NFL Wild Card Recap: Crazy Weekend

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News.

Wild Card weekend has come and gone – in historical fashion.

It was a weekend full of surprises, with two of the four higher seeds being sent home rather helplessly. The victims? A surprisingly hapless Patriots squad and a Bengals team that is the most recent to find out that defense-heavy teams in January are exceptionally, exceptionally difficult to beat.

Meanwhile, in the NFC things went a bit more according to plan – sort of. The Cowboys dispatched the Eagles for the third time this season, and it was far easier than anybody thought possible. In the desert however, things were far from the norm. The Pack and the Cards went at each other’s throats in record fashion, piling up an NFL playoff record 96 combined points, with the Cardinals coming out on top thanks to an Aaron Rogers fumble in OT.

More specifically, here’s how things went down in each game.

Jets 24, Bengals 14

These two teams met exactly one week back, and the Jets had their way with a Bengals squad that rested 99.9% of their starters, kicker Shane Graham not included. Turns out however, maybe he was the one who needed the rest, shanking two kicks that would have given Cincinnati a shot at not choking away the first round like they did. The rest of the Bengals team, meanwhile, discovered that resting your starters simply isn’t a guarantee of anything – except maybe that the NFL isn’t a sport where you can just turn on and off good football. They looked rusty. They looked cold. Regardless of the reason, the Jets are moving on next week to take on the Chargers, and here’s why:

Key Play –

You’ve heard his name all season long. And on Saturday, Darrelle Revis did it again.

With about nine minutes left in the half, with the game knotted at 7, the Bengals were on the move into Jets territory. New York had just scored in a 39 yard run by Shonne Green, and Cincy was looking to reclaim their lead. But on a 3^rd and 6 from the New York 41, Palmer was intercepted by none other than Darrelle Revis on a deep pass to Chad Ochocinco, giving the Jets possession back at their own 43. Three plays later, Sanchez hooked up with tight end Dustin Keller for a 45-yard touchdown, putting the Jets up 14-7, giving them momentum that they never gave up.

It Could Have Been Different if…

Shayne Graham didn’t shank his first field goal. The Jets drove all the way down the field to open the second half, but failed to convert after Jay Feely’s 42-yarder got called back thanks to a holding penalty. New York was forced instead to punt, and the Bengals took over on their own 12, trailing 14-7.

Eight plays later, the Bengals lined up their own kicker to bring the game back within striking distance, hoping to trim the lead to 14-10. But Graham pulled the kick wide left, allowing the Jets to come right back down the field to score another seven, going up 21-7 on the Jets – a huge swing from a potential 14-10.

It Was Over When…

Graham shanked his second. Again, the Bengals were faced with a very manageable deficit, only 24-14 with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Cincy responded to New York’s own field goal by driving all the way into Jets territory, getting as far as the 11-yard line, but the drive stalled. Graham was then called upon to try to kick another field goal – this one a mere chip-shot.

But instead of bringing the Bengals back to within one score, he pushed it wide right, and Cincy left with nothing. The Jets then entered ‘kill-clock’ mode, and ruined any chance of a Bengal comeback, for when Cincy did finally get the ball back, they still trailed by two scores with only three minutes left on the clock. Game.

Cowboys 34, Eagles 14

This game was far less competitive, as these division rivals seemed to settle the third dispute of the year rather early in this one, the Cowboys going into halftime with a 27-7 lead on Philly.

On offense, Dallas absolutely manhandled the Eagles straight from the start. Felix Jones torched Philly for hefty 148 yards and a score, averaging 9.3 yards a carry. Romo followed suit, adding in a very solid 244 yards and two touchdowns, one going to the ever explosive Miles Austin, who caught seven balls on the day.

But the real story was the Dallas defense. As he has all season, DeMarcus Ware led the charge for the Cowboys, racking up two sacks and another tackle for a loss. In total, Dallas brought down McNabb four times on the day, as their pressure was simply too much for Philly to handle.

Conversely, the recipe to attack a great pass rush is a solid running attack and quick dump screens, something Philly failed to exploit. LeSean McCoy finished with only 24 yards on 5 carries, meanwhile the explosive Brian Westbrook only caught one pass out of the backfield. Dallas’s next task defensively will be a tougher one, as they set up to face the Vikings, a team that finished second to only the Saints with 29.4 points a game. But first, let’s look back on this NFC East Showdown.

Key Play -

Philly made it clear all year long they were going to involve Mike Vick in the offense – however sparingly. But it cost them Saturday night.

Trailing Dallas 17-7, Philly was in need of some sort of spark with only three minutes left in the half. On the second play from scrimmage as Philly attempted to answer Dallas’s offensive outburst, Vick was subbed in for McNabb as he has been all season long for various and sometimes successful trick plays. But this time, it was very, very unsuccessful.

Vick took the snap, and appeared to play-fake a handoff to Leonard Weaver, which was actually quite successful. So successful in fact, that Vick even seemed to forget he was faking the handoff, completely letting go of the ball as it bounced to the turf, only to be recovered by the Cowboys – giving them possession at the Philly 18 yard line. Three plays later, Tony Romo hit Miles Austin in the end zone to put Dallas up 24-7.

It Could Have Been Different If…

Tony Romo’s second quarter pass had actually been intercepted – instead of intercepted and then ruled incomplete. It was a questionable call, but it definitely appeared like in incomplete pass. Still, had that not been reversed, Philly would have had the ball at the Dallas 20, with the game tied at 7’s.

But after it was overturned, Romo led the ‘Boys all the way down the field, eventually completely an 18-yard pass to Jason Witten who was tackled on the Philadelphia one yard line. One play later, Tashard Choice punched it in for the score: Dallas 14, Philadelphia 7…let the route begin.

It Was Over When…

Tashard Choice hit pay dirt for the second time in the game, much like he did in the second quarter. Only this one was much longer. Much, much longer.

After Philly went three-and-out (sort of) to open the second half, Dallas also posted an equally futile effort on their first possession of the half. Philly then responded with a drive that came to a close at midfield, but they were forced to punt, giving the Cowboys a chance leading 24-7 to put the game away with a score. And that’s exactly what they did.

On a first and 10 from their own 27, Felix Jones took a Tony Romo handoff 73 yards on a sprint to the end zone, absolutely puncturing any chance Philly had of a comeback, as the Cowboys went up 34-7 midway through the third. Philly had their chances to open the half - two to be exact – but unlike the Eagles, Dallas converted when they needed it the most. Their prize? A date with Brett Favre.

Ravens 33, Patriots 14

And here we have the biggest shocker of Wild Card weekend.

Sure people thought the Ravens would be competitive. And sure, people knew the Patriots would be a little off without Wes Welker. But nobody, except apparently LT, figured New England would trail Baltimore 24-0 after the first quarter. Nobody.

Nobody except maybe Ray Lewis, who was reading New England’s offense like a book from snap one, an offense that looked pathetic all afternoon in layman’s terms. Ironically enough, it didn’t seem like the problem was the absence of Wes Welker. Let’s be honest – Julian Edelman, who figured to step in for Welker, is absolutely in no way, shape or form Welker. But he was ironically the only part of the Patriot offense that functioned Sunday afternoon. The problem was everybody else – Tom Brady included. Surely Welker would have been more productive than Edelman, but the man still piled up a team-leading six catches for 44 yards. Meanwhile, there was no running game to speak of, no passing game at all, no catching game, no blocking game– not even a kicking game, as Stephen Gostkowski missed his only attempt of the afternoon.

The Ravens meanwhile were firing on all cylinders on offense, starting with the first play from scrimmage, when Ray Rice ripped off an 83-yard game opener to put Baltimore up 7-0. Joe Flacco was only forced to throw the ball 10 times, while both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee combined for 42 carries on the day. Rice found pay-dirt twice, both in the first quarter, and McGahee ended up there once, the touchdown that put the Patriots out of their misery in the fourth quarter.

Quite simply, this game can be described by this video: http://turbo.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2009/12/snookie-punched-in-the-face.gif

But let’s take a more in-depth look at one of the greatest Patriot collapses of the decade:

Key Play –

Easily Terrell Suggs’ strip sack of Tom Brady on New England’s first possession. Baltimore had just scored on their first drive, and regardless of whether it was on one play or not, it was seven points nonetheless. Everyone expected New England’s defense to have some difficulty anyway.

They didn’t, however, expect the offense to struggle as mightily as it did. And when Tom Brady took the field immediately after the Rice touchdown, what happened next really sucked the wind out of Gillette stadium. Facing a third-and-11 from his own 26, Brady dropped back to pass, only he never got very far, as Terrell Suggs screamed in from the backside, ripping the ball away from Brady and taking over possession for the Ravens. Only five plays later, big Leron McClain drove through the Patriot line for six more, putting Baltimore up 14-0, instead of what could have been a potentially tied game.

It Could Have Been Different if…

Brady didn’t toss his first interception of the game with the Patriots trailing 14-0 halfway through the second quarter. Every team’s been down before. And a whole lot of them have come back. But there’s a big difference between being down 14-0 and 21-0. Especially in the playoffs – and especially against a defense like the Ravens.

Not only was Carr’s interception of Brady crucial in giving the Ravens back the ball (like many interceptions do), it also gave them tremendous field position, something they had virtually all game. After their first scoring drive, their final four drives of the first quarter began in Patriot territory; including the one following Chris Carr’s pick, which started at New England’s 25. And much like their first drives of the quarter, six plays later Ray Rice found himself in the end zone, and the Ravens found themselves up 21-0. The rest, as they say, is history.

It Was Over When…

Ray Rice opened the game with an 83-yard touchdown. No, really, seriously it was, if you look at the grand scheme of things. But for sanity’s sake, we’ll look at something else.

It wasn’t over at halftime, contrary to what most people believe. After all, the Packers were trailing Arizona 24-10 at half time, and they came all the way back only to eventually fall in overtime. Coming back from 24-7 is doable. It isn’t easy, but life rarely is.

It was, however, over early in the fourth quarter, when the Patriots were unable to keep Baltimore out of the end zone and preserve a two-score deficit. Brady had just led the Patriots down the field in an entirely no-huddle drive out of the shotgun, and found Edelman in the end zone to bring New England back to within 27-14. With an entire quarter left, all the Patriots needed to do was get a stop. They seemed to have settled down a bit on defense, and at this point, a comeback looked very much possible.

But after the kickoff was returned all the way to midfield, the task got a whole lot tougher. Even so, holding Baltimore to only a field goal would have kept the lead to 16 points – still only two scores. Unfortunately for New England, on a crucial third and two Joe Flacco threaded a needle to an open Derek Mason, and nine plays later Willis McGahee burst through the line and into the end zone, putting Baltimore up 33-14, and effectively ending the game and the Patriots season along with it.

Cardinals 51, Packers 45

Wow.

There are so many words that can describe this game – historical being one of them. Amazing being another. I’d prefer to use something along the lines of shit-show, but I think that’s technically two words, so I’ll stick with historical here.

In putting up a record 96 points for a playoff game, both the Cardinals and Packers showed they have the offensive prowess to hang with just about any NFL team – something Arizona will surely need in the next round, as they set to face football’s top offense in the Saints. Granted, they might have Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin back by then, but the Saints are much more explosive on offense than the Packers are, averaging a league leading 31.9 points per game.

Having said that, it’s important to remember that combining for a record 96 points not only shows that you have a very functioning offense, but also that you have an absolutely non-functioning defense – except of course, for one play.

With the game hanging in the balance at 45-45 to start the overtime period, the Packers won the coin toss, which has been thrown around as one of the worst ways to decide an overtime football game - short of rock paper scissoring or even just an all out team encompassing game of blob tag. At this point, what the hell right? At least that takes some sort of skill.

But unfortunately for Green Bay, backing up the age-old adage that ‘the coin toss doesn’t decide the victor’ (happy Goodell?) Aaron Rogers was sacked on one of the most important 3^rd and 6’s in football history. The result? A fumble, that was picked up by Karlos Dansby and returned 17 yards for a defensive touchdown. Arizona 51, Green Bay 45.

As for the rest of the game, this is how things shook out:

Key Play –

Neil Rackers has been ranked as one of the NFL’s top kickers for the past 5-6 years. But you wouldn’t have known it after Sunday night’s game.

With the score locked up, it appeared Arizona was about to walk away victorious, despite losing grip on a 31-10 lead. Key word there: it appeared.

After starting the drive on their own 21, Kurt Warner had led the Cardinals all the way to Green Bay’s 16 yard line, thanks to a clutch 24-yard reception by oft-forgotten Steve Breaston. In came Neil Rackers for a 34-yard kick that would have given the Cardinals a hard fought win.

But as has been the apparent fad among kickers this postseason, Rackers pulled his kick hard to the left, missing the mark, and forcing the game into an overtime period. Unfortunately for Rackers and his popularity (and possibly life), Green Bay won the toss in overtime. But fortunately for Rackers, he got one of the luckiest plays of the season to bail him out. I promise you he would have been the ultimate NFL goat had the Cardinals lost.

It Could Have Been Different If…

Aaron Rodgers didn’t fumble. Obviously. But in actuality, even if he held onto the ball, it would have been 4th and a mile, and judging by the way that game was going, after the Packers would have punted, chances are Arizona probably would have scored.

Instead, the game might have taken an interesting turn had Larry Fitzgerald’s amazing one-handed grab been called what it quite possibly could have been called – offensive pass interference or even offensive holding.

On his way to the end zone, right before he broke left, past Green Bay cornerback Matt Giordano, Fitzgerald barreled into Charles Woodson, knocking him over and freeing up the route. Not only should that have been called offensive pass interference, it was so blatantly obvious that I’m puzzled as to why not even Joe Buck thought it should have been.

Maybe the ref saw both players vying for a route to the ball – maybe. In that case though, why wasn’t Cardinal’s guard Deuce Lutui called for holding on the Packers’ Cullen Jenkins? He clearly grabbed Jenkins right in the shoulder and actually dragged him to the ground – straight into Kurt Warner. Impossible that the referee didn’t see it, because he actually called Jenkins for roughing the passer, despite the fact that he was tossed like a rag-doll into the quarterback.

But, instead of being faced with either a 2^nd and 15 or a 2^nd and 20, Arizona scored, and kept up the pace of the shootout, eventually winning in overtime.

It Was Over When…

The Cardinals scored in overtime. Seriously. That’s it – nothing else to really say about that one.

My question, however, is why the hell is Kurt Warner thinking about retiring? I mean, I know he’s getting up there in age, but the dude was 29/33 Sunday night, with 379 yards and 5 touchdowns. He actually threw more touchdowns than incompletions, if you can believe that.

In a day and age where Brett Favre is still sticking around, I don’t see why Warner would ever want to leave. It’s pretty obvious he can still run an offense with the best of them, and when he’s on, control an entire game. And to be honest, I’d rather watch him limp around and chuck for thousands of yards than watch Favre aimlessly run around in the pocket and airmail punt/interceptions for the next few years.

News is he’s still thinking of retiring – though that did come out on the eve of this offensive explosion. We’ll see where he stands if the Cardinals make another improbable Super Bowl run - though they do have quite the test awaiting next week with the New Orleans Saints.

Anyone want to wager on that 96-point record not lasting a full week?

AFC Playoff Breakdown

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

The NFL playoffs are once again upon us, and up until last weekend the AFC playoff picture was still cloudy. The Ravens and Jets both had win and in situations, and both did indeed end up winning, thus allowing us to avoid an otherwise complex selection of the playoff teams. The Ravens found their way in over the hapless Oakland Raiders, a win that came on the back of Willis McGahee and partly thanks to the turnover plagued Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell – who the Raiders finally deemed was slightly better than an injured Charlie Frye.

The Jets concluded their season with two rather unlikely wins over the Colts and Bengals, who both ended up resting their starters for much of the second halves of their respective games. The Jets will be seeing the AFC North champion Bengals again on wildcard weekend, trying to prove that they can beat a complete team for all four quarters. The Ravens on the other hand run into the AFC East champion Patriots, who are missing their star receiver (and we’re not talking Randy Moss here). As for the byes, the Chargers finished strong and the Colts finished slow, but both teams deserve the byes and will be tough to beat coming off the break.

Wild Card Weekend:

New York Jets (9-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)

Throughout this past week, the talk all over the airways has been that the Jets do not deserve to be in the playoffs. Weeks ago, even coach Rex Ryan admitted that he thought the Jets were cooked. However, an unlikely series of events took place these past two weeks, in which the Jets bested the previously undefeated Colts and the Bengals to grab the number 5 seed. The Bengals have been a top team for much of the season, but finished the year on a low note losing 3 of their last 4. The Jets travel to Cincinnati for this playoff rematch, and the Bengals would hope to stop the upstart Jets in their tracks.

Breakdown:

Jets Offense vs Bengals Defense:

The Jets bring to the table one of the worst passing offenses in the league, but feature the league’s top rushing attack; averaging only 148 yards a game through the air, but hammering out a gaudy 172 rushing yards per contest. Veteran running back Thomas Jones is coming off a great 1400 yard 14 touchdown season with rookie Shonn Greene backing him up with 500 yards of his own. There’s even repurposed wide receiver/quarterback Brad Smith, who brings the wildcat, or ‘Seminole,’ package to the table, and has over 200 yards on just 18 carries including a 57 yard sprint against the Bengals in week 17. In order to win this game, quarterback Mark Sanchez has to keep the ball in the hands of the guys in the green uniforms. This season the Jets are undefeated when they are better than even on the turnover battle, and this issue rests largely on the rookie shoulders of the inconsistent Sanchez.

On the other side of the ball, the Bengals defense is one of the better squads in the NFL, with cornerback Leon Hall leading the charge. The problem for the Bengals though has been injuries, and it is still unknown whether or not their five regulars that have been hurt will be back in time for the playoff contest. Regardless, the objective of the Bengals remains clear – Cincinnati must keep the ball in the hands of Mark Sanchez. If the Jets can run the ball all day and allow Sanchez to only throw 15-20 times, it is going to be very difficult for the Bengals to stop the most potent rushing offense in the NFL (New York racked up 257 yards last week). If they can score early and at least somewhat succeed in stopping the run, it will force Sanchez to throw the ball, and more than likely that means at least a few turnovers.

Advantage: Slightly Bengals. This is a tough one to call, with the best rushing offense versus one of the better rushing defenses. The advantage comes in the Jets lack of an effective passing game, and eventually Sanchez is going to have to make some plays if the Jets plan on making a run.

Jets Defense vs Bengals Offense:

On the defensive side of the ball, the Jets are second to none. They boast the best defense in the league with opponents only gaining some 250 yards per game against them. They are only allowing 14.8 points per game, and in week 17 held the Bengals to only 72 total yards and zero points. Carson Palmer played the first half only, but he went an embarrassing 1 for 11 for zero net yards. Now granted, the Bengals did not have anything to play for and Cedric Benson was out, but still they managed almost no offense and ended the season on a low. Trash talking wide-out Chad Ochocinco was held without a catch thanks to the services of the premier NFL cornerback Darelle Revis, a trend that will in all probability continue into the playoffs. The Jets will be brining to the table the complex blitzes of Rex Ryan, and great talent all over the defensive side of the ball. They have had success forcing turnovers and rushing the quarterback, a trend that the Bengals will have to cut short if they hope to win.

The Bengals however feature a decent offense that is carried (quite literally) by running back Cedric Benson. The Bengals 128 rush yards per game is indebted to the skill of Benson, who surprised many by putting together such a successful season. Carson Palmer has been surprisingly off this season, throwing for only 180 yards per game and 21 TDs to 13 interceptions. If the Bengals are going to do any better this week than they did last week (it would be hard not to), then they are going to need to have a balanced attack led by Benson and Ochocinco. Laverneus Coles is the only other really reliable receiver for Palmer to target, and if neither Ocho or Benson are able to break off a big gain or two, it doesn’t look good for the Bengals to put up a lot of points.

Advantage: Jets. The Jets have the best defense in football, and the Bengals will not be able to do a whole lot. The Jets create turnovers and stuff the run, so it may be a long day for Benson and Palmer.

And the final score is…

Jets 24 – Bengals 10: The Jets defense has stopped the Bengals before, and it should do so again. New York’s potent rushing attack should be able to keep the ball away from the turnover prone Sanchez, and though the Bengals will not rollover as they did in week 17 the Jets have the positive momentum, and will win the day.

Baltimore Ravens (9-7) at New England Patriots (10-6)

The 6^th seeded Ravens take on the 3^rd seeded Patriots in this battle of AFC East champion vs wildcard winner. The Ravens finished the season with a win that was a little bit too close for comfort over the Oakland Raiders, meanwhile the Patriots finished on a low note losing to the Houston Texans, more importantly losing star receiver Wes Welker. The Ravens are looking to make a Super Bowl push after losing in the AFC Championship game last season, but the always dangerous Patriots will try to end those aspirations.

Ravens Offense vs Patriots Defense:

Offense is not what the Ravens are known for, and likewise defense is not the strong point of the Patriots organization. However this season the Ravens offense has begun to mature. Led by sophomore quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice, the Ravens offense has been up and down all year. Rice has been the workhorse of this team; he is second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and first in the NFL among running back in receiving yards with 683. When Flacco is under pressure, as he often is, he dumps the ball to Rice. Rice is the back between the 20’s, but in the red-zone the ball often goes to veteran Willis McGahee, who despite only having 109 carries managed to accumulate 12 touchdowns. Between these two backs, the Ravens offer a strong rushing attack (137 yards/game) to complement an underwhelming but surprisingly capable passing offense.

As for the Patriots defense, one would be much more confident if they hadn’t dealt away cornerback Ellis Hobbs and defensive end Richard Seymour before and during the season. Safety Brandon Meriweather and cornerback Leigh Bodden lead the defense with five interceptions each, but the pass defense remains a weak point, allowing some 320 yards through the air per game. As mediocre as the pass defense is, the rushing defense is the stronger point for the Pats, allowing 110 yards per game on the ground. The Ravens excel in this very area, so this will be a match-up to watch. The Pats will certainly be able to pressure Flacco -- the Ravens have given up 36 sacks this season despite featuring rookie Michael Oher of Hollywood Fame -- and Flacco will in all likelihood toss the ball to none other than Ray Rice.

Advantage: Slightly Ravens. The Ravens can run the ball, and the Pats are decent at stopping it. The wild card (no pun intended) here is the explosive Ray Rice. He is the key to the Ravens offense, and if the Pats can take him out of the equation or at least limit him, they will be more likely to hold the Ravens to a low point total.

Patriots Offense vs Ravens Defense:

This is the match-up that everyone wants to see, the always dangerous Patriots offense vs the prolific Ravens defense. As per usual the Patriots field one of the best offenses in the NFL, and are third in the league in pass yards per game with 277, adding to that a respectable 120 on the ground. Tom Brady has been great for much of the season, but the issue here is not with Brady. The big problem on the minds of fans is the loss of Wes Welker, who leads the NFL with 123 receptions even though he missed 2 full games. The offense flows through Welker, and he will be difficult to replace. Rookie and Wes Welker look-a-like Julian Edelman will try to fill in those shoes, and though he figures to be a decent replacement Tom Brady will have to look elsewhere for those receptions. He could look to Randy Moss, who despite another 1,000 yard season has been underwhelming late in the season. He hasn’t broken 100 yards since week 10, but has been Brady’s primary red-zone target. He is still very capable of breaking off a big play, but the screens and tricks that the Pats so often rely on will be weakened in this game and they will have to rely more on question marks such as running back Laurence Maroney to get them down the field.

The Ravens defense is also far from full strength, with the most notable losses being starting cornerbacks Ladarious Webb and Fabian Washington. Safety Ed Reed has also been dealing with a nagging injury, leaving the Ravens pass defense very vulnerable. Despite only allowing 207 yards a game through the air this year and only 93 on the ground, these injuries should make the pass attack far more effective for the Patriots offense.

Though the Ravens should have little issue stopping the run, the big question is if these replacement and unimpressive cornerbacks such as Domonique Foxworth will be able to stop the relentless passing attack that the Pats will surely throw at them.

Advantage: Patriots. Though their passing game suffers greatly from the loss of Wes Welker, they still should be able to move down the field against a depleted Ravens secondary. Moss will be looking for a big play, and I expect him to get one.

And the final score is…

Patriots 24 – Ravens 20: Not a blowout by any stretch, and both teams should be able to score to some extent. The Pats should key in on Ray Rice and will be able to slow down the Ravens enough to build a lead. Brady and Moss will have less problems connecting against a weak secondary, and though the loss of Welker hurts, it will not cost them a win (not yet anyway).

Rivalry of the Decade

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News

There are very few rivalries in the NFL today. With the constant turnover of players, coaches and division standings, even age-old rivalries like the Bears-Packers and Cowboys-49’ers have seemingly lost all their luster. You look around today, and even the Patriots-Jets rivalry seems to be flickering in its last few spurts. Similarly, the Cowboys-Steelers rivalry is a thing of the past, fading away when the likes of Bradshaw, Aikman and Smith left the game. Even the greatest football rivalry of all time, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, is so non-existent at the moment it’s not even funny.

But among it all, one still remains. New England and Indianapolis. It’s really the only current rivalry in all of the NFL, discounting maybe the Ravens and the Steelers, and perhaps the Eagles-Cowboys if you’re willing to go out on a limb.

So what makes a rivalry in the NFL? It’s not so much proximity as it is with baseball (Sox-Yankees, Mets-Yankees), and it’s not history like it is with the NBA (Lakers-Celtics). For the NFL, it all starts and ends with success – current success. Take the historical Steelers-Raiders rivalry for instance. The Steelers are currently still among the NFL’s elite teams. The Raiders? Not so much. As a result, that rivalry? Completely dead.

But with a combined record of 229-91 over the past ten years, no two teams have embodied success like the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts have. With three postseason meetings between the two, including two AFC Championship games, no teams have collided in more meaningful playoff match-ups than the Patriots and Colts have. And with four combined rings over the past ten years, only the Pittsburgh Steelers (two rings) have rivaled these two franchises as a model for every other team in the National Football League.

It’s no secret that the 2000’s will forever be remembered as the decade of Manning-Brady, Patriots-Colts prime-time clashes, but which team was the best? From off-season moves straight up to championship performances and everything in between, here’s how the two stack up against each other.

Home Field Advantage:

Both teams boast unique factors when it comes to their home stadiums and fans. The Patriot faithful span over six states, with yahoo’s driving from all over the region every Sunday morning in the fall and winter to watch their gladiators compete at Gillette Stadium. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has a cult-like following of Manning-crazed fans, who have known nothing but success since the Tennessee grad graced the Colts organization in 1998.

As for the stadiums, the Colts have made their home in a dome for the past 10 years, and the newly opened Lucas Oil Field is no different, housing a slick turf field suited perfectly for their speed-based game. Gillette Stadium however, has one secret weapon the Colts and Lucas Oil Field will never have – the elements. And if winter weather in Gillette doesn’t strike enough fear into a warm-weather opponent, perhaps Tom Brady’s 11-0 record in Foxboro when snow falls will.

The Colts meanwhile are equally as deadly inside their own dome over the past 10 years, posting a 59-21 record, compared to New England’s 61-19 mark in Gillette.

Verdict: Push. Both teams are so near identical with their records, it’s almost impossible to give an edge here. What it comes down to is; where would you least like to play with the game on the line? Inside a dome, with a roaring crowd, almost impossible to hear anything but a chorus of cheers from rowdy Colts fans – or outside in New England, where it’s so cold you can’t feel your fingers, not to mention you can’t see through the blizzard of snow falling inches from your face. Call me crazy, but neither sounds tempting.

Front Office Part I - Draft Day:

The Colts have been a team that’s made the most of their drafts over the past years, with the bulk of their talent coming straight from the drafting pool. Even going back to Peyton Manning, who was selected in the first round of the 1998 draft, the Colts have barely guessed wrong when it comes to drafting. Names like Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James also carry draft weight in the late 90’s.

The 2000’s have been no different, as every single one of their top-tier talents were selected on draft day, and very high at that. Each of their first overall picks from the year 2000 (Robert Mathis) straight up until 2006 can all be labeled as Pro Bowlers, with many potential Hall of Famers at that - Reggie Wayne (1, 2001), Dwight Freeney (1, 2002), Dallas Clark (1, 2003), Bob Sanders (2, 2004) and Joseph Addai (1, 2006) each have filled out their draft day expectations. The Colts draft success even stems beyond their top picks, extending as far down as Robert Mathis (5, 2003), Cato June (6, 2003) and Austin Collie (6, 2009).

The New England Patriots on the other hand, have had similar success on draft day, though not nearly to the same depth as the Colts have. Their first round pick in 2000, Adrian Klemm, only played five seasons with the Patriots, totaling just 26 games over that span. That incidentally was the year that New England selected Tom Brady, who turned out to be everything a first rounder would be worth, and then some, becoming the epitome of a draft-day steal, and something that jumpstarted the success of the franchise.

2001 was also kind to New England, as it marked the selection of Pro Bowlers Richard Seymour (1), and Matt Light (2), while 2002 bore Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch (2). In 2003, New England made their biggest splash in grabbing Asante Samuel in the fourth round, making up for the somewhat questionable picks of Ty Warren, Eugene Wilson and Bethel Johnson in the first and second rounds. Similarly, 2004 first rounder Ben Watson is yet to live up to his elite draft status. You’d have to jump all the way to 2007 (Brandon Meriweather) for the next year that the Patriots connected with a first-rounder who has begun to show results, as 2006 marked the selection of perennial question-mark, Laurence Maroney, who was selected over the likes of DeAngelo Williams, Joseph Addai, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Even with the selection of Jerod Mayo in 2008, the Patriots draft success hardly measures up to that of the Indianapolis Colts, despite the steal of Tom Brady back in 2000.

Verdict: Edge Colts. There’s no denying that when you hit on six consecutive first round picks like the Colts have, especially considering how low in the draft order the Colts were when they selected them, you are going to have great success in the NFL. Despite the late-round reach of Tom Brady and all that’s done for the Patriots as a franchise, the misses with the likes of Adrian Klemm, and most recently Laurence Maroney and Ben Watson really hurt. All trades and pick swaps aside, when it comes down to sitting in the chair and evaluating combine talent, there’s no doubt that the Colts have the advantage over the past 10 years.

Front Office Part II - Trades, Swaps and Signings:

This is where New England has made its money over the years. In order to fully assess the Patriots draft success over the past 10 years, you have to look at everything they did with their draft picks. That of course includes the Randy Moss swap of 2007, in which the Patriots sent Oakland a fourth-rounder in exchange for a receiver that shattered Jerry Rice’s single season touchdown record in his first season with the Patriots.

Two-time Pro Bowler Wes Welker was also acquired in a draft-pick trade, sending both a second rounder and a seventh rounder to the Miami Dolphins in the same year, netting New England one of the most prolific slot-receivers in recent football history. Corey Dillon was another important puzzle piece that the Patriots reeled in via trade, sending a 2004 fourth-rounder to the Bengals. In his first year with New England, Dillon led the Pats with 1,635 yards rushing, including grabbing a Super Bowl ring in the Patriots 24-20 victory over the Eagles.

Not only that, New England has showed a knack for knowing when certain players are past their prime - and when others are not. The Patriots made splashes in both 2003 and 2005 when they parted ways with Pro Bowlers Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law. When Milloy left in 2003, it hit Patriot nation with shock. Yet since then, Milloy has only had two seasons where he recorded over 100 tackles, and has only amassed six interceptions over his seven years away from New England, where he spent time with the Bills, Falcons and now Seahawks.

2003 also marked the debut of over-the-hill signee, Rodney Harrison, who took Milloy’s place after he was cut from San Diego. Harrison then went on to lead the New England secondary in two Super Bowl wins, including 8 total interceptions, 9 sacks and 7 forced fumbles, while being named Patriot’s defensive captain before his first game in a Patriot uniform.

Meanwhile, since being cut from New England in 2005, Law has only played three full seasons, though he did record 10 interceptions in his first year with the Jets in ‘05. Other notable Patriot clippings: Deion Branch, who is yet to play a full season in his new home of Seattle; and Mike Vrabel, who only appeared in 14 games for the Chiefs in 2009, recording only 2 sacks after totaling 44 over 8 seasons with New England. Vrabel himself was also another player who was rescued by New England after being tossed aside for dead by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001.

The Colts on the other hand, have famously blundered when it comes to their history of big-name trades. Back in 1983, the then Baltimore Colts sent a freshly drafted John Elway to the Denver Broncos for fear of not being able to sign the highly touted quarterback. Then in 1987, the Colts shipped off 6 draft picks and 2 players for L.A. Rams running-back Eric Dickerson, who was never as fantastic with the Colts as he was with the Rams. In fact, because of the trade, the Colts had no draft picks until the third round of 1988, and suffered through the final two years of Dickerson’s contract which were clouded with suspensions and injuries, though he remained the highest paid running-back in the NFL at the time.

Perhaps because of that history, the Colts have been a bit gun-shy when it comes to pulling the trigger on big-name trades and off-season moves. Again, over the past decade, the Colts have been a franchise that flourishes on precision draft picks and home-grown talent, not one that relies on risky big-name signings and hefty contracts.

The only real free-agent signing that sticks out in the 2000’s for the Colts is that of famed kicker Adam Vinateiri, who signed a five-year deal with the Colts in 2006. Since joining Indianapolis, Vinateiri has hit a miraculous 147 of 150 field goal attempts with the Colts, missing only three kicks in his tenure in domed conditions.

Verdict: Edge Patriots. New England has made their bread and butter with off-season moves. Trade day swaps and numerous cuts/signings of big name players have been the foundation upon which the New England dynasty has been built on. From names like Moss, Welker and Harrison all the way to the famed drops of players like Branch, Law and Milloy, New England has rarely missed when it comes to evaluating player talents around the league. But it’s not due to failure on the Colts part that New England wins this category - more of just a lack of effort by the Colts, probably due to their tremendous drafting success. But whatever the reason, the Patriots have proved to be just and mighty with the pen, and their wins show it.

Front Office Part III - Ownership:

This is a tough one. Success starts from the top in all sports - that’s common knowledge. And both franchises, the Colts and Patriots, have had arguably the best ownership in the business, and they have the wins and fan following to show for it. For every Al Davis (Raiders) and Dan Snyder’s (Redskins) of the world, there’s a Robert Kraft (Patriots) and Jim Irsay (Colts) to balance it out.

In this day and age of sports, it’s nearly impossible to create long-standing dynasties. But both Kraft and Irsay have done exactly that. Not only have they built today’s strongest NFL teams, but for the past decade seemingly each and every year they have placed a competitive team on the gridiron, and have been showered with praise and profit for their efforts. Not only have they produced and sought out top-of-the-line talent for their franchises, but they have also created multi-million dollar assets in the process - the tell-tale mark of a good owner versus a great one.

Both teams have also added new venues in the past 10 years, the Colts knocking down the RCA Dome in favor of Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008, a fantastically domed turf-field that seats over 63,000 fans and cost $720 million dollars to construct. The Colt’s shiny new field also features a retractable roof, and will be the site of the 2012 Super Bowl and the 2010 NCAA Final Four after being the home of the 2009 NFL combine.

Meanwhile, the Patriots reduced old Foxboro Stadium to just a parking lot, bringing Gillette Stadium to life in 2002, the year following New England’s first Super Bowl victory. Gillette is also the home to the New England Revolution, a franchise that Kraft also oversees, one that has had similar success in the 2000’s, reaching the finals four out of six years between 2002 and 2007. On top of adding Gillette to the Patriot Franchise, Kraft has also launched Patriot Place, an open-air shopping center that has only added to Kraft’s Patriot profit in 2008. The center features an Olive Garden, a Showcase Cinema, a CBS Store, Patriots Pro Shop and much more, furthering the foundation of the Patriot franchise.

Verdict: Slight Edge Patriots. Both teams have tremendous ownership. But the difference here is that Kraft family has created a fine-tuned machine that has developed into a revenue gold-mine. When Kraft purchased the Patriots back in 1994, he bought the franchise for $175 million dollars. Today, it is worth over $1,324 million. He was rated as Sports Illustrated’s second best NFL owner, behind only the legendary Rooney family of Pittsburgh Steeler fame. It’s a close one, but Patriot faithful spans over an entire region of New England, giving Kraft an advantage of numbers, something he’s been able to turn into a waterfall of revenue over the years.

Coaching:

Yet another tough one, as both teams have seen two of the NFL’s best coaches grace their franchises. Bill Belichick has led New England to three Super Bowl victories, including a season in which New England finished 16-0 during the regular season. Meanwhile, Tony Dungy helped lead the Colts to a Super Bowl victory of their own, and was part of Indianapolis’s NFL record 23-straight regular season wins, breaking the previous record of 21, held by New England in ’03-‘04.

To Patriots fans, Bill Belichick is a hooded genius. And up until 2009’s 4th and 2 call against the Colts, Belichick could do no wrong on the Patriot’s sidelines. But to the rest of the football world, Belichick’s reign with the Pats has been one that has been shrouded with mystery - and not the good kind. Ever since the Spy Gate explosion of 2007, Belichick has been regarded as more of an evil genius around the league rather than simply a genius, and it’s given the NFL world just another reason to despise the Patriots and their success.

Even so, Belichick’s ability to do something with nothing has placed him among the coaching elites in the NFL. In 2001, he won a Super Bowl with a no-name team, led by a quarterback who nobody knew and a defense who nobody respected. Let alone the fact that he defeated the Greatest Show on Turf in the 2001, the St. Louis Rams, featuring Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Tory Holt. On top of that, much of the career resurrection of players such as Rodney Harrison, Randy Moss and even Mike Vrabel can be attributed to not only Belichick’s system, but also his ability to use players to their full potential and maximize results.

Tony Dungy on the other hand was a quiet assassin. Much like Belichick, Dungy rarely said much in his interviews, and was never much of a sound-bite producer. But unlike Belichick, who used cloudy schemes and substitutions to confuse the opposition, Dungy used a different route to victory. He wouldn’t beat you with defensive schemes, front-line overloads or wild-cat trick plays. He’d put the ball in the hands of Peyton Manning, and tempt you to stop him. Only you couldn’t.

Unless of course, your name was Bill Belichick. Belichick might have been the only puzzle that Dungy was unable to solve, as he fell to the Patriot’s hooded genius the first two times they met in postseason play, and convincingly at that. Both times, Belichick used a combination of defensive schemes and winter weather to stymie Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy’s high flying offense, limiting them to a combined 17 total points over the two contests.

But recently, the fortunes have flopped, and Dungy’s Colts have seemingly gained the edge over Belichick’s Patriots. In the 2006 AFC Championship game, Dungy shredded the Patriot’s aging secondary with countless post and crossing routes that not only confused the Patriots defense but maximized fatigue, rendering New England’s aging veterans useless in the final minutes of play. Similarly, in 2009, the Colts - headed by Jim Caldwell - came back from a large half-time deficit similar to 2006, using countless second-half adjustments to force Belichick’s hand late in the game, resulting in a 4th and 2 call that set the stage for the Patriots demise.

Verdict: Edge Patriots. Let’s not kid ourselves here. For the past 10 years, the Colts have been and always will remain Peyton Manning’s team. He run’s the offense, walking to the line with multiple plays in his head, picking and calling one as the defense sets their line. Meanwhile, the Patriots always have been a team that lives and dies by their coach, and up until this season, he has looked invincible. For the better part of this decade, Bill Belichick has been regarded as one of, if not the finest coach in the National Football League. After all, not once do you hear someone fear Tony Dungy and the Colts - let alone Jim Caldwell and the Colts. It’s always Peyton Manning and the Colts. Meanwhile, the Patriots have remained Bill Belichick’s team, and he carries just as much punch with him as Brady and the rest of the Patriots do when they take the field. No coach strikes fear into the opponents like Bill Belichick does. And that’s a fact.

In Season Performance:

This is really what it all comes down to. All the rest is fluff. Ownership, Trades, Drafting, Coaching - it all means nothing if you don’t perform on the field. And that’s what both of these teams are all about.

For the better part of the decade, these two teams have been completely different in the way they play the game. The Colts have always been a speed and finesse team - they’ll kill you with their athleticism, and they use that domed turf field to perfection. Indianapolis has and always will be offense first, offense second and offense third - featuring fleet-footed receivers like Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, killing you with the match-up nightmare Dallas Clark and then busting in Joseph Addai, who’s developed into a red-zone nightmare with a nose for pay-dirt. This Colt offensive has morphed from a top-tier offense into a fine-tuned and well-oiled machine over the years, one that is nearly impossible to stop when it’s hitting its stride – a stride it hits far more often than not.

And it all runs because of number 18. He’s the ultimate field general, and there’s nobody like him in the NFL – and nobody better. In his time with the Colts in the 2000’s, Manning led his team to an NFL best 115-45 record over 10 years – besting the 49’ers of the 1990’s and Cowboys of the 1970’s as the most powerful team of any decade.

On top of that, the Colts also now hold a 23-game regular season win streak, also an NFL record, two higher than New England’s 21. At one point, Manning also held an NFL record of 48 in-season touchdown passes, until it was broken by Tom Brady in 2007.

Since the year 2000, the Colts have only finished below .500 once, posting seven consecutive seasons with four losses or less starting in 2003. They have also been crowned AFC South Champions six of the past seven years, missing the playoffs only once – 2001, when they finished 6-10.

Then there’s the Patriots, who have been an entirely different animal in the 2000’s – though they achieved very similar results. Where the Colts are a speed team, the Patriots up until 2007 were a physical team. They’d smash you out of the box with backs like Corey Dillon and Antowain Smith – and beat you up in the secondary with Rodney Harrison, Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy. It’s how they won all three of their Super Bowls, and why they were able to oust the Colts en route to each one.

Meanwhile, while the Colts were based on offense, the Pats were all about defense, boasting names like Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinnest, and Mike Vrabel, executing ferocious Belichick schemes to perfection and giving opposing quarterbacks nightmares – Mr. Manning included.

But that all came to a screeching halt in 2007, when Randy Moss and Wes Welker showed up in Foxboro. Since then, New England has formed into a high-flying offense similar to the Colts. In 2007, when New England finished 16-0, both Tom Brady and Randy Moss entered the offensive record books, Moss breaking Rice’s single season touchdown record, and Brady doing the same to Manning’s mark.

But regardless of how they did it, the Patriots have enjoyed plenty of regular season success. Out of ten possible years since 2000, New England has claimed AFC East honors seven times, reaching the playoffs each time.

Like the Colts, the Patriots have only finished below .500 only once in the past decade, ironically in Drew Bledsoe’s final full season with the Patriots. But unlike Indianapolis, the Patriots have never won a wild-card berth in the 2000’s.

Verdict: Edge Colts. Yes the Patriots had 2007, where they ran the table to post a 16-0 record. But consistently, the Colts have been the team to beat in the NFL when it comes to week 1-16. Nine playoff appearances in 10 years is the ultimate definition of stability, and though it’s a close one, Peyton and the Colts reign supreme in this category.

Postseason Play:

The Colts have made it nine times in ten years; New England seven. They’ve both had their fair share of chances, with a combined 16 playoff berths between the two teams.

However, within those appearances, there is a clear discrepancy between the two teams. In those seven years where they made the postseason, New England posted a gaudy 14-3 record, including three Super Bowls and four AFC Championships. Indianapolis meanwhile, hoists a meager 7-7 record with one Super Bowl and one AFC Championship to boot.

In fact, the first two times the Colts made the playoffs this decade (’00, ’02) they were one-and-done – something the Patriots have never experienced in the 2000’s. Of the nine times the Colts have made the playoffs, they’ve been eliminated in the first round five times.

On top of that, the Patriot’s post-seasons have become the stuff of legends, from the famous Tuck Rule in the Snow Bowl game, to the miraculous final drive in Super Bowl 36 against the Rams – the Patriots have become a historically ferocious team once the calendar turns to January and February. New England opened the decade with an 10-0 record in the playoffs, before losing three of their next six games in postseason play, including the 2006 AFC Championship at the hands of the Clots and the 2007 Super Bowl versus the Giants.

Verdict: Edge Patriots. Team records aside, this category comes down to one thing: the bling. Bottom line - the Patriots have three rings to the Colts one. Not only that, in the three times they’ve collided in postseason play, the Pats hold a 2-1 edge, with both of their victories fairly convincing; including a 20-3 stomping in 2005. To put it simply, the Patriots have succeeded in their goal 3 times out of 7 chances, while the Colts have only converted in 1/9. The numbers don’t lie – and neither do the rings.

Final Verdict: The chain-gang has left the field, and the final measurements are in. From the front offices to management, from coaching to on-the-field play, even all the way to the fans and everything in between – we’ve dissected every part of the game there is. The Patriot’s have the rings, but the Colts have dominated the NFL in a fashion that few teams could hope to achieve. But the question remains: who is the team of the decade? It was a rivalry created at the dawn of this decade – but who has won it?

Final Verdict: Edge Patriots. I don’t think it’s any secret here. With three rings to Indianapolis’s one, the Patriots clearly have the hardware. And isn’t that what it’s all about?

New England defensively dominated the first part of the decade, and ran up the score in the second part. They posted a flawless 16-0 record and shattered age-old records in the process. And the mastermind of it all, Bill Belichick, has engrained his name in the history books as one of the best coaches to ever grace the game.

Straight from the top with the Kraft family, all the way down to the gritty offensive linemen, the Patriots have ran the 2000’s from head to toe. The tide may be turning now, as New England continues to hit bad luck with injuries (Brady, 2008; Welker, 2009), Belichick’s aura of invincibility appears to be fading away and all the while Manning and the Colts seem better than ever. But as for the past 10 years? Nobody’s been better than the Patriots.

The only thing Indianapolis holds over New England over the decade is their regular season record – by two games. But ask any Patriot – fan, player or coach - and I’m sure they’ll give the Colts those two games gladly. Because the two games New England holds over the Colts carry plenty more weight: 9.9 combined karats to be exact.