Bills Postgame Review/NFL Top 10
10/19/2010 | Posted by
Devin
The Ravens did beat them at home, but it also took everything the Ravens had to win in the final two minutes of the game. It took the Ravens absolute best to barely win the game, while Pittsburgh was handicapped by playing the game without an NFL caliber starting QB. I know it was against Cleveland, but Roethlisberger looked pretty good, throwing for three touchdowns yesterday. That was basically opening day for him. So not only will he continue to get better as he shakes the rust off, but that five weeks off (rape suspension + bye week) also allowed him to enter Week Six completely healthy; meanwhile QBs like Mark Sanchez, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been taking hits and getting beat up.
2. NY Jets (NR) – Man, did the Jets ever get lucky against Denver on Sunday. With time running down, Sanchez heaved the ball deep, praying for pass interference. Of course he got it and LaDainian Tomlinson easily scored and won the game. You might remember this move from the Bears/Packers Monday Night game a few weeks ago when Jay Cutler pulled a similar stunt on the game winning drive. And this is why the pass interference rules need to change. It's a cop-out for a team struggling and desperate at the end of the game. I complain quite a bit about the way NCAA football operates, but two things they have 100% correct are overtime and pass interference rules.
3. New England Patriots (NR) – I was pretty shocked to see New England defeat Baltimore yesterday. I watched Buffalo pretty much march all over New England's awful defense and figure Joe Flacco and Ray Rice would have a field day. Apparently not. The stats were decent for both, but the 20 total points definitely wasn't. You know what else wasn't good? Tom Brady whining like a little baby when he was hit after the pass. If I were a Patriots fan, I'd be so embarrassed with his antics. I liked the fact that he got face to face with Terrell Suggs after the play, but it doesn't make up for temper tantrum seconds before. Brady officially reminds me of the rich kid that nobody likes in school, yet people still want to be friends with him so they can swim in his pool on the weekends. Just another reason to dislike Boston.
4. NY Giants (NR) - The Giants didn't exactly handle Detroit like I thought they would, but a win is a win. The tough part of their schedule is about to start. They have 10 games remaining, six of those against Washington, Dallas and Philadelphia. The others against Green Bay, Minnesota, Jacksonville and Seattle. Only the Jacksonville game looks like a sure win at this point which makes me wonder just how good the Giants will be. Right now I have them fourth but they still have a lot to prove in the upcoming weeks.
5. Baltimore Ravens (NR) – Every single time I want to think Baltimore is ready to take that next step, they slip and fall down. Despite that, they are 4-2 with road wins at Pittsburgh and the Jets. That's still pretty impressive, but I hate how inconsistent they are. I'm pretty they will be taking their frustrations out on Buffalo this Sunday, so I have that to look forward to. I see at least five definite wins on their remaining schedule, which means they are still looking good in terms of the playoffs. It won't mean much when they have to go to Heinz Field in January so they can lose again though.
6. Houston Texans (NR) – Houston really frustrates me. During Sunday's game, I was sure that Kansas City was going to win and even sent a text to Scott that Houston peeked during Week One. Then they come back and pull the rug out from under the Chiefs. So now they are 4-2 at the bye, first place in the AFC South, with a rematch against Indianapolis looming. I'm really hesitant to put Houston this high because I have a hard time trusting them. Every time we think they're good, they finish the season 8-8 and we peg them as a super sleeper for next season. I'll give them a high ranking for now but if they lose to Indianapolis in two weeks, they'll be in class with the Dolphins.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (NR) – Sometimes I love the NFL. We have teams like the Bills, Browns, 49ers and others who barely have one NFL caliber starting QB. Then we have a team like the Eagles with both Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb. First it was Kolb's job, then he gets injured and Vick snatched it away. Then Vick gets hurt and Kolb lights Atlanta up. What a problem to have. I can only imagine the arguments between fans right now. After living through the Rob Johnson/Doug Flutie nightmare, I fear for QB controversies such as this one.
(If you don't think there is one, wake up)
8. Atlanta Falcons (NR) – So I was pretty sure Atlanta was the top team in the NFC until they decided to play dead in Philly. What a horrendous performance. In my defense, it's been pretty difficult trying to get a grasp on things so far this season. I blame the NFL and parity for that. I'm starting to get the feeling that Atlanta will always be just good enough to lose in the second round, nothing more. I guess the good news for Falcons fans is that I'm almost always wrong with my predictions, so they have that going for them.
9. New Orleans Saints (NR) – Speaking of my predictions going wrong, I couldn't have been more wrong when I predicted a Tampa Bay upset over New Orleans. For the first time in the 2010 season, the Saints looked like the defending Super Bowl champs. They should destroy Cleveland next week by a similar margin, but then they have Pittsburgh at home. That will be the game that tells me whether or not New Orleans is for real this season or just hanging around with no real plans to repeat.
10. Indianapolis Colts (NR) – I know the Colts are 4-2, but they just don't look good overall. Their two losses were to division teams, while their four wins were outside of the division. What does that mean? Well it means a whole lot when it comes down to tie-breakers in December. The reason I still have the Colts at 10 is simply because of Peyton Manning. I just can't rule him out. He's too good and the Colts will always be a contender as long as he's lining up (which might literally be for another decade). But let it be known, the Colts are not the same powerhouse that they usually are. On the positive side of that, they most likely won't be able to rest their starters in the final weeks of the season, which is huge for people in fantasy playoffs. I'm excited.
Just Missing Out: Chicago, Tennessee, Kansas City, Washington, Miami
Teams I didn't consider for .0001 of a second: Buffalo, Cleveland, Carolina
Bills future QB Update (in the ever-changing order that I like them):
1. Andrew Luck – OFF (Season: 1538 yards, 16 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 166.86 QB rating)
2. Jake Locker – 21/35, 286 yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception (Season: 1431 yards, 13 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 132.56 QB rating)
3. Ryan Mallett – 10/15, 96 yards, 1 touchdown (Season: 1844 yards, 14 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 168.11 QB rating)
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Some Thoughts on the Bills
3/26/2010 | Posted by
Devin
While trying to settle my nerves down for what will be the biggest game of the 2009-10 season for the Buffalo Sabres (so far), I thought it would be good to completely switch gears and discuss the happenings (or lack thereof) at One Bills Drive.
The Bills have actually been in the news lately, mostly being mentioned in conjunction with the trade talks involving Donovan McNabb. Let me get straight to the point. This would be a fantastic move for the Bills to make. This wouldn't just be another ticket grab signing like Terrell Owens was (yes it would), this would also solidify a position that has been in flux for the better part of the decade. Ever since Drew Bledsoe's three year tenure ended in Buffalo, the QB position has been a complete mess. Losman, Holcomb, Edwards, Fitzpatrick, and Brohm. What a lineup. If I missed a QB along the way, I don't care.
Yes, McNabb is getting older and nearing the end of his career. But please realize, he is only 33 years old and has plenty of gas left in the tank. Last season he threw for 22 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. The year before it was 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and the year prior it was 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. I would also like to note that while a Buffalo Bills QB hasn't thrown for more than 300 yards in over 50+ games, McNabb did it three times. In fact, he threw for 450 yards against the Chargers last season. That stat along should seal the deal.Most detractors point out that along with age, he is also injury prone. Really? I just don't see it. He has no doubt had his fair share of injuries, but he has also missed only four games in the past three seasons. Last time I checked, Trent Edwards has had his fair share of injuries too. In fact, Edwards has yet to play even one full NFL season. Awesome.
I say all of this with a heavy heart though because there is no way McNabb is coming to Buffalo.
This is mostly due to the fact that he is entering the final year of his contract. I would be livid if the Bills gave up a second round draft pick or more for a one year rental. The only way I'd accept this deal is if an extension with McNabb was put into place before the trade was finalized. So with that being said, he isn't going to want to sign an extension with Buffalo and I don't blame the Bills one bit for not pulling the trigger on the deal without an extension.
McNabb has publicly said that Minnesota is his choice destination. I also don't that happening because Brett Favre is still under contract for one more season and until the Vikings lineup to kick the ball off in Week One, I believe Favre will be back for another season. Although, this does open up the very real possibility of McNabb refusing an extension with any team and simply walking over to Minnesota after next season.
That leads us to Oakland. Oakland is dumb enough to toss away draft picks for a player entering the final year of his contract. They proved that much to us last season when they traded a first round pick for Richard Seymour. Why wouldn't they do a similar deal this season?
The franchise tag possibility would put a serious dent in the Minnesota plan above coming to fruition, but anything can happen in Oakland. This is the Raiders we're talking about. Again, Oakland is dumb enough to pull this off. And again, I would be irate if the Bills even thought twice about this.
So while I would love a deal for McNabb in Buffalo, it isn't happening without an extension, and he isn't signing one in Buffalo.
In other news, I was reminded by ESPN (again and again and again) that the draft is only 27 days away. I'm actually very excited for the draft this year. And to be honest, part of the reason is the fact that it's a three day event. Instead of spending my entire Saturday parked in front of the television, I get to space out the event and really enjoy it. Let's be honest, I'm probably not doing much on a Thursday night anyways, so why not watch the first round of the draft. Of course, there will be an issue if the Sabres happen to play that night, but we'll cross that bridge when (if) we get there.
I've read plenty of mock drafts and I've seen far too many with Buffalo picking Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen. This is the one player I don't want the Bills to draft and honestly, I'm strictly going on a hunch. I haven't watched countless hours of footage to come up with this opinion and I really haven't done a ton of research on it. I watched just enough Notre Dame games in the past few seasons to know that I don't want him as the QB of my team. It's really that simple.
So what if they draft him? I'll probably throw something across the living room and complain about it for the following 72 hours. But then I'll be forced to cheer for him and support him. I am, of course, a Buffalo Bills fan. I cheer for the logo, city, and uniforms above any one player. And who knows, maybe I'll even learn to like him. Terrell Owens was able to pull it up so it's definitely within the realm of possibility.
I'll leave the rest of the draft talk alone because I don't want to spoil our second annual mock draft.
P.S. I still really HATE the Ottawa Senators. More on this game later tonight or tomorrow.
2009 NFL Preview: NFC East
9/01/2009 | Posted by
Devin
Dallas Cowboys
Key Additions: Jon Kitna (QB), Keith Brooking (LB), Matt Stewart (LB), Igor Olshansky (DE), Gerald Sensabaugh (S)
Key Losses: Terrell Owens (WR), Greg Ellis (LB), Roy Williams (S), Tank Johnson (DT), Zach Thomas (LB), Keith Davis (LB), Adam Jones (CB), Brad Johnson (QB), Anthony Henry (CB), Chris Canty (CB)
Draft Picks: Jason Williams (LB-Western Ill), Robert Brewster (T-Ball St), Stephen McGee (QB-Texas A&M), Victor Butler (DE-Oregon St), Brandon Williams (DL-Texas Tech), DeAngelo Smith (DB-Cincinnati), Michael Hamlin (S-Clemson), David Buehler (K-USC), Stephen Hodge (S-TCU), John Phillips (TE-Virginia), Mike Mickens (DB-Cincinnati), Manuel Johnson (WR-Oklahoma)
Last season gave us all the privilege of seeing yet another Cowboys season that finished well below their amazingly high expectations. The Cowboys came into the 2008 season expected
Jerry Jones decided to keep head coach Wade Phillips for another season. I have to assume this is only so he can fully prove himself as a failure of a head coach and vacate the spot next offseason for former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. With Phillips staying and the Cowboys needing a scapegoat, they decided to release wide receiver Terrell Owens at the start of free agency. That move seems to have worked out well for all of those involved.
Without Owens in the fold, the only time the Cowboys have been in the news has been when Tony Romo announced his breakup with super ditz Jessica Simpson and when the Cowboys practice tent collapsed nearly killing the players and coaches that were inside practicing at the time. Oh and I almost forgot, they spent over one billion dollars on a new stadium where a major design flaw was exposed during the first preseason game. Hey, good thing they have less distractions now.
The Cowboys didn't make a ton of offseason moves besides the release of Owens. They traded with the Lions to pick up quarterback Jon Kitna, which is technically an upgrade at the position. Last year their entire season went down the tubes right around the time Tony Romo went out with an injury and the combination of Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger did their best to make sure they never got an NFL job again. So while Kitna isn't exactly "great", he is probably a better option at backup in the event that Romo goes down again. Honestly, that isn't saying a whole lot.
But while we're on the topic of Jon Kitna, I feel inclined to share one of my favorite quotes from Bill Simmons on the topic. "Could we have a team of behavioral scientists start examining the bizarre phenomenon when Jon Kitna suddenly and inexplicably gets into a passing groove? Does anyone else get totally flustered by this? It's like watching somebody climb out of a wheelchair and walk around the room for an hour."
The Cowboys also released the highly overrated safety Roy Williams. The only thing I wondered when I saw that news is what the hell took them so long. Also no longer making it rain in Dallas is cornerback Adam "Pac Man" Jones. I can't totally rip Dallas for that move. It was a low risk move to bring him in, it didn't work, and the Cowboys are moving on after one season. I'll give props to Dallas for cutting their losses with him after one season instead of hanging on and trying to make it work.
I don't see Dallas improving much from last season. They will surely be better if Romo stays healthy, but he lost a big receiving target and we're still not sure if Roy E. Williams is going to be a suitable replacement, especially because he defined the word "suck" last year after his trade to Dallas. If they were in the NFC West I'd have them pegged as a division winner, but not in the East. I see a third place finish for them this year.
Last Season: 9-7
2009 Prediction: 9-7
New York Giants
Key Additions: Rocky Bernard (DT), Tutan Reyes (G), Chris Canty (CB), George Wrighster(TE)
Key Losses: Derrick Ward (RB), Plaxico Burress (WR), Renaldo Wynn (DE), Reuben Droughns (RB), Sam Madison (CB), Sammy Knight (S), John Carney (K), Amani Toomer (WR), R.W. McQuarters (CB)
Draft Picks: Hakeem Nicks (WR-UNC), Clint Sintim (LB-Virginia), Will Beatty (T-UConn), Ramses Barden (WR-Cal Poly), Travis Beckum (TE-Wisconsin), Andre Brown (RB-NC State), Rhett Bomar (QB-Sam Houston St), DeAndre Wright (CB-New Mexico), Stoney Woodson (CB-South Carolina)
The Giants didn't necessarily finish with a successful season in 2008; however I guess that is how you define "successful". They overcame the dreaded Super Bowl hangover and won their division again, but lost in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants were cruising through the regular season up until the point when the news on Plaxico Burress broke and the offense never appeared to be the same.
The Giants had a relatively quiet offseason up until the time that they signed QB Eli Manning to be the highest paid player in the league. Honestly, I have no problem with the signing. The Giants recognized that they have a franchise QB on their hands, not to mention one with a Super Bowl ring, and they decided to lock him up. Should he be making more than Big Ben or Tom Brady? Probably not. But that is up to the Steelers and Patriots to work out, it isn't the Eli's fault.
They also officially cut ties with receiver Plaxico Burress, which was the best thing they could do considering he is headed for prison for almost two years. New York attempted to replace Burress in the first round of the draft when they selected Hakeem Nicks from UNC. It's highly doubtful that Nicks will step right in and make an impact so Manning is going to need some help elsewhere. It's no secret that the Giants offense dropped off dramatically once Burress was suspended for the remainder of last season.
The Giants still have a bruising running game, despite losing Derrick Ward, as Brandon Jacobs returns and Ahmad Bradshaw looks to take over. Both guys have more than enough speed and Jacobs has plenty of power to just completely run defenders over. Who knows how long his body will last running with that style but nobody is complaining just yet.
The Giants also return with a stacked defense. They were already good and now Osi Umenyora is returning from injury. Much like Shawne Merriman coming back in San Diego, this is almost like a free agent signing in itself assuming the player comes back healthy. The Giants also acquired Rocky Bernard to help clog up the middle of an already stout defensive line.
Last Season: 12-4
2009 Prediction: 10-6
Philadelphia Eagles
Key Additions: Jason Peters (T), Stacy Andrews (T/G), Sean Jones (S), Leonard Weaver (FB), Rashad Baker (S), Ellis Hobbs (CB), Michael Vick (QB)
Key Losses: Correll Buckhalter (RB), Jon Runyan (T), Tra Thomas (T), L.J. Smith (TE), Sean Considine (S)
Draft Picks: Jeremy Maclin (WR-Missouri), LeSean McCoy (RB-Pittsburgh), Cornelius Ingram (TE-Florida), Victor Harris (CB-Virginia Tech), Fenuki Tupou (T-Oregon), Brandon Gibson (WR-Washington St), Paul Fanaika (G-Arizona St), Moise Fokou (LB-Maryland)
The Eagles are probably the most improved team in the NFC East. They signed QB Donovan
I suppose it would be wrong of me to not mention the late August signing of Michael Vick. It's hard to fit this in since I wrote this column before he was actually signed. Like I said above before the signing, when Kolb has actually taken the field, it's been scary. So this signing could be a nice insurance policy if McNabb goes down for a few games. Well, that is assuming that Michael Vick can return to playing QB at a competent level. He has always been a great athlete but I've been left less than impressed with his actual QB play more times than not. However, if the Eagles are able to effectively use him and McNabb at the same time, the possibilities are actually quite scary. Don't believe me? The day after the signing the Giants started practicing on how to defend the Wildcat. Although I still think it's a gimmick offense, the threat is obviously real if teams immediately start preparing for it. I'm less convinced this will work after the first preseason game but I'm sure it will take time for Vick to come around after a few years off.
The Eagles were very close to another Super Bowl trip last season so assuming they don't collapse under the huge expectations this season, one has to have them pegged as an early favorite in the NFC. Before the draft the Eagles acquired LT Jason Peters from Buffalo and promptly gave him the money he deserved thought he deserved. I'm trying to put all bias aside here. Peters is an upgrade for the Eagles line if he plays to his full capability. It's no secret that he completely mailed it in last season because he was pissed at Buffalo for not giving him his money. Now that he has his money he should be playing 100%, but you never know with that. One thing is for sure, Andy Reid put all the pressure on Peters the minute he got to Philly by proclaiming that he is the "best tackle in the NFL". If he doesn't live up to those expectations, expect the Philly fans to let him know.
During the draft the Eagles added WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy to the fold. Maclin might have a harder learning curve but could prove to be a dangerous weapon opposite last year's first round pick, DeSean Jackson. I expect McCoy to see the field quite a bit considering he is the primary backup for Brian Westbrook. It's no secret that Westbrook is a great player but is also very injury prone. To help keep him healthy, expect McCoy to make an immediate impact for the Eagles offense this season.
Even before the Vick signing I had the Eagles winning the NFC East and challenging for a trip to the Super Bowl. If they can survive the circus they created I see no reason why those chances aren't even greater this year. And if one more person argues with me that Minnesota is now the team to beat with Brett Favre, I will drop the gloves with that person.
Last Season: 9-6-1
2009 Prediction: 11-5
Washington Redskins
Key Additions: Albert Haynesworth (DT), Derrick Dockery (G), Renaldo Wynn (DE)
Key Losses: Shawn Springs (CB), Jason Taylor (DE), Jon Jansen (T), James Thrash (WR)
Draft Picks: Brian Orakpo (DE-Texas), Kevin Barnes (CB-Maryland), Cody Glenn (OLB-Nebraska), Robert Henson (ILB-TCU), Eddie Williams (FB-Idaho), Marko Mitchell (WR-Nevada)
It says a lot about the NFC East that the Redskins finished dead last in the division and were still a .500 team. There was a point last season when I would've argued that Washington was much better than Dallas or Philadelphia, but they fell apart at the end of the season and missed out on the playoffs once again.
Like usual, the number one offseason goal for the Redskins was to spend a ton of money the minute free agency started. They succeeded with flying colors by signing Albert Haynesworth to a bajillion dollars. However, after that the Redskins stayed moderately low for a little while. They brought Derrick Dockery back after he was rightfully released from Buffalo after two miserable seasons. They also cut their losses by releasing Jason Taylor after only one season in DC.
The Redskins then proceeded to alienate their starting QB but openly going after both Jay Cutler and rookie Mark Sanchez. Honestly, I can see why they were going after Cutler. While I'm not especially high on Cutler, he is an upgrade over Jason Campbell. However, it was a huge mistake to go after either QB in public while Jason Campbell was entrenched as the starter.
One positive for the Redskins is that Jason Campbell is heading into the season under the same offensive scheme as the previous season, something he hasn't been able to say since high school. This should take out the built in excuse for Campbell that he had to learn a brand new system during the offseason. If he doesn't get it done this year, it might be his last in DC and his last as a starter in the league.
One negative for the Redskins is that behind Santana Moss, there isn't a whole lot going on at wide receiver. No disrespect towards Antwaan Randle El, but he isn't anything more than a slot receiver who can return punts. Now if last year's rookies (Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly) can actually contribute, the Skins offense might not be so bad after all.
I don't see a whole lot going well for Washington this season. The NFC East is too even and they are still below those other teams. I have them improving one game from the fact that Campbell comes in more prepared to lead the offense, but I don't see it being a breakout season by any means.
Last Season: 8-8
2009 Prediction: 9-7
NFC Championship Recap
1/20/2009 | Posted by
Devin
On the flip side of our AFC Championship recap, a bad side of writing is being proven completely wrong after writing an article earlier in the week. This was the case in my NFC Championship preview as I predicted the Eagles would hammer away Arizona 27-10. Barring a missed two point conversion, I almost nailed the Philly score on the dot but I completely underestimated the Arizona offense.
Arizona came out of the gates flying high in this game and completely took Philadelphia by storm. They marched right down the field on the opening drive and capped off a nine play drive with the first of three Larry Fitzgerald touchdowns. Fitzgerald cemented himself as the best wide receiver in the league with another amazing performance. He finished the day with 9 receptions, 152 yards, and 3 touchdowns.
The Eagles tried to keep up but failed to do so in the first half and went into the locker room at halftime down 24-6. Donovan McNabb tried his best to will his team to victory in the 2nd half with two touchdown passes to tight end Brent Celek in the 3rd quarter to bring the score to 24-19. McNabb continued his hot play in the 4th quarter with a highlight reel touchdown to rookie DeSean Jackson, who bobbled the ball all the way into the end zone to give Philly the lead 25-24.
Arizona’s offense, which had been non-existent in the 3rd quarter, finally came back to life and marched right down the field to take the lead. The Cardinals capped the drive off with an 8 yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner to Tim Hightower and then got the 2 point conversion with a pass to Ben Patrick to make the score 32-25. The Eagles had one final shot to tie the game, and seemed like they were well on their way until the drive came to a screeching half around mid-field. With 4th down and the season on the line, McNabb’s pass to Kevin Curtis fell incomplete, and so Arizona advanced to Super Bowl XLIII for the first time in franchise history.
It goes without saying that many football fans didn’t give the Cardinals a chance to make it out of the first round, let alone take the NFC crown, so as one of those writers I have to give credit where credit is due. The Cardinals will have their hands full with Pittsburgh’s number one defense but they definitely have a shot to take it all.
Look for our Super Bowl XLIII preview coming next week on D&S Sports and stay tuned for plenty more sports articles coming this week.
NFC Championship Preview
1/12/2009 | Posted by
Devin
Sunday January 18th 2009
3:00 PM EST : FOX
The Cardinals have continued their improbable run
and now host the NFC Championship, a first since relocating to the desert many decades ago. Arizona has beaten the odds twice this post-season with a wild card victory over Atlanta and a shocking upset against the Carolina Panthers.
The Philadelphia Eagles are also riding a little hot streak as they travel west to Glendale for their fifth NFC championship appearance this decade. Head Coach Andy Reid and QB Donovan McNabb have been with the team for all five, however they have consistently fallen short in the quest for a Championship.
These two teams previously met this season. The Eagles completely dominated Arizona in one of the Thanksgiving day games in Philadelphia, 48-20. The Cardinals had just lost a very tough home game to the Giants and had to travel all the way to the East Coast on a short week, which put them at a huge disadvantage. Kurt Warner threw three interceptions that game and Brian Westbrook delighted fantasy owners with four touchdowns.
In the week prior to the first match-up, Donovan McNabb was benched by Reid in what many are saying was a turning point for the Eagles this season. Following the benching, the Eagles won the next four out of five games to gain a post-season berth and have since followed that up with two more victories, both on the road.
Both the Eagles and Cardinals are led by veteran quarterbacks and strong defenses.
The Cardinals forced six turnovers, including five interceptions of quarterback Jake Delhomme in the divisional round. The Eagles shut down the Giants and forced Eli Manning into throwing two interceptions while keeping the Giants out of the end zone for the entire game. If this game comes down to coaching, Andy Reid has the advantage of being a head coach in the big game, but Ken Wisenhunt of Arizona has already won a Super Bowl while serving as the offensive coordinator for Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL. Both teams have relied heavily on their passing game throughout the season. The Eagles are known to run the ball more than Arizona, but the combination of Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter get plenty of action in the passing game as well.
The Cardinals almost completely ignored their running game during the season, prompting Edgerrin James to say that this season will be his last in Arizona. However, that trend changed once the post-season started. James led the way against Atlanta with 16 carries for 73 yards, while rookie Tim Hightower had 6 carries for 23 yards and 1 touchdown. Against Carolina the duel threat of James and Hightower combined for 37 carries, 156 yards, and 1 touchdown.
The Arizona faithful sold this game out in six minutes, which is a change of pace from when the NFL had to extend the blackout deadline for their match-up with Atlanta. You can expect Arizona to keep the roof closed to create as much crowd noise as possible. If the Eagles can shut down Larry Fitzgerald, they should be able to win and get back to the big game.
Eagles 27-10.
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