Hi Folks,

 

It�s time for Championship Weekend.�� Here are the Matchup Reports for this weekend�s games from our Mark Wimer.

 

Have a great one.

 

Joe

 

*************************************

Joe Bryant

[email protected]

Owner � www.Footballguys.com

 

 

 

 

Championship Game Matchups

 

 

 

Oakland�s Charlie Garner and Company vs. The Tennessee Defense (Good Matchup)

 

Charlie Garner was his usual productive self in the victory vs. New York last week, with 21 rushes for 93 yards, and 3 receptions for 26 yards. Zack Crockett added yet another plunge touchdown to the effort, and Tyrone Wheatley was a nice change of pace with 30 yards on only 4 carries. The Raiders rolled over the Jets without much trouble at all.

 

In the past two years, Oakland has met up with Tennessee twice. This year, in week 4, they jumped on top of the Titans 21-0 in the first quarter on the strength of a 17 yard TD reception by Garner, and then 2 punt returns for touchdowns, one by Phillip Buchanon and the other by Terry Kirby. In the end, the Raiders won by a 52-25 margin. Garner had over 100 yards combined in the game (11/57 rushing, 6/60 receiving) to go with his touchdown. In week 15 of 2001, Tennessee triumphed 13-10, but Garner wasn�t the problem (10/54 yards rushing, 9 receptions for 75 yards). Every time Charlie Garner has played the Titans in the recent past, he has enjoyed big games.

 

Tennessee played the Steelers� backs tough last week, holding them to only 67 yards rushing as a team (Amos Zereoue managed 49 yards and a score on 14 carries (a 3.5 yards-per-carry average)). Over the final four weeks of the regular season, Tennessee was the top rushing defense in the NFL, allowing only 63 yards per game on average, and ranking 1st in fantasy points allowed to opposing backs � the Titans have been tough to run on in the final quarter of the season.

 

One concern for the Raiders is the injury to starting C Barret Robbins (foot) � he is a major component of their line. The good news for Garner and company is that Robbins is expected to play in spite of the problem. If Robbins can�t go, his back-up is 6 year man Adam Treu, who started 14 games at center last season for the Raiders while they racked up 1654 yards rushing. Depth isn�t a critical issue here, thanks to Treu. Tennessee�s DE Jevon Kearse has been suffering from pain in his previously injured left foot, but is expected to play through the condition on Sunday.

 

The weather forecast for Oakland calls for no precipitation on game day or during the days leading up to the game, and for temperate conditions � a high of 58�F and a low of 46�F � just about perfect football weather.

 

The Titans have been tough against the run in 2002, but the Raiders have a powerful rushing attack that is difficult to defend against in tandem with their awesome aerial attack. Garner has always enjoyed strong games against the Titans, and with home-field advantage on his side, the Raiders have the edge in this game.

 

 

 

Tennessee�s Eddie George vs. The Oakland Defense (Tough Matchup)

 

Eddie George was pretty ineffective against the Steelers� defense last week � 15 rushes for 33 yards and 1 score isn�t impressive by any standard. The Steelers and Titans always beat each other up when they play, and last week it was George�s turn to get injured � he was knocked out of the game with a concussion and did not return to action. Although George is listed as questionable on the injury report, word is that he practiced just fine this week, and that he is expected to play as usual on Sunday.

 

Recent history doesn�t make us excited about George�s prospects on Sunday. In week 4 the Titans started the game down 21-0 in the first quarter on the strength of a 17 yard TD reception by Charlie Garner, and then 2 punt returns for touchdowns, one by Phillip Buchanon and the other by Terry Kirby. In the end, the Raiders won by a 52-25 margin. On a day when McNair threw for almost 400 yards attempting to rally the Titans, George only managed to eke out 26 yards on his 11 carries (he did score once), with 2 receptions for 13 yards. Week 15 of 2001, George was contained by the Raiders in similar fashion with 11 rushes for 23 yards with 2 receptions for 15 yards. In fact, Skip Hicks led the Titans in rushing that day, with 64 yards on 16 carries.

 

Oakland cruised past the Jets last week, but they did not shut down the Jets rushing game to do so, allowing a robust 120 yards to the Curtis Martin-led Jets (16 rushes for 74 yards, a 4.6 yards-per-carry average). In the final four weeks of the season, they were tougher to run on (3rd ranked in the NFL), allowing only 78 yards per game. Oakland did allow opposing backs into the end-zone fairly frequently, ranking 13th in the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing backs during that span.

 

One big problem for the Raiders is the loss of starting DE Trace Armstrong to a torn groin muscle (IR). With the other starting DE, Regan Upshaw, nursing a sore tailbone (probable), the outside of the defensive line is suspect (but running to the outside isn�t George�s strength). Armstrong�s backup is second year man DeLawrence Grant � he has 21 solo tackles, 5 assists and 3 sacks in limited time this season � decent, but not spectacular numbers. The Titan�s staring G Zach Piller is struggling to play through his injured calf, but hasn�t finished games in recent weeks and clearly isn�t anywhere near to 100%.

 

The weather forecast for Oakland calls for no precipitation on game day or during the days leading up to the game, and for temperate conditions � a high of 58�F and a low of 46�F � just about perfect football weather.

 

Eddie George has struggled to gain yardage all season, and that won�t change on Sunday in Oakland�s famous �Black Hole�.

 

 

 

Philadelphia�s Duce Staley vs. The Tampa Bay Defense (Good Matchup)

 

Duce Staley�s numbers from this season�s week 7 contest between these two teams: 24 carries for 152 yards, with 2 catches for 12 yards. That�s not a misprint, folks � Staley did that to this vaunted Buccaneers� unit � playing at home in Veterans Stadium, just like he will again on Sunday. Last week, Staley led all rushers with 18 carries for 63 yards, with 5 receptions for 39 yards (102 yards combined), so he is right back in rhythm with McNabb under center.�

 

Last season, while Staley wasn�t 100% healthy and Correll Buckhalter was the featured runner, Staley was limited to 34 yards on 15 carries in the wildcard game vs. the Buccaneers (2 receptions for 27 yards and a score), but everything is different in 2002 � Staley�s healthy, and Buckhalter is, of course, on IR. Staley didn�t even play in the week 17 game vs. the Buccaneers � seasons past don�t tell us much about this matchup.

 

Tampa Bay slammed the door shut on the 49�ers last week � San Francisco�s potent tandem of Hearst and Barlow did manage a 4.8 yards-per-carry average, though, with 62 yards on only 13 carries (Hearst added 4 catches for 29 yards, and Barlow had 1 for 3) � 94 total yards from the dual-threat combo. Those numbers aren�t surprising, considering that the Bucs allowed 98 yards rushing per game on average over the final four games of the regular season � but they also held opposing backs out of the end-zone, ranking 2nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing backs during the same span.

 

Injuries are not a concern in this phase of the game for either unit heading into Sunday.

 

Weather in Philadelphia is exactly what you would expect in Pennsylvania during January � cold. The high is forecast to be near 34�F, with a low of 22�F, under clear to partly cloudy skies. Even though they finally won a game in the cold for the first time this year, the Buccaneers struggle in such conditions, as a general rule.

 

Combine the cold weather with home-field advantage and then throw in Staley�s success against the Buccaneers earlier this season � it looks like the Eagles� unit has the edge in this game.

 

 

 

Tampa Bay�s Mike Alstott/Michael Pittman vs. The Philadelphia Defense (Tough Matchup)

 

Tampa Bay�s rushing attack actually looked proficient in the course of the Buccaneer�s dismantling of San Francisco last week � they put up 121 yards rushing and 2 scores as a team, with Alstott leading the way (17/60 with both scores) and Pittman right behind (17 rushes for 40 yards). However, as we pointed out before the fact, San Francisco has a fair-to-middling rush defense, at their best (they were nowhere near their best last week).

 

Neither Mike Alstott (5/14 yards rushing) nor Michael Pittman (12/49 yards rushing) scored against the Eagles in the two teams� game week 7 of the 2002 regular season. Mike Alstott has not scored against them in any game since the 2000 wildcard playoff game, which Tampa lost 21-3. He managed 32 yards rushing against the Eagles in the 2001 playoff loss, with 37 yards receiving. Let�s just say the recent past doesn�t bode well for the Buccaneer�s backs this weekend.

 

Philadelphia faced down Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn last week, and held them to 75 yards rushing on 20 carries (0 scores). They closed out the regular season playing rather soft vs. the run, allowing 135 yards per game on average over the final four weeks (22nd in the NFL), but ranking 8th in fantasy points allowed to opposing backs � they were tough in the red zone during the stretch run.

 

Philadelphia�s defensive front is as healthy as it has been all season right now, with only DE Derrick Burgess very doubtful to play due to his broken foot. Considering that the Eagle�s injury reports resembled the defensive team�s roster at certain points this season, they are in good shape heading into the game. Tampa has no injuries of note among their unit.

 

Weather in Philadelphia is exactly what you would expect in Pennsylvania during January � cold. The high is forecast to be near 34�F, with a low of 22�F, under clear to partly cloudy skies. Even though they finally won a game in the cold for the first time this year, the Buccaneers struggle in such conditions, as a general rule.

 

The Buccaneers� backs struggle to run against the Eagles, and there is no reason to suspect that it will be any different in Veterans Stadium this time around.