Tennessee at Oakland - W
Offense
Run: As expected, the Titans didn't average much per carry, but attempted 36 rushes. What stood out was when running back Eddie George was knocked out of the game, Tennessee's run game couldn't produce at all. George is best suited for the power running game. Robert Holcombe can't grind out tough yards nor wear down opponents. George fumbled twice, both recovered by Pittsburgh. Quarterback Steve McNair ran for four first downs and a touchdown in eight attempts...A tale of two halves describes Oakland's offensive attack. They spent the first half trying to establish the run. It wasn't working. Coming out of the locker room, they eased off the ground game and let the passing game set up the run. Thanks to an aerial attack that put the Raiders well ahead, they ripped runs of eleven, 16, and 24 yards in the fourth, gaining 94 of their 127 yards in the second half.
Pass: McNair overcame two interceptions and led two late drives, one to tie the game and the second to win in overtime. It was an impressive clutch performance after hurting his thumb in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Justin McCants became the go-to guy with two big catch and runs in overtime. Tight ends Frank Wycheck and Erron Kenny caught a touchdown each while combining for 143 yards. Rarely can a team overcome four turnovers and still win. The Titans were fortunate...If the Raiders coaching staff put the game in the hands of quarterback Rich Gannon from the beginning, it would had been a blowout. The NFL MVP set up long connections with receiver Jerry Porter with pump fakes to hold the deep safety. Porter's contribution will decrease as wide outs Jerry Rice and Tim Brown should be able to get open on Sunday.
Defense
Run: On the whole, the Titans stuffed Pittsburgh on the ground. Tennessee did a good job of penetrating the offensive line, forcing seven runs of no gain or minus yardage. The Titans got burned once for a 31-yard touchdown run. Tennessee must deal with a bigger, more formidable offensive line and they have their work cut out for them...Middle linebacker Napoleon Harris had just two solo tackles anchoring Oakland's run defense. The team was slashed by New York running back Curtis Martin, with runs of 15, eleven, and 12 yards. Diagnosing Tennessee's run plays should be easier for the rookie. If defensive tackles John Parella and Sam Adams play well, they'll occupy blockers and anchor the middle of the line.
Pass: Corner back Samari Rolle's hands were on full display, but it wasn't all good for the Titans' best cover man. While he had and interception, he was penalized twice for 40 yards. He had problems covering the Pittsburgh wide outs within the rules. He faces a tougher challenge against the veteran starters for Oakland. The pass rush came up with just one sack and didn't apply consistent pressure...Any questions about the health of the Raiders corner backs are answered. Charles Woodson and Tory James were solid in coverage. James came up with a very nice pick in the second half, landing with both feet inbounds before falling out of bounds. Oakland DT Roderick Coleman is a good pass rusher from the position and came up with one and a half of the team's four sacks. Rookie defensive end DeLawrence Grant might see more time. He's a little faster and maybe better suited to catch McNair.
Special Teams: Titans kicker Joe Nedney should had won the game in regulation but he missed a 48-yard field goal as time ran out in the fourth quarter. He got a third chance in overtime after missing a potential game-winner, thanks to a running into the kicker penalty. Tennessee played a good game of field position, five times pinning the Steelers 70 yards or more away from the goal line...Very clever of the Oakland coaching staff to instruct squib kicks throughout the game. It kept the New York from properly setting up kick returner Chad Morton for potential long returns and keeping the ball out of his hands. There's no excuse for kicker Sebastian Janikowski missing a 28-yard field goal.
The Pick: Tennessee has the most guts out of any team in the playoffs. They left so much on the field in the win over Pittsburgh that they don't have enough left to proceed any further. The Raiders stop the Titans cold.
Tampa Bay at Philadelphia - L
Offense
Run: The T.B. coaching staff claims that running back Michael Pittman has improved as a runner. He showed decent patience and even burst outside for a 22-yard run, but finished with just 41 yards on 17 carries. Fullback Mike Alstott was more productive (60 yards) with the same number of carries and scored two touchdowns...Overall, the offense was conservative. Quarterback Donovan McNabb gained only five more yards after a 19-yard run out of the endzone early in the game. Primary ball carrier Duce Staley added 63 yards, but he came up big late in the game with seven consecutive runs for 27 yards, draining 3:18 from the clock and leaving Atlanta just 1:14 to score two TDs. Philly was just 4-14 on third down.
Pass: Quarterback Brad Johnson did a good job of getting the ball downfield, making connections of 20, 21, and 28. Add two touchdowns for a decent day. He should had been better though, completing below 50 percent of his passes against a depleted San Francisco secondary. Johnson should had picked them apart...Maybe the Philadelphia coaching staff wanted to protect McNabb, which would explain the very short passing game. Five of eight players who caught a pass averaged less than 10 yards per reception. He practiced the full week before. If he's in the game, don't hold back. The Eagles sat on the lead instead of playing to win.
Defense
Run: Allowing 62 rushing yards normally is a compliment to a defense, but the Bucs shouldn't be patting themselves on the back. San Fran averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Leading rusher Garrison Hearst slashed through the small Tampa Bay front seven on his way to 55 yards on 10 carries. The Buccaneers can be out-muscled on the ground...Most importantly, Philadelphia held Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick to just 30 yards on the ground. The Eagles knew they couldn't let him spring loose and kept him in front of the defense. Well timed blitzes led to four runs of minus 10 yards, not including quarterback sacks. As expected, middle linebacker Levon Kirkland had a reduced role and his backup, Barry Gardner fulfilled his duties when called upon.
Pass: T.B. defenders often made the San Francisco pocket look more like a jailbreak, as they applied pressure by collapsing the pocket. They picked up four sacks on the afternoon. The secondary also did an great job, defending nine passes. It wasn't just safeties and corners locking up the receivers. The linebackers contributed as well. They knocked a few passes down and Derrick Brooks was in position for one of the three interceptions...It looked like the Eagles coaching staff called off the dogs for much of the second half, opting to focus on coverage. As a result, Atlanta's Vick completed eleven of 16 passes in the second half for 152 yards. Philly also gave up pass plays of 20, 23, 25, and 28 yards. Kudos go to corner Bobby Taylor for his runback of an interception for a touchdown. The big Philadelphia corners virtually negate Tampa Bay's wide out size advantage.
Special Teams: Punter Tom Tupa had a solid day for the Buccaneers, averaging 47.3 yards on four punts. The coverage unit made a good play in the second quarter, downing a punt at the San Francisco three-yard line. The drive ended in a Int. that was converted into a touchdown by the offense...David Akers nearly had a perfect evening but hit the right upright on his third attempt from 51 yards away. Kick and punt returner Brian Mitchell took an unnecessary risk not calling for a fair catch on one return. He was immediately hit, but managed to hold on to the ball. Mitchell knows better.
The Pick: The defense has been in place for years, but Tampa Bay is yet to build an productive offense to get beyond the NFC Championship. The Eagles were holding back offensively in the last game but will let it all hang out to advance to the Super Bowl.
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