Second Season Journey to Super Bowl XLI Begins
Game Time: 1/3/2007 12:00:00 AM
By: Willie Bee
http://www.sportsbookreview.com
With both New York squads pushing their way into the second season on the final regular season weekend, the NFL playoffs are finally sorted out.
Kansas City at Indianapolis (-6½)
Sat, Jan 6, 4:15 PM
Second Season Journey to Super Bowl XLI Begins
Another super start to the season winds up netting the Indianapolis Colts merely a first round home game in the playoffs as they host the Kansas City Chiefs at the RCA Dome to get the postseason started.
Indianapolis (12-4) can at least take some solace in the fact they’re a perfect 8-0 straight up at home this season. But dropping four of their final seven games following a 9-0 start to the campaign coupled with the team’s past playoff disappointments make the Colts something short of the sure-thing they appeared to be through the first two weeks of November.
Kansas City (9-7) won their final two games of the season, including a 35-30 triumph over Jacksonville at home on Sunday, to play their way into the postseason. Larry Johnson set a new NFL record in the game as his 33 carries (138 yards) gave him 416 runs on the season.
The underdog has won the last two meetings between these two clubs, with both games played in Kansas City. The Chiefs won a 45-35 regular season shootout as 1-point dogs on Oct 31, 2004. The two teams met about 10 months prior to that in the Divisional Playoffs on Jan 11, 2004, and the Colts came away with a 38-31 win in that one with Indy 3-point dogs.
Dallas at Seattle (-3)
Sat, Jan 6, 8:30 PM
The Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks both limped into the playoffs with three losses in their final four games. Both teams sat 8-4 after Week 13 and the possibility of the two meeting in the playoffs seemed more likely to happen in the conference championship than in the wildcard round.
Now the loser of this one will endure an offseason of criticism for underachieving, along with probable front office and sideline shakeups.
Dallas (9-7) managed to win just two more than they lost despite outscoring their opponents by 75 points over the 16-game regular season An error-riddled 39-31 loss to the lowly Detroit Lions on the final Sunday served to punctuate an inconsistent and mistake-filled season for Bill Parcells and the Cowboys.
Seattle (9-7) can blame injuries as at least part of the reason they barely made it to the postseason, though both Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck were in the lineup the last few weeks when the team took a bit of a dive. A rash of injuries in their defensive backfield now has Seattle scrambling for healthy bodies at cornerback. After a Super Bowl appearance last season as convincing NFC champs, Mike Holmgren will hope a strong 23-7 over Tampa Bay on Sunday helps propel his Seahawks into the postseason.
The last time the two teams met was in Seattle on Oct 23, 2005. The Seahawks, as near-TD favorites, slipped past the Cowboys by a 13-10 margin thanks to Dallas errors that wiped out a 10-3 Cowboy lead in the final minute of the game.
New York Jets at New England (-9)
Sun, Jan 7, 1:00 PM
Two teams that are very familiar with each other meet in Sunday’s early game as the New York Jets travel to Foxboro to take on longtime AFC East foes New England Patriots. Both teams enter the game riding 3-game win streaks.
New York (10-6), under first year coach Eric Mangini, made the playoffs thanks to a 23-3 win at home over the Oakland Raiders Sunday. The Jets’ defense played a huge role in the victory, forcing three Raiders turnovers, 12 first downs and just over 200 total yards.
New England (12-4) stopped Tennessee’s playoff hopes cold on Sunday, 40-23, in Nashville as Bill Belichick had the luxury of resting some starters at the end of the game and helping backup QB Vinny Testaverde set an NFL record with a TD pass for a 20th season. The Pats’ RB tandem of Corey Dillon and rookie Laurence Maroney combined for three touchdowns and 140 yards rushing in the game while New England’s defense came up with three takeaways, two of them errant Vince Young tosses.
The Patriots saw a 7-game win streak against the Jets end this year in Week 10 when New York upset New England in Foxboro, 17-14. The Jets were double-digit dogs in that game. The Pats won 24-17 at Giants Stadium in Week 2 as 6-point favorites.
New York Giants at Philadelphia (-6½)
Sun, Jan 7, 4:15 PM
Game 2 on Sunday also pits longtime rivals as the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles meet on the gridiron in the City of Brotherly Love. But there won’t be much love on the field between these two teams who ended the season pretty much headed in opposite directions.
After opening the season 6-2, New York (8-8) did a 180 in the second half with a 2-6 record. Philadelphia (10-6), on the other hand, was 5-6 after Week 12 and given up for dead after QB Donovan McNabb went out with an injury in Week 10. But backup signal callers helped bring the Eagles back to life with five straight wins to close out the season.
With Tiki Barber running for 234 yards in his final regular season game on Saturday, New York ended a disappointing season on a high note with a 34-28 win over the Washington Redskins to claim the final NFC playoff slot. Barber’s Giants record on the ground came in only 23 carries, three of those totes ending in the end zone. The win
Jeff Garcia took over for McNabb after Week 10 and was 4-2 as a starter entering Sunday’s season finale at home against the Atlanta Falcons. Garcia started the game, but was pulled just a few minutes into the contest after Detroit’s win over Dallas went final and assured the Eagles of the postseason. AJ Feeley was then called upon to complete the game while Garcia and several Philly first stringers rested. All Feeley did was throw for a personal-best 321 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 24-17 win.
The Eagles and Giants met twice in the regular season, splitting the set with wins on each other’s home turf. Philadelphia was 3-point chalk when they lost to New York 30-24 in overtime at home way back in Week 2. The Eagles, as 5½-point dogs, then returned the favor at the Meadowlands in Week 15 with a 36-22 upset.
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Second Season Journey to Super Bowl XLI Begins
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