Welcome to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs!

12 teams entered, eight teams remain. So it’s not quite the Thunderdome, but the competition will be fierce. To highlight the series of great matchups this weekend and recap the games from last week, take a look at the content we whipped up for your reading pleasure.

DIVISIONAL ROUND CONTENT:

Super Bowl Superstitions - We look at a potential curse keeping each divisional team from reaching the Super Bowl.

Seattle vs. Atlanta - Which team has been more tortured from a sports perspective? Adam Rank has the answer.

Who is the best QB from the Green Bay vs. San Francisco rivalry? - Adam Rank breaks down the best quarterbacks from the bays.

Tom Brady and Bill Belicheck in the playoffs - Brady and Belicheck make their 10th trip to the playoffs on Sunday night. Check out how they’ve fared over the years.

WILD CARD CONTENT

Curse, Coincidence or Superstition - What crazy jinxes may have conspired to spell victory or defeat for the wild card teams? Find out here.

The Expected (and unexpected) for Wild Card weekend - Check out the absurdities that went down in the wild card matchups.

24 Hours in D.C. – With the Ravens and Redskins hosting playoff games last Sunday, the capitol region was the center of the football world.

Playoffs?!?! Playoffs?!?!

That’s right, the NFL playoffs are finally here. Wild Card weekend came and passed without too much hubbub, as three of the four games didn’t quite live up to the billing. Nevertheless, there were plenty of surprises as usual. So, let’s get to the unexpected (and expected) for Wild Card weekend.

(more…)

We hope everyone has had a chance to recover from New Years’ Eve, and settle into those resolutions, as the NFL playoffs are finally upon us. To help get you prepped for the Wild Card games this weekend, or pass the time until your team takes the field, check out the wealth of prime content we’ve put together for your enjoyment:

WILD CARD WEEKEND:

The Cardboard Bio – Ray Lewis - Check out Ray Lewis’ Hall of Fame career profiled through five of his best football cards.

NFL Playoffs bandwagon guide for dejected fans - Your team is done? Check out our guide to find out who else to root for during the playoffs.

Gridiron Breakdown: RG3 vs. Russell Wilson – Adam Rank takes a look at how the two rookies stack up head-to-head (no height pun intended).

The last time the Bengals won a playoff game… - The year was 1990, and this is what it looked like.

Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers – Check out this infographic loaded with stats about the bitter rivalry.

ROOKIE QBS:

QB (R)evolution – The three rookies are helping redefine what it means to play quarterback today. Find out how.

Moments that defined the rookie QBs - Andrew Luck, RG3, and Russell Wilson have had remarkable seasons, but what moments stood out for each?

Rookie Wingmen - Find out which other rookies played key roles in the rookie QBs’ run to the playoffs.

Numerology with Luck, RG3, and Wilson - See how the rookie QBs stacked up against each other by the numbers.

EVERYTHING ELSE:

Top 5 most annoying types of NFL fans - You’ve met all of these people at some point this season… find out which type of fan is the most annoying.

Pick Six: Rookie Seasons – Adam Rank profiles the best rookie seasons across all major sports.

Unexpected (and expected) for week 17: Hide that flag! - Everything that surprised us and made us smile from week 17.

2012 NFL-ballooza: Our year in review - 2012 came to a close, so we recapped the best of the best from the NFL.

Black Monday edition: Curse, Coincidence, or Superstition - Seven coaches received the ax on “Black Monday.” See what craziness may have conspired to end their tenures.

Hey, you might have missed this story but Ray Lewis is going to retire. Yes, you can take a moment if you need it. I understand this will come as a complete shock to you.

All kidding aside, Lewis is one of the most revered players in the NFL right now, as you can tell by the outpouring from players, fans and coaches over the past couple of days. Here’s a look back at Lewis’ career through his football cards.
————————————————————————————————————————————–

————————————————————————————————————————————–

It’s hard to imagine Ray Lewis as a college player. You have to go way back. If you want to feel old, consider Lewis was college teammates with Warren Sapp and The Rock.

(more…)

NFL.com Illustration

Have the NFL playoffs started with your favorite team left out in the cold? Well, have no fear. You can shamelessly join the bandwagon of one of the 12 remaining teams in the playoffs. Not sure who you want to be a fan of for the next month? No worries, you can follow our easy-to-use guide for choosing your new favorite team. Welcome to bandwagon fandom. All aboard!

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Cincinnati Bengals – Young talent dominates this roster, so if you want to root for the team that’s fighting an uphill battle, go for the Bengals. The Dalton to Green combo will be one to watch for years to come, so why not be on the right side of that connection if they make a Super Bowl run? If you’re a fan of defense, there are few units playing better than the Bengals right now.

Who should root for the Bengals?

Bills fans. Both A.J. Green and Andy Dalton were on the board in the 2011 draft when Buffalo selected in the first and second rounds. Might as well live vicariously through their success (or failure) and see what life might have been like had your team drafted differently.

Houston Texans - The Texans are a team with a chip on their shoulder.  With the way they’ve struggled as of late, losing three of the last four after an 11-1 start, a first round exit is preordained.  Or is it?  The Texans still have two of the best players on offense with receiver Andre Johnson and running back  Arian Foster.  And Watts not to like on defense.  With Foster and Watt, General Maximus Decimus Meridius’s eternal question will be not only answered, but fulfilled.

Who should root for the Texans?

Lions fans. Thanksgiving day.  Challenge flags. Suh kicks. Penance.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Green Bay Packers – Excitement is just a play away with Aaron Rodgers and his crop of talented receivers. Charles Woodson returns from a broken collarbone for another quest for a Lombardi trophy. And the Packers are the league’s only community owned team, so if you like rooting for the little guys, the Packers are your team.

Who should root for the Packers?

Titans fans. That way, if the Packers win the Super Bowl you can blame that 55-7 whooping they gave you in weak 16 as “getting beat by the Super Bowl champions.” Not that it’ll make the loss any easier, but every little bit helps.

Minnesota Vikings

Who really believed in the Vikings before the season started? Nobody believed in this team. No seriously. But here are some reasons to believe. Adrian Peterson is having the most incredible year maybe in NFL history. A feel-good story of a guy who has rebounded from a devastating injury. No one should forget about Jared Allen, one of the most engaging personalities in the NFL.

Vikings fans have no Super Bowls to speak of. The threat of relocation hung over their heads for a few years now. This is a special run for them and maybe you if you choose.

Who should root for the Vikings?

Raiders fans. Remember when you guys passed over Peterson for JaMarcus Russell? You can live vicariously through Peterson right now. Wait, why are you laughing Cardinals fans?

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Indianapolis Colts

Well, you really don’t need any more justification to jump on the Colts bandwagon, other than Chuck Strong. The sentimental favorite of not just football fans, but of anybody with a beating heart. Even if your favorite team loses to the Colts, you will still say things like, “Well, if my team couldn’t win it, I’m glad it was the Colts.”

Who should root for the Colts:

Those whose teams have already been eliminated.

Baltimore Ravens – The return of Ray Lewis from injury to make one last one at greatness before retiring should be all the reason you need to tune in. But then we also have Ray Rice being the little engine that could drive the Ravens to the Super Bowl. It could be a great year for Ray’s in Baltimore, so why not get on the bandwagon with them. Especially if your name happens to be Ray.

Who should root for the Ravens?

Jaguars fans. Because if Joe Flacco can win a Super Bowl, then Chad Henne and the rest of the 2008 QB class might just have a chance!

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle lost its basketball team, only to have it resurface in Oklahoma City, Ichiro was sent off to the New York Yankees, and a few years back, they had to endure the indignity of a past-his-prime Jerry Rice and his audacity to ask Steve Largent to pull his No. 80 out of the rafters. But we’ve lost our place. This year Seattle is different.

You’ll hear this a lot during the postseason, but in any other year, Wilson would be regarded as a shoe-in for the rookie of the year. He’s joined by Marshawn Lynch, one of the rare running backs who got a hefty payday and then went out and exceeded expectations. Additionally, let’s not fail to mention Pete Carroll.  We understand, he’s not for everybody, but there’s a joy in the way he coaches.  Most importantly,  they play grunge rock before they go to commercial break during their games.

Who should root for the Seahawks?

San Diego Chargers fans. The old AFC West rivalry is a thing of the past, and let’s stick with the West Coast team.

Washington Redskins – RG3. Need I say more? Ok, I will. If you’re a fan of ingenuity, the Redskins are your team for how they retooled their offense to play to RG3’s strengths. Add in the Alfred Morris element, and London Fletcher’s quest for another ring and this is a team full of intrigue. And definitely one you can get behind in the postseason.

Who should root for the Redskins?

Cardinals fans, to increase the likelihood of Kyle Shanahan and Kirk Cousins coming to Arizona in the offseason. A deep playoff run would likely help Cardinals brass believe more in the young Shanahan, and with Andy Reid eyeing up the barbecue… and team in Kansas City, a coach-QB tandem like Shanahan and Cousins would be tempting.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Atlanta Falcons - Tony Gonzalez.  He’s played in three decades and simply been the best at his position.  Now at age 36, Gonzalez may still be at the top of his game, but how many shots does he still have left at winning a Superbowl.  The Falcons have floundered in the playoffs the last few years, but this may finally be the year they fly above the post-season mediocrity.

Who should root for the Falcons? 

Chiefs fans. With all the years Tony Gonzalez played on the Chiefs, it’s an easy fit. Plus with the number one pick, Chiefs fans can only imagine they’ll draft a player as good as Gonzalez.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

San Francisco 49ers - According to our friend Ben, a die-hard 49ers fans, our fair weather loyalty should be promised to San Francisco for one reason only.  Tradition.  Can’t hurt to cheer for winners.  Although, he prefaced that Colin Kapernick and Michael Crabtree are no Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. They do have Aldon Smith and eight other Pro Bowlers.  And let’s not forget, the greatest co-star in Saved By the Bell history, Jim Harbaugh.

Who should root for the 49ers? 

Giants fans. Because deep in their hearts Giants fans know they own the 49ers.  Week Six when they clobbered them 26-3 to last year’s NFC title game.  It’s solace and satisfaction.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

New England Patriots

Yes, to root for the Patriots is akin to cheering for the Empire in the “Star Wars” movies, but some segment of the population enjoys dressing up like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. Of all the Boston teams, they are the least objectionable. We know, it’s kind of like trying to figure out which John Cena movie is your favorite. And Tom Brady. Yes, the world has turned on Brady in recent years because he has a supermodel wife and his team had a lot of success on the field. But he’s still the same sixth-round guy who fought for his playing time at Michigan instead of transferring and became an overnight sensation.

Who should root for the Patriots:

Former Los Angeles Rams fans for completing a So-Cal sweep in 2001. In one playoff run, the Patriots knocked off the Raiders and the former Rams. Probably about as close as we’ll get to a Super Bowl title around these parts.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Denver Broncos - No matter where you stand, Peyton Manning’s comeback story is amazing.  And not only has it been an epic return, he’s actually gotten better.  The Denver Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL. With a vaunted defense led by Von Miller, the Broncos are the ticket you need to buy, the wagon you need to hitch. Plus,  no more Tebow.

Who should root for the Broncos?  

Jets fans.  This fan base prides itself on its masochistic desire to suffer. So, why not become a fan of the team that has the quarterback you wanted to sign and is the former home of the quarterback you got stuck with?

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Compiled by:

Alex Gelhar @alexgelhar

Adam Rank @adamrank

Amar Shah @amarshahism

Magic Johnson’s ‘baby hook’ in the 1985 NBA Finals. Reggie Jackson‘s three home runs in the World Series. Muhammad Ali with the knockout of Sonny Liston. These were moments when men went from good to great.

The story of the 2012 NFL season can’t be told without the dominating narrative of Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson. Each of these players had their specific situation when they went from ordinary rookie to extraordinary quarterback.

Here’s a look at the moments that defined these rookie quarterbacks in the 2012 NFL season.

————————————————————————————————————————————–
Andrew Luck: Week 13
————————————————————————————————————————————–

The Lions led the Colts 33-21 after Jason Hanson’s field goal late in the fourth quarter. The Colts had already secured the title for sentimental champions of the year for the way they competed. Luck was not satisfied with moral victories, however.

Despite having tossed three interceptions already, Luck was undaunted as he drove the Colts down for the winning touchdown. Take a look at his often overlooked athleticism on display.

Luck’s fourth touchdown of the game gave the Colts a 35-33 win.

————————————————————————————————————————————–
Robert Griffin III: Week 7
————————————————————————————————————————————–

Some might say the Redskins’ win over the Eagles in Week 11 might have been the defining moment. And I get that. But the way RG3 rallied the Skins in the final minutes against the defending champions, on the road, was much more of a “holy (expletive)” moment.

And really, it’s not his fault the Redskins defense let him down, either. If the Redskins defense does its job, there’s no point when Mike Shanahan throws in the towel.

————————————————————————————————————————————–
Russell Wilson: Week 13
————————————————————————————————————————————–

Wilson was a nice story, but many dismissed him as they said, “He only wins at home.” Wilson changed all of that with a win on the road in Chicago. A win that would ultimately cost the Bears a playoff spot.

Here, Wilson gives the Seahawks the lead over the Bears.

And here, Wilson leads the Seahawks to the win in overtime.

Hit me up both via Twitter or via Facebook (oh wait, I told you to stop going to Facebook). Go instead to Google+.
Also be sure to catch the latest “Dave Dameshek Football Program.”

Well, well, well, another NFL season is in the books which means it is now a time for reflection. But I’m not talking about reflecting on your team’s performance, their chances in 2013, or anything of that ilk. I’m talking about discussing a more interesting, incendiary, and pervasive topic – NFL fans. That’s right, it’s time to turn your hyper-critical eyes onto yourselves for a few moments. In preparation for the postseason, I present you a list of the five most annoying types of NFL fans you probably encountered this season. Keep in mind, this is not an indictment of any specific team’s fan base, but rather certain types of fans that populate every stadium, bar, and Buffalo Wild Wings from sea to shining sea. Here we go.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

5) The Bandwagon jumper

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Few things are as obnoxious as a fan of one team jumping ship to root passionately for another team either during the season, or in the playoffs. Thankfully, the NFL has fans devoted enough to their franchises that this typically doesn’t happen, but when it does, it’s revolting. Speaking of bandwagons, if your team is already out and you are looking for a cozy bandwagon to board, we will be putting together a handy guide to help your wayward fandom find a home. Even though it pains us to do so. Check back in with the Sidelines Blog later this week for the guide. Or just suck it up, enjoy the playoffs, and cheer for your team next year. Your call.

(more…)

History will be made this weekend, when three rookie quarterbacks start for their teams in the playoffs. The combination of Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson may go down as one of the greatest quarterback draft classes of all time. Yet, for all the talent and poise these rookies have shown, they haven’t reached the playoffs alone.

Like every ace pilot, every great quarterback needs a good wingman (or two). Maverick had Goose, Iceman had Slider, and each of the rookie quarterbacks playing in wild card weekend have their own rookie wingmen as well. With that in mind, it’s time to pay tribute to the Goose’s of the world, and highlight the wingmen who helped make these unlikely playoff runs possible.

Let’s fly into the Danger Zone.

Alright, I’m done with Top Gun references, for now.

(more…)

It’s week 17, and the NFL regular season is in the books. Let’s take a look at the unexpected (and expected) for week 17.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

History was made! In the Jaguars vs. Titans game?

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Just when you thought there was no reason to watch the bout between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, the players went and made this game relevant. It was the first time in NFL history that two players on the same team each had multiple return touchdowns in same game.

To say that this sort of record happening in a Jaguars/Titans game is unexpected is an understatement for the ages.

(more…)

Even though the team I was rooting for lost, to this day I am still glad I was there. It was the start of one of the best stories of the 2012 NFL season, and an instance where the country was able to see again the football is more than a game as it pulled a community together. The day I’m referring to is when the Indianapolis Colts beat the Green Bay Packers, and ChuckStrong became a part of the NFL lexicon.

The game took place a mere six days after news broke about Chuck Pagano’s diagnosis of a treatable form of leukemia. Hearts were heavy at Lucas Oil stadium, but most were optimistic about Pagano’s recovery. It was great to see players on both sides of the game respond by wearing #ChuckStrong t-shirts under their uniforms.

Despite the aura surrounding the game, early on it looked like a Packers rout would sour the mood in Indianapolis. The Packers were up 21-3 at halftime, and received the second half kickoff. That was, until, this happened.

The crowd, quiet since about midway through the second quarter, suddenly came to life. The Colts, facing a substantial deficit, started to believe this wasn’t over just yet. When Andrew Luck hit Dwayne Allen to cut the lead to 21-10, you could tell the entire tenor of the stadium and game had changed in an instant

From Reggie Wayne’s incredible one-handed grab, to Mason Crosby’s bizarre field goal miss as time expired, the Colts seemed destined to win the game and complete a storybook comeback. But they played as if destiny didn’t matter.  After that interception to start the half, the Colts were the better team. They played their hearts out, and won an important game for their coach, team, and city.

To me, that was the game that sparked the Colts unlikely run to 11 wins and a playoff berth one year removed from their disastrous 2-12 season. The best part was the Colts bookending that week 5 win over the Packers with a week 17 win over the Houston Texans… in Chuck Pagano’s first game back coaching the team.

Pagano’s battle and recovery not only helped ignite his young team to victory after victory, but it helped generate more awareness and fund-raising for the endless battle against cancer. To me, that was the story of the season, and one of the many examples of where football proves to be more than just a game.

By: Alex Gelhar

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

The 2012 regular season has come to a close and what a year it was. Here’s a look at the most Unexpected (and expected) outcomes of the year.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Week 1: Tim Tebow starts

————————————————————————————————————————————–

When the New York Jets took the field for their first play of the season, Tim Tebow was out on the field with the starters. Well, it’s not what you think. Tebow lined up as a receiver for the Jets’ first offensive play, but starting quarterback Mark Sanchez didn’t look his way.

Tebow later joked, “I felt like I was open too.”

All in all, Tebow appeared in only nine offensive plays and didn’t account for much. Oh, and he was booed off the field, so there was that. This might have been the top highlight from (wait for it) … The Tebow Zone.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Week 2: About those handshakes

————————————————————————————————————————————–

New Bucs coach Greg Schiano wasted no time ingratiating himself to Tom Coughlin, as he had the audacity to play the full 60 minutes and now allow the Giants to coast to a victory. That’s some nerve!

The Cardinals also improved to 2-0 this week with an improbable win over the host Patriots. Hey Patriots fans, remember that when your team has to go to Denver in the playoffs. Seriously, remember this kick?

(more…)

It’s all sorts of fun to sit around and figure out who was fantasy football’s best player (Adrian Peterson) or best rookie (Robert Griffin III) and any number of other top awards. But what about some of the fringe fantasy honors that too often go overlooked?

For instance, what about the biggest “Where did that come from?” performance of the year, which is a toss-up between Brian Hartline (Week 4), Shonn Greene (Week 6) and Doug Martin (Week 9). Or how can we overlook the “Too Little, Too Late” award that should go unanimously to Larry Fitzgerald for his Week 16 outing. It’s all in a season’s work in fantasy football.

By: Marcas Grant

————————————————————————————————————————————–

My Favorite 2012 Football Card – Tim Tebow – Topps Chrome #180

Tim Tebow passing stats: 6 for 8, 0 touchdowns, 39 passing yards

Like John Keat’s Grecian Urn this Tim Tebow card above will remain frozen in time.  By now the season has concluded and Tebow’s days of being a Jet trickle down to his inevitable departure to Jacksonville.  As a Jets fan and a Gator alum, I can’t help meditate on the possibilities of what may have been, the miracles that could have happened, and the Tebowing that will never be be. The card above seems like an obvious photoshop job, but there is a possibility this was photo was snapped in one of his eight passing attempts this season. Maybe it was from a preseason game.  Either way it will remind me of the Phantom Zone in Superman 2 that Jor-El sentenced General Zod and his crew.  This card will hover in a twilight zone of distorted expectations, botched wild-cats, and buttfumbles.  Tebow will never take a snap as a Jet.  This card will be a the lone relic of that thrilling time when that chance remained tangible. Now,  it remains just a glossy, fingerprint smudged piece of cardboard that you can pick up for the price of a Snickers bar in the vending machine.   That’s all I know and all I need to know.

By: Amar Shah

————————————————————————————————————————————–

I make no apologies for being a Jets fan. In fact, they should apologize to me for 2012, but we’ll save that for another day. Despite a lack of wins, they stayed in the headlines all year long. For every circus attraction that was their season, the biggest moment wasn’t the Butt Fumble, or the Sanchez Drama. Or the Rex Ryan drama. Or the Tebow drama. Okay, there was a lot of drama. In fact, more drama than victories, for sure. BUT. (Not Butt as in fumble) BUT. What never gets talked about was a moment that could have not only saved the Jets season, but possibly catapulted them to the playoffs.

In Week 7, the 3-3 Jets played 3-3 New England with first place in the AFC East at stake. New York lost in overtime 29-26 – just another Jets-Pats game, right? Not so much. With no Santonio Holmes and no Darrelle Revis, New York played the Patriots tight, and were poised to win the game late in the 4 th quarter.  With 2:13 left and the Jets down three, they were on the Patriots 26-yard line. On 3 rd and 3, Mark Sanchez threw an easy pass to rookie WR Stephen Hill, who was all alone at the 14 yard line. There wasn’t a DB within five yards of him. He ran a stop route and turned. Sanchez’ pass was right in the numbers. The play wouldn’t have been a touchdown, but Hill would have easily gotten inside the 10-yard line as the clock would have hit the 2:00 warning. New England would have had to stop the Jets three times, and possibly use all of their time outs in the process. A touchdown would have nearly been a certainty, seeing how easily the Jets had moved the ball all day against their defense. New York would have had a four-point lead and forced the Patriots to score a touchdown on their ensuing possession, which would have been incredibly difficult with a lack of time outs and time remaining. In all likelihood, the Jets would have won the game.

Instead, Stephen Hill dropped it. A rookie mistake, trying to turn and run before he caught it. NFL.com Around the League writer and fellow Jets fan Dan Hanzus and I looked at each other and our eyes said it all: That was it. That was the game. Same old Jets. We had it right there. The ball fell to the ground, the Jets kicked a field goal and went on to lose the game. Their season slowly deteriorated from there. That was the true tipping point for Gang Green. Had Hill caught the pass, the Jets, despite all their injuries and controversy, are in first place in the AFC East near the midway point of the season. And their year unfolds differently – playing with confidence knowing that after all they’d been through they were at the top of the division. I know the Butt Fumble is going to be the blooper highlight that gets played over and over again when people get fired and cut, but the Hill drop was the true crushing moment of 2012 for the Jets. I just went back and watched it again and it was just as painful as it was the first time – knowing that while the ball is in the air the possibilities for the Jets are all still there for them. And when it hit the ground, they weren’t.

Chris Johnson showing his support. #SHES #NYJvsTEN

Father and son. #megatron #chasinghistory #thenflseason

Touchdown! #photooftheday #thenflseason #amazing #picoftheday

Flip Wilson. #NOvsNYG #thenflseason

Cold rainy night in New England. #SFvsNE (@amsprecher/NFL)

Does this look LIKE you?

 Images via Facebook and Instagram

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Top Ten NFL Pop Culture Moments in 2012
5 Favorite NFL Research Nuggets
Our Favorite NFL Images of the Year
The Drop – The Jets Season Explained in One Play
The Year on the Fringe…Fantasy
My Favorite 2012 Football Card – Tim Tebow
Unexpected (and expected) Year in Review
Memories of Experiencing Chuck Strong