NFL Divisional Playoffs Day 2 Wrap-Up; Eagles over Giants - Steelers out Chargers

Posted by HyperLithium

January 11, 2009

Eagles 23 - Giants 11

I’m not really sure if I’m just paying more attention this year or if things are actually just this bad. I have yet to watch a game that has not been decided by a team shooting themselves in the foot. After watching the Titans and the Panthers fumble and throw their games away I was expecting a “return to normalcy” with a Tom Coughlin lead coach and I couldn’t have been more disappointed.

The game started off well for the Giants with a big kick return and a 4th and 2 conversion. However, the Giants were only able to get a field goal out of it. New York’s D came out really hot and held the Eagles to a 4th and 21 but there were two flags on the punt return making the Giants start on their own 12.

The conditions on the day were blistery winds and cold temperatures which never really equate well for passing the ball. Brandon Jacobs was looking like a battering ram so on 1st and 10 on their own 12 with a 3 point lead the Giants were obviously going to run the ball, right? Nope, they stole a play out of the Cowboys playbook and Eli Manning throws a pick that lands the Eagles with the ball on the 2 yard line. Stupid, stupid, and more stupid. I just can’t understand the justification for this sort of bullshit. Why are you going to take that sort of a chance in the 1st quarter and just give away points? Eagles punch it in and go up 7 to 3.

Later in the 2nd quarter the Giants force the Eagles on their own goal line throw a series of punts by both teams. McNabb is soon faced with 3rd and 10 and attempts to get rid of the ball to avoid a sack in the end zone but is called for intentional grounding. He’d argue the call but after looking at the replay it was very clear he was able to get rid of the ball without it getting hit. The Giant are unable to take advantage of the possession after the free kick with a wide right John Carney missed field goal. Carney was able to, sort of, make up for this with a 35 yarder before the half.

Coming out in the 2nd half with a 2 point deficit the Giants looked like Tom Coughlin made them all shit themselves in the locker room. Philadelphia’s first possession results in a batted ball and a pick by the Giants big ol’ d-linemen. Brandon Jacobs moves the ball farther down the field and then the Giants go back to being stupid. They pull Jacobs and throw the ball on 2nd and 5 and then 3rd and 5 getting no where resulting in another 35 yard Carney field goal. Run the big man!

The Eagles get some help from the ref’s on the next drive with a HORRIBLE pass interference call on the Giant’s Aaron Ross. Terrible, terrible call. Akers puts a field goal in to go up 13-11. Field goals really were becoming the name of the game and the Giants couldn’t keep up on the next drive. After a nice deep pass to get down the Eagles 30 the Giants are stalled and Carney misses a field goal the left this time. Philly follows this drive with a nice one of their own that is filled with solid run plays and finished off with a play-action pass from McNabb to Celek.

Crunch time now for the Giants. Being down 20 to 11 they needed to kick it into high gear. Finally, it was looking like they were going to ride Jacobs to the goal line and get back into this thing. 3rd and 3 on their own 45 after getting a couple of first downs from the Jacobs train and they decide to hand the ball off to Derrick Ward which comes up 4th and inches. Why? Brandon Jacobs is a line backer who happens to run the ball and you’re going to give it to Derrick Ward? 4th and inches is time to bring Jacobs back, right? Nope, let’s get dumber and challenge the spot of the ball, lose the challenge and an invaluable time out, and then get stuffed on the proceeding QB sneak to turn the ball over on downs!!! It was so stupid I couldn’t even look away.

That’s pretty much the ball game. New York goes on to get stuffed again on 4th and 2, the Eagles get another field goal, and Manning wraps it up for the Eagles with another pick. I’m not so sure the better team necessarily won this one but the team with better play calling definitely did.

Philadelphia will travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game.

Hyper’s Notes

What the hell refs — some of worst reffed games in a playoff game I’ve seen. You just cant keep calling those ticky tack bullshit interferance penalties
McNabb — what was with picking up the phone on the Giants sideline. So much for class act buddy
How can Brandon Jacobs not be madder than hell after this game…
How in the hell did Brandon Jacobs not get 40 carries in this game?? 19 carries in blustery winds for the big guy? Unacceptable, especially when he really could have taken the game over and Manning struggling so much

Steelers 35 - Chargers 24

There was a defintely a theme to the weekend and that was to come out hot and finishing freezing. The Chargers would prove this by marching down the field on their opening drive for a touchdown. Phillip Rivers threw a perfect ball to Vincent Jackson.

Could the Steelers answer? Would they get impatient? How was Willie Parker feeling for the game? How was Rothelisberger?

Well, it was pretty simple, the Steelers did what a team should do in the cold and that was run the ball and run it some more. Sure, their first drive didn’t result in anything but a punt but that was okay because in the cold you have to be patient. Their patience was rewarded with a 68 yard punt return after holding the Chargers to 3 and out. This is exactly what is needed in a game like this. Patience, running, and good special teams.

7-7 is how the game remains for quite awhile. An interesting choice was made by the Steelers on a 4th and 1 on their own 48. Trying to catch the defense off gaurd they fake the punt and try to run for the first down. Gutsy, maybe, but with the way Pittsburgh was running the ball I think you skip the theatrics and just shove it down their throats. This gives the the Chargers great field position. San Diego was able to turn this into 3 points.

Pittsburgh wraps up the first half with some terrific individual plays. First, they get and excellent effort from Gary Russell to pick up a 3rd and 1. Russell managed to get away from 3 tacklers and push over the first yard line. Big Ben then showed off his arm with a nice rollout and toss for a first down followed by an electric pass to Hines Ward to setup a first and Goal. The Steelers summon Lombardi with a magnificent sweep/toss around the left side for a Parker touchdown.

Parker and the running game are used perfectly in the start of the second half to setup the play action pass. This was really a schooling for the rest of the league on how to use the run effectively to allow your Quarterback to sit back and toss high percentage passes down the field to continue a drive. Roethliseberger usually isn’t relied on like Peyton Manning but he makes all the 15 foot jumpers he’s given if you know what I’m saying. A play action pass to Health Miller in the redzone results in a 21 - 10 lead for the Steelers.

The Chargers needed a spark and the man to provide that to them was 5 foot nothin Darren Sproles. Sproles was really shutdown for most of the game but he broke the kickoff down to the Steelers 23. It should be noted on this play that Jake Reed, the Steelers kicker, attempted a trip instead of tackling Sproles and was not called for it. I’m not sure if that is thing you actually have to connect on for it to be called but it was VERY blantant. Jim Nantz and the very obversant Phil Simms managed to somehow miss this, of course. It didn’t matter though since the Charger turn it over with a pick on the next play. San Diego wasn’t satisfied with just one screw since they force a Pittsburgh punt which would bounce off the head of one of the upbacks allowing the Steelers to recover.

This all resulted in a kind of interesting moment with the Steelers getting stuffed on the goal line and turning he ball over on downs. Pass interference in the end zone sets up the Steelers “go-ahead” touchdown and the game was mostly over. Sure, San Diego scores again but their defense couldn’t find a way to slow down Willie Parker at the end which just sealed the deal.

Pittsburgh goes on to play Baltimore in the AFC Championship game.

Hyper’s Notes

Darren Sproles just isn’t an every down back. There shouldn’t be any type of illusion that he is. Pittsburgh at him up.
Sproles almost forgot he wasn’t going to run through guys and stopped running around them for some reason
Rothelisberger played a very good game and completed the passes he needed to and should have
Gary Russell is a bruiser that will be needed against the Ravens
Thanks ref’s for letting the teams play a little
Losing LT will hurt the Chargers a lot more than what they’d like to admit (if this happens next season)
Willie Parker is very underrated and underappreciated

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