NFL Playoffs RD 1, Day 2 Wrap Up - Ravens beat Dolphins; Eagles Soar On

Posted by HyperLithium

January 4, 2009

Round 1 of the NFL playoffs concluded today with results that most people were expecting. The games were at least worth watching as the playoffs almost always are. Could Chad “only 7 INT’s on the season” Pennington get it done against the Ravens ridiculously good defense and could the NFL’s leading rusher, Adrian Peterson, move the ball against the smug Eagles D.

Ravens - 27 Dolphins - 9

It was the Dolphins to get the first turnover off a LeRon McClain fumble which looked like nothing more than a love tap. Unfortunately for the Dolphins they tried to love tap it in from the goal line and got stuffed resulting in a field goal. Baltimore matched that field goal with one of their own and then proceeded to take the game over.

Chad Pennington would then throw two picks on the next two drives. Baltimore was unable to capitalize on the first INT but Ed Reed decided he didn’t want to watch their pathetic offense get stuffed and returned the second pick 60 yards for a Ravens touchdown to go up 10 to 3. Baltimore’s defensive strategy looked pretty simple, apply pressure and force turnovers. Guess what, KISS was the story of the day.

Miami started the second half with another turn over and then proceeded it with, yet, another one. “Today has been a disaster for them,” said Jim Nantz. Disaster say you, makes a disaster look like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, says I. Baltimore scores and Miami sealed the game with another interception on their next drive. Okay, so maybe I lied about this game being worth watching but I was obviously addressing the Ravens fans of the world.

The Ravens move on to play the Tennessee Titans which will match up the Chargers and the Steelers.

Hyper’s Notes/Thoughts

Feel a little bad for Pennington and hope people realize the Dolphins as a team just didn’t play well
Ed Reed is the Peyton Manning of defenders right now
Gotta make better use of Troy Smith there, Harbaugh
The Ravens are gonna need another reciever next year
…So are the Dolphins
Ricky Williams could be a starter just about anywhere yet

Eagles - 26 Vikings - 14

Definitely the better match up of the two games ended up being most of what I expected except for the winner. The first half started out with both teams punting over and over and Philly getting on the board with some field goals. Minnesota’s defense came out burning bright but we later would find out they were just a starter log.

Adrian Peterson found a crack in the defense to go untouched for a 40 yard touchdown run early on and it certainly looked like Minnesota would continue to run the ball just waiting for the big play and let their defense hold out. Nope, that must of made too much sense. After the Eagles put up another 3 points to go up 9-7 Tavaris Jackson would throw a gimmie pick-six to Asante Samuel. Now, this is where Minnesota would have a decision to make. Do they keep running the ball or fall to the mental pressure of “having to score.” Surprisingly enough, they were patient with their offense and methodically pushed down the field for another Peterson touchdown. Chad Greenway makes a fantastic tackle to stop the Eagles scoring before the half and that was about as interesting as this game was going to get.

Punt, punt, punt was the third quarter and it was not until the 4th when the Vikings defense decided to fall apart first. McNabb dumped the ball off to Westbrook for a screen pass that ended up going 71 yards for a touchdown. The thing that I didn’t understand was this play was there all day. The Vikings never covered it and the Eagles never took advantage until that point.

The Vikings get the ball back with about 6:30 left to play and they have to choose, again, whether they feel the pressure to score immediately or continue with their game plan to run the ball. I’m not sure what they saw about Tavaris Jackson that made them do it but they caved and went shotgun trying to throw the ball. Well, you could turn the game off at that point because Peterson would have had a chance but Jackson gave them none. Yeah, they needed two scores but they weren’t going to get a single one that way and didn’t.

The game ends with another Philadelphia field goal and a win for McNabb and the Eagles.

The Eagles will move on to play the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers will face the Arizona Cardinals.

Hyper’s Notes/Thoughts

Jared Allen’s begging of fans to buy tickets was tacky and pathetic all at the same time
Peterson really is the best back in the NFL right now…
…I think he’d be the best Strong Safety if he played there too
When will we be seeing Andy Reid on one of those NutriSystem commercials?
McNabb is still throwing every third pass terribly which is why he’s only “very good” and not “great”
Matt Cassell in purple? Maybe, but I doubt it.
Brett Favre in purple? Hmm, you watch!

I finished 1-4 with my first round picks but who’s counting?

bookmark Technorati Del.icio.us StumbleUpon Digg Facebook Mixx Reddit