Three Reasons the San Diego Chargers Won’t Win the Super Bowl

A month ago, most of the NFL experts had the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints playing in the Super Bowl.

Two weeks ago, most of the same NFL experts had the San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles playing in the Super Bowl.

And now this week, many of the NFL experts have written New Orleans, Philadelphia and Indianapolis off and think a San Diego-Green Bay Super Bowl sounds good.

It only takes one or two losses to make people change their minds about NFL teams in our flip-flop world. Yesterday’s contender is today’s pretender and vice-versa. The NFL is the only league where a team can go 14-0, lose a game after benching all its stars, and everyone panics like Gilbert Arenas’ agent does when the Wizard opens his mouth.

Back to San Diego. The Chargers have not lost a game in months. Meanwhile, all of the other playoff teams have suffered injuries or been exposed over the last several weeks, making San Diego look even better to the untrained eye.

But San Diego isn’t going to win the Super Bowl. Why won’t they? Here are three reasons:

1. The misnomer that San Diego will win the Super Bowl because they are the hottest team in the NFL.

This theory seems to be as popular as Chad Ochocinco’s Twitter posts these days. Sure, no playoff team enters the postseason on a better winning streak that San Diego. Philip Rivers and Co. went undefeated in December for the fourth season in a row and won 11 straight games to finish the regular season. Cheers to them! Put another lightning bolt on their helmets!

Here’s the problem: San Diego has been the hottest team heading into the playoffs in the three Decembers prior to this one and they never reached the Super Bowl.

So why won’t San Diego break its January curse just like the Dallas Cowboys broke their December curse this season? Because recent Super Bowl history suggests that entering the playoffs hotter than a tea kettle is no help.

The 2007 New York Giants went 4-4 over their last eight games before catching fire in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the last team to enter the postseason on a larger winning streak than San Diego, the 16-0 New England Patriots from that year, lost to the Giants in the Bowl.

The 2008 Arizona Cardinals lost four of their last six regular season contests before running pass routes in glass slippers and Cinderella-ing their way to the Super Bowl. The 2006 Indianapolis Colts were losers of four of seven before Peyton Manning audibled his way to a title. How you finish the regular season is not a precursor to how you will finish the postseason.

2. San Diego cannot run the ball, nor can they stop the run.

To win the Super Bowl you have to be able to run the ball and stop your opponents from running the ball, or at least do ONE of the two. Unfortunately, these are San Diego’s two biggest weaknesses.

Thanks to a banged-up offensive line and an aging LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers have the 31st ranked rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 88 yards per game. Tennessee’s Chris Johnson usually racked that up in one quarter during most of his outings this year.

San Diego’s undersized, Jamal Williams-less front seven is 20th rated in run defense. The Chargers’ defense is built around making big plays, not stopping long drives. A team that can run the ball effectively and not the turn the ball over will give San Diego fits.

 

3. Norv Turner is Still Not Vince Lombardi

Turner is one of the most brilliant play callers in the NFL. The man creates innovative plays to score points like Artie Lange creates innovative ways to get time off from the Howard Stern Show.

But did we forget that Turner is the Wade Phillips of the AFC? His coaching gaffs are legendary, and he shows a lot of the same traits that former San Diego head man Marty Schottenheimer did (that is not a compliment). Turner can win regular season games, but can he win big playoff games? The jury is still out.

Lastly, only three of San Diego’s 13 victories have come against playoff teams, and none of the three were “eye-opening” or “statement-making.” Most of the Chargers wins came against the Oaklands, Kansas Citys and many of the league’s 8-8 squads. Kudos to them for winning and not losing, but I for one am not sold. I can see the Chargers reaching the Super Bowl, but I cannot see them winning it.

 

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Chicago Bears Week Whatever: It’s Finally Over

When starting this segment, I was hoping to possibly document history in the making with this Bears team…or at least the playoffs.

Instead, here we are attempting to make ourselves feel better for closing out the season with a win over the Lions thus hurting the Bronco’s draft pick we gift-wrapped for them. 

I’m just thankful it is finally over. 

Let’s go to the headlines.

 

We Get It, Jay is Our Quarterback

After passing for 273 yards and tying a career high with four touchdown passes in last Monday night’s win over the Vikings, Jay Cutler threw for 276 yards and four more touchdowns with no interceptions Sunday in the 37-23 win over the Detroit Lions.

By throwing eight touchdowns and one interception in his final two games of the season, Cutler was able to finish the season with more touchdowns (28) than picks (27).

That’s a positive…right?

 

The Bears Get Offensive

The Bears’ offense generated season-highs Sunday with 418 total yards and 22 first downs…against the Lions. 

Even Matt Forte got in the action (against the Lions), rushing for 101 yards on just 16 carries.

Greg Olsen decided to use the last game of the season (against the Lions) to actually factor in the offense hauling in five receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Olsen annoyed fantasy football managers all season. He will most likely receive a lot of hate mail after this season or perhaps glue for his hands.

Devin Aromashodu, who caught the game-winning 39-yard TD pass in overtime to beat the Vikings, brought in five more passes for 46 yards and two more touchdowns…against the Lions

Devin Hester, who may have competition at all his “positions,” had three catches for 75 yards as well…against…survey says?…the Lions 

 

In Defense of the Bears…

The Bears defense was without Charles Tillman and Israel Idonije for the game. Nick Roach joined the injury party and exited the game early as well. 

This could be a big reason why Calvin Johnson had 86 yards receiving with a touchdown. That or the fact the Bears defense has not been able to stop anyone with a name even girl fans recognize. 

The Bears defense continued to prove that even mediocre quarterbacks will find a receiver if given the time as Daunte Culpepper was 23-for-34 for 262 yards passing with two touchdowns. 

However, the Bears won the turnover battle 2-0 as Zackary Bowman intercepted Culpepper and Tim Shaw, a special teamer Bears fans should look at more, forced and recovered a fumble on a fourth-quarter kickoff return.

The defense was injured and playing in a game that didn’t really matter and it showed.

 

Robbie Gould is Special

Three-for-three kicking field goals against the Lions for Gould.

Brad Maynard, the MVP of the Bears in my lifetime, however, only averaged a little under 35 yards on his five punts. I hope this is not the beginning of the end for Maynard and his beautiful eyes.

 

Finally the end to an awful season and repetitive articles I apologize for making you read.

After starting the season 3-1, the Bears finished at 7-9.

The intelligent fan knew the Bears had a lot of holes coming into the season, however, the hype is what really hurt the team and overemphasized their extremely mediocre performance. 

And although Bears fans are hearing the word “changes” thrown around a lot, it doesn’t seem as though much will happen. The defensive scheme is not going anywhere since, according to Lovie Smith, the Bears have won with it before…four years ago.

For the Bears’ sake, hopefully the right offensive coordinator is brought in, but I am not sure any coordinator can win with what is on the table right now. With no draft picks in the first two rounds, the table seems to be set and the meal is pretty awful.

Here’s hoping Sports Illustrated never picks the Bears to be in the Super Bowl again…keep picking the Cubs though, SI.

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USC RB Joe McKnight Declares for 2010 NFL Draft: Where Does He Rank?

USC running back Joe McKnight declared for the 2010 NFL Draft on Friday, and this could change how the draft order of available running backs shakes out. This isn’t a deep draft for running backs–only one may go in the first round–but there are still many good ones available. Here’s a look at the top 10, and McKnight’s place in that group.

Begin Slideshow

Head Coach Jim Mora Fired by Seattle Seahawks

Jim Mora was fired by the Seattle Seahawks earlier this morning as part of their imploding of the entire organization.

The first question I have is, shouldn’t it be up to the new Team President/GM whether Mora gets fired?

My second question is, will Tod Leiweke will relinquish his power after a GM is selected?

We need a leader who has complete control over the team, meaning Leiweke needs to stay out of it. My belief is that is the main reason Mike Holmgren went to Cleveland.

We cannot hire a defensive coordinator as a head coach, or any assistant. We need a true leader, someone like Bill Cowher.

That is just my take on this situation. We will all be taking a look at how this turns out.

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Bengals vs. Jets Preview: Five Factors for Cincinnati Against New York

The 2010 NFL playoffs get under way Saturday when the No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals host the No. 5 New York Jets at Paul Brown Stadium . The game is one of three matchups this weekend that consist of teams who met in Week 17.

Saturday’s game will display two of the league’s top defenses, which could make for a low scoring game between the Bengals and Jets. Here are five factors for success for Cincinnati as they look for their first playoff win since 1991.

Forget Last Weekend

This will be a completely different matchup between the Bengals and Jets.

Yes, to say the Bengals were embarrassed by the Jets last weekend would be an understatement. The 37-0 loss was ugly , but shouldn’t be a concern entering Saturday’s game.

The circumstances for the outcome of last weekend’s game were completely different for both teams. While Cincinnati would still be playing at Paul Brown Stadium with a win or loss, New York simply needed a win to play in the postseason. The Bengals had to decide whether or not the No. 3 seed would be worth risking using all of their key players, which is why Cedric Benson, Domata Peko, Chris Crocker, and Robert Geathers got the night off.

This time around, expect a hard-fought matchup between two of the best defenses in football. For two teams who rely heavily on their running game, the winner may be decided by who shows up with the better passing game.

 

How much will the passing game struggle after Ochocinco’s injury?

Before last weekend’s game against the Jets, Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco tweaked his knee during pre-game warm-ups.  That injury has caused a concern considering how important he is to the passing game. After an MRI and treatment from doctors, he is expected to be good to go on Saturday.

Ochocinco ended a streak of 120 straight games with at least one reception after being hassled all game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. This will be one of the key matchups in Saturday’s game and could be the difference maker if the passing game plays a factor in the outcome.

On the season, Ochocinco leads the Bengals with 72 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns. He has been the only consistent player in the passing game for Cincinnati, who finished 26th in the NFL, averaging just 180.6 yards per game.

 

Will The Bengals Struggle Again on Defense Without Rey Maualuga?

The Bengals knew they were in trouble when Maualuga fractured his ankle against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16, considering how much of an impact the rookie has had during his first season. Their biggest fear came true when Cincinnati’s defense struggled against the Jets running attack, allowing 257 yards rushing.

Before Sunday’s game against the Jets, the Bengals contained the No. 2 ranked rushing defense, allowing their opponents to average just 87.7 yards per game on the ground. Their performance against New York dropped them to seventh and it showed how much of an impact Maualuga’s absence had on their defense.

 

Force Mark Sanchez To Throw More

Last season, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan helped their teams to the playoffs as rookies—which seemed unheard of until a few years ago. This season, the only rookie quarterback to be starting in the 2010 postseason is Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez is just like most rookie quarterbacks in the NFL—riddled with inconsistency. However, he has the support of the league’s best running game (172.2 yards per game) and the No. 1 overall defense—which can make his job much easier.

The less Sanchez has to throw, the better chance the Jets have of winning. He’s thrown for 12 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his first season, but is 5-2 in games without an interception.

 

The Passing Game Will Be A Factor For Both Teams

One thing is obvious regarding Saturday’s game between the Bengals and Jets; don’t expect a strong performance in the passing game from either team.

The Bengals and Jets have both relied heavily on their running game and defense throughout the season. While New York is at the top of the league in yards per game on the ground (172.2), Cincinnati isn’t too far behind them in ninth (128.5). Both teams also rank in the top-five when it comes to overall defense.

As good as the Bengals and Jets are in these categories, they both struggle with the one area that is considered important when trailing—the passing game. Both teams have passing games that rank near the bottom of the NFL (the Bengals are averaging 180.6 yards per game through the air, while the Jets are averaging just 148.8).

Then again, most teams don’t need a strong performance from their passing game if they’re already winning. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance one team will be playing from behind on Saturday and will need to rely on their receiving corp.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

Questions? Comments? staff@whodeybengals.com

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Indianapolis Colts: Linebackers Are Hidden Gem on Season and for Success

It’s very easy to get lost in the shuffle if you are a member of the Indianapolis Colts, with the likes of superstars Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark always in the headlines and doing countless interviews (and commercials in Manning’s case).

Even on the defensive side of the ball where the Colts in recent years have struggled, it is not so tough to get lost in the crowd. Playing with and behind perennial all pro Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, and often injured but highly touted Bob Sanders, one can even get lost on this side of the ball as well.

Maybe it’s a good thing for certain Colts’ players and maybe not. But the fact of the matter is the Colts’ linebacking corp was one of the hidden gems this season for Indy and one of the many reasons they finished the regular season 14-2 with a first round bye and home field advantage heading into the postseason.

With new defensive coordinator Larry Coyer at the helm, the Colts blitzed and utilized their linebackers more often than they have in recent years. Among the players to benefit from this was third-year man Clint Session.

Session, a fourth-round draft pick by the Colts out of Pitt in 2007, is a guy who, like most draft picks of the Colts, was not the conventional choice for linebacker, but fit their system to a “T”.

So far on the year Session leads the team in tackles with 103 (84 solo, 19 assists), albeit while being held out of the final two games against the Jets and Bills—another subject for another day.

Session, in his first year at the weakside position, is ahead of linebacking mate and defensive captain Gary Brackett in tackles, as Brackett currently has 99 tackles (80 solo, 19 assists) on the season.

Both players have thrived this year under the new leadership and system of Coyer, and that has not gone unnoticed by their teammates and others around the league.

“I watched him [Session] in Miami as a high school player,” Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. “Very intense, fast and extremely explosive. He is a perfect fit for Indy’s run and hit defense.”

Both Brackett and Session are not the tallest trees in the forest either, mind you, but that stature often plays to their advantage. You can barely see them at times on the field, as they are both built similarly—short, compact and very explosive to the ball.

This explosiveness and new system instilled by Coyer have really played to both Session and Brackett’s advantage, as well as the Colts’, particularly their run D (spotty in past years), which has benefited from them both.

This linebacking tandem has really solidified the defense for the Colts this season, along with the play (before his injury) of Tyjuan Hagler and Phillip Wheeler; the Colts have a strong youthful future with their linebackers to build on.

All that remains to be seen is if that both Brackett and Session can remain with the Colts when the new free agency rules take effect in the NFL (Brackett is a free agent after this season). And it seems that in the past with the Colts, they have not been kind (financially) to linebackers. They have tendencies to let them walk for whatever reason.

One thing is for sure though. If they can retain both of these players after this season to long term deals, the Colt roster of stars will need to make room for two more players.

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Why The Philadelphia Eagles Wont Make The Superbowl

The Eagles, at 11-5 entering the playoffs, look like a team that could be a serious contender on paper, and some expect them to make it to the show.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, despite an outstanding season, the fun may be short lived.

Let’s consider that the Eagles losses can be very telling in two ways.

First, they lost to Dallas twice with one game being for the NFC East division title.

Other notable losses were to teams such as New Orleans, San Diego and Oakland.

With the exception of Oakland, the losses the Eagles compiled are very obvious markers of a team that struggles against premiere contenders.

In the two meetings against Dallas, the Eagles scored a total of 16 points while allowing  Dallas to total 44 against their defense. Additionally, the Eagles choked in a game where the NFC East crown was up for grabs.

If you look at the breakdown of there team rankings, the Eagles are very average in terms of defense, ranked 17th against the pass, and ninth against the run. In the playoffs they will be facing a Dallas team ranked second in overall offense.

The Eagles best chance to advance past the Cowboys and contend in the playoffs would be for a Cowboy’s collapse, which I don’t see happening in the this game.

The offense of the Eagles has shown bursts of greatness, but mostly been an average unit that lacks the consistency of a championship team.

Overall, while this team established an 11-5 record, they fall short in many key areas.

First off, the running game they posses is going to have a very hard time establishing themselves against the NFC defenses this year. This in turn will leave the passing game exposed, and with mediocre receivers playing against elite defenses, the offense is in for a long day.

The Eagles don’t have the dominating defense from seasons ago and they can’t afford to rely on them to bail out a sputtering offense. 

It should be a long day for the Eagles and their fans as Dallas clearly is the better team in this contest.

Overall, the Eagles should be a one and done team, losing a third time to the Dallas Cowboys, 34- 14.

 

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Breaking News: Seattle Seahawks Fire Head Coach Jim Mora

Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com is reporting that the Seattle Seahawks have fired head coach Jim Mora after only one season as the team’s head coach.

With Mora at head coach in 2009 the Seahawks finished 5-11, but lost their last four games in miserable fashion.

At first glance, it seems that the Seattle Seahawks have decided to perform a complete overhaul of team personnel. The Seahawks fired GM Tim Ruskell last month and are now parting ways with head coach Jim Mora.

It will be interesting to see whether the Seahawks address their general manager vacancy or head coaching position first. Each decision will strongly influence each other. 

Details are forthcoming.

 

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Josh Cribbs’ Contract Saga: Everyone Be Patient and His Hypothetical Trade Value

Cleveland Browns star returner Josh Cribbs has been patient for two straight years while proving his worth to the team with the hope that the Browns will extended his contract and give him more money for all of his efforts.

A Contract Offer Blown Out of Proportion, but Patience is Key

Finally, Browns new president Mike Holmgren said last week that he wants to keep Cribbs on the team and he gave the green light for the Browns to start negotiations with the playmaker.

But what happens next was unexpected by everyone, including Cribbs.

The Browns offer Cribbs an increase that would pay him $1.4 million per year, which is an increase of the $620,000 he made in 2009.

What is sad is that the offer should have been more like $4 million per year, but this is a negotiation. Despite Cribbs and his agent’s overreaction (which is understandable), there is no reason they should have gone public with their complaints.

This could cause a problem in the whole “getting a new deal” process, but Browns fans and Cribbs need to settle down because this is only a first offer.

A second offer will most likely be made, but there are other priorities that Holmgren needs to focus on, like hiring a general manger, a scouting director, and a scouting team.

The scouting department is important to get into place immediately because the NFL Combine starts on Feburary 24, right around the corner.

Once Holmgren hires the rest of his front office staff, then he will have some time to spend with Cribbs and make another offer to the Pro Bowl returner.

What Trade Value Does a Team Put on a Pro Bowl Returner? (Hypothetical)

But what if the Browns want to trade Cribbs because his overreaction is seen as an issue in Holmgren’s eyes?

What would the Browns value Cribbs at in drafts picks?

In this hypothetical situation, all you have to do is look at the Arizona Cardinals and their receiver Anquan Boldin during 2008.

Boldin, who is under contract until the end of the 2010 season, asked to be either compensated with a new contract that was more comparable to what fellow teammate and receiver Larry Fitzgerald received in 2008 (four years, $40 million, $30 million guaranteed), or get traded to another team.

Since Boldin was under contract, the Cardinals held all of the cards in the matter and decided to overvalue their receiver because they could.

They wanted two first-round picks in a trade for Boldin, hoping that another team would be desperate enough to take the deal, but no one jumped at the offer.

There were other teams offering first and second-round picks in the trade, but the Cardinals knew that Boldin was more of a value on their roster unless they could get two first-round picks for him.

The point here is that the Browns hold all of the cards with Cribbs under contract for three more years. If they wanted to put a price on him, it would be an overvalued price to see if there is a team desperate enough to take the deal and give up two first-round picks.

There may not be another team willing to take the deal, but one of the hottest commodities in the NFL right now is to have a star returner on the roster, especially a two-time Pro Bowl returner.

Is an asking price of two first round picks ridiculous? Of course it is, but even the Cardinals asked this price for their three-time Pro Bowler, so it doesn’t seem too far off of an asking price for Cribbs who is a two-time Pro Bowler.

Will the Browns make another offer to keep Cribbs? Definitely.

Will the Browns overvalue their returner if a deal cannot be made? Definitely.

The worst that can happen in this scenario is that Cribbs will hold out and not play in 2010. But that not only hurts his value with other teams, it also will be very difficult for a competitor like Cribbs to just not play the game he loves.

Holmgren is a very smart man and he will do what’s best for the team.

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2010 NFL Playoff Predictions: Minnesota Vikings Are Super Bowl Bound

If you missed our Wild Card preview (which has yet to be determined), go here . The outcome of those four games leads into this article, which dissects the eventual matchups and leads to a Super Bowl winner .

We didn’t really take the time to make a pick for the Super Bowl back in the preseason, so what better time than the present?

Here’s a look at the matchups that should follow the Wild Card round:

 

AFC

Divisional Round

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts

This game came down to the wire the last time these two teams met, and, like several other games the Ravens had and let slip away, Baltimore failed to win.

Still, it’s worth noting that based on competitiveness alone, the Ravens would have had a realistic chance at going 15-1 in 2009, had a few plays (or kicks) gone their way.

It’s hard to go against a Peyton Manning-led offense, especially when Baltimore’s secondary is so vulnerable, but this is where the upsets start. Indy has been the top dog all season, but three straight weeks with their starters not playing a full game will hurt them more than it will help them.

Ray Lewis and the Ravens claimed that they were the team that “no one wanted to see in the playoffs.” They might be right.

Ravens 26, Colts 23

 

Cincinnati Bengals @ San Diego Chargers

We know how these two teams match up, and it’s not likely to be pretty the second time around. Cincy couldn’t even knock off the Chargers with the death of Chris Henry fresh in their minds as motivation.

However, there’s a chance they simply had heavy hearts and that the Bengals’ dedicated rush offense will take it strong to the Chargers’ mediocre rush defense (20th in the league), while San Diego’s 31st ranked rush offense may be put to the test if Cincinnati’s strong pass defense can slow down Phillip Rivers and the pass attack.

While the formula exists for the Bengals to pull an upset, the Chargers are just too hot and Phillip Rivers is just too good.

Chargers 27, Bengals 21

 

AFC Championship

Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers

Baltimore was one of three teams that sent San Diego to the loss column this season, and while a huge win over the Colts will vault them into a realm of confidence they haven’t been in since their Super Bowl days, the Chargers are too hot, and will likely be out for a little revenge.

The Ravens have the rushing attack to run all over San Diego, but their passing game is a bit too inconsistent to trust against Eric Weddle and a stout Chargers pass defense.

The Chargers’ ground game will likely never get going against the Ravens’ stingy run defense, but Phillip Rivers has a good chance to stay hot against a sketchy Baltimore secondary.

It just wouldn’t be the NFL Playoffs if a Wild Card team didn’t make it this far. Regardless, San Diego survives, and gets to its first Super Bowl in over 15 years.

Chargers 31, Ravens 24

 

NFC

Divisional Round

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints

Everyone in Wisconsin believes “without a doubt” that Arizona is done in the first round, but the new-age NFL Playoffs is about advantageous defense and offenses that can stretch the field.

The Cardinals aren’t absent of flaws, but their passing game is way too potent to bet against, especially with their hot playoff run and Super Bowl appearance last season in their favor.

The Saints have dropped three straight, have zero momentum, recently lost Charles Grant, and haven’t experienced a win in four weeks. Unfortunately for all the “Who Dat?” supporters, that drought goes to five.

Cardinals 34, Saints 31

 

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

Tony Romo and the Cowboys have won three straight, pitched two consecutive shutouts to end the regular season, and after sweeping the Eagles (3-0) by beating them in the first round, they’ll be on top of the world.

However, Brett Favre and the Vikings just got their offensive mojo back, while the Minnesota defense showed signs of life in Week 17, as well.

If Antoine Winfield and Pat Williams are a “full go” after a week of rest, the Vikings’ defense could give Romo fits all day, while stifling the Cowboys seventh ranked rushing attack.

Brett Favre didn’t come all the way back to be one and done in the playoffs.

Vikings 30, Cowboys 17

 

NFC Championship

Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings

This game puts the Cardinals into back-to-back NFC Championship games, giving them elite standing as a consistent team and a true Super Bowl threat.

In the first meeting between these two teams, the Cardinals blew the Vikings out of the water after halftime, and Favre and the Vikings looked completely lost.

However, there’s no arguing that Minnesota is a completely different machine at home (8-0), whereas they’ve had all their trouble on the road (4-4).

Arizona will have no trouble slugging it out and staying in the game with their array of weapons in the passing game, but the Vikings simply don’t give up much on their home field.

That, and Brett Favre has had a passer rating under 100 inside the dome just twice all season.

Vikings 37, Cardinals 24

 

Super Bowl

Minnesota Vikings @ San Diego Chargers

The hottest team in the league will go up against one of the most experienced and most balanced teams in the league.

Brett Favre and Co. could have early troubles against a stingy pass defense, but as long as the passing offense moves the ball, this could actually end up being all about Adrian Peterson.

The Chargers can’t really run the ball on anybody (31st in rush offense), while the Vikings generally stop just about everybody against the run when healthy (2nd in NFL ).

Brett Favre helped Minnesota get here, and he’ll likely still be a big part of the game, but Minnesota’s plan of attack is to set up Adrian Peterson by moving the ball through the air. If that strategy even remotely works, Peterson could have a field day against a very average San Diego run defense.

You can’t count out Phillip Rivers until the very end, however, and considering his team will have pulled off a winning streak of 13 straight games to get to this point, it’ll be hard to bet against the Chargers.

Still, it looks like a real possibility that Minnesota gets its first Super Bowl in five tries.

Vikings 27, Chargers 24

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