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| Authored by Andrew Perna - 18th January, 2006 - 4:52 am
 And then there were four.
The NFL season began with 28 teams vying for a chance to play in Super Bowl XL ? 32 if you count Houston, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Oakland. Now only Pittsburgh, Denver, Carolina, and Seattle are still alive.
So far this postseason I?m 4-4 on my predictions, with the Steelers and Broncos ruining my picks with upsets over the Patriots and Colts. I?ve thought long and hard about my Conference Championship predictions, hoping that I?ll be able to end the playoffs with a moderately successful record.
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) vs. Denver Broncos (13-3)
Anyone who says this was the match-up they were looking forward to is lying. Well, unless you?re a Pittsburgh or Denver fan. This was supposed to be New England versus Indianapolis, Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady, we were supposed to find out if the Colts could finally conquer their nemesis in the postseason.
Don?t get me wrong. I?m not trying to disrespect the Steelers or Broncos. They both deserve to be here and have cemented a place among the AFC?s elite after derailing the Colts drive towards Detroit, and the Patriots chance at a three-peat.
Nonetheless, I?m taking the Steelers. Not just because I?ve gone against them twice this postseason, but because they showed what they were truly made of in their victory over the Colts. After it seemed they might not even make the playoffs, they played their way into a Wild Card berth and proceeded to eliminate the first and third seeds in their Conference.
Ben Roethlisberger has too strong of an arm, and Jerome Bettis seems destined for the Super Bowl. Jake Plummer and Co. showed that they can bring their game to another level in important games, but I think Pittsburgh is riding too high after knocking off the mighty Colts.
Prediction: Steelers 21, Broncos 13
Carolina Panthers (11-5) vs. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
This was the match-up I predicted last week, along with a majority of the country. Seattle is the much better football team talent-wise, but Carolina is a proven winner and represented the NFC in the Super Bowl two seasons ago.
Both teams played impressively last weekend. The Panthers scored 29 points on the stifling Bears? defense, and the Seahawks played surprisingly well without NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who left the game in the first quarter with a concussion.
Had the Panthers not lost running back DeShaun Foster to a broken leg, I might have picked them to win the game and advance to Detroit. However, without Foster I don?t feel Carolina can outplay the talented Seahawks. Foster, who played very well in the Panthers victory over the Eagles in the 2003 NFC Championship game, will be replaced by Nick Goings.
Goings, who filled in well during the Panthers injured-plagued regular season, doesn?t have the big-play ability that Foster possesses. Carolina receiver Steve Smith is capable of winning this game for the Panthers single-handedly, but Seattle?s defense isn?t porous enough to let that happen.
Smith will likely be used as a receiver and running back this weekend. Carolina has used the NFL?s leading receiver as a rushing option several times this postseason, but with the injury to Foster it?s likely that Smith will get even more carries.
Even if Alexander isn?t 100 percent, I still can?t see Seattle losing this game. Hasselbeck showed that he can play with an enormous amount of heart, and the return of Darrell Jackson has made Seattle?s already potent offense even better. A defense that led the NFL in sacks doesn?t hurt either.
Prediction: Seattle 28, Carolina 20
Enjoy these football games while they last, because we could be in for some changes come next season. There?s no doubt that Bill Cowher?s chin got even closer to the ground in Indianapolis when the referee?s overturned the ruling on Troy Polamalu?s interception, saying that he never maintained possession of Peyton Manning?s miscue.
Heck. My dog could have made that call, and she has cataracts.
Something will have to be done in the off season to ensure that teams won?t be in jeopardy of losing a game to horrible officiating, and the game will likely be slowed down because of it.
Was I the only one who saw the official call Mike Vanderjagt?s game-tying field goal kick good?
It was only after Kimo von Oelhoffen pointed it out that the official made the call correct. |
