NFL Czar: Squish "The Fish?"
As we move into November,
teams around the NFL will start
thinking about the playoffs. Well,
most teams anyway. With the playoffs
looming, teams will start to
play smarter games, in the hopes of
playing football into January.
Every game becomes important,
especially games inside your conference.
For this week's game, I
will take a look at a matchup in the
AFC that could determine who
makes the playoffs as a Wild Card.
The Miami Dolphins have been a pleasant surprise so far this year, but they can't seem to win at home. Well, good news for this week as they travel to Baltimore to take on a tough Baltimore Ravens team. The Ravens will be in the hunt for the AFC North title, but if they fall short, a Wild Card berth will certainly be a possibility. A win over the 'Phins would help their cause.
Key Matchups
1. Chad Henne vs. Joe Flacco: As usual, the quarterbacks will take centre stage in this one. Henne has looked a lot better this year, but has failed to make plays in crucial situations. Flacco has performed better than expected, but he has been fairly inconsistent as well.
2. Brandon Marshall vs. Anquan Boldin: The top receivers in this game will be the top targets of the QBs mentioned above. Marshall has been impossible to stop all season, and the Ravens will surely be focusing on stopping him. Boldin has had his ups and downs, and he will have his hands full with the Dolphins secondary.
3. Channing Crowder vs. Ray Lewis: The two middle linebackers in this game are two of the biggest trash talkers in the league, and this could get ugly. Crowder generally gets under the skin of opposing players and coaches, while Lewis does most of his talking on the field. Running backs beware: these two will be laying massive hits in this game.
The Rundown
As I said above, the Dolphins have been very good on the road this season, and this will have to continue if they hope to make a late playoff run. Despite their success away from home, I am going to take the Ravens in this one by a score of 24-17. This loss will likely end the Dolphins' playoff hopes, but it's still only week nine, and there is a lot of football left to be played.
For next week, it's back to Sunday Night, as the Dallas Cowboys head north to legendary Lambeau Field to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
For more from the NFL Czar, check out his blog at jvzsblog.blogspot.com
The Miami Dolphins have been a pleasant surprise so far this year, but they can't seem to win at home. Well, good news for this week as they travel to Baltimore to take on a tough Baltimore Ravens team. The Ravens will be in the hunt for the AFC North title, but if they fall short, a Wild Card berth will certainly be a possibility. A win over the 'Phins would help their cause.
Key Matchups
1. Chad Henne vs. Joe Flacco: As usual, the quarterbacks will take centre stage in this one. Henne has looked a lot better this year, but has failed to make plays in crucial situations. Flacco has performed better than expected, but he has been fairly inconsistent as well.
2. Brandon Marshall vs. Anquan Boldin: The top receivers in this game will be the top targets of the QBs mentioned above. Marshall has been impossible to stop all season, and the Ravens will surely be focusing on stopping him. Boldin has had his ups and downs, and he will have his hands full with the Dolphins secondary.
3. Channing Crowder vs. Ray Lewis: The two middle linebackers in this game are two of the biggest trash talkers in the league, and this could get ugly. Crowder generally gets under the skin of opposing players and coaches, while Lewis does most of his talking on the field. Running backs beware: these two will be laying massive hits in this game.
The Rundown
As I said above, the Dolphins have been very good on the road this season, and this will have to continue if they hope to make a late playoff run. Despite their success away from home, I am going to take the Ravens in this one by a score of 24-17. This loss will likely end the Dolphins' playoff hopes, but it's still only week nine, and there is a lot of football left to be played.
For next week, it's back to Sunday Night, as the Dallas Cowboys head north to legendary Lambeau Field to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
For more from the NFL Czar, check out his blog at jvzsblog.blogspot.com
