Sunday, January 11, 2009

5 NFL Questions - Divisional Round Sunday

After yesterday's subpar effort, you still get 5 Questions for EACH game. Lucky you, right?

Philadelphia Eagles @ NY Giants [1pm, FOX]

When will Asante Samuel get his pick-six?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) Who will do a better job with ball security today: Donovan McNabb or Eli Manning?
2) Who will have the greater deep-ball/special teams impact: DeSean Jackson or Domenik Hixon?
3) Which platoon-back will have more touches: Correll Buckhalter or Derrick Ward?
4) Which kicker may be asked to nail a game-winning in blistery winds in the final moments of the game: David Akers or John Carney?
5) Will the Eagles suffer with a lack of a redzone rush offense?

San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers [4:45 pm, CBS]

Last week it was AP MVP Peyton Manning. How about AP Defensive Player of the Year next?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) Is Darren Sproles officially ready for playoff immortality?
2) What type of magic does Troy Polamalu have up his "playoff" sleeve?
3) Is Antonio Gates back to elite TE (aka "you better double cover me every play") status.
4) Which team will lose BOTH the turnover and the penalty battle?
5) What affect will the weather have on the West Coast Bolts?

Enjoy the games...

2 comments:

Armin said...

I fear Sproles may get shut down against a defense like the Steelers.

No LT too.

Guess Gates, Jackson and Chambers will have to step it up today.

Bill said...

If this game follows the usual design of games between these teams, there will be a premium placed on conservatism. The Eagles don't have a major deep downfield receiving threat other than rookie WR DeSean Jackson, and the Giants are without their Pro Bowl star, the 6-5, 225-pound Plaxico Burress (suspended). So it's going to be a running attack built around short passing and concentration on the TE as a major receiver. Look for the Giants to strike early and often with the 6-4, 265-pound RB Brandon Jacobs to "tenderize" the middle of the Eagles' defense, followed by the faster Derrick Ward (5-10, 230) and the elusive (5-9, 200) Ahmad Bradshaw./Cool widgets at statbeast. Check it.