Playoffs a whole new ballgame
The NFL season is finally here. Now, you may be asking yourself didn’t the season start back in September? Yes, the teams started playing four months ago, but the real season began on Saturday.
Sure, you have to win during the regular season to make it this far, but the intensity of play during the regular season doesn’t compare to the vicious hard hits delivered during the playoffs.
For some reason it always seems like the intensity level is greater on the defensive side of the ball, but that’s not true. It just appears that way because for the most part, fans including myself like to see those bone-crushing blows.
When a defensive players drills a running back or wide receiver, it sends a shockwave through the television and all the way to the couch. It’s not the scoring that makes these games exciting, it’s the intensity in which these game are played.
The Seahawks, Jaguars, Giants and Chargers made it through to the next round, and I don’t think there were really any upsets over the weekend, although maybe the Jaguars and Steelers game might have caught a few people by surprise.
And personally I didn’t believe the Giants had a chance, but they proved me wrong with a 10-point win over Tampa Bay.
The real fun starts this Saturday with the second round kicking off as the Seahawks and Packers take the field. I’ve said it all year, the Super Bowl travels through Green Bay. OK, maybe I haven’t said that all year, but I would like to see Brett Favre pick up a Super Bowl ring.
In the second game of the day the Jaguars have the task of playing spoiler as they take on the Patriots. I’m not a fan of either team, but I will always take anyone but the Patriots.
Sunday’s big matchups are the Chargers at Indianapolis and the Giants taking on the Cowboys.
The Colts advance, while I have to take the Giants over Dallas. I know that doesn’t sit well with Seth Wright. who sits behind me here in the news room. And for the next four or five days I will have to keep looking over my shoulder to protect myself from some type of brutal attack. But down with the Cowboys.
As far as the Titans go, all in all they had a pretty successful season. Second year quarterback Vince Young showed some signs of maturity, but his ability to know when to hold it and knowing when to throw it still needs a lot of work.
The Titans finished the year with a 10-7 record and stumbled their way into the playoffs, mainly due to the Colts playing their reserve players for most of the game two weeks ago.
Defensively the Titans played as well as any team did and they only have a couple of positions which might need a little tweaking.
Hopefully the Titans organization will put all their efforts into signing a few quality wide receivers. If you give Young a couple of playmakers to throw to, then there’s no doubt in my mind this team has a great future.
But look out for the salary cap. Tennessee should be OK this year, but next year might be a different story.