The Saturday Preview: Finding Cinderella and The NFL Playoffs

Have Slipper, Need Foot

Bracketology doesn't begin with selection Sunday or even ESPN's week of "Bracket Busters."  The search for your bracket's darling should be in full swing, and two popular choices are squaring off Saturday morning on ESPN2: Dayton and Xavier.

If you're tempted to run errands before NFL action starts in the afternoon--stay home!  Every stiff with a pen and bracket in March, myself included, needs to see this game.  Call it the "She's All That" game of the week.  Which one of these overlooked teams is going to be your bracket's prom queen?  

Both saw action in last year's NCAA tourney.  Xavier beat Portland State and Wisconsin before losing to Pitt in the sweet sixteen.  Dayton upset West Virginia before falling to Kansas in the second round. 

A win at Xavier would provide Dayton with the sort of monster road win that looks sexy on every potential cinderella's resume.  Dayton managed an upset of Georgia Tech in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, but looked really sloppy against Villanova and also lost to Kansas State before returning to the States.  A loss on the road to New Mexico doesn't make Dayton's foot look any more likely to fit the glass slipper.  A win on Saturday would really make the Flyers a more attractive pick in March.

Prediction: Dayton can dirty up a game with the best of them.  Expect the Flyers to frustrate Jordan Crawford all day.  67-62 Flyers, on the road.

Cardinals @ Saints

This game should be everything last Saturday's 4 p.m. game was not: high scoring, exciting, and free of beached whales in green sweater vests.  I want to pick the Saints so bad, I really do.  They played solid defense this year.  Drew Brees is a serious gamer.  The game is in New Orleans.  Why not pick the Saints?

Kurt Warner has provided us all with one of the most interesting NFL careers of all time.  The unexpected superstar has enjoyed the highest of highs, and some pretty deep lows.  I think Warner has another upset in his tank.

Cardinals 38-Saints 35

Ravens @ Colts

The Colts can really get after a quarterback, and I have little faith in a flustered Joe Flacco playing in Indy.  But what if on their way to the quarterback, the Colts quick defensive line runs right by Ray Rice running on a draw play?  It will happen more than once on Saturday.  If the Ravens open up their offense and use the play action, they can win this game.

The Colts are going to want to speed up the tempo and force Flacco to play from behind.  I don't think that will happen.  The Ravens will run all day and chew clock like crazy.  The game will boil down to a crucial third down in the fourth quarter for the Ravens offense, and Flacco will convert. 

Ravens 24-Colts-21

Streak for the Cash Friday:

I put my three game win streak in the hands of the Bobcats.  They are playing at home against the Spurs.  It's a classic trap game for the Spurs.  The Bobcats are hot and play solid ball on their home court.