Wildcard Weekend Trash

It is here. Yep Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday was yesterday, and that means we are all getting old. So, in honor of The King, lets all have Fools Gold sandwich, a pint or two of beer and watch some football.

Football you say? That’s right, Wildcard Weekend is here and that means some of the best pro football of the year is on tap. First up is the New York Football Jets Jets Jets versus the Lurking Bungles from WKRP in Cincinnati. The game will be in Cinci so, like last week, it will be cold. However, unlike the Meadowlands, Paul Brown Field has a heating system under it so the turf should be much better. That should benefit the Jets, who have the best running game in the league. But it should benefit the Bungles even more as it will allow their passing game to open up. Coupled with the return of Cedric Benson, this could be too much for the Jets, even with their ferocious defense and tough running game. Lots of people are picking the Jets; I dunno, Bengals look like a better bet to me.

Tonight we have the Iggles visiting Jerry Jones’ crib. I hear Jerry has a nice big screen. The ‘Boys have not won a playoff game since 1996. The Eagles have a history of winning early playoff games; in fact, Andy Reid has never lost one. Dallas seems strangely more stable and solid than they have in a long, long time. Romo is playing well, has found Miles Austin to make big plays downfield while still relying on Jason Whitman for the bread and butter. Marion Barber and Felix Jones are a complete running package. The Iggles have Donovan McNabb and Desean Jackson, if Jackson can manage to free himself up from the Cowboys secondary, which he had a problem with last week. This is pretty hard, but I will take the ‘Boys.

Sunday starts off with the Ravens at Pats. One thing we know is Wes Welker is out, and that really hurts Tom Brady’s underneath game and third down efficiency. However, Bill Bel is world famous for cultivating extremely smart adaptable players, and the thinking here is that Julian Edelman is one of those and don’t forget the Pats still have Kevin Faulk. With any running production at all, New England figures to beat the Ravens in the Big Razor.

The final game is really the most interesting and comes from the Big Toaster, which is exactly what the University of Phoenix stadium looks like from the air. The Cards host the Cheesers. Both teams have outstanding passing games with superb quarterbacks and big play receivers. Both teams have decent, but sometimes spotty running games. This game is going to be won or lost on defense. Green Bay was the best team in the NFC over the second half of the year, going 7-1 down the stretch, with the only loss via a Big Ben miracle on the last play of the game. The Packers killed the Cards right here last week, 33-7; but the Cards played base packages the entire game and Matt Leinart is no Kurt Warner. The real Cards will show up this time, problem is, you never fully know who the real Cards are. Also Anquan Boldin looks doubtful, though he usually is and yet manages to suit up and play. Certainly he is hobbled, and that hurts the Cards. That brings us back to the D. And the Pack has statistically the best D in the NFC, and with Boildin out, Charles Woodson can lock up on Spidey Fitzgerald. That spells a win for the Cheesers, but it will be a lot better game than last week.

BREAKING NEWS FOR MARCY: Peyton Manning has won his record fourth MVP award in a landslide, beating out Drew Fookin Brees, Phil Rivers and Brett Favre, in that order. The Peyton now has more MVPs than Brady does SuperBowls. No Giselle though.