FoxPerez
12-30-2009, 04:52 PM
http://tinyurl.com/ya4gel8As the playoffs loom, the powerful teams that have dominated most of the year in the NFL seem the most vulnerable. And, as strange as it sounds, the hottest team going into the playoffs could be... the Cowboys? Read about it here...
If you enjoy the article, help a blogger out and click on this link:
http://tinyurl.com/ya4gel8 (http://tinyurl.com/ya4gel8)
If you thought what was going to happen in the playoffs a week or two ago, you'd better start thinking again.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Tampa%201.jpg
New Orleans, the undefeated team going for the undefeated season, has lost two games in a row. Indianapolis, the undefeated team settling for a first round bye, is resting it's players and will be distracted and rusty going into the playoffs. Minnesota, thought to be the most balanced and dangerous team in the NFC, is steeped in controversy involving Brett Favre's relationship with Brad Childress. They've lost three of their last four and now the other first round bye in the NFC is up for grabs.
It's getting pretty ridiculous. Two weeks ago, we would've easily predicted that the Saints-Vikings winner would play the Colts-Chargers winner in the Super Bowl. But now the winner of the Eagles-Cowboys game will be the hottest team going into the playoffs in the NFL with the Chargers.
And don't forget about the Cardinals. If the Vikings and Eagles lose, they'll get the first round bye and will get a chance to recreate their hot streak that got them to the Super Bowl last year. It's quite ironic that the team suffering from a hangover from last year's big game is the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers, who need to win in Miami and get help just to grab a wild card spot in what should be a crazy finish in the AFC.
The Dolphins need the most help among AFC teams. They need to beat Pittsburgh, then hope that the Jets (vs Bengals), Ravens (at Raiders), Texans (vs Patriots), and Jaguars (at Browns) all lose. It seems like a long shot, but it's happened before, and recently. In 2006, The Kansas City Chiefs needed to win in the final week and have four other teams lose to get into the playoffs... and they made it, giving the eventual Super Bowl champ Colts a scare in round 1.
But the concern has to be at the top, particularly with the Indianapolis Colts.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Peyton%20Manning%20vs%20NYJ.jpg
Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. But it doesn't take an Einstein to know that the Colts are insane.
I can only recall two teams that have succesfully rested players and managed minutes for an extended amount of time going into the playoffs and turned that into a championship: the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. It only works in basketball because the playoffs are so long that it diminishes how meaningful the regular season is. It doesn't work in football, and all the Colts have to do is look in the mirror.
Every year that the Colts have rested their starters at the end of the season, they failed to advance to the Super Bowl and only once advanced to the conference championship game. The year that they played all the way through week 17, they won the Super Bowl.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Colts%20sideline%20vs%20NYJ.jpg
So naturally... they're resting their starters? Even the ones without injuries like Peyton Manning.
This creates a major problem, though. The fans feel betrayed and disappointed and the team now has an attitude that it can't shake. The Colts on the sidelines, including Manning, did not look like a team with a championship attitude. But that's what happens when you don't play to win. As a result, when you consider that Indy has a first round bye, the Colts will have gone nearly a month without playing a full competitive game when they play their first playoff game. What if that's against the Patriots, who weren't playing as well at the beginning of the season and still nearly won that game in Indy? Sure, if they can get passed that first game, the strategy could pay off, but the last three times the Colts have rested their starters like this, they failed to win a playoff game that season.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Cowboys%20D%20vs%20Washington.jpg
The team that could be really scary going into the playoffs is the Dallas Cowboys, which is an odd statement considering where they were a mere two weeks ago going into their game against New Orleans. The offense is putting things together and the defense continues to carry the team. In fact, the defense has only really played two bad games this season and both were against the New York Giants, who have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Here's all you need to know about the Cowboys D: Dallas only lost one game by more than 7 points, and that was a 10-point loss to the Packers, who were held to a season-low 17 points in that game.
So the D insn't the problem. What needs to be fixed is the overly conservative play-calling in short yardage situations.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Felix%20Jones%20vs%20Washington.jpg
Whatever Marion Barber has had in the past that's allowed him to be reliable when he just needs a yard or two, it's not there anymore. He doesn't have the burst that allows him to bounce outside like he has in the past and injuries this season have hampered his power. He's not getting old, he's just hurt and they've had to deal with it all season. Dallas needs to take the load off him and put the ball in the hands of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice more.
They're doing that more now that Jones is getting healthy. He averaged nearly 6 yards per carry in 10 attempts against Washington. In New Orleans he had more than 4 yards per carry in 14 rushes.
A strong defensive performance and running game will be required against Philadelphia. Romo will also need to be on his game if this becomes a shootout because the Dallas secondary will have its hands full and the Eagles have been susceptible to allowing big plays in the passing game.
If they can get it done, they'll be guaranteed at least one home playoff game... and they'll be the hottest team heading into the posteason.
Not bad for a team that wasn't expected to make the playoffs.
If you enjoy the article, help a blogger out and click on this link:
http://tinyurl.com/ya4gel8 (http://tinyurl.com/ya4gel8)
If you thought what was going to happen in the playoffs a week or two ago, you'd better start thinking again.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Tampa%201.jpg
New Orleans, the undefeated team going for the undefeated season, has lost two games in a row. Indianapolis, the undefeated team settling for a first round bye, is resting it's players and will be distracted and rusty going into the playoffs. Minnesota, thought to be the most balanced and dangerous team in the NFC, is steeped in controversy involving Brett Favre's relationship with Brad Childress. They've lost three of their last four and now the other first round bye in the NFC is up for grabs.
It's getting pretty ridiculous. Two weeks ago, we would've easily predicted that the Saints-Vikings winner would play the Colts-Chargers winner in the Super Bowl. But now the winner of the Eagles-Cowboys game will be the hottest team going into the playoffs in the NFL with the Chargers.
And don't forget about the Cardinals. If the Vikings and Eagles lose, they'll get the first round bye and will get a chance to recreate their hot streak that got them to the Super Bowl last year. It's quite ironic that the team suffering from a hangover from last year's big game is the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers, who need to win in Miami and get help just to grab a wild card spot in what should be a crazy finish in the AFC.
The Dolphins need the most help among AFC teams. They need to beat Pittsburgh, then hope that the Jets (vs Bengals), Ravens (at Raiders), Texans (vs Patriots), and Jaguars (at Browns) all lose. It seems like a long shot, but it's happened before, and recently. In 2006, The Kansas City Chiefs needed to win in the final week and have four other teams lose to get into the playoffs... and they made it, giving the eventual Super Bowl champ Colts a scare in round 1.
But the concern has to be at the top, particularly with the Indianapolis Colts.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Peyton%20Manning%20vs%20NYJ.jpg
Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. But it doesn't take an Einstein to know that the Colts are insane.
I can only recall two teams that have succesfully rested players and managed minutes for an extended amount of time going into the playoffs and turned that into a championship: the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. It only works in basketball because the playoffs are so long that it diminishes how meaningful the regular season is. It doesn't work in football, and all the Colts have to do is look in the mirror.
Every year that the Colts have rested their starters at the end of the season, they failed to advance to the Super Bowl and only once advanced to the conference championship game. The year that they played all the way through week 17, they won the Super Bowl.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Colts%20sideline%20vs%20NYJ.jpg
So naturally... they're resting their starters? Even the ones without injuries like Peyton Manning.
This creates a major problem, though. The fans feel betrayed and disappointed and the team now has an attitude that it can't shake. The Colts on the sidelines, including Manning, did not look like a team with a championship attitude. But that's what happens when you don't play to win. As a result, when you consider that Indy has a first round bye, the Colts will have gone nearly a month without playing a full competitive game when they play their first playoff game. What if that's against the Patriots, who weren't playing as well at the beginning of the season and still nearly won that game in Indy? Sure, if they can get passed that first game, the strategy could pay off, but the last three times the Colts have rested their starters like this, they failed to win a playoff game that season.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Cowboys%20D%20vs%20Washington.jpg
The team that could be really scary going into the playoffs is the Dallas Cowboys, which is an odd statement considering where they were a mere two weeks ago going into their game against New Orleans. The offense is putting things together and the defense continues to carry the team. In fact, the defense has only really played two bad games this season and both were against the New York Giants, who have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Here's all you need to know about the Cowboys D: Dallas only lost one game by more than 7 points, and that was a 10-point loss to the Packers, who were held to a season-low 17 points in that game.
So the D insn't the problem. What needs to be fixed is the overly conservative play-calling in short yardage situations.
http://www.cocktailmatch.com/users/156/blog/Felix%20Jones%20vs%20Washington.jpg
Whatever Marion Barber has had in the past that's allowed him to be reliable when he just needs a yard or two, it's not there anymore. He doesn't have the burst that allows him to bounce outside like he has in the past and injuries this season have hampered his power. He's not getting old, he's just hurt and they've had to deal with it all season. Dallas needs to take the load off him and put the ball in the hands of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice more.
They're doing that more now that Jones is getting healthy. He averaged nearly 6 yards per carry in 10 attempts against Washington. In New Orleans he had more than 4 yards per carry in 14 rushes.
A strong defensive performance and running game will be required against Philadelphia. Romo will also need to be on his game if this becomes a shootout because the Dallas secondary will have its hands full and the Eagles have been susceptible to allowing big plays in the passing game.
If they can get it done, they'll be guaranteed at least one home playoff game... and they'll be the hottest team heading into the posteason.
Not bad for a team that wasn't expected to make the playoffs.