Sarcastiholic

2010 NFL Season – Divisional Round – Jets at Chargers

The final game of the Divisional Round is another game that leaves me with nobody to root for as the Jets travel to America’s Finest City and take on the Chargers.

I really hate the Jets. And, to be honest, I am not very fond of the Chargers (specifically Philip Rivers and Ladanian Tomlinson) either.

I’m kind of disappointed in this matchup but I guess that the silver lining is that at least one of these teams will lose.

The Chargers’ high-flying offense will be taking on the Jets’ numero uno pass defense with a trip to Reevis Island. This probably was not the matchup that the Chargers were hoping for. Their strength has been their passing game and the Jets’ defensive strength is against the pass.

Well, I guess that the Chargers can rely on their explosive running game to help carry the day for them. Wait… what running game?

Ladanian Tomlison is averaging 52 yards rushing per game. Overall, the Chargers have the 31st ranked rushing attack in the NFL. For those of you not paying attention, that’s the second worst in the league. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

I think it’s awesome, by the way.

Meanwhile, the Jets have the number one rushing game in the NFL and will be using it against the Chargers’ defense which ranks 20th in the league. That’s a pretty good matchup for the Jets. Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene should be able to put up some good numbers against them.

But the key to the Jets victory on offense will be whether or not Mark Sanchez can make plays down the field. The Jets should be able to control the clock against the Chargers but it will be the passing game that keeps them in a position to win.

Meanwhile, Reevis Island is ready for its next guest when Vincent Jackson steps off the boat and onto shore. If Darrelle Revis shuts down Jackson, then the bulk of the passing game will fall on Antonio Gate’s shoulders. But that might not be enough, so Malcolm Floyd will have to have a solid game.

Philip Rivers is a cocky S.O.B. though, so I expect him to challenge Revis early. I think the Chargers pull off the best game against Revis that anybody has had to date this season, although I can’t expect the numbers to be phenomenal.

I also expect Norv Turner to make some boneheaded decisions on the sidelines and put his team in a position to lose the game. And I expect Rex Ryan to somehow actually continue to gain weight while he is standing on the sidelines thus enabling him to substitute for the Charlie Brown balloon in next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And that will be the only parade that he goes to this year.

Chargers pull off the win in what I am guessing is going to be the lowest scoring game of the weekend.

2010 NLF Season - Week 16 Picks

I always start getting a little depressed around this time of year. It doesn’t have anything to do with the holidays. It’s just the bitter realization that football is coming to a close and pretty soon it will be the cold, dark days of deepest winter and early spring where there is nothing to comfort me other than the occasional news regarding free agency, the draft, and organized team activities.

Woeful.

But it’s not over yet. So, rejoice…

There are still a lot of teams struggling to make the playoffs, and even the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, are not technically out of it yet despite a six game losing streak.

Unfortunately, even if they lose the next two games, it looks like the San Diego Chargers will be the second seed in the AFC. Which brings me to…

San Diego at Tennessee:
I’m taking Tennessee for the win in this game. I know that the Chargers don’t lose in December, and that thought really makes me mad since I really don’t like the Chargers but I’m taking the Titans anyways.

They’re at home, and playing for a Wild Card spot. I figure they have to pull this one out. Chris Johnson has a lot of yards left to gain in his two remaining games and this is a great place to start against the Chargers’ 21st ranked rush defense.

Unfortunately, Tennessee has the 31st ranked pass defense, and that’s what the Chargers do.

But I’m taking the Titans anyway. Screw you, Rivers.

Kansas City at Cincinnati:
It was a tough loss last week for the Bengals in San Diego. They have to keep playing hard their final two games in order to keep any kind of momentum going into the playoffs.

The Bengals should be able to win this game outright.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh:
The Steelers aren’t out of the race yet, even though it seems they did their best to try and eliminate themselves with a six game losing streak.

They need to beat the Ravens at home, and they will.

NY Jets at Indianapolis:
The Colts are so close to achieving a perfect regular season. I figure they will have to go for it. That means bad news for the New York Jets.

Minnesota at Chicago:
The final Monday night game of the season is going to be a stinker. The Vikings travel to Chicago and look to keep the second seed in the NFC. Philadelphia is right behind them, so a loss in Chicago (unlikely) and a Phillie win (likely) would put the Eagles into the second seed.

Nothing would make me happier than that. It would be a helluva Christmas present.

The only thing going in the Bears’ favor right now is going to be the weather. The Bears need to capitalize on this and beat the hell out of Peterson and Favre.

Of course, that is also taking into consideration the fact that the anemic Bears’ offense would miraculously manage to become a scoring offense.

That would be a helluva Christmas present, too.

I would love for the Vikings to lose the second seed to the Philadelphia Eagles and, if they made it through the first round, watch as they have to play outdoors at the Eagles in a divisional round.

Bye, bye, Favre. Bye, bye, Vikings.

Go Bears, go.

If you do one thing right this season, beat the hell out of the Vikings on national television. Send Favre to the retirement village with a busted clavicle and a lump on his head the size of his ego.