2009 Season Game Reviews
Wildcard Weekend
by Jody Jamieson
13/1/2010
 
Jets 24 Bengals 14
 
New York followed up their destruction of the Bengals backups last week by taking out the starters to advance to the second round and set up a date with the Chargers. Cincinnati simply made too many mistakes in this one, turning the ball over twice while kicker Shayne Graham was 0-2 on field goal attempts from 28 and 35 yards. One miss can happen, but two from that distance is unacceptable. Also for the second week in a row, Carson Palmer was victimised by drops. While his performance can’t really be defended too much, he wasn’t helped out much by his wide outs. Things started badly when Rashad Jeanty broke his leg on the opening kickoff, as Cincinnati found themselves further decimated on defense. The kickoff was returned into Jets territory, but Laveraneus Coles fumbled to ruin a great scoring chance. Marvin Lewis pointlessly wasted a challenge on this, but there was no way it was going to be overturned.
 
The Bengals got the ball back for their second possession on their own 45, and took full advantage. Cedric Benson ran with purpose, and they took the lead when Palmer threw a 12 yarder to former Jet Laveraneus Coles. Lewis then pointlessly burned his second challenge at the end of the first half after an obvious catch by Jericho Cotcherry, and unsurprisingly the call stood, leaving the Bengals without a challenge for the rest of the game. To complete the all round futility that seemed to grip the first half Braylon Edwards dropped an easy touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez on the next play.
 
Both teams traded punts before Shonn Greene ran in from 39 yards on the second play of a Jets drive to tie the scores. On their next drive, the Jets took 4 plays (after Palmer threw a pick to Darelle Revis) to get into the endzone, but it was another big play when Sanchez launched a 45 yarder to tight end Dustin Keller to give New York a 14-7 lead.
 
The Jets opening drive of the third quarter would have ended on a Jay Feely field goal, but two Jets penalties backed them out of range and they had to punt. The Bengals were set up deep in New York by a pass interference penalty, but Graham shanked the 35 yarder and the Jets made them pay. They took the ball 75 yards and made it a two score game when Thomas Jones scored from 9 yards out.
 
With 11 minutes to go in the contest Cedric Benson gave the Bengals life by rushing in from 47 yards out, but the Jets went the other way and Feely kicked a 20 yarder to make it a 10 point game. Shayne Graham had a chance to make it a 7 point contest, but somehow missed a 28 yarder to give Cincy far too much to do. Palmer was sacked on 4th and 22 on their next possession as they desperately tried to keep their season alive, but it was too little too late.
 
Teams win in January by running the ball and playing great defense. Mark Sanchez may not be quite ready to lead his team deep in the playoffs, but he has the supporting cast to carry him through. Joe Flacco was in a similar position last year and the Ravens carried him to the AFC Championship Game. You wouldn’t call New York a favourite by any means, but they are dangerous.
 
Eagles 14 Cowboys 34
 
Dallas proved that their Week 17 domination was no fluke as they easily defeated Philadelphia for the second time in six days. The Eagles offered early resistance, but the Cowboys controlled the game and pulled away in the second quarter to secure their first playoff win since 1996. Dallas had their first two possessions of the game bog down right on the edge of field goal range. They finally made their third possession count when Tony Romo threw a touchdown pass to John Phillips after a pass interference call set up Dallas on the one yard line. Philadelphia replied instantly when Michael Vick undoubtedly had his biggest contribution to the 2009 Eagles when he threw a 73 yarder to Jeremy Maclin to tie the game.
 
Sean Jones looked to have picked off Tony Romo on the next play from scrimmage, but it was challenged and ruled an incomplete pass. Dallas took advantage and drove 85 yards in 10 plays and retook the lead when Tashard Choice powered in from a yard out. A long Romo to Patrick Crayton pass set up a field goal. Michael Vick came in for his second play of the game, but it wasn’t nearly as successful as the first. Vick fumbled and gave the Cowboys a short field they were never going to waste. Miles Austin caught a 6 yard screen pass for the touchdown and a 24-7 lead. The Eagles miserable first half wasn’t quite complete as Leonard Weaver fumbled after a reception at midfield, and Dallas had time to drive down and kick another field goal for a 20 point half time lead.
 
It seemed that the Eagles defense had made some good adjustments in the second half, but things went horribly wrong when Felix Jones ripped off a 74 yard TD run to book a date with the Minnesota Vikings. Philadelphia did score a consolation touchdown when McNabb to DeSean Jackson made it 34-14, but it never got any closer.
 
If the Cowboys blow a game in this playoff run, it’s going to be harsh of anyone to put it down as a choke job. They have proven they are finally ready for the late season push, and after starting December 0-2 and it looking like being the same old Dallas, their effort to turn it around and establish themselves as a dangerous side in the NFC is even more impressive. The Cowboys are without doubt the form team in the NFC and may be the favourites right now despite the possibility of 2 road wins being needed to win the conference.
 
Ravens 33 Patriots 14
 
Ray Rice took the first play from scrimmage up the middle untouched for an 83 yard touchdown to set the tone for this one. The Pats found themselves in 3rd and long on their first possession and Brady was stripped by Terrell Suggs blitzing from the blind side. Suggs recovered the loose ball himself to set up the Ravens on the Pats 17. Rice should really have been stoned on 3rd and 4, but broke tackles and picked up the first. Two plays later LeRon McClain scored from the goalline to make it 14-0 with just 4:31 gone in the first period. The Pats almost coughed up possession on the resulting kickoff when Butler (28) lost the flight of the ball in the sun, but luckily recovered. Ray Lewis then sacked Brady almost immediately on their next play as the Pats went three and out.
 
Brady threw a horrible pick straight to Chris Carr after Jarrett Johnson put the pressure on to set up Baltimore on the NE 25 yard line. It took 6 plays, but Ray Rice scored from 2 yards out to make it 21-0 with just 11 minutes gone. Brady then went deep to Chris Baker and should have had a completion, but Baker couldn’t hang on and Ed Reed picked it out of the air. Reed lateralled dangerously to Dawan Landry who returned it to the NE 9 yard line. Baltimore couldn’t take advantage as Billy Cundiff kicked a field goal, but a 24-0 first quarter lead was more than they could ever have dreamed of.
 
At the start of the second quarter John Harbaugh made a huge mistake. A New England punt hit Tom Zbikowski and was recovered by the Pats. The replays quite clearly showed the ball was never possessed and if Harbaugh had thrown the challenge flag he’d have definitely won. Brady ended up throwing a 6 yarder to Julian Edelman to make it 24-7. Joe Flacco, who hadn’t done much of anything in establishing the huge lead, was then picked off by Tully Banta-Cain to seemingly hand momentum to the Patriots, but they couldn’t take advantage and punted the ball away.
 
Brady later targeted Benjamin Watson, but the ball popped up and was intercepted by Dawan Landry. Baltimore turned the pick into points when Cundiff kicked his second field goal of the day. The Pats made it a two possession game when Brady threw another TD pass to Julian Edelman towards the end of the third quarter. The Ravens then took seven minutes off the clock and finished off the Patriots when Willis McGahee ran one in from 3 yards out to make it 33-14 after a failed two point conversion. On the next driver Brady completed a 4th and 17 pass to Julian Edelman to keep the drive alive, but Stephen Gostkowski missed from 45 yards and the Pats never threatened again.
 
Baltimore moves to play Indianapolis next week in a rematch of a regular season contest the Ravens really should have won. It’ll be interesting to see if the long layoff will have any impact on the Colts as they haven’t played at full pace since Week 15.
 
Packers 45 Cardinals 51
 
Much like the first play from scrimmage dictated the Baltimore-New England game, the first play from scrimmage in this one was ominous for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers rolled right and tried to force one in, but it was tipped by Karlos Dansby and intercepted by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The Cards turned it into a 7-0 lead when Tim Hightower slammed it in from a yard out. On the Packers next possession Donald Driver had the ball ripped out by Dansby and it was recovered by Alan Branch to set up Arizona on the GB 21 yard line. Two plays later Kurt Warner fired over the middle to Early Doucet and it was 14-0 before Green Bay knew what hit them. Rodgers had a chance to cut the deficit, but overthrew his receiver as the nerves seemed to be getting to him a little.
 
The Cardinals were lucky not to lose the ball on consecutive plays as Breaston fumbled on a punt, and then Warner was stripped by Clay Matthews on first down after a flea flicker attempt, but both times Arizona recovered the football. Neil Rackers was good from 23 yards to make it 17-0 as the first quarter came to a close. Mason Crosby attempted a 54 yarder to try and get the Packers on the board, but he pushed it wide right. It looked like the Packers had stripped Tim Hightower for a fumble, but he was ruled down. Before they could get the flag out the Cards ran an end around with Breaston (ignoring the fact the refs missed the tight end moving forward at the snap) for a long gain. On the next play Fitzgerald was stripped by Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews picked it up. The Packers drive was helped by a horse collar, pass interference and an illegal substitution but they finally scored when Rodgers crossed the goalline on a QB sneak. Arizona answered the Rodgers touchdown when Early Doucet scored his second of the day to make it 24-7. Crosby kicked a field goal as time expired on the first half.
 
Arizona scored a touchdown on the opening possession of the second half when Warner found Larry Fitzgerald for a 33 yard TD but the Packers replied when Greg Jennings made an outrageous catch on a Rodgers throw. The pass looked like it would sail out the back of the endzone, but Jennings made a marvellous one handed grab and secured it for the score. The Packers then pulled off a successful surprise onside kick and all of a sudden the momentum had shifted. They converted a 4th and 1 at midfield when Ahman Green powered for 4 yards and they made it a one score game with 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter when Rodgers rolled away from the blitz and hit Jordy Nelson for a 10 yard touchdown.
 
Unfortunately for the Pack, their defense continued to fail as they allowed Beanie Wells to rip off a 42 yarder and it set up a 12 yard pass from Warner to Fitzgerald to make it 38-24. At this point in the game Warner had a 152.4 passer rating. At the start of the fourth quarter, the Packers were compelled to go for it on 4th and 5 on the 29 yard line, and they were rewarded with a James Jones catch and run for the touchdown. When the Packers finally got a defensive stop, they were 67 yards away from the endzone, but waltzed down the field easily and tied the game when fullback John Kuhn powered in from a yard out.
 
Warner replied by doing what he’d done all day, leading his team down the field and they scored yet another touchdown when he hit Breaston to make it 45-38 with 4:55 remaining, but it wasn’t over. On the first play after the two minute warning Rodgers hit Spencer Havner for an 11 yard touchdown and an incredible 45-45 score line. However with 1:54 left on the clock, did they leave too much time for Kurt Warner?
 
As it turns out they did leave far too much time on the clock as Warner drove them down the field easily yet again, but Neil Rackers shanked it from 34 yards to send it to overtime. Green Bay won the toss and most assumed they would drive down for the win. On the first play Rodgers had Jennings wide open for the TD but overthrew him. Three plays later Rodgers was strip sacked as Michael Adams came off the edge and Karlos Dansby was there to take the ball into the endzone for the game winner as the Cards booked a trip to New Orleans after one of the greatest playoff shootouts of all time.
 
Arizona will obviously be concerned going forward with their defensive performance in this game, but their defense has been marvellous all season and they’ll look to just put this down as a freak performance. Despite the Saints struggles down the stretch, they can’t play like this again and expect to contain Drew Brees and that offense. I’d be amazed if New Orleans and Arizona combine for more than 90 points this weekend, but another shootout is hardly out of the question.