2008 Woodie Awards
AFC Conference Divisional Preview
Bryce Summers
Issue date: 1/11/08 Section: Big Red Sports
It's playoff time again. The AFC has barely been the stronger of the two conferences this year, and the playoff match-ups have not been a disappointment. The wild card games last weekend pitted Jacksonville against Pittsburgh and Tennessee against San Diego. At Pittsburgh, the Jaguars took an 18-point lead into the fourth quarter, only to lose it - then regain it in time to pull the win away from the Steelers and advance to the next round. In San Diego, the Titans kept the Chargers scoreless in the first half of the game, only to give up their lead in the second. The Chargers kept Tennessee out of the end zone to win, 17-6.
The surviving AFC wild card teams have shown themselves worthy of the postseason, only to face two of the best teams in the NFL - the perfect Patriots and the reigning champion Colts. This weekend, The Chargers will travel to Indianapolis to face Peyton Manning and the ever-dangerous Colts. San Diego was one of the few teams to stop the Colts in the regular season, barely winning, even after forcing an incredible six-interception day from Peyton Manning, easily the worst day of Manning's career. But bad news for the Chargers: star Colts wideout Marvin Harrison is expected to be healthy for the game, which will have Indy at near full offensive strength. The Colts will likely play stiff run defense against LaDainian Tomlinson and let Philip Rivers try to beat their excellent secondary.
Jacksonville has ridden their running game all the way into the playoffs, but it is a case of "be careful what you wish for" - they have the challenge of trying to knock off the top team to end the regular season perfectly since the season was lengthened to sixteen games. But the run defense has been one of the few questionable points for the Pats this season, so Jacksonville may have a slight advantage there. This game may be a shootout between the Jags' runners and Tom Brady. The game will be won in the trenches: can the Jacksonville offensive line open up holes? Can their defensive line get the pressure on Brady and force mistakes? This Sunday will certainly not be one to miss.•
The surviving AFC wild card teams have shown themselves worthy of the postseason, only to face two of the best teams in the NFL - the perfect Patriots and the reigning champion Colts. This weekend, The Chargers will travel to Indianapolis to face Peyton Manning and the ever-dangerous Colts. San Diego was one of the few teams to stop the Colts in the regular season, barely winning, even after forcing an incredible six-interception day from Peyton Manning, easily the worst day of Manning's career. But bad news for the Chargers: star Colts wideout Marvin Harrison is expected to be healthy for the game, which will have Indy at near full offensive strength. The Colts will likely play stiff run defense against LaDainian Tomlinson and let Philip Rivers try to beat their excellent secondary.
Jacksonville has ridden their running game all the way into the playoffs, but it is a case of "be careful what you wish for" - they have the challenge of trying to knock off the top team to end the regular season perfectly since the season was lengthened to sixteen games. But the run defense has been one of the few questionable points for the Pats this season, so Jacksonville may have a slight advantage there. This game may be a shootout between the Jags' runners and Tom Brady. The game will be won in the trenches: can the Jacksonville offensive line open up holes? Can their defensive line get the pressure on Brady and force mistakes? This Sunday will certainly not be one to miss.•
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