NFL Playoffs: QB Showcase

A strong running game and defense are the ways to win in January in the NFL. Well, that has been a successful recipe, but these 2010 playoffs are shaping up as the QB playoffs.
The Packers and Cardinals earned their name of "Wildcard" game, with offensive records breaking all over the place and both quarterbacks putting up outrageous numbers.
The Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets are built in the classic model and still left in the these playoffs, but the Ravens travel inside to the dome of the Colts and the Jets will be in warm San Diego, California to take on the hot Chargers, who have become a QB dominated team with Phillip Rivers' dominance this year.
The NFC stays inside at 72 degrees in New Orleans and Minnesota, probably the best four quarterback matchup in NFL history. Kurt Warner and Drew Brees regularly carry their teams through games and Tony Romo and Brett Favre can do the same.
I looked forward to the Green Bay/Arizona game last week with great anticipation, because I like Aaron Rogers as much as these other guys and expected a great shootout--not quite expecting it to be what it turned into, but this weekend's games should be just as entertaining.
And the only way for the NFL to get a cold weather game of any kind before the playoffs, is if both the Jets and Ravens--the old school teams left in the tournament--win. Otherwise, it is warm weather all the way to the Super Bowl. Wait, the Super Bowl in Miami, Florida may be the coldest game from here on in.

Flacco and Ravens Score Titanic Upset

Maybe it wasn't a titanic upset. With a great defense and a good running game, there aren't many that thought this game wouldn't be a great match and probably low scoring. That is exactly what we got from these clubs.
I thought the Titans should have won the game as they had the most scoring chances, but Alge Crumpler's fumble at the 5 and other mistakes cost the Titans a chance at an AFC title game.
Even though the play clock expired at least 2 seconds if not 3 before the snap of the ball that would have made the 3rd down conversion much more difficult, the Ravens and Flacco did what they needed to do to win the game.
Joe Flacco didn't get votes for Rookie of the Year and I'm still looking into that travesty, but he made the big throws and even underthrown throws to make the difference. This team is so similar to the 2000 Ravens that won the Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer at quarterback. The difference is Dilfer threw a 5 yard pass to Shannon Sharpe who ran 80 yards with it and Flacco throws it 50 and the receivers just catch it near the goal line.