NFL Recap and Preview: The Final Eight

The Final Eight

In college basketball I have always argued that if a coach guides his team to the Sweet 16 on a consistent basis, his job should always be secure. Everyone aspires for a Final 4 or a national championship but being in the hunt is almost as important. Some programs even lower the bar to just making the NCAA tournament. Nebraska basketball has never won one tourney game.

As fans, you just want your team to have a shot at making a title run.

This same logic can be carried over to the NFL as 8 teams remain with a shot at the Super Bowl crown. While some fans will be crushed if their favorite teams' lose this weekend, 24 teams are already at home and I am just happy my Packers are in the mix.

Last weekend's games provided me little reason to believe the gap between the above average teams and the very good teams has closed whatsoever. I do not see one team who played in the wild card round with a shot at running the table like the Steelers 2 years ago.

I hate running predictions because they are usually wrong and I do not want to jinx the Pack by talking major smack about the Seasquawks. Here are 2 great NFL playoff previews from Five Tool Tool and Uncle Rico's Time Machine.


Here are my thoughts on last weeks NFL games

Seattle beat Skins
The first half of this game was brutal to watch and two things that I already knew stood out . Seattle still can not run the ball and Skins WR Santana Moss is unable to actually catch a football. Unfortunately, Moss's one job in life that he is paid millions of dollars to perform, is to hold on to a football when it hits his hands.

After the coolest kicking team recovery that I ever witnessed, the key play was a Skins TE Chris Cooley drop which would have set up first and goal from the 3. Instead, the skins missed a FG and Seattle drove the length of the field for the decisive go ahead TD. The Skins inability to stop the Seahawks pass rush was probably the deciding factor in the game.

I still pour some out on a regular basis for the Boom Boom King and his memorary will live on forever.

Jags beat Pitt
This was the most entertaining game of Wild Card weekend and the better team won. Maurice Drew was the difference and how much better of a pro is he turning out to be than Reggie Bush?

The Steelers had a chance late to ice the game late but were way too conservative on their play calling. 3rd&6 QB sweep? What is that? My favorite part of the game was Jags CB Mathis possibly being out of bounds after an INT because of his dreads. I think the Jags have the formula to play with the Pats.

Giants beat Bucs
I missed most of this game and it seems like I did not miss much. Everyone is all over Eli's junk because he did not suck and played decent. Talk about lowering the bar and I still doubt Eli's ability to hit open WRs with his high sailing throws. I expect a battle with the Cowboys and the Giants Oline is underrated.

Chargers beat Titans
The one thing that I took from this game was how bad Vince Young looked. His awful play cost the Titans a shot at winning this game as their defense held LT in check. Plus, Titans need to roll Vince out and run the spread offense. He is not a good pocket passer and I still have doubts that he will ever be one.

I can not believe I would ever argue that Kerry Collins would have been the best option for a team to win a playoff game, however, this was shockingly the case.

The Titans secondary was burned late and no one wants to write this but I will, Pac Man Jones would have been a difference maker out there. There is a reason that the Titans will not cut him because he is a helluva player.

Everyone needs to chill out on the Chargers though. Rivers is still highly inconsistent and Turner will find a way to lose a game as a head coach. The defense is playing better but is nowhere near the destructive force it was a year ago.

Have a great weekend, headed to Happy Hour, time to blow off some steam/stress.

Word, Mac G.