Round Two Is Upon Us: Welcome To The Thunderdome 'Boys.

Well, the NFL playoffs started with a bang last week, and the divisional round is almost at hand.  Last week was, well mostly boring lets face it.  It was a weekend filled with anti-climatic blowouts.  Cincy and the Jets got the snoozefest started with a butt whipping by the Jets.  Carson Palmer, not Mark Sanchez, looked like the lost rookie out on the field and the Jets running game and defense were awesome.

Then the Dallas Cowboys blew out the Eagles for the second time in as many weeks.  Tony Romo and the 'Boys broke their playoff curse and dismantled an uninspired Eagles team that seemed to quit midway through the second quarter.

Perhaps the most surprising result of the weekend was Sunday's early game that saw the Baltimore Ravens destroy the Patriots.  The very first play of the game was a 80 yard plus touchdown run by Ray Rice and the route was on from there.  Tom Brady, channeling his best "Peyton Manning in the postseason" routine looked lost and threw picks and fumbled.  I think we witnessed the official death of the New England dynasty.  We also, as a bonus, witnessed the death of the USC dynasty in college football with Pete Carroll jumping ship to the NFL.  Despite what Colin Cowherd may say about New England and USC, they are both done as dominant powers.

The best game of the weekend came Sunday evening between the Cardinals and the Packers.  1000 yards of offense and 96 points later the game ended around 8:30 PM EST.  It started out as another blowout, Aaron Rodgers threw a pick the first play of the game and the Cards jumped to a 17-0 lead.  However, Green Bay for their part battled back.  The game was tied 45-45 with about a minute thirty left after a Packers touchdown.  I think everyone was thinking the same thing, "they scored too soon."  Arizona marched down the field only to have Neil Rackers miss a 38 yard field goal.  The game went to overttime and everyone thought the same thing, "whoever gets the ball first will win."  Green Bay got the ball first and my heart broke.  I saw Rodgers, my #2 (perhaps #1 now) on my sports villian list, driving the Packers downfield to win.  I envisioned putting up with another week of nauseating media overhype for the Packers.  I envisioned "experts" (foolishly) vaulting Rodgers to top-5 status amongst QBs. 

Then, a miracle happened.  In the greatest offensive game in playoff history, the Cardinals defense made a great play.  After Rodgers missed a WIDE OPEN Greg Jennings about 50 yards downfield for what would have been a sure fire game winner, two plays later Rodgers gets sacked, fumbles and Karlos Danby picks the ball up and scores.  Game over.  51-45.

Thus, the Packers hype machine died a quick, sudden death.  Now, we are all subjected to the Dallas Cowboys hype machine.  Most of the national media is already putting the Cowboys in the NFC title game.  They may not be favorites according to Vegas, but they might as well be.  Talk about a slap in the face for the Vikings.  No one is giving the Vikes a chance.  I mean after all we were an 8-8 team that barely squeaked in...wait, I am just being told the Vikings went 12-4 and clinched a first round bye with #2 seed.  I am also being told we were 8-0 at home and dominated most of our games at home. 

Guess where this Sunday's game is being played?  The Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Vikings.  We are well rested and ready to go.  Favre, for his part, is confident in our team as he said on Wednesday that he fully expects to be having another press conference next week.  The vibe around the team seems to be confidence, not over confidence (which I hope may be creeping into the Cowboys not that they have been anointed "hottest team in the league.  Yeah, ask the former "hottest team in the league" the Green Bay Packers how that worked out for them.  I think Darnell Dockett said it best, "No one gave us chance.  Now Aaron Rodgers can go home and practice putting his little belt on and stuff, go ahead and shovel some snow out of the driveway.") but confidence.  This team knows it's good, even if no one wants to admit it. 

I am glad though that no one is giving us a shot, we seem to play better when we have a chip on our shoulders.  The first half of the season we were on fire because no one would give us respect, people kept saying "yeah but" about all of our wins.  We rolled Green Bay at Lambeau, had the bye week and then proceeded to destory three straight teams.  I think complacency and over confidence crept into the team.  This team has tasted it's own mortality.  Everyone jumped off the bandwagon, they are a "us against the world team," and like Bill Simmons I like those types of teams.  Arizona is a classic example.  The Vikings are getting systematically disrespected in the media.  A lot of "experts" at ESPN and the like speak of the game as if the Cowboys are playing some high school team.  We had the second best record in the NFC!  We had no problems with the Green Bay Packers, you know the Packers team that beat Dallas.  We just put a hurting on the Giants, you know the team that swept the 'Boys.  Our quarterback has a treasure cove of experience and will be making his 23rd playoff start, Tony Romo will be making his 4th, and is coming off his first victory.  We have 9 Pro Bowlers on our team.  We aren't a group of nobodies, but I like that the media thinks that, I hope that Wade Phillips thinks that.

In this game I think the key on offense will be quick passes and dump offs.  We can try and assert a run game, but don't force what's not there, we can't afford to try and force things in the playoffs.  I think Percy Harvin will be key.  He seems to be fully recovered from his head problems so that will be big.  Harvin is the question no defense can answer.  I want to see him involved a lot.  I also think Shank will be key.  The Cowboys front line is good and can apply a lot of pressure so we can't have Favre standing around in the pocket all day.

On defense we need to pressure Tony Romo.  I know he's mobile but under pressure he's still good for one of those "what in the world were you thinking?" throws at least one or two times a game.  We also can't let their running game get going.  Their offense thrives when the run game gets going.  Felix Jones is their key on offense.  Jones and Witten are their mainstays these days.  Miles Austin is good, but he's not bread and butter.

A cute little angle the media is playing up is how the Cowboys are Brett Favre's playoff " nemesis."  He's never beaten them in the playoffs.  Hello, he hasn't played them in the playoffs since "bowl cuts" and middle parts were super cool for guys to have.  I believe it was before President Clinton "did not have sexual relations with that woman."  It was so long ago Brett Favre still played for the Packers and Troy Aikman was playing, not announcing.  As long as Troy Aikman doesn't run down from the booth and suit up I am confident this whole angle won't play a part in this game.

It's amazing with all Favre has accomplished this season people are still asking when he will break down.  Good, keep it coming.  The Vikings are overrated, suck, the Cowboys will roll them and Favre will break down.  I believe all of this is only adding fuel to the Vikings fire.

Now, onto my Gunslinger Award.  That, without question is going to Kurt Warner.  The man threw more Touchdowns (5) than incompletions. (4)  He was flawless against that "vaunted" "#2 (over)rated" Packers D.  Simply stunning.  Now he's headed to New Orleans, oh my.  If you love defense, don't watch that game.

Oh, and look for the Colts to lose to the Ravens.  A month off essentially + quarterback who has a tendency to choke = not good in the playoffs.  All in all I think it will be a good game this weekend.  I hope and believe the Vikings can win this game.  If we play like we normally do at home, it could be a long afternoon for the 'Boys.

Skol Vikings.