Weekend Playoff Thoughts

Indianapolis over Baltimore- Since Baltimore is an Eastern market playing most of their games opposite Patriots games, I really hadn't seen that much of them all season long. It does look to be the same story as every Baltimore team though. A defense with a palpable intimidation factor and a horrible offense. People had unrealistic expectations for this team thinking that Steve McNair could still lead a team to the Super Bowl at this point in his career. He can't. It looks like a game at M&T Bank Stadium is a good time, but what does "It's Time to Hunt" mean? If you watch 'The Wire' on HBO you know Baltimore's a pretty depressed city so I feel bad for them and Ray Lewis is my favorite accessory to murder in the NFL right now, but even he's on the back nine of his career.

New Orleans over Philadelphia- That hit on Reggie Bush was AWESOME! Looked like something out of a video game. Nice of Deuce McAllister to show up in a game that had no Fantasy implications. Although I guess you are supposed to show up in the playoffs for a real NFL team. So I guess he's clutch TO THEM which is really all that matters. I think New Orleans may have looked the best out of any team this weekend and definitely has a chance next week. As for the decision to punt on 4th down, when you don't have a Freddie "Mr. 4th and 26" Mitchell, who do you have confidence in to make a play?

Chicago over Seattle- This game couldn't have worked out any better for Fox. I was in transit from New Hampshire to Framingham so my only comment is a concession that yes Fox did overpromote '24' as they overpromote everything, but I mean how many new fans do they expect to grab at this point? And wouldn't the constant plugging turn more people off than on as it did me way back in 2001 when they promoted Season One during every single commercial break during the Yankees-Diamondbacks World Series?

New England over San Diego- I should've taken a lot of pleasure in seeing one of the Broncos' Division rivals disappoint in the postseason. Just as I do the Yankees every year. But I can't, because the alternative is unbearable. Living and working here when not being a Patriots fan used to be an innocuous existence. Seeing them hover between 9-7 and 7-9 for almost forever wasn't enjoyable or loathesome it was just how it was. When the Patriots would make a random Super Bowl run, it was kind of enjoyable to see my family and friends get into football for a change, for they couldn't enough when I was growing up to sell out the games and allow me to watch the Patriots. But now every Patriots victory is some triumph of good vs. evil and outside forces all aligned against the Patriots. Someone actually told me this morning that Jim Nantz and Phil Simms "hate" the Patriots. Now that I look back I enjoyed last year's Denver victory over the Patriots as much because these people got to feel sick as it was because Denver seemed to be on the road to the Super Bowl. Now I have to pray for an Adam Vinatieri Game Winning Field Goal next week and for Manning to FINALLY overcome Belichick and Brady. And if you think that seems mean-spirited, then you haven't lived here.