FFS Fantasy Playoff Challenge: Wild Card Standings

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatis Sports Staff

Thoughts about the NFL playoffs

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Here are some quick-hitting thoughts about Wild-Card Weekend and a look at this weekend's Divisional Round.

1. Can you believe that the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints lost to the sub-.500 Seattle Seahawks? The 65-year-old Matt Hasselbeck simply carved up a Saints defense that looked lost and confused. Bet the Saints go after defensive players in this year's draft. They better.

2. The Indianapolis Colts blew a chance to advance in the final minute of the game. That should never, ever happen. Poor coverage on the kickoff gave the Jets great field position, and then Sanchez lofts a pass that Braylon Edwards snags on the sidelines to help Nick Folk boot an easy field goal as time expires. Shame on the Colts.

3. How about that Baltimore Ravens defense? More like, how garbage is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel? For him to not even look Dwayne Bowe's way all game long, the Chiefs deserve to lose just for that. Plus, Cassel looked timid, scared and baffled every time he dropped back to pass. Did he study the Ravens defense during the week? Just a JV quarterback if you ask me.

4. Why is everyone trying to blame Mike Vick for the Eagles' loss to the Packers? I know he threw a pick to end the game, but shouldn't the intended receiver tried to break up that pass in the end zone instead of letting the corner make the pick? Who cares about that play, anyway, point to David Akers missing two easy field goals as the reason why Philly lost. Field goals at home, mind you. The veteran kicker is being blamed my me. If they played again tomorrow, I'd still take the Eagles ...I still am not impressed with the Packers.

5. Best game this coming weekend: Baltimore at Pittsburgh ...if you like defense. The teams split during the regular season, and expect some bloody lips, a lot of hard hitting and maybe a fist or two flying around over the course of the 60 minutes. It might even go into overtime, too. The quarterback -- Ben Roethlisberger or Joe Flacco -- that can make the most plays in the passing game will win because both teams will have trouble moving the ball on the ground.

6. Seattle at Chicago: Who cares.

7. Green Bay at Atlanta: Should be another classic ...if you like offense. Aaron Rodgers can beat up Atlanta's secondary, and the Falcons' balance with running back Michael Turner and Matt Ryan throwing to Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez can produce points pretty quickly, too. The winner of this game will go the Super Bowl.

No reason to be scared of Sanchez

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Wild-Card Weekend is officially in the books, and now it's on to the Divisional round.

For the Patriots, they now must content with the ever-dangerous (joking) New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Throughout the year, Sanchez has been asked to not make mistakes while the running game and the defense are expected to carry the load and win games.

But with New England up next, you can bet coach Bill Belichick is going to make the Jets young quarterback beat his well-rested defense, which welcomes back rookie inside linebacker Brandon Spikes.

A quick question for Patriots Nation: Are you guys really afraid of the Jets? Better yet, Sanchez?

I think taking the cautiously optimistic approach to beating the Jets is fine, but of all the quarterbacks still left in the playoffs, the Pats drew perhaps the easiest guy to face (I'd even take Jay Cutler and Matt Hasselbeck over Sanchez) and the least likely to carve up a secondary.

So advantage Patriots.

I'm going to say this all week, too: The Jets need to play a perfect game to beat the Pats, while the Pats will have to play a less-than-a-C-game to lose to loudmouth Jets coach Rex Ryan, who obviously wishes he had Tom Brady on his team.

Can the Jets keep up with the Pats and go point-for-point with them? No way, especially not with that offense -- led by pee-shooter-for-an-arm Sanchez running the Jets offense.

The Pats will make Sanchez throw, stacking the line of scrimmage in order to stop LT and Shonn Greene in the backfield. It's the right way to play them, too. Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes must deliver down the field, but plan on one of those two guys being taken away on every play by outstanding play from rookie Pro Bowl cornerback Devin McCourty.

I know the Pats and Jets split during the regular season, but expect the Pats to confuse Sanchez and prove to everyone the former USC product will never be a top-of-the-line starter in this league.