Super Bowl Packages are on everyone’s mind this time of year. All twelve playoff teams are thinking that they have what it takes to get to the big game. After playing a sixteen game schedule, over a seventeen-week span, we have narrowed the field down from the thirty-two teams that began the season with hopes and aspirations that they could make it to the Super Bowl down to the twelve teams that have made the playoffs. In each conference, there are four division winners and two wild card teams. Each of these twelve teams still has a legitimate chance of getting to and winning the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLIII will be played on Sunday February 1, 2009 at 6:00pm EDT in Tampa, Florida.
Here is a quick look at each of the teams:
American Football Conference
#1 Seed Tennessee Titans
The Titans finished the regular season with a 13-3 record, which was the best record in all of football. The Titans were paced by a strong running game with rookie Chris Johnson and LenDale White leading the way. When starting quarterback Vince Young was injured in the first game of season, veteran Kerry Collins came on and led the way for the Titans. Having had the best record in their conference means that the Titans will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They will have bye this coming weekend and await the results of the wild card games to see whom they will face next weekend. As top seed, they will face the lowest seeded team still standing after wild card games. After an excellent regular season, the Titans and their fans are thinking about looking into acquiring Super Bowl Packages already.
#2 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers led the entire league in defense yards allowed. They were the #2 in rushing yards allowed, #1 in passing yards allowed, and #1 in overall, combined yard allowed. It has always been said that defense wins in the playoffs. Given their strong defense, the Steelers are ready to try to get back to the Super Bowl. On offense, their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger suffered a concussion in the final game of the regular season. As the #2 seed, the Steelers will have a bye in the opening round of the playoffs. This should give Big Ben adequate time to shake the cobwebs out and be ready to play next week. The Steelers will face the second lowest seeded team after the wild card round. The Steelers won the Super Bowl three seasons ago and would like nothing better than to have their fans purchasing Super Bowl packages two weeks from now.
#3 Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have to be considered the Cinderella story of this year’s playoffs. Last season, the Dolphins were one loss away from becoming the firs team in history to lose all sixteen games in a season. They avoided that distinction by beating the Baltimore Ravens. The Dolphins will host the Ravens this weekend in the wild card round. Miami was able to improve their record from 1-15 last season to 11-5 this season and won their division. Their road to was made somewhat easier by having a last place record, so they played a softer schedule. However, not to take anything away from them, they made several key acquisitions in the off-season, including signing former New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington. Pennington became expendable after the Jets signed former Green Bay Packers’ legend Bret Favre. Pennington led the Dolphins into the playoffs and was rewarded with the Comeback of the Year award – for the second time. The Dolphins have a chance to have their fans seeking Super Bowl Packages, but they would not have that far to go, as the Super Bowl will be in Tampa.
#4 San Diego Chargers
The Chargers are the comeback story of the month of December. Having built a record of 4-8, the Chargers seemed all but certain to miss the playoffs and not have a chance to plan for Super Bowl packages. When the Chargers entered the month of December, they knew that the only way that they could get to the playoffs was to win their division – there were too many teams ahead of them in the chase for a wild card. To win their division, they would need to win all of their games and have the division leading Denver Broncos lose at least three of their remaining four games. The Chargers began their unlikely quest by beating the Oakland Raiders in convincing fashion 34 – 7. They then shocked the Kansas City Chiefs, scored two touchdowns in the final 1:13. After a convincing victory over the fading Tampa Bay Bucs – a team who at one point was 9-3 and had the chance to be the first team to host the Super Bowl – coupled with two losses in three games by the Broncos, the stage was set. The Chargers would host the Broncos in the final game of the season. The Chargers crushed the Broncos 52 – 21, catapulting the Chargers into the playoffs as division winners, with a record of only 8 – 8. The Chargers became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after having a 4 – 8 record. The collapse by the Broncos cost Mike Shanahan his position as head coach. The Chargers host the Indianapolis Colts in the wild card round.
#5 Indianapolis Colts
The Colts and Peyton Manning enter the playoffs as a visiting team. That is because they did not win their division. They did however, win their final nine regular season games and enter the playoffs with a 12 – 4 record – second best to only Tennessee and tied with Pittsburgh. However, even though they had four more victories than the Chargers did, the Chargers were division winners, and as such get home field advantage for this game. The Colts had to deal with injuries to their star running back Joseph Addai, that combined wide receiver Marvin Harrison starting to slow down and show his age. However, tight end Dallas Clark, star wide receiver Reggie Wayne, and MVP quarterback Peyton Manning have the Colts believing that their fans will be the ones seeking Super Bowl packages when the playoffs are over. The Colts and Chargers have already played this season. The Colts won 23 – 20 as the teams traded field goals in the final minute, with Colts place kicker, Adam Vinatieri kicking the winning field goal from 51 yards out as time expires.
#6 Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have always been a strong defensive team, and this year is no exception. Baltimore finished the regular season second overall – second against the run and third against the pass. However this season was different. Typically, the Ravens defense is what carries them. Several years ago, the Ravens defense guided them to a crushing victory over the New York Giants 34 – 7 in Super Bowl XXXV. That was the last time that the Super Bowl was played in Tampa. This year, the Ravens defense has been given ample support from their offense. This season, Raven’s rookie quarterback Joe Flaco, led an offensive attack that more than held their own. Can the Ravens get their fans ready to buy Super Bowl packages? It will be tough as they are the #6 seed and will play all of their games on the road. That road starts this weekend in Miami against the Dolphins.
National Football Conference
#1 Seed New York Giants
The Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions having pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history by beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII last year. The Patriots were trying to become the first team in history to win all nineteen of their games. The 1972 Miami Dolphins won all seventeen of their games, but that was during a fourteen game regular season. The Giants have dealt with their share of turmoil this season including star wide receiver Plaxico Burress’ difficulties with the law. Through it all, the Giants won twelve games this season and beat the Carolina Panthers in week 16, in what could be an NFC Championship game preview, in overtime. The Giants are led by their Super Bowl XLIII MVP Eli Manning, along with a solid running attack and tough run defense. Could we be heading for a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl? The Manning brothers have been the last two Super Bowl MVPs. Giant fans, maybe you should start looking for Super Bowl packages now…
#2 Carolina Panthers
The Panthers, like the Giants, like to run the ball. DeAngelo Williams and rookie running back Jonathan Stewart combined for over 2300 rushing yards. However, the Panthers are not just a running team. Diminutive star wide receiver, Steve Smith, seems to get open with ease. Had it not been for a missed field goal as regulation ended in their game against the Giants, the Panthers would have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They do have a bye in the first round and will host Minnesota, Arizona, or Atlanta next weekend. The Panthers proved that they are as good as any team in the NFC. They have as good a chance as anyone to get to the Super Bowl.
#3 Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings had an up and down season. The Vikings started the season with Tavaris Jackson at quarterback. He performed poorly and the Vikings had a win-now attitude, so they switched to long time veteran Gus Ferrotte. Ferrotte was able to pass effectively which alleviated some of the pressure off of star running back Adrian Peterson. However Ferrotte got injured and Jackson had to resume the role of quarterback. Jackson played very well and the Vikings played well enough to win their division and host a playoff game. They will play the red hot Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. Vikings fans seem more concerned with Peterson’s fumbling of late than they do with planning on purchasing Super Bowl packages.
#4 Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are led by Super Bowl winning quarterback Kurt Warner and possibly the best wide receiving corps in the NFL. The Cardinals won the NFC West in convincing fashion and will host a playoff game for the first time since the team moved to Arizoan twenty years ago. Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XXXIV when the Rams, who were known almost exclusively for their offense, had a goal-line stand on the final play of the game and made a tackle on the one-yard line to beat the Tennessee Titans 23 –16. This Cardinals team is somewhat like that Rams team – it has exceptional wide receivers. However, the Cards lack the running game that the Rams had with Marshall Faulk. Can Warner, along with star wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin lead the Cardinals to have their fans start making Super Bowl package plans? Maybe they should take things one game at a time…
#5 Atlanta Falcons
If not for the Miami Dolphins, the Falcons would be awarded Cinderella’s slipper this year. Last season, in 2007, the Falcons finished dead last in their division, with a 4 – 12 record. They made several key acquisitions in the off-season, including obtaining free agent running back sensation Michael Turner. Turner combined with a sensational rookie season from Matt Ryan and the Falcons finished 11 – 5, good enough for second place in the NFC South. The Panthers needed a last second field goal to beat the New Orleans Saints spoiling a tremendous comeback by the Saints. Without that field goal, the Falcons would have been division champs. Like the Dolphins, the Falcons had a soft schedule, but they made the most of it, and have to be considered serious contenders for a run at the Super Bowl. The Falcons have been to the Super Bowl one time, when they lost to the Denver Broncos 34 – 19 in Super Bowl XXXIII. Can the Falcon’s fans start looking at Super Bowl packages? Perhaps, but as a #5 seed, the road will be difficult. The start their Super Bowl quest in Arizona when they face the Cardinals.
#6 Philadelphia Eagles
Like the Chargers, at the beginning of December, it looked as though the Eagles were destined to miss the playoffs this season. Star quarterback Donovan McNabb was benched at halftime of the Eagles – Ravens game in late November. This followed a disappointing tie against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals. The Eagles were 5 - 5 – 1 and seemed likely to miss the playoffs. However, benching McNabb for one half seemed to be the wake-up call that the Eagles needed. They went on to win four of their final five games including crushing the Dallas Cowboys in the final game of the season. That victory sent them storming into the playoffs where they will open up against the Vikings at Minnesota with all the confidence. If they beat the Vikings, they then go to New York to play the Giants. They beat the Giants in New York convincingly in December. The Eagles have been to the Super Bowl twice before. They lost both times. Could this be their year? Last season, the Giants made a run as the 6th seed. Perhaps Eagles’ fans should start thinking about buying Super Bowl packages.
Super Bowl packages are on the minds of all twelve playoff contenders. This year, unlike last season, there is no clear-cut team that seems destined for Tampa. All twelve playoff teams have a reasonable enough chance to go to the Super Bowl.
