The final stop before Super Bowl XXXVI
Rather than launching into a lengthy spiel regarding the technicalities of Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defensive alignment or the significance of who is going to play nickelback for Philadelphia, I am going to keep it simple. Things to watch, in numerical form, with the road team listed first. Enjoy the games and consider yourself forewarned.
Steelers vs. Patriots
The Patriots enter the Steel City this Sunday looking to steal a game-another game, some might say. The Pats will have to play extremely well in a few specified areas to win the game Sunday:
1. The Patriots must not let the Steelers control the clock. The Steelers had possession of the ball for over forty minutes in the Baltimore game. The Patriots defenders need to have fresh legs to have any hope of keeping up with Kordell Stewart and Amos Zereoue, and having the energy to pull Jerome Bettis and Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala to the ground.
2. The Patriots must not force the run in order to gain clock control. The Steelers have a 3-4 defensive scheme, and even if the Patriots get past the line, they will still have to pass four of the toughest linebackers in the league. What the Patriots need to do is go for a bunch of short drop-off passes to get by the blitzers. The responsibility will be on Tom Brady to show how mentally mature he is.
3. The Patriots must do whatever it takes to stop the running game, even if it means leaving Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward under single coverage. If the Steelers run, they will control the clock. However, if the Patriots make Kordell pass, even though they will give up some big plays, they will force some turnovers.
4. The Patriots need to win the red zone battle. It will be nearly impossible for them to win if they are forced to settle for field goals. Furthermore, putting the pressure on Kris Brown, who misses as many field goals as he makes at home, would work in the Patriots’ favor.
The Steelers’ keys to victory are much fewer:
1. Run the ball.
2. Control the clock.
The Steelers are favorites, but New England has a chance. If they play extremely well, that combined with their postseason luck (the tuck rule) should be enough to record the upset. But if the Patriots do not play their best, you will see the Bus heading to New Orleans.
Rams vs. Eagles
The Rams embarrassed Brett Favre last week, but they will have a lot more trouble with Donovan McNabb. The Rams are the sure favorites, but the Eagles have a realistic shot. The Eagles need to do the following things to win:
1. Donovan McNabb needs to run the ball. Letting the Rams’ secondary sit back and pounce on his passes is not sound strategy. Besides decreasing opportunities for interceptions, McNabb will spread out the defense and make other possibilities open up.
2. Philadelphia must stop the run. It sounds insane to say that the Eagles need to force Kurt Warner to pass, but the Eagles need to pick their poison. Letting Marshall Faulk run the ball will definitely get the Eagles beaten. However, even though Warner can throw the long ball, he has been prone to interceptions this year, and his bruised ribs will not help. Warner is an experienced playoff quarterback, but the Eagles have to gamble on him making mistakes, because Faulk will not make any.
3. The Eagles need to win the turnover battle. The Rams are hard enough to stop when they have to go 100 yards. If Philly shortens the field for them the game could be over in a jiffy.
The keys to the game for the Rams:
1. If the Rams do not turn the ball over, they will not be beat. They need to stay in their game, but play smart and they will win.
The Rams have one of the best combinations of offense and defense in a long time. But this is the playoffs. Expect the Rams to win, but do not expect the Eagles to roll over and play dead. They are legit and would like nothing more than to join the Steelers in an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl.
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