Divisional Weekend 2012

New Orleans Saints (14-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-3)

Now that the 49ers have chosen an effective loudmouth in Coach Jim Harbaugh, the storied franchise is finally back on track. A coach who believes in NFL gameplans and that the quarterback is important (as opposed to the Singletary smashmouth adreneline demands). Still, they can't be thrilled about the record-breaking Saints offense marching into town.

The 49ers have the best defense in the league, LB Patrick Willis, DE Justin Smith and 2nd-year phenom LB Aldon Smith are overshadowed in the press by the Giants' D-line and the Ravens' big names, but here in the the 2011 season - they led the league's best defense. Problem is, the 49ers do not have the best offense in the league. The Saints do. This will be a Super Bowl-caliber battle and the focus of much hype and attention. Sobering fact: this will come down to Saints' D -vs- 49ers QB Alex Smith. Deep down, we all know this.

KEYS FOR NO: Brees and company must start hot, get that running game going. With their trio of solid running backs they have what they did not have in 2010, viable options that aren't the arm of QB Drew Brees. As always, the Saints D needs to produce turnovers, this is their recipe for success and will continue to be so for as long as they give up so many yards.

KEYS FOR SF: There is only one way to defeat an offense like this, score touchdowns when you get to the red zone (TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree must show up big) and stop the run, force the Saints into a one-trick-pony. Now this pony is deadly and can really, really kill but the 49ers have a great pass rush and they must hassle Brees early and often.

Denver Broncos (9-8) @ New England Patriots (13-3)

You think the magic of Tebow cannot continue. Every critic (and almost all intelligent football analysts are critics of his throwing-motion and accuracy/arm strength) has said 'well next time, he cannot pull it off' and yet here we are. Eight teams left and one of them has God's only son... QB Tim Tebow. On the other sideline, we have the #1 seed and the darling of every football anaylyst's last ten years, QB Tom Brady. I cannot envision Brady losing to Tebow, we just watched him shred Tebow in Week 15, nobody can, and so we throw up these doubting paragraphs yet again.

The Broncos of course are about more than Tebow, RB Willis McGahee has re-surged to success, and the D led by rookie LB Von Miller and DE Elvis Dumervil has really excelled. Over the years, there have been many Patriot teams that are all about the QB, about Brady, but this year with TE Rob Gronkowsi and TE Aaron Hernandez becoming an uncoverable duo next to WR Wes Welker, there is less pressure on Brady to make difficult throws, he's got weapons and that is always dangerous.

KEYS FOR DEN: There must be control over Tom Brady, unless WR Demaryius Thomas plans to keep piling up 50+ yard touchdowns from Tim Tebow. The pressure is on the D-line to get pressure. There is one known cure for the Tom Brady blues and that is a harassing him with your front four. Tebow isn't going for any shoot-outs

KEYS FOR NE: The last two years, New England has been one-and-done at home, and the excuse was always that they were re-building that D. This is year #3 and the D has been suspect at best. If those defensive-minded athletes on the Patriots can gain some momentum here, maybe they can turn things around (a la 2006 Colts). Still, in the AFC there is only Flacco, Tebow and Yates - nothing like the years of AFC dominance, no Mannings, no Rivers, no Rothlisbergers, no high-flying Palmers or Schaubs. This is year to have suspect pass defense in the AFC.

Houston Texans (11-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

The Texans rely on defense and a good running game to keep things in control and not force their rookie QB T.J Yates into a shootout. The Ravens are all too willing to play this kind of game, and when push comes to shove QB Joe Flacco, with RB Ray Rice at his side, can get that offense down the field in a hurry. Flacco's game-winning drive in the 2nd Pittsburgh game impressed me immensely. He really won that game three times in a row, if his WRs hadn't dropped the first two.

Now, with Ray Rice and RB Arian Foster we have two of the better running backs in the league facing off two great defenses. Football purists, those who love the smashmouth down-and-dirty, will likely find this to be their game this weekend.  Even WR Anquan Boldin for the Ravens, and WR Andre Johnson for the Texans are all about after-the-catch and tough hard-fought posessions.

KEYS FOR HOU: LB Brian Cushing is playing at a great level and with the big-name Hall-Of-Famers on the Ravens' D on the other sideline, he's got reason to step it up. As with the Bengals game though, they need Foster to control the game and Johnson to make some big plays.

KEYS FOR BAL: Execute and protect on offense, because LB Ray Lewis, LB Terrell Suggs and S Ed Reed, with DT Haloti Ngata up front are too good to let a rookie QB beat them in a playoff game at home. The only way would be a Flacco meltdown, and he has performed well in the playoffs. This is his and Coach John Harbaugh's 4th season and 8th playoff game (they are 5-3 so far). Amazingly, this is their first at home.

New York Giants (10-7) @ Green Bay Packers (15-1)

Echos of 2007 are the main focus of the sports media today. The New York Giants knocked off the best offense of all time (the 2007 New England Patriots) with a relentless pass rush. As luck would have it for the Giants, there are three offenses legitametly challenging that "best-of-all-time" crown this season. The 2011 Patriots have been just as frightening as 2007, the 2011 New Orleans Saints are blowing records out of the water and the Giants next opponent... 2011 Green Bay Packers are right there with those two, if not above those two!

It's been three weeks since we have seen QB Aaron Rodgers throw and we miss him dearly (nfl.com actually as a survey about best QB in the league, Brees -vs- Brady! That's how quickly they forget). Will good defense be able to slow down this attack? Rodgers and the Packers have been on such fire the entire season, it's hard to imagine them being stifled. Yet the Giants are not a defensive brickhouse, QB Eli Manning can compete in a shoot-out.

KEYS FOR NYG: RB Ahmad Bradshaw and RB Brandon Jacobs and that O-line must prove they are gelling at the right time and truly dominate the game. I know I was just speaking about Eli being able to compete in a shoot-out but... this cannot be the plan.

KEYS FOR GB: WR Greg Jennings must prove he's back in full health. Yes, the Packers have done fine without him but now we are in the playoffs and you need a go-to guy. TE Jermichael Finley is also in the spotlight, he can't produce some of the duds he put up in the regular season against a playoff defense. LB Clay Matthews, CB Charles Woodson et al are 32nd in the league, allowing 298 passing yards per game!