Read the arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer about which NFL Wild Card game they believe is the best of this postseason.
In general, I am not a fan of Wild Card scenarios in professional sports. Giving a team a Wild Card berth in the playoffs is like giving a failing business a bailout. Sure, the team may have tried really hard, but does it really deserve anything? No. Granting a team that did not legitimately earn a spot in the playoffs a second chance is not my idea of competition at its highest level. But, I must say that this year’s NFL Wild Card matchups are shaping up to be interesting. These playoff matchups mix the desperation of a school dance with the scrappiness of bum fights, and that is an interesting combination. Plus, three of the four Wild Card matchups are rematches of week 17 games, setting the stage for some quality grudge match entertainment. The game that has caught my attention the most is the clash between the New York Jets and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Jets have something to prove to the rest of the NFL. Despite boasting the superlatives of best pass defense, best overall defense, and best rushing attack in the NFL, critics are still plentiful. Many detractors have criticized the Jets for an inflated record due to a soft schedule at the end of the season. It isn’t that the Jets are playing pushover teams, rather a scheduling aberration allowed the Jets to finish the regular season against two teams – the Colts and the Bengals – that clinched playoff berths early. These teams chose to sit their key players in order to protect them for their playoff run allowing the Jets to benefit from these teams’ apparent apathy for respecting the sanctity of competition. Heck, the Colts allowed the upstart Jets to not only beat them, but end their bid at a perfect season. Add this criticism to the fact that rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and first year coach Rex Ryan are being touted as the Achilles heal of the team’s playoff potential, and it is easy to see why the Jets want to prove serious contenders in the playoffs. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch attempted to send the Bengals a message in the 37-0 victory last week over Cincinnati – the Jets are not going to lay down for anyone.
The Bengals cannot be counted out, either. Although the Bengals were on the losing end of last week’s blowout, wily head coach Marvin Lewis still has a few tricks of his sleeve. The Bengals rested their stud running back Cedric Benson and limited Carson Palmer to 11 passes, ensuring the Jets did not see their best stuff. Although probably not by design, Chad Ochocinco also received some rest last week. This ensured that the Jets shutdown corner, Daryl Revis, did not see all the tricks in Chad’s bag. In fact Ochocinco maintains that the Bengals treated the contest with all the concern of a preseason game. With the playoff lights flashing and the nations attention focused on the Queen City, you can bet that if Ochocinco is able to play he will treat us to something special.
Probably the most motivating factor in either locker room is the Bengals drive to honor deceased wide receiver Chris Henry. It is clear from interviews with players and friends like Chad Ochocinco that Henry was very much on their minds and still part of the team. I feel certain that Lewis will have the Bengals playing their hearts out for Henry, not in a gimmicky way that cheapens his passing, but in a way that honors his memory and contribution to the team.
These teams are sure to stage an epic clash this Sunday, a game where reputations, pride, and much more are at stake. With both teams possessing superior defenses and excellent rushing games, this matchup is sure to be extremely physical, and a lot of fun to watch. While neither team may actually belong in the hunt for a championship, watching two teams with nothing left to loose fight to the finish seems like a decent afternoon to me.
