Defense wins championships, goes the popular football saw, but don't tell that to the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, who meet in today's NFC wild-card playoff game.
Green Bay ranks first and Minnesota second among NFC teams in total offense. Conversely, the Packers were 13th and the Vikes 15th among the 16 NFC teams in total defense.
It all defies the conventional wisdom of football.
The Packers and Vikings rank either first or second in 11 of 17 offensive categories in NFC statistics. Green Bay (396.8 yards) leads in total offense. The Vikings (282.3) are No. 1 in pass offense. Minnesota (52.3 percent) is No. 1 and Green Bay (47.3) is second in third-down efficiency.
It figures to be an offensive duel between the Packers and quarterback Brett Favre and the Vikings and quarterback Daunte Culpepper even though the game will be played under the lights on the famed frozen tundra of Green Bay's Lambeau Field.
Today's AFC matchup between the Denver Broncos and Colts in Indianapolis will feature even more offensive fireworks. The Colts, with record-setting passer Peyton Manning and his cast of receivers and runners, were second in the AFC (Kansas City was first) in total offense and were only the 10th team in league history with more than 500 points (556) in a season. Denver was third in total offense. Manning broke Dan Marino's record with 49 touchdown passes and the Colts became the first NFL team with three 1,000-yard receivers, while running back Edgerrin James was third in the AFC in rushing with 1,548 yards.
Five of the top five offensive teams in the NFC made the playoffs while only one team (Philadelphia) made it among the top five defensive teams. In the AFC four of the top five offensive teams made the postseason while two teams (Buffalo and Baltimore) of the top five in defense missed the postseason.
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Today's games
[/size][/font]Broncos (10-6) at Colts (12-4)
TV: Ch. 4, 1 p.m.
The line: Colts favored by 10 points.
The scoop: This is the 13th time in NFL history in which teams who met in the final regular-season game met in the playoffs the next week. The winner of the last regular-season game has won the playoff game five times and lost seven. . . . Coach Mike Shanahan takes the Broncos to the playoffs for the sixth time in 10 years. He has won 108 games since 1995, most in the NFL. Denver, however, has not won a postseason game since Super Bowl XXXIII (1998 season). . . . Shanahan has 7-3 postseason record with Raiders and Broncos. Indy coach Tony Dungy is 4-6 with Buccaneers and Colts in playoffs. . . . Denver lost to the Colts, 41-10, in wild-card game last season and looked as if it had no clue on how to defend against Manning & Co. . . . It's the fifth trip to the playoffs in six years for the Colts, but they are only 2-4, with both wins coming last season over Broncos and Chiefs. . . . Indy finished with NFL-best plus-19 turnover margin (36 takeaways and only 17 turnovers). . . . Broncos were third in AFC in total defense (278.7 average). Denver (277.1) was third last season, but was shredded by Manning (five TD passes) in playoffs. . . . Much-maligned Denver QB Jake Plummer passed for a Broncos record 4,089 yards and threw for 27 TDs, tying team record held by all-time Denver hero John Elway. If Broncos end up having to play catch-up they have pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie to throw to. Broncos allowed only 15 sacks, fewest in franchise history. . . . Task of Denver OL will be to keep Colts DE Dwight Freeney (16 sacks) off Plummer.
Outlook: Broncos try to match points with Colts and fail. Indy, 34-20.
Vikings (8-8) at Packers (10-6)
TV: Ch. 29, 4:30 p.m.
The line: Packers by 6<SUP>1</SUP>/2.
The scoop: First postseason meeting between old rivals. . . . Teams met only two weeks ago in Minneapolis, with Packers winning, 34-31, on game-ending field goal by Ryan Longwell. That gave Green Bay the NFC North title for the third year in a row. . . . First playoff appearance for Vikings under coach Mike Tice and first since 2000. . . . Weather permitting, could be classic QB duel between Culpepper of the Vikings and Favre of the Packers. Culpepper set Vikings records with 4,717 passing yards and 39 TDs. Favre has a league record streak of 15 postseason games with at least one touchdown pass and ranks behind only Joe Montana and Elway in most postseason passing statistics. He has 35 career playoff TD passes, 4,686 passing yards, just 279 behind Elway, who is in second place. Twelve Favre TD passes went to WR Javon Walker and another seven went to TE Bubba Franks, most by an NFC tight end. . . . Vikings WR Randy Moss has 66 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 TDs in 13 career games against Green Bay. . . . Despite low defensive ranking, Packers have premier pass rusher Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (13<SUP>1</SUP>/2 sacks), and safety Darren Sharper had three defensive scores in 2004, giving him seven for his career and tying Herb Adderley's team record.
Outlook: Packers have lost some Lambeau magic but this is January. Green Bay, 27-20.
buffalonews.com
Green Bay ranks first and Minnesota second among NFC teams in total offense. Conversely, the Packers were 13th and the Vikes 15th among the 16 NFC teams in total defense.
It all defies the conventional wisdom of football.
The Packers and Vikings rank either first or second in 11 of 17 offensive categories in NFC statistics. Green Bay (396.8 yards) leads in total offense. The Vikings (282.3) are No. 1 in pass offense. Minnesota (52.3 percent) is No. 1 and Green Bay (47.3) is second in third-down efficiency.
It figures to be an offensive duel between the Packers and quarterback Brett Favre and the Vikings and quarterback Daunte Culpepper even though the game will be played under the lights on the famed frozen tundra of Green Bay's Lambeau Field.
Today's AFC matchup between the Denver Broncos and Colts in Indianapolis will feature even more offensive fireworks. The Colts, with record-setting passer Peyton Manning and his cast of receivers and runners, were second in the AFC (Kansas City was first) in total offense and were only the 10th team in league history with more than 500 points (556) in a season. Denver was third in total offense. Manning broke Dan Marino's record with 49 touchdown passes and the Colts became the first NFL team with three 1,000-yard receivers, while running back Edgerrin James was third in the AFC in rushing with 1,548 yards.
Five of the top five offensive teams in the NFC made the playoffs while only one team (Philadelphia) made it among the top five defensive teams. In the AFC four of the top five offensive teams made the postseason while two teams (Buffalo and Baltimore) of the top five in defense missed the postseason.
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Today's games
[/size][/font]Broncos (10-6) at Colts (12-4)
TV: Ch. 4, 1 p.m.
The line: Colts favored by 10 points.
The scoop: This is the 13th time in NFL history in which teams who met in the final regular-season game met in the playoffs the next week. The winner of the last regular-season game has won the playoff game five times and lost seven. . . . Coach Mike Shanahan takes the Broncos to the playoffs for the sixth time in 10 years. He has won 108 games since 1995, most in the NFL. Denver, however, has not won a postseason game since Super Bowl XXXIII (1998 season). . . . Shanahan has 7-3 postseason record with Raiders and Broncos. Indy coach Tony Dungy is 4-6 with Buccaneers and Colts in playoffs. . . . Denver lost to the Colts, 41-10, in wild-card game last season and looked as if it had no clue on how to defend against Manning & Co. . . . It's the fifth trip to the playoffs in six years for the Colts, but they are only 2-4, with both wins coming last season over Broncos and Chiefs. . . . Indy finished with NFL-best plus-19 turnover margin (36 takeaways and only 17 turnovers). . . . Broncos were third in AFC in total defense (278.7 average). Denver (277.1) was third last season, but was shredded by Manning (five TD passes) in playoffs. . . . Much-maligned Denver QB Jake Plummer passed for a Broncos record 4,089 yards and threw for 27 TDs, tying team record held by all-time Denver hero John Elway. If Broncos end up having to play catch-up they have pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie to throw to. Broncos allowed only 15 sacks, fewest in franchise history. . . . Task of Denver OL will be to keep Colts DE Dwight Freeney (16 sacks) off Plummer.
Outlook: Broncos try to match points with Colts and fail. Indy, 34-20.
Vikings (8-8) at Packers (10-6)
TV: Ch. 29, 4:30 p.m.
The line: Packers by 6<SUP>1</SUP>/2.
The scoop: First postseason meeting between old rivals. . . . Teams met only two weeks ago in Minneapolis, with Packers winning, 34-31, on game-ending field goal by Ryan Longwell. That gave Green Bay the NFC North title for the third year in a row. . . . First playoff appearance for Vikings under coach Mike Tice and first since 2000. . . . Weather permitting, could be classic QB duel between Culpepper of the Vikings and Favre of the Packers. Culpepper set Vikings records with 4,717 passing yards and 39 TDs. Favre has a league record streak of 15 postseason games with at least one touchdown pass and ranks behind only Joe Montana and Elway in most postseason passing statistics. He has 35 career playoff TD passes, 4,686 passing yards, just 279 behind Elway, who is in second place. Twelve Favre TD passes went to WR Javon Walker and another seven went to TE Bubba Franks, most by an NFC tight end. . . . Vikings WR Randy Moss has 66 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 TDs in 13 career games against Green Bay. . . . Despite low defensive ranking, Packers have premier pass rusher Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (13<SUP>1</SUP>/2 sacks), and safety Darren Sharper had three defensive scores in 2004, giving him seven for his career and tying Herb Adderley's team record.
Outlook: Packers have lost some Lambeau magic but this is January. Green Bay, 27-20.
buffalonews.com
