Column: NFL playoffs keep things interesting
By Staff
Josh Taylor / staff writer
Jan. 4, 2003
Win or go home.
That one phrase perfectly captures what is at stake in the NFL playoffs. The goal that all 32 teams in the National Football League have been working toward since last February nears.
For 20 teams, that goal has vanished. These poor souls are already looking at draft orders and free agency lists.
For the 12 fortunate franchises that have succeeded in securing playoff berths the battle has just begun. Winning the ultimate prize requires perfection from this point forward.
One loss and you're packing your bags. One misstep and you're sitting at home watching some other team celebrate. This is the pressure cooker we all know as the NFL playoffs.
Who's in, who's out?
The top dog coming into the playoffs is the New England Patriots. By winning their last 12 games, something no other team has done since the 1972 Dolphins, the boys from Bean Town have secured a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Patriots' 14-2 record gives them a very real shot at another Super Bowl ring and possibly the beginning of a modern-day dynasty.
Bill Belichick could quite possibly be a genetic recreation of Vince Lombardi himself. These guys don't beat you with flash; they don't beat you with loud mouths. They beat you with hard-nosed football. The AFC title goes through Foxboro.
The NFC's leader is the Philadelphia Eagles. What a difference a few months make. These guys broke in their new stadium with two losses, and everyone had Donovan McNabb ready to retire.
The Eagles roared back to life in midseason and grabbed a first-round bye and home field advantage. A badly needed rest for the Eagles could mean that trip to the Super Bowl that has eluded them the last three years.
Other division winners include Baltimore, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Green Bay, Carolina and St. Louis.
Tennessee, Denver, Dallas and Seattle all managed to grab wildcard berths.
So who's left out of this year's playoffs? Aside from the two teams eliminated on Saturday.
The Dolphins will be watching the playoffs from the warm beaches of Miami with a 10-6 record. Baltimore got in with a 10-6 record, but they didn't have to play in the same division with the Patriots.
The Ravens only real competition for the AFC North title was Cincinnati. Although much improved, the Bengals finished their season at 8-8. The Bengals will also be watching from the cheap seats.
Minnesota ended its pitiful tailspin with a 9-7 record. This leaves them sitting at home watching Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers play with their golden ticket.
The only other team that finished without a losing record was New Orleans. The Saints ended a miserable 2003 season with an 8-8 record and a deat warrant out for their kicker. The Big Easy never seemed so hard before.
Talent overflow
One notable fact about this year's playoffs is the sheer amount of talent on the field and on the sidelines.
Bill Parcells with the Cowboys, Belichick with the Patriots, Brian Billick with the Ravens, Dick Vermeil with the Chiefs, Mike Shanahan with the Broncos and Mike Holmgren with the Seahawks. All of these guys have already won Super Bowls as coaches.
A number of the other coaches in the playoffs have suffered agonizing defeats in the Big Show including the Titans' Jeff Fisher, the Rams' Mike Martz and the Packers' Mike Sherman. The Colts' Tony Dungy has also has his share of success.
The only new guy on the sideline is the Panthers' John Fox.
There's also an incredible amount of on-field talent in this year's playoffs. Peyton Manning, Steve McNair, Ray Lewis, Marvin Harrison, Jamal Lewis, Clinton Portis, Tom Brady, Priest Holmes, Marshall Faulk, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb and Stephen Davis. This is the cream of the crop, the top guys.
Win or go home. That's the human drama that keeps us all on the edge of our seats.
