Miami (9-7) at Jacksonville (14-2)
Will he or won't he? The question applies to both Dolphins' head coach Jimmy Johnson and legendary quarterback Dan Marino as to whether or not the next Dolphin loss is the final one for either two men with the Dolphins.
Johnson has lost patience with Marino on numerous occasions since his arrival in Miami and has tried to de-emphasize the passing game. Last week, the Dolphins pulled out a road win in Seattle behind a tenacious defense and a gutsy performance by Marino.
However, this week the Dolphins travel to Jacksonville to meet up with the number one seed in the AFC, the Jaguars. Jacksonville has had its share of injuries this year with Fred Taylor and Mark Brunell both going down for extended lengths of time.
Both teams relied on their incredible defenses this season as the offenses floundered. For Jacksonville, Brunell's health is in question. He will start, but Big Green alum Jay Fiedler '94 awaits if Brunell can't go.
For Miami, the offense still lacks a consistent ground game.
Miami's defense is superb, but Jacksonville's is better under new defensive coordinator Dom Capers. With an aging, less talented Dan Marino and a shaky running game at best, look for Capers to attack with multiple blitz formations.
Marino's lack of mobility will hurt the Dolphins unless their offensive line can do what no other team's could this season " protect the quarterback from Capers' blitz scheme.
The choice here is Jacksonville wins 23-13 behind Fred Taylor and the defense. Miami's defense will keep it close, but Marino just doesn't have enough magic left in him.
Here's the asterisk: if Brunell can't go or is replaced by Fiedler, look for a closer game with defense and field positioning determining the outcome.
Washington (10-6) at Tampa Bay (11-5)
The Redskins and Buccaneers couldn't be any different. Washington is a premier NFL offensive powerhouse. Behind quarterback Brad Johnson and running back Stephen Davis, the Skins ranked second in total offense during the regular season. The defense was a bust, ranking 30th overall.
The Bucs' third-ranked defense, led by Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch, is a powerhouse, while the offense struggled as usual under Trent Dilfer in the beginning of the season but looked somewhat better under rookie Shaun King.Last week, the Redskins reminded the league why their offense is so good. Detroit had no chance of stopping the Washington attack until Davis went down.
However, Davis' status for Saturday is questionable right now. Without Davis last week, the Redskins struggled to move the ball because Skip Hicks was ineffective in Davis' place.
As for the Bucs, most experts say rookie quarterbacks don't win playoff games. This is true, but with the defense that the Bucs have, King won't have to win the game himself, a la Brett Favre or John Elway.
Washington is on a high right now after demolishing Detroit, but with Davis' status in question, it's not clear that they're the same team. It looks like right now as if Davis won't play.
If this is the case, look for Washington to have to throw the ball more than usual and for the Bucs' defense to be breathing down Johnson's neck all day.
However, even without Davis, Brad Johnson will get it done and the Redskins get the road victory, 20-16. If Davis recovers and is effective, the Redskins will win by more.
Minnesota (10-6) at St. Louis (13-3)
Here is the most exciting game of the weekend. The Vikings come into this one on a roll, having been on fire ever since the QB switch from Randall Cunningham to Jeff George.
Most observers know the Rams' story " an incredible season with MVP quarterback Kurt Warner and halfback Marshall Faulk, who this season accumulated the most total yards from scrimmage ever in a single season.
Both teams have dynamite, big play offenses with St. Louis' ranking first and Minnesota's third in the NFL.
The Vikings looked great last weekend against the Cowboys. With a healthy Robert Smith in the backfield, the Vikings offense looked like last year's version, which scored the most points ever in a single season.
Smith is the key to this game offensively for the Vikings. When healthy, he's an elite NFL back. Without him, the team goes to Leroy Hoard and the offense suffers by having to rely on Jeff George's arm.
The Rams were off last week, but in their last game of the season they looked awful -- even though they didn't put up much of a fight and their starters rested most if not the entire game.
The Rams' defense is ranked sixth in the league overall, but this statistic is very misleading. When you have an offense like St. Louis does -- an offense that scores a lot of points and is on the field for the majority of the game -- the defense can't give up that many yards, unless they wear Redskins jerseys.
Also, it helps that the Rams played two games a piece against NFC West creampuffs like San Francisco, New Orleans, and Atlanta.
This game is going to be a barnburner with the keys to victory being the performances of Robert Smith and the Vikings' defense. If John Randle can rally the troops and put forth a respectable output, the Rams are in trouble.
If Robert Smith can run for over 100 yards and the Vikings' defense holds the Rams' offense to under 21 points, then the Vikings pull off the upset.
However, these are some big "ifs." While a big part of the Rams' success has been due to their favorable schedule, I still like them to win. Randy Moss will have a big day for Minnesota, but the result is St. Louis 31, Minnesota 27.
If Minnesota had a middle-of-the-pack defense that could stop Marshall Faulk from having a huge day --which he WILL have -- then I'd have to go with the Vikings.
Tennessee (13-3) at Indianapolis (13-3)
The Titans, fresh off their miraculous win against Buffalo, travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts and Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison, the NFL's new version of the Dallas' Cowboys fearsome Troy Aikman-Emmitt Smith-Michael Irvin trio.
In the beginning of the season, no one questioned the level of offensive talent the Colts had -- they just didn't think they be this good, this fast. People questioned why Colts' GM Bill Polian chose James instead of Saints' halfback Ricky Williams in the draft, but James has put those concerns to rest simply by leading the league in rushing.
The Titans have loads of talent as well, in the likes of halfback Eddie George, tackle Jon Runyan, safety Blane Bishop and of course the NFL's defensive rookie of the year, Jevon Kearse.
This AFC matchup could be one to watch for in the coming years because both teams have young superstars.
For the Titans, the key to the game is QB Steve McNair. Coming out of Alcorn State with incredible passing numbers, McNair was viewed as a potential All-Pro. However, his ability to throw the football and to read defenses is average.
McNair needs to stay composed and lead the Titans' offense. McNair creates plays when he rolls out of the pocket and uses his mobility.
The Titans need McNair to play well, because they cannot rely on Eddie George alone to win the game for them. George is a great back, but he alone cannot put up enough points to match Manning, James, and Harrison.
Jevon Kearse was unbelievable last week against Buffalo and has been a force all season long. However, Kearse and Eddie George will not make up for McNair's shortcomings, and the Colts will win.
While their offense is young and is not playoff tested, Peyton Manning will exhibit the poise under pressure that the Colts will need.
Manning was incredible this year and his development into an elite NFL quarterback is unprecedented. He gets my vote for League MVP over Kurt Warner, because the Colts won the NFL's most competitive division, the AFC East. The score is Colts 27, Titans 10.
