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NFL Playoff Power Rankings After 2008 Divisional Playoffs
Ranking NFL Prior to Conference Championships
NFL Playoff Power Ratings – 1/14/2008
Postseason NFL Power Ranking By FootballLOCKS.com’s
Editors
View
NFL Power Rankings Methodology
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Comments January 14, 2008
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1*/1*
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Patriots
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17-0†
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New England had a hard time stopping Jacksonville’s offense
mostly due to the tremendous play of David Garrard. However, Jacksonville had
an even harder time stopping Tom Brady and crew, as Brady set an NFL
postseason record for completion percentage, breaking a record held by Phil Simms
who just happened to be announcing the game.
New England
will host San Diego in the AFC championship game.
It’s not a rematch of last season’s AFC title game with Indianapolis as
many expected to see. But it is a playoff rematch from last season. As you probably
remember the Patriots
won at San Diego in the divisional
playoffs as underdogs of
4.5 points
thereby spoiling the Chargers’
tremendous (14-2) regular season… This season the Chargers will attempt to
spoil New England’s incredible (16-0) season.
The Patriots are favored by
14 points
which represents an 18.5 point swing in the betting spread over the time frame of
one season- or a more realistic 12.5 point swing if you subscribe to the betting line
theory
of factoring out 3 points for home field
advantage (in both games).
*For our new readers, the asterisk denotes that the Patriots will remain #1
in the power rankings for the rest of the season for going (16-0), even if they don’t win the
Super Bowl, because as we pointed out after
week 17
going undefeated in the regular
season at (16-0) actually carries much longer odds
than winning the Super Bowl.
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2/4
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Packers
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14-3†
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Green Bay spotted Seattle 14 quick points and then proceeded to go on a 42-6
run, blasting the Seahawks and Mike Holmgren right out of Lambeau
in a heavy snow fall as Grant rushed for over 200 yards
and Favre threw 3 TD’s. The Packers will face the Giants in the NFC title game;
a team they beat soundly on the road way back in week 2…
If Green Bay should win, then looking ahead to a possible Super Bowl matchup
conjures up memories of Super Bowl XXXI when Brett Favre’s Packers emerged
victorious against Drew Bledsoe’s Patriots… What would the result be
should they meet Tom Brady’s Patriots?
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3/3
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Cowboys
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13-4†
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Once, twice, three times a charm? The Cowboys were unable to make it 3 wins over the
Giants this season…
Though he wouldn’t admit it, Owens probably wasn’t fully recovered from a high ankle sprain.
On the other hand, the Giants were without Sam Madison, not to mention Aaron Ross left the game
with an injury- conjuring up memories of last season’s playoff loss in Seattle
when the Seahawks’ starting corners were out, yet the Cowboys’ passing game
was shut down.
Overall the Cowboys finished the season (4-3) against playoff
qualifying teams, with three wins in total over the two teams playing for the
NFC championship, hence the #3 ranking.
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4/6
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Chargers
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13-5†
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The Chargers took advantage of 4 deep turnovers by the Colts to win at Indianapolis
in the divisional playoffs; their second “turnover filled win” over the defending champs
this season.
Jackson, Chambers, Turner, and Sproles
picked up the slack as LT spent much of the game on the sidelines
with an injury, and Gates was hobbled…
Volek also performed well in place of the injured Rivers
(in the midst of a solid game).
The Chargers will head to New England for the AFC championship game,
looking for revenge for last season’s
divisional playoff home loss at the hands of the Patriots.
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5/2
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Colts
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13-4†
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Usually when the Colts put up 400+ yards of offense they win in a cake-walk.
However, Indianapolis turned the ball over deep in San Diego territory 4 times,
including on downs late with the game on the line.
It was the Colts’ second loss this season to the Chargers, who have become
their new nemesis; remember it was San Diego that broke up the Colts’
run for a perfect season in 2005.
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6/5
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Jaguars
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12-6†
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David Garrard made incredible play after incredible play against the Patriots, but it
wasn’t enough as Jacksonville’s defense was unable to contain Tom Brady and the
rest of the Patriots’ offense despite putting the clamps down on Randy Moss…
Overall the Jaguars finished (5-4) against playoff qualifying teams
this season.
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7/7
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Giants
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12-6†
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The Giants used solid defense to keep the Dallas scoring machine in check grabbing
a 21-17 victory in the divisional playoffs, despite only managing 230 yards on offense.
Turnover-free football wins and that’s exactly what the Giants are playing.
Overall the Giants improved to (3-5) versus playoff qualifying teams.
And will get a chance to avenge an earlier season loss to Green Bay when
they travel to Lambeau for the NFC championship game.
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8/9
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Seahawks
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11-7†
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Seattle jumped out to a 14-0 lead at Green Bay in the divisional playoffs before
allowing the Packers to go on a 42-6 run in the midst of a heavy snow fall.
The loss wasn’t too surprising considering the Seahawks dropped 5 games
to teams that didn’t make the playoffs this season.
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† = Playoff Adjusted Record.
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