Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers - Had the Ravens not lost that ridiculous game to Houston, they would probably be hosting this particular game. Now, the Ravens won the Super Bowl just a couple of seasons ago, true. But here is the thing: the one team that absolutely has their number in the playoffs would be the Steelers. This dates all the way back to 2001, when the Ravens were the defending champions from their first Super Bowl title. So far this season, the two teams have exchanged 20-point wins against one another, with both teams winning at home. Can the Ravens break their playoff slump against Pittsburgh? I hope so. They have enough talent, and the Steelers have been wildly inconsistent as well this season. My guy feeling, however, says that they will not. My pick: Pittsburgh
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers - The Cardinals were more consistent winners this season, although they enter this game on a slump, while the Panthers enter red-hot, and with home field advantage. Yes, the Cardinals defense is solid, but the Panthers have played some tough, lights out defense of late as well. Also, Cam Newton, to his credit, seems to be coming alive. Arizona may still be the better team, but my suspicions are that they will not show it this upcoming weekend. My pick: Carolina
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts - Cincinnati needed to win the division and host another game to have a real shot at winning, I think. The Bengals have never won a road playoff game throughout their history, and as a franchise, they have lose their last six playoff games. The last time that they won? The 1990-91 season, when they crushed Houston, 41-14. How long ago was that? Well, the US was preparing to go to war against Saddam Hussein and Iraq for the first time. George H. W. Bush was president, and had such enormous popularity that it seemed unlikely that he would not get a second term in office. South Africa was still under an apartheid government. The Soviet Union still existed. The New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos had never won a Super Bowl. The Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans did not yet exist. That is how long it has been since the Bengals last won a playoff game. All losses since then, and four of them have come since 2009, including the past three playoffs before this season. They could possibly win this one, although Indy is a tough place to play, and the Bengals have not proven themselves on the road against good teams. My pick: Indianapolis
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys - The Lions needed that win at Green Bay, as well as defenseman Ndamukong Suh. They got neither. Yes, they had a successful season, at 11-5. But they were on the cusp of so much more. Now, they have to go on the road to face a red-hot Dallas Cowboys team in Texas, rather than the 7-8-1 Panthers, a team the Lions likely would have had a good chance of beating. It will be a lot harder to beat the Cowboys, though. And frankly, I just do not think they are going to do it. My pick: Dallas
Some News Around the NFL
The Detroit Lions will head to Dallas to take on the Cowboys, but they will be without the services of Ndamukong Suh, who is probably the best, and certainly the most famous, member of the Lions defense.
He claims that it was accidental, although the league is treating it like it was done intentionally.
Here is a link with video that shows the play. Based on this, it is hard to determine whether it actually was intentional or not, although it should be noted that Suh has a deserved reputation as a dirty player. Also, this came one week after a similar incident involving a Detroit defenseman, although that time, there was no question that it was intentional. Again, the question is still open for debate about whether this as intentional, or not.
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2014/12/29/ndamukong-suh-suspension/21004933/
Also, Johnny Manziel, aka Johnny Football, is in the news again, and once again, it is for the wrong reasons.
Simply put, his rookie season did not live up to the hype, to say the least. The way some people talked about it, he was the next coming of Joe Montana or Peyton Manning.
Instead, he resembled a spoiled little rich kid who is too full of himself to take his new job as a starting NFL quarterback seriously. What a shocker, since he comes from a very rich family, huh?
He stated a couple of weeks ago, after an abysmal showing against the Bengals, that he had learned his lessons and had some growing up to do, but he was going to start getting serious. Now, after two more weeks of buffoonery, he has stated that he deserves all of the criticism that he is getting, that he did it to himself, and that now, he will start getting serious. Never mind what he said two weeks ago.
And let's face it: chances are good that you should not pay any mind to what he says this time around, either. He is acting like what he appears to be: a spoiled brat full of himself, who's fifteen minutes are just about up, hopefully. Maybe some people like this circus, but I can do without it. Cleveland deserves better.
Otherwise, the big story in the league was about coaches getting fired. Everyone knows about Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco. And the Raiders may, or may not, wind up needing a new coach. However, the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, and New York Jets all got rid of their head coaches, and will need to fill in that vacancy in the coming weeks.
Some are questioning whether the 49ers did the right thing by parting ways with Harbaugh. Apparently, the guy was hard to work with.
While that may be true, there is no arguing with the success that the franchise enjoyed during his tenure. Just listen to what Pete Carroll, a rival divisional coach, and highly successful coach in his own right, said about Harbaugh's departure:
49ers' worst decision ever? by Yahoo Sports Videos 0:59 mins
http://sports.yahoo.com/video/49ers-worst-decision-ever-182238124.html
Seahawks' Carroll on Harbaugh: 'Glad he's out of here'
http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/seahawks-carroll-harbaugh-glad-hes-out-here?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo
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