The playoffs are here and my favorite team, the San Diego Chargers, underachieved and missed the playoffs...again. That's three straight seasons. There needs to be a change in SD...and it has to be a mindset change. A new coach has to come in and inject a new atmosphere, a new mindset. Just got done reading an article on USA Today (Who's out?) that was tracking the coach and GM firings and was disappointed that Norv Turner wasn't mentioned...yet. Turner didn't work out, time to give someone else a shot.
Enough about the Chargers (for now), how about the story lines for this years playoffs!
Three starting rookie QBs take their respective teams to the playoffs. Two will face each other this weekend when Russel Wilson takes the Seahawks into D.C. to face Robert Griffin. Speaking of RG3, did you see that the Redskins lead the league in fewest turnovers and RG3 has the fewest turnovers of any QB starting more than half the season? Rookies aren't supposed to do that.
Then there's the other rookie, Andrew Luck, who has led the Colts back to the playoffs after losing Peyton Manning. Everyone thought the kid would be good, but 2-14 to back -to-the-playoffs good? I don't think anyone predicted that. And don't take anything away from 1st year coach Chuck Pagano and how much of this is motivated by his struggle with leukemia. Props also has to go to offensive coordinator Bruce Arians for taking over the team for 12 games this season. If the Colts can beat the Ravens and the Texans can avoid an upset by the Bengals, then guess who the Colts will face? Yep, Peyton Manning and the Broncos. You know that CBS is praying to the football gods for this to happen.
The three rooks are balanced by the big three NFL QBs...Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, and Peyton Manning. Are we going to see a Brady/Manning vs. Rogers Superbowl? I can hear CBS execs shouting, "Please, please, please let that happen!"
Then there's the story of the Falcons and the Texans. Both teams had the best records in their respective divisions after week 13. The Texans then decided to go on a 1-3 nose dive to not only fall out of the #1 seed, but all the way down to #3 and having to play in the 1st round. Falcons also didn't do themselves any favors and went 2-2, but hung on to the #1 seed. I haven't seen any sportscasters (outside of Houston and Atlanta) predicting either team to win the Superbowl. Seems to me that they have a lot of "We'll show you guys" incentive, but will that be enough?
How about the storyline in San Francisco? The 49ers were a lot of sportscasters preseason favorites to win it all and a lot of them are sticking to that. I have to wonder what Alex Smith is thinking, having been the starter of a team predicted to win the Superbowl and getting replaced with 2nd year QB, Colin Kaepernick. While Smith is the prototype, "manage the team, don't make mistakes" QB, Kaepernick is going to be the "high-risk, high-reward" QB. See Week 15, 41-34 win over the Pats and Week 16, 13-42 loss to Seattle. If the 49ers don't win it all, how many "What if" stories will be written about the Smith-Kaepernick situation.
Then there's the Vikings. They beat the Packers to make the playoffs and in the process drop the Pack out of the #2 slot and having to play next week. Packers will host the the game against...the same Vikings!
The remaining teams are the Ravens with the fall of their once mighty defense (can they rebound in the playoffs); and the Bengals. There probably wouldn't have been any interesting storyline for Cincy, except that now they are playing the floundering Texans and have become every ones upset pick. Will the Bengals put he period in the end of the Texans' season or do the Texans regain their Mo-Jo?
Despite the Chargers not being in it, I love this years playoffs. Can't wait until Saturday!!!
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