big Ben woke up and led the Steelers to a 34-31 shootout win over Indy, but the best prescription for winning is a conservative, but opportunistic offense and a stellar defense. The obvious worry, though, is the running game. Few Super Bowl teams have had as poor of a running game as Pittsburgh does. With defenses like Baltimore and Tennessee lurking, the Steelers had better focus on running the ball in practice because winning the game through the air is no sure thing.
Do it, Steelers.
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