Rob on the Net
Don’t jump on Colts bandwagon (Following is another edition of Rob on the Net, Volume II, No. 1, a column exclusively for those of you who read the Herald-Standard on the internet.)
The NFL playoffs are under way and the Steelers are nowhere to be found.
A lot of those in the sports world seem to think that means this could be Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy and the Colts’ year to finally reach the Super Bowl. Most seem to like Indianapolis to either cover the four-point spread or win Saturday’s game in Baltimore outright.
Should the Ravens be getting a little more respect? How about the top seeds, the Bears and the Chargers? Are they really the teams to beat?
Well here’s one opinion on those questions and others on this week’s NFL playoff games …
COLTS (+4) at RAVENS
Yes, Indy’s defense looked dominating against the Chiefs, particularly Larry Johnson and their running game.
But that was at home in the RCA Dome vs. a Herman Edwards team.
This is in Baltimore against a Brian Billick team. There’s a big difference.
The Ravens’ offense isn’t overwhelming, but it’s shown to be very effective under veteran quarterback Steve McNair. Latching on to McNair was a brilliant move by Billick that will start to pay off even more now.
Baltimore is much more physical and dominating on both sides of the ball than the Chiefs or the Colts. Look for Jamal Lewis to find much more running room than Johnson did last week, and that will eventually open the passing lanes up for McNair.
And look for that smothering Baltimore defense to shut down the Colts’ running game and bottle up Manning for most of the game, or at least long enough to win it.
Anyone who saw the way Baltimore manhandled the Steelers in their two meetings this year has to think that Billick’s squad is the better team.
Manning and Dungy will have to wait yet another year.
Ravens, 24-17.
EAGLES (+5) at SAINTS
It’s impressive how Jeff Garcia and Brian Westbrook have stepped up to spark Philadelphia in the absence of the injured Donovan McNabb, but they’ll have to put up plenty more points again in New Orleans to beat the surprising Saints.
With the one-two punch of running backs Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister, dangerous rookie wide receiver Marques Colston and red-hot quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints pack one heck of a wallop on offense.
Brees has been in the playoffs before so it’s unlikely the offense will succumb to playoff pressure with him at the helm, and it should put up a slew of points.
The key will be New Orleans defense. It doesn’t need to shut down Philly’s offense completely, just keep it from exploding. Take the over in this one (49).
Saints, 34-24.
SEAHAWKS (+9) at BEARS
Seattle wasn’t extremely impressive in beating Dallas. In fact everyone knows the Seahawks should’ve lost that game and only a botched snap by Tony Romo on a chip-shot field goal attempt allowed Mike Holmgren’s team to escape.
Still, sometimes a win like that gives a team a lift, a new life. Plus, the Seahawks obviously have playoff seasoned players after last year’s run to the Super Bowl. Their skill players are healthy now for the most part, so maybe the offense will finally get into a groove this week. If Matt Hasselbeck can avoid mistakes against the vaunted Bears defense, Seattle could pull the upset. Darrell Jackson is questionable, but Hasselbeck still has Bobby Engram, Deion Branch and Jerramy Stevens to throw to.
The Seahawks’ defense is vulnerable to the pass, but do you really think Rex Grossman is going to expose this weakness?
On the Bears side is they may be able to run the ball against Seattle with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, and the weather is calling for snow.
The points are a bit scary, only because the total is so high. At nine points, you almost think something strange is going on here. How can the line be that high for the defending NFC champions against a team with a great defense but a very one-dimensional offense that has been a hindrance more than a help down the stretch?
The Seahawks aren’t as good as they were last year, that’s clear, but the line just seems out of whack. Normally, this is the type of game gamblers should avoid, but, what the heck, we’ll take the bait.
Seahawks, 20-17
PATRIOTS (+41/2) at CHARGERS
This may be the easiest pick of them all.
Maybe this column is giving Bill Belichick too much respect. We picked him to beat the Broncos last year and Denver won.
The Chargers certainly are formidable. They’ll have one of the most dominating players in the NFL on defense in Shawne Merriman. On offense, San Diego has the league MVP in LaDainian Tomlinson, and Pro Bowlers in quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates and the Chargers are at home.
But New England, of course, has Tom Brady, a nice running back tandem of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney, and a good tight end tandem of Ben Watson and Daniel Graham. The Patriots defense isn’t one to be bullied around either.
The key will be Rivers. He’s a first-year starter, the type of quarterback Belichick and the Patriots usually know how to confuse and fluster. If he can stay composed, the Pats are suspect against good passing teams.
So it comes down to this:
Who do you like better in a playoff game, one of the best postseason QBs of all time in Brady, or a one-year wonder making his playoff debut in Rivers? And what coach would you prefer leading your team, Belichick or Marty Schottenheimer?
The answers seem clear on this end.
Patriots, 24-23.
Assistant sports editor Rob Burchianti can be reached online at begin rvburchianti@hotmail.com rvburchianti@hotmail.com end