NY Jets 24 - Cincinnati Bengals 14
The Bengals may have been the favorite, but most people seemed to be picking the Jets to win. And win they did. The Bengals scored first, but the Jet D actually dominated right from the start. With the exception of that touchdown drive, the Bengals didn't have a first down until three minutes into the second quarter, and that was on a penalty. By that point, the Jets had tied the game, and would take the lead for good on their next possession. Both teams had solid rushing attacks in this one, as they both had 171 yards on the ground. Their passing games seemed to have switched places for this week, though. The Jets normally shaky air attack went for 182 yards as Mark Sanchez completed 12 of 15 for 2 TDs. The Bengals normally stable passing game only managed 146 yards as Carson Palmer completed only 18 of 36. The key to the game was turnovers. The Bengals lost the ball on a pick and a fumble, while the Jets protected their possessions and never lost it. What we saw was a finally complete Jets team. For the first time all season, every facet of their game was working properly at the same time. If they can continue to play this way, a Super Bowl berth isn't a far stretch.
Dallas Cowboys 34 - Philadelphia Eagles 14
If anyone doubted the Cowboys are for real this year, this game should have shown they are. They scored 27 points in the second quarter alone, and capped of their day with a 73 yard TD run in the third. Their defense caused three turnovers, recorded four sacks, and held Donovan McNabb to a completion percentage barely over 50%. This was a game of complete and total vindication for Tony Romo and Wade Phillips. Since dropping back-to-back games to start December, they've now won four straight, and look like they might be the best team in the NFC. The dominated every part of this game, and they'll need to do it again to take down the Minnesota Vikings next week.
Baltimore Ravens 33 - New England Patriots 14
I thought the Ravens would win, but what they did to the Pats was ridiculous. The first play of the game was an 83 yard TD run by Ray Rice, and the Ravens led 24-0 after the first quarter. The defense did what Ravens defenses do, and got after Tom Brady all day. Brady was responsible for four turnovers all by himself, and that was pretty much all that gave them the win. While their running game racked up the yards and the points, Joe Flacco was just shy of terrible. In 10 pass attempts, he had four completions and a pick. If there is ever a time a team needs to play together as a single unit, it's in the playoffs. The Ravens may have done enough to win this game, and win it big, but they won't get much further if they don't get their passing game going next week.
Arizona Cardinals 51 - Green Bay Packers 45
If there was ever a playoff game that deserved national exposure, this was it. A first half that looked like another blowout turned into a late-game shootout between a QB at the end of his career and one just starting to be noticed. If the story in the other three games was defense, the story in this one was a lack of it. The game may have started with an Aaron Rodgers pass getting picked off, but that was about where the defense stopped for the next 60 minutes. The Cards had a quick 17-0 lead at the end of the first, and pushed it up to 24-10 at the half. Through great playcalling that included a surprise onside kick, the Pack roared back to tie the game multiple times in the second half while both team's defenses took some time off. With the game on the line, Neil Rackers missed a potential game-winning field goal that sent things to OT. It was there that things ended just like they began, as Rodgers coughed up the ball on third down, and the Cards D returned it for the winning score. If this game proved anything, it's that the Cards have some things to work on. They may have caused three fumbles and a pick, but if they can't stop the pass, they won't make it past New Orleans next week.
Three Heroes of the Wild Card Round
Karlos Dansby. With their game in OT, it was Dansby that recovered the fumble and scored the touchdown that gave the Cardinals the win.
Ray Rice. He started the game with an 83 yard TD run, and ended it with 159 yards on 22 carries to give the Ravens the offense their passing game couldn't provide.
- Shonn Greene. Expected to be a change-of-pace guy for Thomas Jones and the Jets, Greene broke out against the Bengals for 135 yards, including a 39 yarder that tied the score at 7 early in the game.
Three Goats of the Wild Card Round:
- Aaron Rodgers. He may have had an amazing game by most standards, but his inability to hlod on to the ball in OT was what gave Arizona the win.
- Chad Ochocinco. For all his talk about how great he would play against the Jets, he was rewarded with 2 catches for 28 yards as Darrelle Revis had him bottled up all day.
- Tom Brady. Only 154 yards passing and four turnovers isn't going to beat the Ravens. Not now, not ever.
Playoff Picks:
Straight up: 3-1
ATS: 3-1
o/u: 4-0
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