As I did last year, I will be breaking down each playoff matchup in its own post. Be sure to check out my predictions for all four games.
Game 2:
Saturday, January 7, 2012
8:00pm – NBC
Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints
As I write this I am watching the entire week 13 matchup between these two teams. New Orleans put up some big points, 24 of them, in the first half and only gave up a touchdown before the break. Detroit had a good 3rd quarter, outscoring the Saints 10-0 before giving up another score in the final period and losing 31-17.
The glaring difference between that matchup and tomorrow’s is that their earlier meeting was in the middle of Ndamukong Suh’s suspension. With Suh in tomorrow, the Lions defense could look very different and it will be very interesting to see how the Saints go about using their ground game.
Last week, Detroit showed that they can participate in a shootout. They lost to the Flynn-led Packers, but it was a fireworks display on offense. That experience could go a long way to helping them in this game against a team that knows how to put up big points.
A week after Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s 27-year old passing record, Tom Brady broke the same mark and Detroit’s young quarterback nearly bested Marino, too. What’s more impressive is he did it without fewer well-known weapons than Brees. Nate Burleson had a quite early part of the season but he has been playing a bigger part in the Lions’ offense recently. The Saints did a pretty good job in their earlier meeting with covering Calvin Johnson, so Burleson will need to get open with so few other targets for Stafford to go to.
My pick:
New Orleans beats Detroit, 41-27
Other Predictions:
Bengals @ Texans
Falcons @ Giants
Steelers @ Broncos
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