NFL Playoff Predictions 2011: Top 10 Questions To Consider Ahead Of This Weekend
The cheesesteaks are marinating in Philadelphia, Arrowhead Stadium is preparing for a whitewash of red, Seattle is remaining optimistic, and the Indianapolis Colts find themselves in a familiar situation against the New York Jets.
Yes, playoff football is a day away, and with "do or die" circumstances looming just around the corner, tensions are high right now in every practice facility.
But as testing as this weekend will prove to both the contenders and pretenders alike, each franchise is looking to utilize their own brand of football immensely, when the NFL's Wild Card weekend kicks off on Saturday afternoon.
The factors to watch for?
The list may not be long, yet all eight teams must be prepared for what is shaping up to be one of the leagues most memorable playoff rounds in recent years.
10. Which Team Benefits the Most From Home Field Advantage?
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Home field advantage is a major factor in the regular season. Step into the playoffs however, and the roar of 60,000 plus people is enough to give any team the edge over their opponent.
During this years Wild Card weekend, four teams will endure the benefit of remaining at their home stadium, as the Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks all prepare to attempt a victory in the next two days.
So who takes home the crown?
Given that Arrowhead Stadium is one of the most underrated stadiums in NFL history, it is difficult to overlook how demeaning the Chiefs home ground can be.
Still, there is no looking past Lincoln Financial Field, a stadium that is famous for it's food, but even moreso for its raw nature and hostile environment 16 weeks a year. During 2010 the Eagles have posted just four wins at home this year, a statistic that doesn't look overly pretty in terms of playoff contention.
Bet your bottom dollar though that Lincoln Financial Field will be rocking on Sunday afternoon. The Green Bay Packers travel from up north, and after the Eagles lost to Mike McCarthy's crew back in Week 1, the Philadelphia faithful will be eager for a victory.
9 Will the Green Bay Packers Blitz Michael Vick?
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Sticking with the Green Bay Packers trip to the Philadelphia Eagles for one second, defensive coordinator Dom Capers has a tough challenge ahead of him this weekend.
To blitz or not to blitz?
That is the question that haunts the Packer coaching staff right now.
First and foremost, the positives for Green Bay in this situation are clear. In 2010 the Packers recorded a total of 47 sacks against opponents, much of many came from the likes of Clay Matthews and new found star second year player, BJ Raji.
What stands out even more though, is the Packers "in your face" attitude that has been present all year. After successfully shutting down many of the leagues top quarterbacks, in the past month alone the Packers have limited both Tom Brady and Jay Cutler to under 200 yards each.
Now for the negatives.
When it comes to blitzing Michael Vick, you best be sure you get it right the first time. If Vick's quick footed ways don't burn right through your defensive structure, expect his accurate passing ways to find the likes of DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin while the pressure begins to mount.
Therefore, Green Bay are entering a seriously delicate game of cat and mouse -- even with the fifth rank defense in the league.
In Week 1 the Packers were fortunate enough to avoid Vick for the first two quarters of play, as Kevin Kolb hopelessly stood under center to soon be relieved of his duties due to a concussion.
The playoffs now bring a new game that the Packers must decipher, and one that could prove to be an immaculate display of defense, or an utter failure at blitzing.
8. Will Ray Rice Prove To Be a Factor For The Baltimore Ravens?
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The Baltimore Ravens are one of few teams lucky enough to experience the best of both worlds in both the pass and running game.
During the Ravens 2009 playoff run that saw them famously knock off the New England Patriots this time last year, Rice ran for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns in Baltimore's 33-14 win over Bill Belichick's team to place them firmly in one of two AFC Divisional games.
In a rare turn of events though, Rice hasn't had such a consistent 2010 season.
Rushing for 1,220 yards and just 5 touchdowns, Rice has seemingly hit a quiet patch in his two year career, that quite possibly has head coach John Harbaugh mildly concerned ahead of his teams trip to Arrowhead Stadium.
The Ravens are ranked 14th in rush yards this season, and are looking to rely on quarterback Joe Flacco a lot during the postseason after his much improved regular season thanks to Anquan Boldin.
Not to say that the run game won't be a factor, but Rice does need to stand up in the postseason if the Ravens are to stand any chance against a dangerous and highly resilient Chiefs team.
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7. Can Jim Caldwell's Defense Limit The New York Jets?
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Once upon a time the playoffs were a cakewalk for the Indianapolis Colts. 2010 hasn't been quite the same story.
Just as each expert had predicted back in August, the AFC South proved to be one of the most hotly contested divisions in the NFL, even though the final race came down to both the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars for division supremacy.
Seeing as though the Colts have outlasted their division rivals now, another challenging task appears on the horizon, as Indianapolis prepares for the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In the past three days the Jets have decided to bring forward some smack talk, stating that the Colts would be nothing without Peyton Manning. Argue this fact if you will, Indianapolis have bigger problems that verbal confrontations.
Yes, believe it or not the Colts defense is undergoing some questioning, as this season has seen many problems occur in close games recently.
The best example to offer here comes from Week 17, as the Colts allowed the Tennessee Titans to nearly steal a victory off of some brilliant Jeff Fisher play calling and Kerry Collins ball work.
Fortunately, Adam Vinatieri had the final word, silencing the Titans with a last minute field goal to walk away with a victory.
But what does this say about Jim Caldwell's defense?
Quite a bit, considering the Colts defense is ranked 20th in the league, with the likes of Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene, Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards awaiting this Saturday night.
The Colts defense will no doubt act as the main reason should Indianapolis advance past the Wild Card round, but don't hang your hat on the defense. It's been shaky all year, and even with Dwight Freeney, nothing is set in stone.
6. Does Matt Cassel’s Playoff Inexperience Label the Chiefs As a Pretender?
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It's been a while since the Kansas City Chiefs have tasted the sweet taste of playoff football. Thank head coach Todd Haley though, because he has worked wonders in what looked to be a distraught organization.
If there's another player that is worthy of a mention here, it would have to be quarterback Matt Cassel, who has also experienced a phenomenal season under center by finding a new go to target in rookie tight end Tony Moeaki.
For all of Cassel's hard work to maintain top spot in the AFC West however, many people are still questioning No.7's inexperience in playoff football looking toward Wild Card weekend.
At the end of the day, this is a situation that will prove to have an answer come Sunday. In the meantime, Cassel's 3,116 yards and 27 touchdowns still label the Chiefs main man as a sleeper pick if Kansas City should advance pas the Wild Card round.
Every quarterback has to start somewhere, and since Cassel's early days with the New England Patriots, he always appeared to be a born winner.
That winning gene will be tested this weekend.
5. Do the Green Bay Packers Stand Any Chance Without a Running Game?
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Lets face it, Green Bay's run game has been non-existent this season ever since starting rusher Ryan Grant fell down injured.
So what chance do the Packers have against the Eagles on Sunday afternoon?
Without relying on quarterback Aaron Rodgers too much, the Packers must stick to the running game this weekend if they have any intention of grinding it out against one of the NFC's elite teams away at Lincoln Financial Field.
The first player that must step up if the Packers are to maintain any kind of run threat, is full back John Kuhn, who has quickly become a fan favorite at Lambeau Field.
In games against the New England Patriots and New York Giants, Kuhn acted as a force in short yardage positions, especially when Green Bay found themselves in a goal line situation that required a power runner to advance the ball.
Currently Kuhn has played for 281 yards and four touchdowns this season, making him one of the Packers most promising runners in the future, so expect Mike McCarthy to utilize his fullback at times over the weekend.
Finally, there is also the other options—Brandon Jackson, Dmitri Nance and James Starks.
All three of these players are questionably talented at this point in time, but keep in mind if Rodgers does choose to undergo the play action against Philadelphia, either runner could provide speed or blocking if necessary.
4. Will Mark Sanchez Finally Step Up for the Jets?
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If Joe Flacco is being questioned on his ability, then surely New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is set to undergo some potential criticism in the next week or two.
During the Jets' impressive 2009 playoff run that carried through to the AFC Championship Game, New York experienced an offensive explosion under head coach Rex Ryan that was nothing short of brilliant. Running back Shonn Greene was running the ball well, and of course the Darrelle Revis led defense can't go unmentioned right now.
Through all of the success though, Sanchez was questioned, as his team leadership failed to shine through.
What does this say for 2011?
Not much, considering Sanchez has yet again endured a few hiccups during the regular season.
Throwing some spice into the situation, the Jets now prepare for a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium, to face the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch of last years AFC Championship affair.
Sanchez has had his moments this year, but at times has relied on wide receiver Santonio Holmes way too often. This weekend is a test not only for the sleeper pick Jets, but for Sanchez's team leadership and overall confidence.
3. What Does Malcom Jenkins' Injury Mean For the Saints?
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The New Orleans Saints suffered a crucial blow ahead of their trip to Qwest Field to face the Seattle Seahawks, losing safety Malcolm Jenkins to a knee injury.
Just like the Indianapolis Colts, defense isn't the Saints strong point. With that being said, losing a safety of Jenkins' quality now sees Sean Payton's team undergo a distinct disadvantage against a 7-9 Seattle Seahawks team.
In 2010, Jenkins accumulated two interceptions and 64 total tackles, making him one the Saints most valued defensive stars.
Unfortunately, New Orleans will have to do without him this weekend.
What does that mean for the Saints' chances?
A great deal, considering Jenkins' speed made him the ideal player to cover Seattle's star wide receiver Mike Williams. More to the point though, Jenkins' injury places a great deal of strain on Payton's 4th rank rush defense that has been stellar during the regular season.
The injury was originally sustained during New Orleans' Week 17 clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints went on to lose the game 23-13, but also lose one of their key players in the process.
New Orleans are likely to recover from this loss, but many of the Saints underrated defensive players will be tested against an unclear Seattle team that is intent on upsetting the reigning Super Bowl champions.
2. Can Philadelphia’s Suspect Rush Defense Hold Up?
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The Philadelphia Eagles haven't experienced many problems during the regular season. Matching up against the 10-6 Green Bay Packers however, bares with it some underlying questions toward the defense.
For all of Michael Vick's dazzling play, the Eagles defense ranks both 15th in passing yards and rush yards at the present time. While this is no real threat against a weak rushing team like Green Bay, it could spell future problems if the Eagles are to advance further down the track.
On the topic of the Packers though, if John Kuhn should find his legs and out muscle the Eagles defensive line, head coach Andy Reid may be caught between a rock and a hard place if this situation is to unfold.
Luckily for Philadelphia the defense looks strong and healthy, as injuries haven't threatened the Eagles chances heading into the game against Green Bay.
The Packers run game is shaky and unstable, but Mike McCarthy himself said that he plans to stick with it. Whether or not this thinking pays off is one thing, yet the Eagles suspect run game could be exposed on Sunday.
1. Will Matt Hasselbeck Pull Off The Unthinkable Against New Orleans?
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Charlie Whitehurst and the Seattle Seahawks pulled off the unthinkable in Week 17, picking off the St. Louis Rams in a tight fixture to win the NFC West division and earn a playoff shot against the New Orleans Saints.
Apparently that wasn't good enough for the coaching staff though.
Aside from the fact that head coach Pete Carroll has taken his team to the big dance in his first year at the helm, Whitehurst now finds himself on the bench heading into the Wild Card weekend, as veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will take his spot this weekend.
In terms of controversial moves, this certainly takes the cake.
While Hasselbeck by far has much more playoff experience than Whitehurst does, it could be said that Whitehurst was responsible for the Seahawks playoff berth, considering Hasselbeck was struggling a month ago under center.
The most concerning part?
Seeing as though Hasselbeck has thrown 17 interceptions compared to his 12 touchdowns and 3,001 yards, don't expect a well played game out Seattle as far as passing is concerned.
But can Seattle still pull off the unthinkable?
Without a decent run game it will be tough. Still, don't write off wide receiver Mike Williams, who acted as one of the main reasons for Seattle's tight win over the Rams a week ago.
Whitehurst seemingly had found confidence after Week 17, now though, Hasselbeck will take over once again in Seattle.
This move may pay off, it may not. We'll find out in due time.
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