Of course the NFL postseason isn't predictable, just ask the New England Patriots, set to go the entire season undefeated by winning Super Bowl XLII (42) in 2008.. Someone forgot to give Eli Manning and the New York Giants the script though and the Giants shocked the football world by beating Bill Belichick, Tom Brady et al, 17-14.
Wild Card Match-Up: Seahawks Sport Losing Record
The defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints lost their final game of the regular season, at home, to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but finished a strong 11-5. It was not enough, however, to repeat as divisional champs as the Atlanta Falcons had a great season at 13-3. This sets up a bit of an oddity.
Drew Brees and the Saints travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks, the first team out of some 350 divisional champs to win their division with a losing record. The finished 7-9 and four wins behind their visitors. Their game against the Saints back in week 11 saw them lose 34-19 and they have one of the worst defenses in the NFC so this is the one that could be a blowout. The game starts at 4:30 p.m. E.T. on NBC.
Saturday Wild Card Match-Up Extraordinaire
The Indianapolis Colts had a great win in the last game of the regular season and last year's Superbowl losers finished at 10-6 and grabbed home-field advantage in the first round despite going through some bumps this season. They're up against Mark Sanchez and the 11-5 New York Jets.
The two teams didn't meet this season and it might seem with their 6-2 home record the Colts edge their way into the favorites column. But the Jets are 6-2 on the road and the time has come for Mark Sanchez to truly arrive with a big game against a big opponent at the right time. Can he outduel Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne? It goes at 8 p.m. E.T. on NBC.
The Pack is Back But Vick is Slick
Bad rhyming aside, the second match-up on Sunday Jan. 9 is certain to be a dogfight. The Green Bay Packers only got into the post-season on the last day with a less than impressive 10-3 win over the Chicago Bears, who were playing a meaningless game. But their offense can score points and so can their defense.
Aaron Rodgers taking Green Bay to the Super Bowl the year Brett Favre really retires? It could happen but it'll have to be all on the road and start by going into Philly and getting a win over a superb Michael Vick. Vick has not allowed his recent past to stop him from getting back his game, big-time, and if it weren't for Tom Brady he'd be this season's MVP It goes Sunday at 4:30 p.m. E.T. on Fox.
Early NFL Play-off Game Sunday Jan. 9
The early game Sunday this week between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs starts at 1 p.m. E.T., which translates of course to 10 a.m. for football fans on the west coast. The Chiefs have not been in the post-season since 2006, haven't hosted a game since 2003 and have not won a playoff game in 18 years.
Baltimore has been made postseason play the past decade more often than nott. They didn't win the division title over Pittsburgh despite having an identical record because of a worse divisional record than the Steelers. But at 12-4 and with Ray Lewis healthy they pose a might big challenge for the Chiefs. The game is on CBS.
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