NFL 2006 Wild Card Thoughts

Those Chiefs really stunk. One of the worst displays of playoff offense I've ever seen. Even last year's Bears did more. Everyone wants to crown the Colt defense, but the real culprit was the Chief receiving corps. How many times early in the game did they drop balls? One play epitomizes things: 3rd and 7 or so, Green is pressured and scrambles to his right, throws a pass to Dante Hall who is right at the sticks, pass hits Hall right on the numbers, and he drops it, time to punt. It was plays like that early on that kept the Chiefs from getting into a rhythm.

And why did Herm Edwards not change quarterbacks? This is the season, here. The team desperately needed a spark, any spark, on offense. At the half, despite everything they were only down 9-0. The defense was playing well, but had been on the field far too long so he had to know that sooner or later the Colts would start getting some points. It's not that Green played badly. He didn't. But something had to be done to shake things up. It might not have worked, but at least Edwards could have tried.

The Patriots are looking really good again. But their biggest problem this year has been inconsistency. In most of their losses, they have shot themselves in the foot with sloppy play, turnovers, and penalties. Even in a lot of their wins, they played sloppy. They looked really good last year in the wild card round, only to screw themselves in the divisional round, outplaying the Broncos and losing.

What can anyone say about Seattle? A team that only made the playoffs because they play in the NFC West, and it's required that at least one team from that division make the playoffs. Play in any other division in the NFL, they wouldn't even be in the post-season. Then they win a game they had little business winning, on a fluke play. It does not exactly inspire confidence.

What can anyone say about Dallas? That's two games this season that looked in the bag but for a short field goal at the buzzer to wrap it up, only to have the Cowboys find a way to screw up the field goal attempt and pull crushing defeat out of the jaws of victory.

The Eagles were impressive, particularly the defense which is playing like it's 2003 again. But not so impressive that they have much of a chance against the Saints next week.

Looking ahead, everyone will be picking San Diego over New England. Heck, I picked the Chargers to win, and to win the Super Bowl. I can't back off on that prediction. But I will point out that this is not the first time Schottenheimer has been in the playoffs. Few active coaches have made it as many times as he has. It's not the first time he's taken a team to the playoffs with the top seed in the playoffs. It's not even the first time he's taken an AFC West team to the playoffs with the top seed. How many times did his Chiefs get the top spot, only to lose in the divisional round? 5-12 in the playoffs, and several of those 5 wins coming in the 80's with the Browns. I don't think Marty has won a playoff game since the 1993 season. This is, and will remain until he changes it, a huge question mark over any Marty Schottenheimer team in the post-season.

And the fans in Cleveland must love that Chargers-Patriots matchup next weekend. The only two coaches in the last 25 years to lead the Browns to playoff wins face off, while the Browns continue their extensive exploration of the league basement.