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Wild Card Pre-Game Analysis

January 11, 2002 by Guest

Wild Card Pre-Game Analysis

Wild Card Pre-Game Analysis

NFC Games

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles

Much ballyhoo has been made about the game-time weather forecast in Philadelphia. That�s obviously because of the ridiculous coincidence that the Bucs can�t win when the mercury dips under 40.

These two teams met last week in Tampa in an otherwise uninspired performance with the Eagles pulling out the late win 17 � 13. On Saturday, these two franchises open up the wild-card weekend at Philadelphia.

Keys to the game:

Brad Johnson and the Bucs receivers � Johnson needs to have an effective, accurate day throwing the football and he�s receivers can�t afford costly drops.

Donavan McNabb vs. Derrick Brooks � Brooks will shadow McNabb all game. He will attempt to restrict McNabb�s scrambling abilities, but this puts pressure on the secondary to tighten the coverage. McNabb needs to recognize this loss of Brooks in the coverage game and find the open receiver quickly so�.

Warren Sapp vs. Philadelphia O-Line -- �Warren Sapp doesn�t have time to control the line of scrimmage. Sapp has the ability to be the second most-dominating lineman behind Michael Strahan.

Tampa Running Game vs. Philadelphia � Will Alstott and Dunn prove to be the "yin and yang" the Bucs need or will Philly�s tough defense force an early exit from the running game? Tony Dungy will push the running game as long as he can and as long as Tampa�s defense keeps them in the game.

Forecast � I like Tampa Bay because they are peaking at the right time and desperately want to see St. Louis one more time this season. The score? Well, pick the under as your if life depended on it.

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers

Back in 1999, these two teams met and an unforgettable playoff at Candlestick (when it was still called Candlestick). It ended with Steve Young throwing a last second touchdown pass to Terrell Owens knocking the Packers out of the playoffs. In the next game, Garrison Hearst broke his right leg against the Atlanta Falcons and the Niners were history.

Fast-forward to 2002: Hearst is back, Young is gone, Ahman Green has replaced Dorsey Levens and Brett Farve is well�he�s still Brett Farve.

Keys to the game:

Hearst vs. Green � Hearst capped a remarkable year with the Comeback Player of the Year award and by leading the second best rushing attack in the NFL. Ahman Green has proved all of his doubters wrong by putting up over 2000 yards from scrimmage.

Jeff Garcia vs. Packers D-Line � Garcia is hobbled and hurting and the Packer line smells blood, but don�t expect the cold to effect Garcia. Remember, he played in Canada.

Terrell Owens vs. Himself � Owens needs to have a career game and not let his head take him out of the game. When he�s on, Owens is perhaps the most dominating receiver in the game today.

Brett Farve vs. Niner Secondary � Ahmed Plummer and R J McQuarters will get tons of action today. They will also get their chances at a few picks. Farve loves the playoffs and loves the playoffs at Lambeau.

Forecast � Not as memorable as 1999, but the Pack get some revenge. This is not the news the Chicago Bears wanted to hear.

AFC Games

New York Jets at Oakland Raiders

On the foot of John Hall the Jets entered the playoffs last week with a win at Oakland. Hall�s 53 yd boot not only opened the door for the Jets, but also may have sealed the Raiders fate of an early exit in the playoffs. The Raiders, an aging nucleus, have slowed considerably due to off-field and on-field lapses, while the Jets remain a Jekyll and Hyde team that tends to be Hyde more often.

Jets Secondary vs. Rich Gannon � The Jets will give up the underneath, while Gannon desperately needs to hit the long ball, which is not a strength in Jon Gruden�s offensive scheme.

Testeverde vs. His demons � Testeverde needs to lead the team like the veteran QB he is, but remember he doesn�t have a whole lot of playoff experience himself.

Janikowski vs. Hall � A missed field goal could be the difference.

Curtis Martin vs. Oakland Front 7 � If Anthony Dorsett has to consistently make tackles on Curtis Martin then the front 7 aren�t doing their job. The magic number is 75. If Martin�s over it, the Jets win.

Forecast � I would like to remind everyone that Vinny Testeverde is the quarterback of the Jets. The Raiders will live to see another week.

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

For the past three seasons, the Dolphins have won their opening round match-up only to suffer a mammoth loss in the divisional playoffs. The Ravens capped an unspectacular regular season with a fitting lousy 19-3 win over a Viking team that lacked many of its weapons and head coach.

The Ravens start their title defense in the sub-tropics. The Dolphins meanwhile continue to play just above average football while never seriously a Super Bowl contender.

Lamar Smith vs. Ravens Front 7 � Lamar Smith is the key to opening up the game for the Dolphins. The Ravens have been porous the past two weeks, but look to put their game up a notch.

Elvis Grbac vs. Jay Fiedler � Both QB�s have twins that are awful. Which version will show up?

Grbac vs. Dolphins Secondary � Sam Madison is one of the best coverage-men in the game and Grbac is playing without confidence.

Ravens Running Attack vs. the Dolphins Front 7 � The quartet of Moe Williams, Terry Allen, Chuckie Abandejo and Jason Brookins ran for the highest Raven rushing total all season last week. It was the Vikings though and the Dolphins defense has never been mistaken for the Vikings.

Forecast � The Ravens won�t make it to the Super Bowl, but the Dolphins won�t be the team to knock them out. That comes next week in Pittsburgh in the game everyone is expecting.

Enjoy the games this week!

Written By

JB in the Big Steel Apple

Go Steelers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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