Jan 10 2009
Ravens, Cardinals Win on Road
Baltimore and Arizona won NFL divisional playoff games Saturday to advance to next weekend’s conference championship round. Baltimore edged Tennessee, 13-10, in Nashville. Arizona trounced Carolina, 33-13, in Charlotte.
Baltimore (13-5) is the sixth seed in the AFC. Tennessee (13-4) was the conference’s top seed. The Titans had won their first 10 games in 2008. They struggled down the stretch though, losing four of their last seven.
The Ravens, in contrast, were a hot team. They smashed Miami last week in a playoff game, 27-9, and they used a similar formula tonight. Baltimore forced three Tennessee turnovers and did not commit any. A 43-yard field goal from Matt Stover in the last minute broke a 10-10 tie.
Carolina (12-5) scored the game’s first and the last points. However, Arizona (11-7) talliled 33 points in between Carolina’s only touchdowns.
Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme started well. Carolina received the opening kickoff and drove easily down the field for a touchdown. However, Delhomme’s night quickly faded as he lost a fumble and threw five interceptions.
Kurt Warner threw one interception for Arizona but also two touchdown passes. The Cardinals played a much more efficient game and advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the NFC was created in 1970 after the NFL-AFL merger.
The other two divisional playoff games will be played Sunday. Philadelphia will play NFC top seed New York. San Diego will then battle host Pittsburgh.
After being 3-1 the first weekend, my picks went 1-3 the second week. I think Philadelphia will beat Arizona and Pittsburgh will defeat Baltimore Sunday.