The playoffs start today! The first game doesn’t start until 4:30 Eastern so I’m giving you some linkage to peruse before gametime. This will also give you time to get so drunk that you won’t be able to see the games, so remember, football is also good when you can tell who has the ball.
Make sure you get your rosters filled in our Sporting News playoff league and/or our playoff challenge at NFL.com or people will point at your team as it sits there like a drowned sloth.
Check these links out. They’ll help you enjoy the playoffs and make you a well rounded citizen.
Eye On Sports Media gives us the rundown on where to see and hear the games and who you will be seeing and hearing broadcast the games. In the Jets/Bengals game we get the dulcet sounds of Tim Hammond, Joe Gibbs, Joe Theismann, and Tiki Barber. And if that isn’t against the Geneva Convention, I don’t know what is.
Midwest Sports Fans take an in-depth look at the Jets @ Bengals and the Eagles @ Cowboys.
The Fifth Down and Football Outsiders Mike Tanier break down the Ravens @ Patriots and the Packers @ Cardinals.
Advanced NFL Stats has a handy dandy Playoff Team Efficiency Comparison chart. I wish I knew how to get those interactive sortable stats here! I love watching San Diego go from the most efficient passing offense to the most inefficient rushing offense.
Matt Bowen over at The National Football Post analyzes the playoff teams for the NFC and AFC.
Len Pasquarelli over at ESPN takes an interesting look at players who made a strong push for starting jobs next season; highlighting Razzball favorites Jamaal Charles and Jerome Harrison.
RookieBlitz has their playoff rankings with what looks like an eye toward the Packers going far. I have to agree.
NFL FanHouse takes a look at Ray Rice and tries to decipher what Bill Belichick thinks of Ray Rice. BB likes to take out the biggest threat on the opposing team. Will he be able to stop Rice?
Second String Quarterback highlights the sad demise of Hiram Eugene by the hand and arm of Willis McGahee. It’s Purple Jesusesque.
CBS Sports Dave Richard and friends do a 12 team mock draft draft. It’s nice to see ADP being shaped in real time. Chris Johnson went #2 behind Adrian Peterson. I really doubt that will be common, but it will be interesting to see how that battle shapes up.
Anquan Boldin has yet to practice and is looking more and more unlikely to go according to NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora. Give Steve Breaston a shot. Remember, a Breaston the hand is worth two in the injured Reggie Bush.
Roto Arcade mirrors some of our Jamaal Charles love and likes him as a top 6 fantasy pick next year.
Jim Mora was shown the door after just one season in Seattle and now he’ll get to nap on the beach and cash his paychecks while Pete Carroll might get to lounge on shores of Puget Sound. Get all the details at Pro Football Weekly.
The Trenches give us the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith have a shot at getting in at some point.
