LFR Sports

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
NEW ENGLAND @ INDIANAPOLIS (-3)

New England's Tom Brady has all the statistics on his side. He's 10-0 in domes. 10-1 in the playoffs and has been masterful against Indianapolis' Peyton Manning in the playoffs. But, this time around Manning's team is playing better all-around football than any team left in the playoffs.

Bill Belichick seems to always have a new wrinkle to throw at Manning, but exactly what can he draw up that Manning hasn't already seen? An eight man front dressed in clown costumes? This is not to say Manning, with all his pent up frustration, will carve up the Patriots, either.

The story of the Colts two playoff wins against Kansas City and Baltimore has been its defense. They've been nimble, quick and as formidable as the Bears vaunted defense. The rather pedestrian-named Bob Sanders has been a key for this defense with his tackling and high-paced play. He's been the difference between a Colts defense that was allowing an unprecedented amount of rushing yards to one one game short of the Super Bowl.

Brady continues to be a latter-day Joe Montana without the weapons #16 had in San Francisco. New England's brain drain and turnover in personnel has made this the Patriots least talented team, yet with one of the weakest receiving corps in football they continue to excel.

This would be Belichick's greatest accomplishment if he could get the Pats to Miami, but the resurgence of the Colts defense, the whimsy of Manning and a raucous RCA Dome, it's the Colts who will return to the championship game for the first time since Super Bowl V.
COLTS 31, PATRIOTS 21.

Labels: Bill Belichick, Colts, Joe Montana, Patriots, Tom Brady

COLTS, COWBOYS, JETS, GIANTS WILL ADVANCE

KANSAS CITY @ INDIANAPOLIS
Everyone seems to think K.C.'s Larry Johnson is going to run and run and run the Colts out of the playoffs. Indy's league-worst rush defense is a red herring because it's too much to ask of Johnson, with his league record rushing attempts, to be a chief among Chiefs. The poor guy is just overworked. Aren't we all?

More importantly, remember that only those dubious Oakland Raiders had a better pass defense than the Colts and with a tiring rusher and few passing options the Chiefs are at the mercy of the NFL's premier quarterback Peyton Manning and his passing mates Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.

The Chiefs are very lucky to be in this position and I don't like the presence of Herman Edwards on their sideline. The Colts will quickly jump all over K.C. and advance.
Colts 35, Chiefs 19.

DALLAS @ SEATTLE
The stars come out for the primetime matchup Saturday night. There's T.O., Tony Romo, The Tuna, and the NFL's reigning MVP, but this game will be determined by the little guys.

With Seattle's secondary decimated by injury, the job of stopping Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn and Jason Whitten, comes down to the leadership of Jordan Babineaux. He could do it but, of course, he won't.

Sure, Seattle has the vaunted 12th man in the Pacific Northwest, but it won't be enough to stop a Dallas team that thrives away fromBig D. Coach

Bill Parcells has quite a job to do this playoff season. If he can get the notoriously inconsistent Cowboys to perform the next three weeks, a surprise invitation to Miami is more than possible. Nevertheless, this game will come down to the last minute. Cowboys 21, Seahawks 17.

>>>Sunday
N.Y. JETS @ NEW ENGLAND
Of the four games this wildcard weekend the game in Foxborough is the hardest to predict because of one man--Jets coach and former Bill Bellichick lieutenant, Eric Mangini.

The surprising Jets are playing efficient football for the past month which is why a few prerequisite turnovers New York's way and the apprentice may upend the master. If New York can ride a mediocre but flawless performance from QB Chad Pennington and few bombs to Lavernues Coles it will happen.

The end of the Patriots playoff dominance has to end sometime, right. The slide has been steady, but protracted as not to be sensed by the casual fan, but Tom Brady has had to assert himself on the sideline more than usual and it's not because he's grown as a leader, but the personnel around him is not what it once was.

It's hard to prognosticate the intangibles but it's everything that the Jets have become under Mangini and there's nothing wrong with that. Some call it luck, I call it solid coaching. This will be the highlight matchup of the weekend. Jets 34, Patriots 31 (OT).

N.Y. GIANTS @ PHILADELPHIA
Three words: Sports Illustrated jinx. Put it this way, it's not Tiki Barber on the cover, but Jeff Garcia and the Cinderella Philly Iggles. For the sake of allotted column space, I'll continue.

A rerun of New York's final regular season against Washington will have to occur for them to pass another division rival.

It sort of sadden me to think that it took until the possibility of Barber's last pro game to appreciate his greatness. What agility! What desire! What a nice guy!

Barber single-handily picked up the moping G-men off the gridiron and carried them last week. The still fragile psyche of the Giants is still evident, but Tiki can and will empty his tank for the chance of another week.

Garcia has been a great story himself as has their veteran defense led by the excitable Brian Dawkins, aside from the jinx, the NFL's 26th ranked defense against the run is problematic.

A big, early lead or a couple of Joe Pisarchick (Miracle of the Meadowlands) moments will have to go down for Prozac-laden Giants to fall. Giants 27, Eagles 24.

Labels: Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Eagles, Eric Mangini, Jeff Garcia, Jets, Larry Johnson, N.Y. Giants, Patriots, Peyton Manning, Seahawks, Terrell Owens, Tiki Barber