Peyton Manning and Tom Brady Set for Another Epic Duel

This is a rivalry that has dominated the NFL for the past decade.  Both quarterbacks are sure to be in the Hall of Fame and have set and broken each other’s records for several years now.  Although their respective paths to the NFL were nearly polar opposites, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are now going to square off for yet another memorable duel with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.  And with both quarterbacks in the twilight of their careers, this could possibly be the last such matchup with such high stakes at play.  The upcoming AFC Championship could define who gets the last laugh in this famous rivalry!

While Manning was the top pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Brady was picked 199^th in 2000, deep within the 6^th round.  For such a lowly drafted player to even become a starter is a tremendous achievement, but Brady has become one of the greatest quarterbacks ever!  In many respects, he has had an even better career than Manning.  Brady has won 3 Super Bowls, played in 5, and has an 18-7 playoff record that stands as the best ever.  Manning’s achievements are more about the regular season, where he has won a record 4 NFL MVP awards, though he also has 1 Super Bowl ring from 2 appearances.  However, he is often ridiculed for his poor play in the postseason, and has just a 10-11 record after last week’s success.

Throughout the years, Brady and the New England Patriots have dominated this rivalry, owning a 10-4 all time record over Manning mostly during his time with the Indianapolis Colts.  However, Manning did orchestrate a monumental comeback from down 21-3 to winning the AFC Championship game in 2006 en route to winning his Super Bowl.  But in their matchup early this season it was the Patriots coming from down 24-0 to win over Manning and the Denver Broncos back in November.  These are clearly two players who never give up!

So what should we expect this time around?  Peyton Manning and the Broncos have more talent, evidenced by their record-breaking offense highlighted by Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Eric Decker.  The Patriots meanwhile have been patchwork all season long.  Their two dominant pass-catching tight ends weren’t able to play much.  Aaron Hernandez is headed to prison for murder while Rob Gronkowski only played several game before tearing 2 ligaments in his knee.  They have had to organize the offense around Julian Edelman and Stevan Ridley.  However, their main emphasis of attack centers around their running back LaGarrette Blount.  Brady only threw 25 passes in their last game as Blount ran with power and success.

But with the Broncos offense firing on all cylinders, Brady is likely to have to pass in a game that could easily become a shootout.  Manning clearly has more weapons and talent around him, and he has the full backing of the Denver fans behind him too.  But there’s something about the Patriots.  They are a team that can pick apart an opponent like no other, and they always come to play when the stakes are at their highest.  Head coach Bill Belichick is an absolute genius when it comes to football and I think that the Broncos will get slowed down just enough for the Patriots to win this game.  Blount’s yardage on the ground will keep Manning on the sideline for much of the game and I think Brady will have the last laugh.  Expect the Patriots to be headed to the Super Bowl after winning this one: 28-24.

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Which NFL Team With a Bye is Most Likely to Lose in the Playoffs this Week?

In the NFL, there is a definite goal during the regular season for the best teams to earn one of the top 2 AFC or NFC seeds in the playoffs.  While the other 8 teams had to compete in the wildcard round last weekend, these 4 distinguished teams had the luxury of resting players and gearing up for the final push in the season ahead of the Super Bowl.  Those fortunate squads include the league’s most potent offenses and most powerful defenses.

In the NFC, the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks have been terrorizing opponents’ offenses all year.  Hard-hitting players like Luke Kuechly, Greg Hardy, Richard Sherman, and Earl Thomas are quickly becoming known as some of the toughest in the entire league.  And as the cliché states, “defense wins championships”.  Both teams are among the favorites for the Super Bowl.

But in the AFC, the two top teams feature the legendary quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, who know how to win and how to score points.  Manning led the Denver Broncos and their offense to a record-setting year, while Brady helped the New England Patriots overcome numerous injuries and dismissals to still be among the best teams around.

But while the natural thought would be that these teams would steamroll their way to the Championship games next weekend, upsets have become more and more the norm for NFL games.  Especially for teams that receive a bye in the playoffs, there can often be a bit of a lull and a lost sense of urgency.  Slight rustiness can derail these teams’ hopes very quickly.  Additionally, there is the issue of momentum.  Some of these wildcard teams have been battling all season long, and have been playing in potential season-ending games for a month.  Meanwhile, teams like the Broncos and Seahawks booked their tickets to the playoffs a month ago and haven’t had to play in high intensity matches since November.  This can totally catch a favored team off-guard when a hungry and determined team comes into their stadium ready to fight!

So which team is most likely to be upset this weekend?  The Carolina Panthers.  The problem with the Panthers is that they lack playoff experience.  While the Broncos, Patriots, and Seahawks all have been in many such high profile games, the Panthers haven’t reached the postseason since 2008.  Additionally, this will be quarterback Cam Newton’s first experience in such a game.  Newton is an emotional player and has a tendency to overthrow receivers when rattled.  While he does have big game experience in winning the BCS National Championship with Auburn, he has yet to face an NFL defense in such a high profile game.  The San Francisco 49ers have a defense among the league’s best.  With such a young and inexperienced squad, the Panthers are ripe for the picking.

The one player who does have playoff experience is the team’s top receiving option, Steve Smith, who is likely to play but could certainly be slowed by a PCL sprain late in the season.  With his injury and the youth of the Panthers, I see them facing a severe test in this game.  The 49ers were in the Super Bowl last year and certainly can slow down Newton and the Panthers.  Additionally, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a dynamic playmaker, and running back Frank Gore can certainly push the pile.

However, the Panthers did beat the 49ers in a defensive battle earlier in the year, and they clearly have the talent alone to make a Super Bowl run.  I think this game is a definite toss-up and may just be the end of a remarkable season for the Panthers.  While they are certainly the most likely of the top seeded teams to fall this week, the Carolina Panthers still have a great team and could win this game.  Let’s see what happens this weekend in the NFL Divisional playoff round!

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2013 NFL Wildcard Playoff Games Preview

The 2013 NFL Playoffs have finally arrived, and they are all set to begin with the wildcard matchups this weekend. While the league’s top 4 teams earned bye weeks and get to rest their weary legs, these underdog football teams will be put to the test right away, with their entire seasons hanging in the balance.  While these supposed “lesser” NFL squads have a long and hard road to the Super Bowl, such teams often do win the big dance, so none of them should be counted out.  But who will get past that initial first hump and into the divisional round?  Here is a preview for the NFL wildcard games this weekend:

Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts – The Chiefs will probably lose this game.  Not only did they lose to the Colts 23-7 just two weeks ago, but they have now lost 5 of their last 7 games, a rather grounding experience following their 9-0 start to the season.  The only playoff team that the Chiefs have beaten is the Philadelphia Eagles.  Meanwhile, the Colts have topped the 49ers, Seahawks, and Broncos, making them one of the most dangerous teams around.  Is Andrew Luck ready to lead a playoff run?  I think so:  Colts win 23-7.

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles rebounded from a bad start and now feature one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses.  With the emergence of quarterback Nick Foles, the team thrives around the explosiveness of DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.  However, the Saints also feature a high-scoring offense led by Drew Brees.  They have quite a strong defense and could have potentially earned a bye if not for the surprising year by the Carolina Panthers.  Although the weather will be cold, I foresee a shootout with the Saints winning through a defensive stand late in the game:  Saints win 41-35.

San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals – This is a total offense vs. defense matchup.  Philip Rivers leads a delightful passing attack by the Chargers, while the Bengals defense is amongst the best in the league.  These are two solid teams that could both do well in the playoffs, but I think the miraculous Chargers dream ends this week, as Andy Dalton and AJ Green should be able to muster enough points while the Chargers get slowed down by that defense.  Nevertheless, the game should be close, possibly featuring a poetically just missed field goal by the Chargers at the end of regulation:  Bengals win 20-17.

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers – The 49ers have the key ingredients for success in the playoffs: a strong defense and a powerful rushing attack spearheaded by Frank Gore.  They amassed a 12-4 record but are forced to go on the road as a wildcard team due to the great year by the Seattle Seahawks.  The Packers suffered to an 8-7-1 record with quarterback Aaron Rodgers missing nearly half the year.  However, he returned last week and won in miraculous fashion over the Chicago Bears, converting a dramatic last-minute 4^th and 8 for a touchdown.  They also have a strong running game led by rookie Eddie Lacy.  However, their defense is very questionable.  But with temperatures set to be in the single digits at Lambeau Field, this game will be a major test for both sets of players.  While Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers have dominated the Packers in recent games, Green Bay looks invigorated with Rodgers back at the helm, and I see them as a team of destiny: Packers win 28-24.

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