Ah, it's that time of the season again. Christmas comes and goes once more. Soon we’ll be buzzing into 2011, and the last NFL season will become a distant memory for some, but not for these 12 teams.
With just one week to go in this year’s regular season, as this first icy blast of winter hits and continues to mix across the Northeast, there’s no better time than now to consider the intriguing and strange odds of potential playoff games we might see from the 2009-2010 NFL season. I thought, hey, there are 12 Days of Christmas—why not list 12 games worth considering.
NOTE: As it stands now, I am not factoring in what might or could happen in any future week's events. No whacky scenarios here or silly numbers. If the 2010 NFL playoffs were to start tomorrow, E. Louis, Atl, Philly, Green Bay, New Orleans, and Dallas would represent the NFC. From the AFC, we’d include New England, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New York Jets, Kansas City, and Indianapolis.
12. Kansas City vs. New England. No better way to kick things off with a game that could feature many familiar faces intertwined. Matt Cassel, former backup to Tom Brady during his stint with the Patriots, gets his chance to square off against arguably the league’s best quarterback and face mastermind Bill Belichick. The Chiefs roster features many old New England faces: GM Scott Pioli, coaches Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, and head coach Todd Haley have all coached in New England and/or learned under Bill Belichick. Something tells me Belichick would have a well-crafted plan for defending Cassel if both teams cross paths.
11. Atlanta vs. Detroit. Given how it stands now, these are the top two seeds in the NFC with Atlanta holding onto the No.1 seed and Chicago boasting the No.2 seed. Both teams are undefeated in conference and division play. Jay Cutler and offensive coordinator Mike Martz have the Bears’ offense rolling hard right now. Atlanta boasts one of the game’s smartest young quarterbacks in Matt Ryan and one of the best trios in football: Quarterback Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, and WR Roddy White. The Falcons have won their last few meetings with the Lions in the regular season, securing close victories in 2008 and 2009. Ryan vs. Cutler. Can it spark fireworks?
10. Green Bay vs. Philadelphia. These teams met in Philadelphia on opening Sunday, and it was the first game for the Eagles with their starting quarterback. In the offseason, the Eagles traded longtime quarterback Donovan McNabb to Washington and handed the reins of the offense to Kevin Kolb. Kolb's debut, however, was cut short due to an ugly hit by Green Bay’s defensive stud Clay Matthews. With Kolb out of the game with a concussion, the Eagles turned to Michael Vick, and Vick made the most of the opportunity, throwing and rushing for over 75 yards, becoming the perfect third quarterback in Eagles history since 1960. Despite looking poised for wins at 20-3 and 27-10, Vick’s heroics couldn’t save the Eagles as they fell to Green Bay 27-20. Green Bay was lucky to escape Philadelphia with a narrow win. Can they do it again, this time with Vick firmly in control and driving in Philadelphia?
9. Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh. Surely scattered Ron Jaworski and Dorrie Younger are cringing at the idea of another grind through this, a four-yard cloud of dust 13-10 win. Yet let’s face it, we saw them in the late 90’s and early this era with Tennessee and Baltimore. Playoff football thrives on rivals who simply detest each other. AFC North divisional foes, the hate is real and doesn't take much from either side to envision bad and terrible ideas for the other.
8. New Orleans vs. Philadelphia. It’s hard to believe the reigning Super Bowl winner has been left behind a little, simply resting in the new shadows and considered underrated in 2010, but that’s life in the big town for first-time Orleans, given the rise of NFC invaders Atl, Chi, and Philly. With a lot of football left in the tank (be sure to tune in Sunday nights for what could be the MNF game of the year between Smyrna and New Orleans), I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if these are the final two teams standing in the NFC. Vick leading the Eagles against Brees and the Saints makes for compelling drama. The Eagles are geared up to avenge their 2009 playoff loss to New Orleans, while the Saints are looking to make back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. The team is still the champs until someone says otherwise, and though there are many roads to travel down to get to the Super Bowl, wouldn’t it be poetic if Philadelphia’s path simply had to go through New Orleans?
7. Indianapolis vs. New England. I won’t insult the intelligence. Brady versus Manning again in the postseason. What else could there possibly be to say? Two of the game’s greatest quarterbacks, period. Get your butt on a seat, a rock, a bar stool, and sit back and enjoy the ride.
6. Atlanta vs. Baltimore. These teams met earlier this year on a Wednesday night, and there was no lack of controversy. The Falcons got the victory in the final moments of the game when WR Roddy White appeared to be illegally propelled off by Ravens CB Josh Wilson, which wasn’t called. Atlanta claimed the game, though Baltimore left the Georgia Dome with a bitter taste in their mouths. There’s Matt Ryan’s head coach Scott Penson coaching against his former team. The two best QBs in the class, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, squaring off at the biggest step in all of sports. A game featuring the best middle linebacker for over a decade, Ravens MLB Ray Lewis, trying to shore up his hall of fame application with his second ring.
5. Pittsburgh vs. Chicago. Call us a little sentimental, but these two teams have a lot of history and are two of the NFL’s best and most storied franchises in the league. The Steel Curtain clashes with the Monsters of the Midway. Great Benjamin versus Jay Cutler. Is coach Lovie Smith getting another crack at becoming a Super Bowl-winning head coach? Standing in his way would be Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who would make the Steelers the first team in over three decades to reach the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year.
4. Baltimore vs. Philly. Student vs teacher: Andy Reid alongside John Harbaugh. Michael Vick looking across the line of scrimmage at Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. DeSean Jackson’s speed pitted against one of the game’s great safeties, Baltimore’s Ed Reed. High-powered Philly offense going up against the immovable Ravens defense. Sign me up.
3. Atlanta vs. Philly. Wow, can you imagine the stakes? What do you think of the seven-game winning streak heading into Brussels? Better yet, can you picture what the scene would be like if the game were played in Smyrna? Both teams clashed earlier this year, but the Eagles were without Michael Vick due to Vick’s sprained ankle and lost WR DeSean Fitzgibbons to a concussion during the game. Kevin Kolb performed admirably, throwing for three touchdowns and finishing with a Quarterback rating of 133.7. Jeremy Maclin torched Atlanta’s secondary for 159 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Philly ran away to an early 21-0 lead and never looked back. However, make no mistake about it, this rematch would be all about Vick squaring off against a fanbase he humiliated and left high and dry. The new Atlanta franchise owner, Matt Ryan, against the old franchise’s warrior, Michael Vick. America loves a redemption story, but what kind of reception would Vick get in his return to the Georgia Dome?
2. Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia. Bragging defenses in the Keystone State hang in the balance. If there’s any defensive coordinator in the NFL that could come up with a game plan to contain, slow down Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, it’s Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. The Steelers boast various defensive talents designed to address Vick. Both quarterbacks, Vick and Ben Roethlisberger, took many last-minute shots but used 2010 to write a building comeback saga. If you love speed, pick your poison: Eagles receiver duo of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin versus Pittsburgh’s tandem of Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders. Would this be the rookie since Super Bowl XXIX (San Francisco vs. Los Angeles) in 1995 to feature two teams from the same state playing against each other in the Super Bowl?
1. New England vs. Philly. A rematch from 2005 when the Patriots beat the Eagles 24-21 to secure their second straight Super Bowl appearance and their third title in four years. Some of the faces and bands have changed from years past, but this one could create the most significant and sexiest Super Bowl matchup from a rankings perspective. Grabbing the spotlight will be the quarterback matchup of Tom Brady versus Michael Vick. Vick making his first Super Bowl appearance, while Brady leads the Northeast back to the Super Bowl for the first time since they defeated the Eagles in a massive game. With Brady and Vick, there are major candidates for the MVP award this year. How unique would it be if Vick, the man who Donovan McNabb helped bring to Philadelphia, ends up leading the Eagles to their first Super Bowl instead of McNabb?