Battlefield Turf: NFL Divisional Playoffs : Crimson Monkey

Battlefield Turf: NFL Divisional Playoffs

Friday, January 13 2012 - Battlefield Turf - by: trentstorm

The last time Lambeau Field hosted a playoff game, the Giants pulled off an upset. Will history repeat itself?

Battlefield Turf: Divisional Playoffs

Saturday, January 14

New Orleans at San Francisco, 4:30 PM EST on Fox

Denver at New England, 8:00 PM EST on CBS

Sunday, January 15

Houston at Baltimore, 1:00 PM EST on CBS

New York Giants at Green Bay, 4:30 PM EST on Fox

Predictions:

New Orleans vs. San Francisco

Everyone is talking about the Giants being the team that no one wants to meet in the playoffs, but in my mind, the team that no one wants to meet is still the New Orleans Saints. True, their scary image looms around the Superdome and this weekend, they're at Candlestick. And the Niner defense may have the ability to render Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory ineffective, but they've struggled around the pass. And considering that the Saints could launch an air assault with Drew Brees targeting Marquis Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson and Jimmy Graham throughout the game. The Saints only lost 3 times this season, getting outgunned by the Packers and getting killed by the ground game from the Bucs and Rams. If the Niners are to keep up with the Saints, it will have to be through Frank Gore. But I just don't trust Alex Smith to hit Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis enough to stay in this game.

Saints 31-20

Denver vs. New England

Denver really surprised me last week, and everyone else. I did not expect the Broncos to not only lead the Steelers, but for Tim Tebow to hit Demaryius Thomas on a game winning 80 yard touchdown pass against a strong Steelers secondary. Where was this type of connection the past 3 weeks? This is the Tim Tebow that can bring victories...against most teams. Even though this Denver team jumped out to an early lead weeks ago, New England came roaring back. I would almost say that New England could easily defeat Denver, however, I said the same exact thing last year when they hosted the New York Jets. But do I see that happening again? I wouldn't rule out the Broncos but I expect the Patriots to hit them with Welker, Branch, Gronkowski and Hernandez.

Patriots 35-20

Houston vs. Baltimore

Houston finally played the way they should have been playing the past few weeks. But now they return to Baltimore, where the Ravens dominated them in Week 6, 29-14. Ray Rice was a huge factor in that game while Arian Foster disappeared. This offense sputtered with Matt Schaub at QB. I think the Ravens defense may torture T.J. Yates. The only way I could see the Texans staying in this game is if Joe Flacco makes severe errors like last year when they played the Steelers in the divisional round.

Ravens 28-14

New York Giants vs. Green Bay

This game is actually quite hard for me to call. Their Week 13 meeting ended with the Packers winning 38-35 off a Mason Crosby field goal in the final seconds. And if one wants to look at history, you can easily recall the last time there was a playoff game at Lambeau Field, back at the 2007 NFC Championship when the wild card New York Giants played Brett Favre and his Green Bay Packers. The Giants won in overtime, 23-20 and went on to upset the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl.

I could go on about how both teams are different from that meeting than they are now, but to save time, the biggest change is that it's Aaron Rodgers this time, not Favre and that Jordy Nelson has taken over for Donald Driver and that the Giants no longer have Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress, instead it's Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham. Two of the best passing units in the league, this could be the start of a new rivalry. The Giants won in 2008. But this time, I think Green Bay will return the favor.

Packers 49-42

With these predictions, the AFC Championship should be the Baltimore Ravens at the New England Patriots, and the NFC Championship should be the New Orleans Saints at the Green Bay Packers.

Enjoy the Divisional Playoffs, everyone!