The saying goes that you have to get right back on the horse that bucks you off... or some shit like that. So, I'm gonna talk football. Last week, was the most humiliating week of playoff football I've ever had to endure (I know you Giants fans are just dying to cry "Super Bowl!" Contain yourselves). Outside of my Patriots being thoroughly dismantled and having Tom Brady's perfect home playoff record soiled, I suffered an embarrassing 0-4 record with my picks. Having these past two days to analyze how that could have happened, I determined that (outside of Carson Palmer throwing like a two-year-old and the Eagles playing nearly as poorly as we did) I let my feelings cloud my judgment and picked the way I wanted the games to come out.
I won't be making the same mistakes this week. Though, I will give my perspective on the games from the Patriots fan in the core of me, I'll also take it from the stance of the cold, calculating, reptile of a sports guru within me. In this first post, I'm gonna take a look at Jets-Chargers, and I'll keep updating with new posts for the other teams.
Jets vs. Chargers
Fan Take
It's difficult for me to tell which of these two teams I loathe more. On the one hand, we have the New York Jets. In keeping with that awesome system of two teams for every sport that New York has going, (Suuuuure the Nets are a Jersey team.) here come the Jets, rising from the ashes of the Giants and giving New York something else to dangle over the head of Boston. The real thing that upsets me about the Jets, is the small beluga whale that is coaching them. Rex Ryan is the biggest jackass in sports. This year alone, we've seen him cry, declare his team out of the playoffs despite not being eliminated, the declare that it is the Jets manifest destiny to win the Super Bowl. Oh, and he looks like Biff from Back To The Future if he were 40 and could crush a Mini Cooper with his girth.
"We're gonna win the Super Bowl, butthead."
However, on the other hand we have the Chargers, and the ever fuck-headed Ladanian Tomlinson. The bad blood between our teams goes back to 2007, when the Chargers were 14-2 and decided that talking all week about how bad they would beat the Patriots, was a good idea. When the Patriots saved their talk till after the game, Phil Rivers and LT cried like little babies, forgetting that you have to win a game to talk shit. Ladanian is very public about the fact that he really wants to win the Super Bowl and that he hates the Patriots. Also, he was a consistent under performer in my fantasy league this year. So yeah, the only way this game ends well for me is if the stadium collapses.
Real Talk
This is a Jets team I thought didn't stand a whisper of a chance in the playoffs. Outside of Revis who is the best cornerback in the NFL right now, I'm still not convinced that their defense is that good (show me whatever stats you want, I'm still not sold) top-ranked or no. 90% of what killed the Bengals was Palmer's playoff jitters and overthrowing every fucking person he had open. Cedric Benson managed to pile 170 yards rushing, which is unacceptable when you are taking on LT and Darren Sproles next week.
What did surprise me was how thoroughly the Jets offense spanked a not-to-shabby Bengals defense. The Jets are a running team, and Mark Sanchez is known to throw a pick or two, but they showed the Bengals a good mix of pass and run. Aside from Braylon Edwards dropping a perfect throw in the endzone, the offense looked like the offense that the Jets have needed all year.
Chargers are a hell of a team and, pre-playoffs, the team I was expecting to win the AFC. On the Chargers O, Jets D side of the ball, the key to the game is going to be containing Gates. When Gates is doing well, more defenders have to commit to him and then that's when that running attack gets dangerous. SD's WRs really aren't that good, so if I were the Jets I'd consider putting Revis on Gates. Bottom line, if Gates has 100+ yards receiving, the Jets aren't winning this game.
Jets O, Chargers D- The game plan is simple for the Chargers, stop the run. Make the young shaky quarterback beat you. The Chargers can't be scared of what Sanchez did last week and need to force him into some bad throws. Were I the Chargers, I would blitz every play with Merriman. Bottom line here is, Chargers need to stop the run and put the pressure on Sanchez. If he proves me wrong tho, and actually plays like he did last week, the Jets could actually end up winning this thin.
Final Take
Jets need to contain Gates and throw the ball well to win this game. Honestly, I don't see that happening. Chargers by 14.
Real Talk
This is a Jets team I thought didn't stand a whisper of a chance in the playoffs. Outside of Revis who is the best cornerback in the NFL right now, I'm still not convinced that their defense is that good (show me whatever stats you want, I'm still not sold) top-ranked or no. 90% of what killed the Bengals was Palmer's playoff jitters and overthrowing every fucking person he had open. Cedric Benson managed to pile 170 yards rushing, which is unacceptable when you are taking on LT and Darren Sproles next week.
What did surprise me was how thoroughly the Jets offense spanked a not-to-shabby Bengals defense. The Jets are a running team, and Mark Sanchez is known to throw a pick or two, but they showed the Bengals a good mix of pass and run. Aside from Braylon Edwards dropping a perfect throw in the endzone, the offense looked like the offense that the Jets have needed all year.
Chargers are a hell of a team and, pre-playoffs, the team I was expecting to win the AFC. On the Chargers O, Jets D side of the ball, the key to the game is going to be containing Gates. When Gates is doing well, more defenders have to commit to him and then that's when that running attack gets dangerous. SD's WRs really aren't that good, so if I were the Jets I'd consider putting Revis on Gates. Bottom line, if Gates has 100+ yards receiving, the Jets aren't winning this game.
Jets O, Chargers D- The game plan is simple for the Chargers, stop the run. Make the young shaky quarterback beat you. The Chargers can't be scared of what Sanchez did last week and need to force him into some bad throws. Were I the Chargers, I would blitz every play with Merriman. Bottom line here is, Chargers need to stop the run and put the pressure on Sanchez. If he proves me wrong tho, and actually plays like he did last week, the Jets could actually end up winning this thin.
Final Take
Jets need to contain Gates and throw the ball well to win this game. Honestly, I don't see that happening. Chargers by 14.
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