NFL 2011 Season Wildcard Weekend Picks

Only 4 QBs have ever done it (Brees has done it twice), and 3 of those did it this season. The Lions-Saints game will be the first matchup in NFL history featuring two 5,000 yard passers.

The last time the Bengals won a playoff game was 1991. The Texans have never been to the playoffs, and thus have never won a playoff game. Something is about to happen that hasn't happened for a very long time.

(when I find something interesting and unique about the other two games, I will post them as well.)

The Broncos started the season 1-4 and ended it 0-3, and are hosting the Steelers, who won 10 of their last 12 games.

This isn't about a team playing this week, but I read this somewhere and of course I believe it.

No team ranked last in the league in yards allowed has ever made the playoffs. Only 4 teams that ranked 2nd to last in the league in yards allowed have ever made the playoffs. The Packers ranked last in yards allowed, finished 15-1, and are the number one seed in the NFC. The Patriots ranked 2nd to last in yards allowed, finished 13-3, and are the number one seed in the AFC.

Home Field Advantage? The New York Giants finished the season 4-4 at home. The Atlanta Falcons finished the season 4-4 on the road. The Falcons play at the Giants this weekend.

There, now you know all you need to know about all of this weekend's games, plus a bonus tidbit about 2 other playoff teams.

I posted this on facebook a few months ago, but I'm not sure if I posted it on NutCan.

During a 16 game stretch that spanned the last 10 games of 1995 and the first 6 games of 1996, Brett favre threw 49tds, 7ints, and 4243 yards. Including the Super Bowl, in his Last 16 games, Rodgers has thrown 48 touchdowns, 6 ints, and 4947 yards. Their statistics are fairly similar up to this point in their careers, but before Rodgers can be called the best QB ever (by which I mean the best qb in Green Bay history), he needs to play a few more years at a similar level. Although, another Super Bowl or two might help escalate that title.

"Sarah
This isn't even going to be close."

So what you are saying is the Lions have a chance!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Scott,
Florio must be reading your posts...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/04/saturdays-playoff-games-will-make-history-in-two-ways/

Why wouldn't all football analysts be reading my posts.

Sure... whatever lets you sleep at night. It could actually be close, but I doubt the Saints are sitting all their awesome players.

2011 NFL Season By The Number
I found this partiularly stunning:
22.2 -- Points per game scored by the average NFL team in 2011 (teams averaged 34 passes, 27 rushes).

23.1 -- Points per game scored by the average NFL team in 1965 (teams averaged 28 passes, 31 rushes).

23.2 -- Points per game scored by the average NFL team in the leather-helmet season of 1948, a record (teams averaged 26 passes, 38 rushes).


For all the talk about offense, scoring apparently hasn't actually changed that much. If I'm interpretting this correctly, that is. If I am interpretting it correctly, then the assertion is that scoring hasn't changed, just the manner in which scoring occurs, I suppose.

Also, maybe considering that the highest scoring teams have scored more in recent years, perhaps the discrepency from the best to worst is becoming greater over time.

For clarification, it was in 1991, but was actually the 1990 season. You know who they beat? The Houston Oilers.

The CITY of Houston's last playoff win was the following season, though it did come at the end of the same calendar year of 1991.

So Houston actually has the more recent playoff victory despite not having an NFL franchise for 5 seasons.

Then again, you could argue that Cincinnati hasn't had an NFL franchise for about two decades, am I right?? Remember to tip your waitress.

TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Umm, it's almost been 24 hours since Tebow Mania shattered Twitter, and we still can't make picks for next week's games! Clearly an anti-Tebow conspiracy, and if it was any other player to have won last night's game, next weeks picks would have been up right away. NUTCAN BIAS!!!