5 Exciting NFL Things

A new season is upon us. Predictions abound! Patriots! Seahawks! Packers! Broncos! Ravens! Falcons! 49ers! Eventually, it rings hollow. I've been reading the season previews and fantasy clairvoyants in magazines since the 1990s and the one thing I can count on each year, is they will be obsolete by Week 5, hardly resembling the actual NFL Season underway.

It's moved to the Internet now, and it's even worse.

On August 30th, 2012 - 16 ESPN experts set their crystal balls on the 2012 Season. None of them had Peterson for MVP, none had Robert Griffin III for Rookie Of The Year, none had Baltimore Ravens as Super Bowl Champions and none had the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. Thats 0 for 16 on all counts. Why are we doing this?

To be fair, two guys had the Ravens losing the Super Bowl. Still, this was utterly pointless, an extreme example of predictions taking precedence over what is truly great about the NFL, the journey.

This is an amazing game in which world-class speed, power and carefully rehearsed timing and teamwork can be shattered by a bad bounce or a dropped pass. Or 55 minutes of muddy, bloody excellence in the trenches yields nothing until finally paying off for a game-changing big play. Can't we just be excited for this?

I'm just excited about football! And this… this is FIVE EXCITING NFL THINGS!!!

#1 - The Young Guns

The Colts' Andrew Luck, Redskins' Robert Griffin III, Seahawks' Russell Wilson and 49ers' Colin Kaepernick are the new wave. I would throw the Panthers' Cam Newton and Bengals' Andy Dalton into this 'young gun' melting pot as well.

Their styles, teams and futures may differ but we are no longer in a time when rookie QBs struggle for 1-2 seasons on the field, or simmer on the sideline for 3-4 years waiting their turn. In 2008, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco came hot out of the gate, so did Sam Bradford and Matthew Stafford a year later. Chalk it up to the Pro-style offenses in college, or to a QB-focused generation raised on the stylings of Steve Young, Brett Favre, John Elway etc. Whatever the reason, we have a ridiculous infusion of talent going into their 2nd or 3rd year. It will be exciting to watch who grows, who stumbles, who recovers. We are in for a long and exciting ride.

#2 - The Old Guard

All due respect to Cam Newton & Co, but the NFL is not yet theirs for the taking. The league is still populated with 1st ballot Hall-of-Fame Quarterbacks playing at extremely high levels in Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. Not to mention Aaron Rodgers, Ben Rothlisberger and Eli Manning. All told, 14 Super Bowl appearances between them.

The 2000s will be remembered as the decade the NFL took a leap in passing offense, and the big names are still going strong. Rodgers, Brees, Brady and Manning remain the most formidable foes a defense must face. They make for great entertainment, good television and a sure-to-be competitive playoff bracket for Super Bowl 43.

#3 - Parity

As I write this, there is hope for all NFL teams. It's not impossible to imagine Jamaal Charles' and Alex Smith's breakout year under Andy Reid, big stuff in Kansas City. Or Ryan Tannehill joining next year's young guns talk as Lamar Miller explodes onto the scene and Mike Wallace hits stride for confetti in Miami. That long-promised deep playoff run for Romo and the Cowboys? Cutler and Marshall finally shape up that Bears offense? The Texans take the next step? Titans' Chris Johnson returns to form and Jake Locker explodes into his potential? Focus comes to the immense talent of the Detroit Lions?

It's all feasible. What if Tavon Austin and Chris Givens are the spark Sam Bradford needed to lead the Rams back to glory? Or, as is a trendy playoff pick, the improved Eagles O-line and Chip Kelly's no huddle are a sensation that brings back the danger in Michael Vick, LeSeaon McCoy, DeSean Jackson...

Everything is possible. Except the Browns, of course. Not because of Trent Richardson, an incredible talent, but because they are the Cleveland Browns.

In the NFL there is hope, and short memories. Nobody was praising the Seattle Seahawks' depth on this day one year ago. Nobody. Now, it seems like it's been fact for years. It is a fast-changing landscape creating heros and goats, winners and losers every week.

There are many other factors. Factors that I myself routinely forget to consider. The Rams need a lot more than Givens, Austin, and Bradford to play well. There are O-lines and D-lines that dictate these games, and win championships. Injuries on the line, or just under-performance can sink a team with lofty goals, and leave the sports media grasping at straws as to what happened to (Insert Scapegoat Skill Player Here)? Conversely, excellence along the lines can turn a middling RB/QB/WR into a superstar.

#4 - The Read Option

The one word I keep reading, when trying to get an inside scoop on how defenses will defend the read option is "attack". The Pistol offense that destroyed the Packers in San Francisco, and left Dallas and the New York Giants watching the Redskins in the playoffs is a hot topic. The counter-punch to the Wild-Cat in 2009 was swift, it will be interesting to see the Read Option's fate.

#5 - New York City Finale

The Super Bowl in New York City somehow manages to supersize the biggest sporting event in the world. The uncertainty of the weather, the chaos of the city, the media hype that will come with a Super Bowl in New York City. It's almost unimaginable. It promises to be another golden year!

I've tacked on an extra 10 things I'm excited about or interested in for the season! Let's do this!

#06 - J.J Watt, Brian Cushing, Ed Reed & The Texans' defense.
#07 - Can Larry Fitzgerald return to form with Carson Palmer at the helm in Arizona?
#08 - Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and the Legion Of Boom in Seattle.
#09 - Sean Payton's Saints Redemption Tour - will the Saints have a chip on their shoulder after Payton's season-long suspension after Bountygate.
#10 - Tom Brady and a bunch of newbies at WR and TE, will it matter?
#11 - The implosion of Rex Ryan, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, and the Jets. Will Ryan be around to guarantee a 6th Super Bowl?
#12 - Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and the Giants' offense.
#13 - Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, A.J Green. Brandon Marshall and Calvin Johnson. A new age of Megatrons upon us.
#14 - Will the Packers and Saints actually 'commit to the run' as they have preached this offseason?
#15 - Andy Reid in Kansas City. Chip Kelly in Philadelphia.

Tonight the Ravens take on the Broncos to kick off the season. Will Joe Flacco be the golden boy we last saw in February without Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta? What will Wes Welker's role be in Peyton Manning's Bronco Show?

The speculation and highly-specific predictions can again fade away, let the games begin!

-Miles.

SUPER BOWL 47

Baltimore Ravens, 34 San Francisco 49ers, 31

This Super Bowl drastically changed shape three times. It presented itself first as a blowout, a Baltimore whalloping of San Francisco. It then morphed into a dominant San Francisco counterpunch after a Superdome power outage delayed the game for 34 agonizing minutes. After Baltimore shook off the cobwebs in the 4th quarter, Super Bowl 47 reached it's 3rd and final form: a blow-for-blow thriller that came down to an epic 4-down goal line stand.

The red-hot Ravens offense struck hard and early with a pass-heavy drive capped by the the QB Joe Flacco-to-WR Anquan Boldin postseason special. After an ill-advised fight-for-1-yard fumble by rookie 49er RB LeMichael James, Flacco fired a 2-yard rocket to TE Dennis Pitta that put the Ravens up 14-3 to end the 1st quarter.

Matters grew worse, San Francisco QB Colin Kapernick's over-the-entire offense interception to center fielder Ed Reed offered Baltimore another red zone opportunity. The Ravens would fail to convert a fake field goal but it was a luxury they could afford, Kaepernick responded with a 3-and-out. This time, Flacco made up the difference with a 56-yard down-but-not-touched bomb to WR Jacoby Jones with 1min remaining in the half.

The 49ers faithful were given a halftime Beyonce' break to get the images of WR Jacoby Jones out of their heads but it was the same nightmare to start the 2nd half too. Jones returned the opening kickoff 108 yards to set the Ravens powerfully in control, 28-6. The old nostalgic standby, the Super Bowl blow-out, a staple of the 80s and 90s appeared eminent.

After a 3-yard run from RB Frank Gore on the responding drive, the lights went out.

Radio silence from the broadcasters. It would be 34 minutes before 2nd-and-7 was allowed to resume.

Conspiracy-theories aside, it was the San Francisco 49ers who appeared to greatly benefit from The Power Outage. With nothing to lose, their offense finally clicked. WR Michael Crabtree grabbed a beautiful 32-yard grab neatly bouncing off the feeble hits-not-tackles from two Ravens defenders.

Conversely, with everything to lose, the Ravens offense suddenly lacked explosiveness and was forced into punts and a Ray Rice fumble. San Francisco capitalized with a field goal and another touchdown, this one RB Frank Gore. Barely 8 minutes after the power outage, the 49ers had made up 17 points, a new game 28-23 to start the 4th quarter.

The Ravens dusted the sleep out of their eyes and yet another Super Bowl Classic unfolded before us. Hard-hitting, punch, counter-punch football. The type of which can only be played in the 4th quarter of a Super Bowl between 2 Harbaugh brothers.

The game culminated in a 1st-and-goal for the 49ers with 2:39 remaining, down 29-34. After a non-threatening run from L-James, Kaepernick threw 3 straight incomplete passes to Michael Crabtree on the right side of the field. Maybe there was some 'The Catch'-style potential to Randy Moss on 2nd down, but Kaepernick was clearly looking at nobody but Crabtree for these 3 downs. The 49ers made it a game, but the window had closed.

LB Ray Lewis, Joe Flacco & The Ravens finally found themselves Super Bowl Champions after five years of deep playoff runs. Coach John Harbaugh summed it up perfectly "it's never pretty, it's never perfect, but it is us".

KEY PLAY: In the moment there will be significant hoop-la in San Francisco that the refs "let them play" too much on the final 4th down and that defensive contact of CB Jimmy Smith should have been called. The contact was initiated by Crabtree so while made it seems like a bad call now, it won't go down as one of the bogus no-calls of NFL history. Crabtree and Kaepernick were just not quite on the same page, and lurking right behind Smith was S Ed Reed in double-coverage on Crabtree.

MVP: Joe Flacco. The 2 big plays from WR Jacoby Jones will forever be Baltimore highlights but Flacco was the engine that drove Baltimore through the entire playoffs. His killer instinct in the red zone was championship quality, and it paid off. The running narrative this season 'is Joe Flacco elite?'  appears to have been answered.

SB Weekend 2013

Baltimore Ravens (14-4) -vs- San Francisco 49ers (15-3)

Super Bowl brothers, the Har-bowl. It's Ray Lewis' final ride, the 49ers' 6th Super Bowl, and Colin Kaepernick's 10th start. This Super Bowl comes built with the story lines that sportswriters' dreams are made of.

Yet isn't it interesting that the only thing louder than the hype, is the complaints about the hype by the very same media? Strangely, the press this year feel rooted in self-hatred, almost guilt, for over-hyping the amazing storylines provided to us.

Ray Lewis declared before the playoffs that this would be his "final ride" and then promptly drove the least-acclaimed Ravens team this decade, right through Luck, Peyton and Brady.

QB Colin Kaepernick has started 9 games and his 10th is the Super Bowl! He has displayed superstar speed and an absolute rocket arm, resigning QB Alex Smith, the 49ers starting quarterback since 2005 to the sidelines.

Jim Harbaugh of the 49ers and John Harbaugh of the Ravens, brothers a year apart, both have not only become head coaches in the NFL, but have both made the playoffs in the same year, both won have won their conferences and earned their first Super Bowl appearances. In the same year! It is one of the most improbable coaching match-ups any sport championship has ever seen. And this is no normal "sport championship", this is the Super Bowl.

Isn't this awesome? Yet we spit all over ourselves, angry that the stories behind the headlines actually warrant the hype. Relax, football media, this one truly does have some amazing stories. Enjoy it.

(Let us again reign ourselves in, back to the football field, back to the 100 yards each team has to navigate towards touchdowns and field goals.)

"Two running teams in the Super Bowl" they say, "so much for the NFL being a passing league" they say. Yes, it's a nice sentiment, a crowning moment for the old-school-tough-guys. For the Ravens and 49ers, two teams commonly associated with running and defense have downed the high-flyers on their way to the big game. However, the Ravens were decade-long perennial playoff stepping stones until QB Joe Flacco made that next step, The 49ers were mediocre, postively pedestrian, with their great All-Pro defensemen and RB Frank Gore's brilliance until Jim Harbaugh made the most of Alex Smith and then rolled the dice on QB Collin Kaepernick's rocket arm. It was the addition of a passing game that brought both these teams to the Super Bowl.

HOW BAL GOT HERE: Baltimore has been a dark horse flirting with the Super Bowl since 2008, the entire Joe Flacco/John Harbaugh era. The duo does not have a one-and-done season on their resume. Five playoff wins in the last four years but the Super Bowl eluded them still as they lost to the eventual AFC Champion all four years (Steelers, Colts, Steelers, Patriots). The defense has been getting older, their Hall-Of-Fame candidates reaching the twilight of their careers, they started hot but faded drastically in 2012 regular season but bounced back, caught fire and here they are. Unlike the 2000 Ravens who had the most dominant defense of all time, this team rides and dies with offense. Make no mistake, Flacco, RB Ray Rice, WR Anquon Boldin and WR Torrey Smith will be the keys to a Championship.

HOW SF GOT HERE: QB Alex Smith put his time in since 2004, trudging through the proud 49ers franchise's darkest years. While bluff-and-bluster coaches failed, offensive coordinators revolved annually, and talent fluctuated low, he was there through it all. Through 2007, 08, 09, the defense began to improve behind LB Patrick Willis and a myriad of ridiclous talent, 2010 and 2011 the defense turned downright frightening in it's athletic dominance. Weapons floweed in, TE Vernon Davis, WR Michael Crabtree but they didn't seem to pan out. So Alex Smith continued to wait for that moment. Then Smith got hurt, Kaepernick stepped in, and the elements finally ignited. Here they are, a dynamic brand new quarterback leading a team that has struggled beneath the line of mediocrity, labeled 'talented' but never 'successful'. Kaepernick was the missing link, the moment is here.

The Farewell 10 (2012/13)

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (10-7)
RB Adrian Peterson had one of the top years all-time for a running back. In the end, however, QB Christian Ponder and WR Percy Harvin's MVP caliber first 8 games before injury were not enough support for A.D to go deep into the playoffs. The Vikings over-achieved compared to expectations, largely due to Peterson and another massive year out of DE Jared Allen and the D.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-7)
It's hard to imagine that the young Bengals D, QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J Green will continually be knocked out of the playoffs by the Houston Texans. Two in a row though? That's rough. The Bengals are showing growth; the offense showed explosiveness and the D-line was the best in the NFL, anchored by DT Geno Atkins and DT Domata Peko.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (11-6)
Not very many expected QB Andrew Luck to lead the Colts back to the playoffs. Some incredible come from behind victories, the feel-good story of Coach Chuck Pagano and his struggles with cancer. The Colts had their roster demolished after a Peytonless 1-15 disaster. One year later, they are suddenly full of up-and-coming youngsters.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (10-7)
Not very many expected RG3 to lead the Redskins back to the playoffs. (we can say that about quite a few rookie QB teams this year), Griffin proved to be the crown jewel of them all. Speed, smarts, and a great powerful and accurate arm. Fellow rookie RB Alfred Morris racked 1600 yards and now the Redskins are cookin', RG3's health is all that kept them out of the deeper playoff waters.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-5)
The Packers drew an unlucky card in the Playoffs as Kaepernick/49ers unleased their read-option on the unsuspecting Pack. Still, QB Aaron Rodgers had another monster year and WR Randall Cobb emerged as a new star. As long as Rodgers is there, the team will get to the playoffs but the D has been maddeningly awful the last two years. They cost it again.

DENVER BRONCOS (13-4)
In all, QB Peyton Manning got Denver just as far as Tebow had. Although this time the D did not have to carry the team and actually was the broken link, failing a proper prevent defense in the final minute. Still, the roll of the dice on Peyton was a smashing success. He predictably made stars out of WR Demarious Thomas and WR Eric Decker. LB Von Miller became a superstar.

HOUSTON TEXANS (13-5)
DE J.J Watt was a man among boys much of the season, absolutely dominating from the D-line. RB Arian Foster, WR Andre Johnson, all excelled and the team performed very well, The D improved drastically. This year, instead of injuries it appeared to just be a lack of steam. They were steam-rolled by the Patriots and it wasn't even hard to see coming.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (12-6)
When the reigns were taken off rookie QB Russell Wilson, the offense exploded. Not very many expected Wilson to lead his team to the playoffs as a rookie. RB Marshawn Lynch again was the engine while CB Richard Sherman and S Earl Thomas led the league's best secondary. We figured to be talking about Luck & RG3 for a long time, Wilson put himself right in the conversation.

ATLANTA FALCONS (14-4)
QB Matt Ryan with WR Julio Jones, WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez clicked into high-gear this year. Boring News Flash: they again lacked killer instinct in the playoffs, an especially bitter pill for a team that is universally criticized for not winning playoff games. Against Seattle and San Fran, they were outscored 10-42 in the 2nd halves, compared to 44-14 in the 1st halves.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (13-5)
Another deep playoff run for QB Tom Brady and Bill Bellicheck. The defense was better, though the offense was a little less explosive. In this era of salary caps and free agency, this decade-plus Patriot run has been the most impressive thing in the NFL. Every year the Pats are a drive or two within reach, it really is amazing.

Sunday 1/20/13 (AFC/NFC)

San Francisco 49ers, 28 Atlanta Falcons, 24

The Atlanta Falcons 2013 Postseason involved two of the best offensive starts of all time. WR Julio Jones had 100 yards before the end of the 1st quarter and QB Matt Ryan had almost 300 yards before the half (all of which was to Jones, TE Tony Gonzalez and WR Roddy White). The 49ers vaunted secondary looked over-matched. Luckily for the 49ers, QB Colin Kaepernick again showed up to play and the Falcons' D looked similarly over-matched, so that RB LeMichael James and TE Vernon Davis (back from the dead) could keep the 49ers in striking distance 24-14 at half. San Fran went into the locker room hoping their award-winning, big-talking D could stop something, anything whatsoever.

Turns out, the San Francisco D only needed one stop. RB Frank Gore pounded the Falcons for two touchdowns, and Matt Ryan ended two more 49er-gouging drives with Ryan-generated turnovers; a terrible interception and a fumble off a perfectly good snap. After Gore's second touchdown, Falcons down 4 points with 8 minutes left, both cities were sick with dread. San Francsico dreading a Matt Ryan who had yet to see any resistance from any defensive 49er. Atlanta dreading a Matt Ryan who moved the ball with ease only to brutally turn it over two previous times. Unfortunately for Atlanta, theirs was the dread that would be realized, inside the 20, the Falcons turned over on downs.

KEY PLAY: On the Falcons' final drive, Matt Ryan threw to a wide open WR Harry Douglas who barely controlled the ball before going out of bounds. The play was controversial in the usual control-of-the-ball ways and will forever be enshrined by San Francisco Coach Jim Harbaugh's petulant temper tantrum after the call didn't go his way. Lost in the controversy and the overblown reaction, was that Douglas was wide open and if he had not tripped over his own two feet. there is no doubt the Falcons would have went ahead 31-28.

MVP: RB Frank Gore has been on a quest for a long time. I don't know what it is about Gore that allows him to be so easily overshadowed. For years, he has been the unappreciated running back (outside of SF of course) that defies the odds and continues to produce but "not for a contender". Now, he produces for a contender and all eyes are on Kaepernick! Gore, however, didn't need the read-option to produce in this game, this was a career game for him.

Baltimore Ravens, 28 New England Patriots, 13

Another big Patriots/Ravens face-off ends in revenge. In the 'Brady v. Lewis' era, the Patriots had only been defeated once previously, an absolute drubbing from Baltimore in the 2011 Wildcard. The Patriots got their revenge for that game in last year's AFC Championship and now the Ravens get their revenge for that revenge tonight. Simple enough.

The game was a model of good football. New England's offense and Baltimore's defense, a full decade of excellence behind each, battled hard. QB Tom Brady was able to move the ball with a balanced attack of RB Stevan Ridley, TE Aaron Hernandez and WR Wes Welker but where Baltimore bends, Baltimore did not break. The Patriots piled up 8-12 play drives in the 1st half but had only 13 points for their trouble.

The long Patriot drives resulted in awful field position for Baltimore the entire 1st half (13, 10, 8, 10 and 14). The inept Raven offenses of old would be defeated this way, but QB Joe Flacco was able to eat yards and lead at least one 90-yard touchdown drive, which an improvising RB Ray Rice finished off. The Ravens were down a comfortable 13-7 at the half, considering.

Both teams remained efficient, there was not a turnover until 12:48 in the 4th quarter when Ridley was literally knocked out by S Bernard Pollard (he of season-ending Brady (2008), Welker (2009) and Gronkowski (2011) injury fame). The fumble was the turning point of the game, coming shortly after Flacco's 2nd TD and resulting in his 3rd. The Patriot-killer's rep has surely expanded.

KEY PLAY: Ridley's knockout fumble changed the game, when two well-oiled teams play, the turnovers are normally the deciding factor.

MVP: QB Joe Flacco. The Ravens dominated the 2nd half because they put the ball into Flacco's hands, throwing 27 times to 7 runs until LB Darnell Ellerbee's game-deciding, wild tip interception late in the 4th. Flacco converted for two red zone touchdowns to WR Anquan Boldin one a powerful grab to start the 4th quarter, and a 2nd Boldin TD after the KO'd Ridley fumble.

Joe Flacco and the Ravens did what young Ray Lewis could have only dreamed of his offense doing, they went into shotgun and opened it up, putting Brady and Co on their heels. It must have been nice for Lewis, Ed Reed, Suggs etc to play great but to not have to win the game themselves.

Championship Weekend 2013

San Francisco 49ers (14-3) @ Atlanta Falcons (14-3)

Yes, Atlanta was dangerously close to blowing a home game against a #5 seed while San Francisco just blew out the recent Super Bowl champions so most of the one-week-memory media are calling it for San Francisco. It's possible, though, that QB Matt Ryan and his slew of incredible weapons learned an important lesson on closing out. The press has been frothing that the Falcons lack a 'killer instinct'. Well how do you sharpen that killer instinct? Through scary experiences and leads lost in games just like their recent bout with Seattle, that's how.

This game is the best chance the read-option will ever have to go do the Super Bowl, the famous college football scheme is likely to be wide-spread in 2013 but defenses will catch up and it will pass. We all know this. Even San Francisco knows it. Ryan is tasked with defending the traditional style of  a dropback passer from the big stage, and WR Roddy White, WR Julio Jones and the feel-good run of surefire Hall-Of-Famer TE Tony Gonzalez, will give them a good shot. Especially in the Georgia Dome.

KEYS FOR SF: The defense in San Francisco has been so quietly elite that it can be surprising watching them on film. They are fast, big and strong at all levels. It is not a special scheme, it is not a brilliant master plan, it's just speed, strength and tackling. They tackle better than anyone in the league at all 3 levels and this will be their key.

KEYS FOR ATL: Atlanta's defense has been invisible to the media and average fan but perception counts for very little once the game starts. Still, it has to concern Atlanta fans that nobody is really talking, good or bad, about the Falcons D. The peg was set so low by Green Bay's over-rated D but avoiding another monster performance from Kaepernick is key, can the Falcons defense contain him?

Baltimore Ravens (13-4) @ New England Patriots (14-3)

It would be easy to copy and paste last year's summary of this exact same match-up in the AFC Championship but it wouldn't be accurate. Yes, QB Joe Flacco is still perceived (rightfully so, obviously) as a peg below QB Tom Brady and it's pointed out that Brady still doesn't have an elite RB like Ray Rice. Yet there's a different feel to the game. This time, it's the Ravens who are the hot team. They've taken an upstart underdog role rather than the year-to-year mid-level contenders they truly are. Momentum, a lot of media types and coaches hate the word, but nobody can deny the Ravens are playing with a swagger, a nothing-to-lose #6 seed going into New England, high off their conquest in Denver.

When they arrive, they will see the billboard counting down the days to LB Ray Lewis' retirement party. One week after double overtime, is there juice left in the Ravens? The important thing to keep in mind is that this is no shoo-in for New England like we thought Baltimore was for Denver, That's because of one word: Flacco. I believe I said this last AFC Championship too, but Joe Flacco needs to make himself a star in this game.

KEYS FOR BAL: I mentioned Joe Flacco, but his important work will be made much easier and comfortable if the Baltimore O-line can control the line of scrimmage. A healthy, dominating Baltimore O-line (which has surprisingly underachieved thus far) can dull the impact of Patriots DT Vince Wilfork, it can spring Ray Rice a few times, and most importantly, it can keep that more-myth-than-bite Baltimore D out of those ruthless no-huddle Brady drives.

KEYS FOR NE: Tom Brady's performance in last year's matchup was not legendary. He famously declared he "sucked" in the AFC Championship celebration that followed. New England was an incredibly makeable kick away from being defeated last year, and they know it. The running game for the Patriots, the defense, are improved. It will disappoint the fantasy football players but there's not as much need to go to the Aerial Brady Show, balance will improve the Patriots' chances of domination.

Sunday 1/13/13 (Divisional)

Atlanta Falcons, 30 Seattle Seahawks, 28

The Atlanta Falcons dominated the first half. Mutterings of a 'statement win' were on the Georgia Dome conditioned wind. QB Matt Ryan looked unstoppable and even the timid Atlanta crowd got into the groove early in 2nd quarter or so. Meanwhile, the Seahawks made crucial mistakes inside the red zone; they rolled the dice on 4th and 1 and lost, then succumbed to clock management issues at the half, strolling into the locker room down 20-0.

Thats when the 2nd half happened. Matt Ryan lost his mojo and couldn't keep the Falcons offense on the field, throwing two interceptions and missing out on two crucial 3rd downs. Meanwhile, the Seahawks drove the field four separate times for four separate touchdowns. QB Russell Wilson was sublime, 266 2nd half yards passing (385 overall) and another 60 on the ground. RB Marshawn Lynch, TE Zach Miller and WR Sidney Rice also reversed course and played like superstars. S Earl Thomas provided a key interception late that led to to a beast mode Lynch TD launching an ecstatic Seattle to their first lead of the day, 28-27, with only 31 seconds to play.

It was a tale of two games. The Falcons’ 1st half and Seahawks’ 2nd half could be categorized as two of the most dominating NFL halves played all year, strangely woven into one game.

The epilogue, written into the final 31 seconds contained a surprise twist. Matt Ryan snapped out of his 2nd half lethargy and executed two lightening quick punches for 22 and 19 yards that set up the game winning 49-yard kick. Just like that, Atlanta saved themselves from 0-4 in the playoffs and earned their first win.

KEY PLAY: Many Seattle fans lament the 4th-and-1 decision in the 1st half that would have ended up being a game-winning field goal but the key plays were Matt Ryan's darts to WR Harry Douglas and then TE Tony Gonzalez, a total of 41 yards in 25 seconds with their season on the line. Not very many passing games in NFL history could do that.

MVP: I'll give it to QB Matt Ryan who led a massive 1st half slaughter and then a lightening spark victory march but he also was a large reason they were so soundly dominated in the 2nd half. But the MVP should have been Wilson, who announced himself as the real deal today, in both halves, just like Flacco and Kaepernick yesterday, the future has arrived.

New England Patriots, 41 Houston Texans, 28

After the dramatic weekend, one could almost welcome the predictable Patriots blowout. The NFL audience (outside of Houston) accepted the familiar as inevitable and we all relaxed to enjoy our Sunday night. This may seem insulting to the Texans but were they not overmatched? Surely you can't say it's a coincidence that New England has handled the Texans 83-42 in two games, can you? The Texans just aren't in the same tier.

QB Tom Brady was methodical, at times positively vicious with big plays followed by surprisingly quick snaps and big runs. RB Shane Vereen was this week's Patriot role player thrust into centerpiece mode, recording 3 touchdowns and 124 total yards.

The Patriots deserve credit beyond the standard 'they were going to win anyways'. This is not the New York Yankees spending their way to consistent contention or the Miami Heat with Lebron and Wade. This is a 6th round quarterback and a defensive minded coach who have had 12 winning seasons in a row and 17 playoff victories amidst the golden age of parity in the NFL.

KEY PLAY: Texans S Daniel Manning returned the opening kickoff inside the 10, the Texans failed to capitalize, settled for the field goal and never again threatened competition. CB Devin McCourtey made the tackle, hustling after the slower Manning, essentially a 4-point tackle that reversed the tone that an away-team opening kickoff return would have set.

MVP: It’s almost dull to select QB Tom Brady (344yds, 3 TDs, 0 INTs) as the MVP of a postseason win, his 17th such victory (17-6 for reference) but to appreciate a master, we must step away from what we take for granted. This was another divisional masterpiece.