Notent Notables: NFL Playoffs

• Just heard Sean Salisbury criticizing Matt Hasselbeck for the infamous "We want the ball, and we're gonna score!" comment. I have no experience to back this up, and maybe Fyall can support or refute this, but I always imagine that Seahawks fans look at that moment kinda the same way Nebraska fans look at Tom Osborne's famous "go for two and the win" call back in 1984. Ranked #1 and undefeated, Nebraska failed on the 2-point conversion to lose the game by 1. As I understand it, every Nebraska fan will side with Osborne's decision to their death. It's become mythical. I feel like Seattle fans should love Hasselbeck's comment the same way. It was youthful exuberance and it blew up in his face, but you want your quarterback to have that kind of confidence.

• Speaking of youthful exuberance, Philip Rivers needs to tone it down. He seems so angry all the time. I loved the juxtaposition last weekend of Tomlinson and Rivers. With the play clock winding down, Tomlinson realized they weren't going to get the snap off so he calmly turned to the official with about 5 seconds left to call timeout. As the clock rolled down to zero, Rivers looked up and turned angrily to also call timeout. With the timeout granted he shouted angrily at I don't know who and stomped over to the sidelines. I'm all for intensity, but I think Rivers takes it a bit too far. That will be a story at some point in his career, you watch. For now, the Chargers are lucky that Tomlinson, by all accounts a class act, is the personality and leader of the team.

• Count me in the minority who believe Eli Manning is going to be a fine NFL quarterback. Obviously, he has the physical tools. And his record of three playoff appearances in his first three years is significant. The problem right now is high expectations and high pressure. Expectations are high not merely because of his talent, but because of his last name. Pressure is high because he plays in New York. I wonder if he might have flourished right off the bat had he stayed in San Diego. I also think a lot of people don't want him to succeed because they root against the Mannings (like Bill Simmons) or root against the Giants. I root against the Giants, but I root for Eli and Peyton, especially now that they've got that hilarious SportsCenter commercial.

• Many of you know that I am a proud NFL bandwagon rider. The Bills will always be my favorite, though for a while they were (I'm ashamed to admit) overshadowed by my joyful support of the Greatest Show on Earth Rams. This year was a fun year to follow the Bills, particularly because I got to watch most of their games with my dad, a big Buffalo fan. With the Bills long gone, I am happily settled into my seat on the Packers bandwagon. How can you not drink the Brett Favre cool aid? I loved the SI Sportsman of the Year article. I catch all night with Jason Smith (SU alum) on ESPN radio on my way to work in the early morning these days. The other day he was raving about Favre, and he noted that we fans have been able to follow Favre's topsy turvy life unlike any other NFL star today. He really seems like a regular, accessible guy. And when he retires, pointed out Smith, we won't have any other star like that in the NFL. I mention all this to explain why I am really hoping that the NFC championship is in Lambeau, not just because I don't like the Cowboys, but because I'd love to see Favre on the frozen tundra with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. I think I'd be more excited about that than I would be about Pats-Colts, Part II.

• I do sincerely believe the Giants will be the underdog who wins this weekend. Not because they're playing well. Not because of Eli. I've just felt the whole season that the Cowboys weren't as good as their record, and would be upset in their first playoff game, whoever they play. This is one of those upsets that, when it happens, we'll all realize we saw it coming. First of all, Dallas peaked in the middle of the season. Second of all, T.O. is banged up. That's huge. Third of all, the Romo trip, whether or not it was a good idea, turned out to be a distraction. Fourth of all, Wade Phillips is not that good a coach. I even heard somebody on the radio talking about the mere possibility that he could be fired, despite the 13 wins.

• Other than that, I'm picking the favorites. Indy and Green Bay will beat the spread. I think the Jaguars will cover, but lose. I feel like everyone subconsciously believes the Patriots blew out all 16 of their opponents this year. I mean, everyone KNOWS, that's not true, but their subconscious perception is no one was close, if that makes sense. While I do think this is an historically great team, even without the 16-0 record, I think the remaining AFC teams are not so far below them. I think if they had ended up playing the Chargers at home, that would have been a rout, because they have a bit of a grudge towards them, as does the crowd. But Jacksonville will keep it close and have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. Just like 5 of New England's last 8 opponents, the Jags will cover.

• Mike Tirico, on his radio show, reminded listeners how bizarre the Colts-Chargers regular season game was. Remember? Peyton had one of the worst games of his life and the Colts STILL had a chance to win, but Vinateri actually MISSED that short field goal! It was surreal. This time they'll take care of business. Aaron Schatz had the best point I've heard all week on Bill Simmons's podcast, saying that the person who'll miss Antonio Gates the most on the Chargers will be Tomlinson, not Rivers. Gates would normally occupy Bob Sanders' attention, but now Sanders will be free to key on Tomlinson all game.

• There is almost always someone in the NFL to whom I attribute superhuman skills. For the past couple of years, its been Tomlinson. Now its Bob Sanders. I think part of that comes from Sanders rocketing to prominence while I was in London, because I heard about him long before I actually saw him. Now I love watching him whenever the Colts are on defense. I feel like he's going to do something ridiculously spectacular on every play, and so I tend to be disappointed. But I just keep attributing those superhuman skills to him, and I'll watch him all game tomorrow. You should too. Oh, I also love his name. It's so delightfully pedestrian.