Atlanta at Philadelphia - W
When they Run: The ground game kinda worked for the Falcons. 327 yards on 40 carries for a ridiculous 8.2 yards per carry average is not just a credit to the team, but an indication of how poor the other team played. There were numerous St. Louis missed tackles. The stars of the game goes to the offensive line that opened huge holes for DVD to exploit with ease...The big surprise was quarterback Donovan McNabb with only three rushing attempts for one yard. I figured he'd have to do more with his feet. He left the running to running backs Brian Westbrook (70 yards, 5.8 average) and Dorsey Levens (36 yards). The 25 attempts showed Philly will go with what works until stopped.
When they Pass: When the ground game is working so great, obviously it opens up the passing game. As a result, Michael Vick had one of his most accurate days as a pro, connecting on 75 percent of his passes. The flip side is he attempted just 16 passes that totaled 82 yards, a 5.1 yards per attempt average, though he did connect on two touchdown passes...Being good matters, but being lucky counts for something too. Receiver Freddie Mitchell was a difference-maker with two touchdowns: One on a reception and the other on a fumble recovery in the endzone. He gets props for effort on the almost third touchdown. Westbrook was instrumental in the early part. McNabb effectively spread the ball around and kept the chains moving. Wide out Greg Lewis provided the big play with a 52-yard reception to set up a second quarter touchdown.
Defending the Run: St. Louis was off to a good start on the ground but had to abandon it as the Falcons kept putting up points. Atlanta should be a little concerned considering they gave up 4.3 yards per attempt. The starting linebackers combined for just nine tackles. Speed kills, as long as nothing is in the way...Philly is in the same boat as Atlanta, as they were generous in the run defense. They gave up 4.6 yards per attempt. Maybe they miss outside linebacker Mark Simoneau. His replacement, Keith Adams managed three tackles. Declaring Adams as undersized is a mild understatement. It wouldn't be a surprise if Atlanta ran his way repeatedly.
Defending the Pass: Knowing they were playing St. Louis and had a comfortable lead helped the defense collect four sacks even though it wasn't with the expected culprits. Defensive end Patrick Kerney was shutout while linebacker Keith Brooking got a takedown off a blitz. The pressure was non-stop...Containing Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper is a fair goal, and by holding him to just one touchdown pass while intercepting him twice, the Eagles met their objective. Yes, Philly gave up a bunch of yards, including four completions of 20 yards or more, but the red zone defense denied all attempts, save for a meaningless late-game touchdown. One thing to keep in mind: They held tight end Jermaine Wiggins to just two catches.
Special Teams: That was a great fake lateral on Allen Rossum's 68-yard punt return for a touchdown. He later had a 39-yard return that set up a Falcons touchdown. Atlanta totaled 152 punt return yards. Regardless that it was against a poor special teams unit, it's an accomplishment...Kickoff coverage has a little room for improvement. Besides a 27.8 return average, Philadelphia allowed Minnesota's Mewelde Moore to average 35.5 on two kickoff returns. That was offset by J.R. Reed's 37-yard average. Kicker David Akers connected on his two attempts
The Pick: Receiver Terrell Owens shouldn't be making predictions on the game considering he won't be playing. But if you're gonna claim your team will make the Super Bowl, I'll hold you to your word. Not because I believe you, but this is the best Eagles team out of the previous four.
New England at Pittsburgh - W
When they Run: The best defense was a great offense for the Patriots. In the second half alone, they held the ball for over 21 minutes, much of it by handing the ball to running back Corey Dillon. He pounded and darted for 144 yards, consuming the clock. He got a great assist by third-down back Kevin Faulk, who dashed through holes for 56 yards. They ran often behind blocks by tight end Daniel Graham...After toying around with the passing game, the Steelers returned to their brand of football in overtime, driving 72 yards, nine of the fourteen plays were runs including the last six. RB Jerome Bettis kept rolling along, picking up 101 yards and a touch. Duce Staley didn't see the field until the second half but that didn't effect him as he plowed forward for 54 yards. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was more effective running than throwing, gaining 30 yards on four attempts.
When they Pass: It was reminicient of New England's offense during their first Super Bowl campaign, when the passing game used short passes almost exclusively. QB Tom Brady's longest pass was 17 yards as he kept it short, but effective. The attack was also diverse, with 10 players catching at least one pass. Biggest surprise was Dillon leading the team with five receptions. Brady took what the defense gave him...Roethlisberger's sub-par play continued in his first playoff game with Pittsburgh. He was wild, throwing two bad interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown. He was off target, no other way to say it. There's talk that the thumb on his throwing hand is bothering him, but it is not listed on the injury report. Receiver Hines Ward was Big Ben's security blanket, catching 10 passes for 105 yards and a TD.
Defending the Run: Once again the Pats' run defense wasn't put to the test by Indianapolis, though based upon how the game progressed, it was only logical for Indy to abandon the run. New England shackled RB Edgerrin James for 39 yards on 14 carries. Much props goes to the linebackers, but this isn't where they showed their best work...The best run defense in the league didn't look like it. The Steelers surrendered 110 yards to New York for a 4.1-yard per carry average. The Jets' running backs were able to run past the front seven and reach the second level consistently. Pittsburgh needs to plug those holes up. Corner back Willie Williams led the team in tackles with eleven. Second on the team was safety Chris Hope with 10.
Defending the Pass: It might had been as close to a perfect game ever played by the N.E. defense. They suffocated the most prolific offense, denying all deep passes. Even with the 5-yard chuck rule reducing the contact by a physical defense, New England still made some intimidating hits on receivers. Two of those hits resulted in fumbles, including linebacker Tedy Bruschi stripping the ball after a completion. Most importantly, they were sure tacklers, giving up very few yards after the catch...The key to Pittsburgh's defense is third down. If they forced a third and long, they won those battles. If it was manageable, New York converted. But the Jets never scored. The Steelers D held up their end of the bargain by keeping the endzone free of opposing players. They kept completions in front of them, burned only once for a 30-yarder. That drive ended in a New York punt.
Special Teams: He isn't as fast as he used to, but punt returner Troy Brown had enough quickness to break a punt for a 20-yard return. Punter Josh Miller was solid with the help of coverage units: Two punts downed inside the 20 and no punts returned. Kickoff coverage was tight as well...No Steeler laid a finger on New York's Santana Moss during his 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. At least the kickoff coverage was good. Return units did nothing inspiring. Chris Gardocki did a fine job punting. And Kicker Jeff Reed hit his two field goal attempts, including the game-winner.
The Pick: Pittsburgh coming into the playoffs were the best team in the league. That's nice, but regular season records mean nothing in the playoffs. With a chance to prove they are still the best, the Steelers come up short against the defending champs, the Patriots.
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