NFL playoffs usually produce better games leading up to the Super Bowl than the Super Bowl itself. This week’s “Super Bowl” matchup is Baltimore at Tennessee, the rubber game in an AFC Central Division rivalry. The visiting teams won each game, with Baltimore’s 24-23 win Nov. 12 the only defeat for Tennessee in two years at Adelphia Coliseum.
In that game, Titans placekicker Al Del Greco missed a late extra point to tie and a field goal to win. With the score tied 17-17, Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer threw one of the most stupid interceptions in a career with more than one contender, but led a late drive to win after Del Greco’s missed conversion.
Obscured by the frantic finish, however, was how the Ravens physically beat up the Titans in their own back yard. Ravens running back Jamal Lewis outgained Titans running back Eddie George 99 yards to 28.
Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis once knocked George backward in the open field, a play they still recall fondly in Baltimore.
In the first game, the Titans won 14-6 when George was injured after only one carry.
This matchup is between the league’s top two defenses, as defensive coordinators have regained the upper hand in the NFL. The top three offenses in the league–St. Louis, Denver and Indianapolis–all lost over the weekend.
Baltimore and Tennessee rely on running, defense and minimal mistakes by quarterbacks Dilfer and Steve McNair.
Although the Ravens broke the Bears’ record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season, the Titans finished first on defense in yardage allowed.
The other divisional playoff games pale in comparison to Baltimore-Tennessee. Ravens coach Brian Billick already predicted that the winner of the wild-card game between Baltimore and Denver would get to the Super Bowl. Last year’s Super Bowl runner-up Titans disagree, of course.
The Titans resent the implication that the one team they didn’t want to face was Baltimore.
“It didn’t come from us. Why would we not want to play a team we’re familiar with?” Titans coach Jeff Fisher asked.
A Giant jinx: Philadelphia at New York Giants. The Eagles have lost eight straight games to the Giants, who have the tried and true combination of home field, running, running defense and quarterbacking going for them.
But with Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning and St. Louis’ Kurt Warner knocked out, the Eagles’ Donovan McNabb looks like the best quarterback remaining on the road to the Super Bowl.
Despite the worst running offense of the eight remaining teams, the Eagles have survived with McNabb as their leading rusher as well as passer–he’s threatening to write history as a one-man wrecking crew.
The Giants played two of their best games of the year against the Eagles, winning easily 33-18 and 24-7. They were the two worst games of the year for the Eagles.
Forgotten Oakland: Miami at Oakland. The Raiders remain the forgotten team of the playoffs. Nobody remembers, for example, that the Raiders are the No. 1 rushing team in the league. Tyrone Wheatley did not outgain the Dolphins’ Lamar Smith, Tennessee’s George or Baltimore’s Lewis, but the combination of Wheatley, quarterback Rich Gannon and tailback Napoleon Kaufman gained more yards than any other team.
Wheatley (knee) and Kaufman (thigh) are nursing injuries.
The Raiders also finished fifth in the league against the run. Gannon outplayed Miami quarterback Jay Fiedler this season, but so did Manning.
Viking test: New Orleans at Minnesota. To pull out of their three-game losing streak, the Vikings must beat the best road team in the league, the Saints.
Two second-year quarterbacks who did not play as rookies–Minnesota’s Daunte Culpepper and New Orleans’ Aaron Brooks–face off. Brooks’ targets include two Minnesota castoffs in tight end Andrew Glover and wide receiver Jake Reed.
The Vikings have the worst defense (28th) left in the playoffs. The higher-ranked defense won three of the four wild-card matchups. Philadelphia was the exception, but the Eagles’ underrated defense was ranked only one notch (10th) below the Bucs (ninth).
Resolutions: The four vanquished playoff teams revealed flaws that need repair for 2001.
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For the Colts, a better run defense. Miami’s Smith romped for 207 yards against the worst run defense in the playoffs. Running and stopping the run remain the twin pillars that prop up every contender. Having the league’s leading rusher, Edgerrin James, isn’t going to benefit the Colts if James can be outdone by Smith.
The Colts came closest of the four losers to winning, but the reliable Mike Vanderjagt missed a 49-yard field goal in overtime. They don’t need a new kicker, but they did need to convert Fiedler’s early interceptions into touchdowns rather than field goals.
Another receiver for Manning is a must.
For the Rams, a better defense, period. They stunk all season, giving up an astonishing 471 points. Last year’s all-pros–defensive end Kevin Carter and cornerback Todd Lyght–got into contract squabbles before the season and went into the tank, embarrassing themselves and their team. Lyght gave up three of Brooks’ four touchdown passes Saturday, looking more like a bullfighter than a cornerback. Carter had one tackle and one assist and shared playing time.
The Rams also need to quit thinking their passing offense is all they need. Coach Mike Martz is so in love with his players and his schemes he has them all believing that nobody can stop them but themselves. They display virtually no respect for any defense. They don’t believe it was the New Orleans defense but simply “mistakes” by the offense that forced Warner into four turnovers. Their performance Saturday in falling behind 31-7 was embarrassing for a defending world champion. They showed little toughness or resolve.
For the Broncos, more luck and more defense. They couldn’t keep quarterback Brian Griese or running back Terrell Davis healthy. Their pass defense finished last in the league. Their cornerbacks are bad, their linebackers are average and their outside pass rush is poor.
For the Bucs, it’s back to the offensive drawing board–again. The addition of receiver Keyshawn Johnson and offensive coordinator Les Steckel failed to provide the necessary improvement.
A second look at quarterback Shaun King is in order. He did not take the predicted leap from the rookie to a second-year quarterback. This was especially noticeable in his head-to-head matchup Sunday against McNabb, who was much more accurate and decisive.
The ratings: The teams with the best combination of home field, running and defense won the first four games. Except in the unique case of Philadelphia’s McNabb, quarterbacking was not the most important factor.
Of the remaining teams, here’s how they stack up by the numbers:
– Quarterback passer ratings: Culpepper (98.0), Gannon (92.4), Brooks (85.7), New York Giants’ Kerry Collins (83.1), McNair (82.3), McNabb (77.8), Dilfer (76.6), and Fiedler (74.5).
– Top running games and backs: 1. Oakland, Wheatley (1,046 yards), 5. Baltimore, Lewis (1,364), 6. Minnesota, Robert Smith (1,521), 7. Tennessee, George (1,509), 8. New Orleans, Ricky Williams (1,000, injured.), 11. New York Giants, Tiki Barber (1,006), 14. Miami, Smith (1,139), 15. Philadelphia, McNabb (629).
– Top run defenses and overall defenses: 1. Baltimore (2), 2. New York Giants (5), 3. Tennessee (1), 5. Oakland (17), 10. New Orleans (8), 14. Miami (6), 15. Minnesota (28), 20. Philadelphia (10), 10.
– Turnover ratio: 1. Baltimore (plus-23), 3. Oakland (plus-17), 5. Miami (plus-15), 8. New Orleans (plus-9), 9. New York Giants (plus-7), 13. Philadelphia (plus-2), 16. Tennessee (even), 26. Minnesota (minus-10).