We are now down to four in the NFL playoffs. All but one of the weekend's games were packed with enough drama to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Can you care to guess which one lacked drama?
Saturday: Old Man Winter's latest barrage in the Northeast suggested that both games would be played in sloppy conditions, but that wasn't the case. NFC East champion Philadelphia, the conference's top seed, took the insult of being a 3 point home underdog against defending NFC champ Atlanta as motivation, and ensured there would be a fresh opponent on the NFC side at the Super Bowl on February 4, taking down the Falcons, 15-10. Ye scribe only saw less than half the game due to other commitments, but from what I did see, it was a good game.
The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots spotted the Tennessee Titans an early touchdown, and then did their best impression of a horde of vampires, sucking the drama out of the game by blowing out the Titans, 35-14. Reading an article on Yahoo! Sunday morning, I noted that the author, speaking for Patriot haters other than me, felt the officials were favoring the Patriots a little too much. Seeing as how I didn't watch the game, I can't rightly judge. I won't be watching the AFC title game next Sunday, either, but if the Patriots think the road to Minneapolis got a little easier, well.......
"Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it."---George Santayana.
Sunday: AFC South champion Jacksonville jumped out to a 21-0 lead early against North champ Pittsburgh, and had to hold on to advance to their first AFC title game in 19 years. Forced to abandon the running game, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin relied heavily on QB Ben Roethlisberger to bring the team back. However, a late field goal by Jacksonville's Josh Lambdo, coupled with a botched onside kick by the Steelers, sealed a 45-42 win for the Jaguars. If Tomlin didn't have Santayana's famous quote on his bulletin board, he should have, considering that Jacksonville won at Heinz Field for the 2nd time this season (they upset Pittsburgh back in October).
Patriots coach Bill Belichick should consider putting that quote on his bulletin board. The Jags went into Gillette Stadium in August and knocked off the Super Bowl champs in a preseason game. Patriot Nation might think it was a fluke then, but considering the banner year the Jaguars had under coach Doug Marrone, it really wasn't. Not only that, but Jacksonville has some Kryptonite in the front office for New England to worry about. Former Jags/Giants coach Tom Coughlin is now in the front office with Jacksonville, and all he needs do is flash his 2 rings, and give coach Marrone a primer on how to beat the Pats when it counts.
Meanwhile, the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings moved a step closer to their first Super Bowl in 41 years, and becoming the first team to actually be a home team at the Big Game, by holding off New Orleans, 29-24. The Vikings, the NFC's #2 seed, needed a miracle on the last play of the game, and got it when Case Keenum hit Stefon Diggs for the game winner, a 61 yard TD catch & run that sent the fans into a frenzy. Minnesota now travels to Philadelphia next Sunday night for the right to go home and not only host the big dance, but play it, too. The Vikings avenged a loss in the NFC title game 8 years ago in beating the Saints, who put down Minnesota in 2009 en route to their only Super Bowl victory.
If anything, if the Pats lull people to sleep again, wake up call will be 6 pm (ET) for the NFC title game.
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