NFL: Divisional Playoff Notes

Being the Browns' fan that I am, it's rather difficult watching the playoffs every year and wondering how nice it must be to get there on a regular basis and even make it to the Super Bowl. So this time of the year is never exciting for me except when I get to see the Steelers choke at some point! They get Indy today at 1:00 and I'll be rooting for Peyton to take them to school again. Here's my take on the games coming up and the games played yesterday:

• Seahawks 20 Redskins 10 - This isn't the Seahawks I've been watching for the past several years. It seems like this year they have a different mindset than they usually do and they've won a lot of games that they probably would of lost in years past. Yesterday, when your MVP running back goes down in the game early, that's a major momentum booster for the opposing team, but Matt Hasselbeck's performance and Darrell Jackson's hands helped the 'Hawks move on to their first NFC championship appearance. I think they are going to get to the Super Bowl this year. Whether they win it remains to be seen. I think they would have a shot against any of the remaining AFC teams except for the Colts.
• Broncos 27 Patriots 13 - I guess it was the acquisition of 4 former Browns' lineman that had me not believing in the Broncos much for most of the season. But they've done their job well and so has Mike Shanahan and the rest of the team. They're returning to the AFC championship since Elway's last season. While I was watching this game at BW-3's last night celebrating my best friend's wife's birthday (that's hard to say), I couldn't get over the fact that the Patriots were actually making mistakes. When Vinatieri missed his first playoff FG in what seemed like an eternity, that's when I knew the Broncos we're probably going to take them down. The Broncos were getting dissed by many people leading up to this game probably because of the legendary playoff status of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Good job by the Broncos.
• Steelers At Colts 1:00 - I've always liked Peyton Manning, and when people diss him about no rings yet, like they did to my boy Dan Marino, that makes me root for him more. What better than to see Manning break out the whoopin' stick on the Steelers today. Joey Porter did his best impression of a Steelers' fan after a playoff loss this week and whined like a little girl about how the Colts' don't play their style of football. Hey Joey...quit acting like a baby, and shutup and play them. Instead of trying to insult them, give them their respect as a 14-2 team and show some professionalism. Here's to the Colts laying a whoopin' on the Steelers today.
• Panthers At Bears 4:30 - I look forward to this game because teams like the Bears always amaze me. They have a championship calibur defense and a last place type of offense. This worked for the Ravens but not too many other teams. Sure they have a good back in Thomas Jones and a star receiver in Muhsin Muhammad. But the big question mark still remains at the quarterback position. I'll be anxious to see how Rex Grossman performs in the playoffs. The Panthers are also catching fire so can the Bears put enough points on the board and hold of the Panthers' offense enough to go face Seattle next week? That's the big question that makes this game worth watching. On top of that, I'm sure the Panthers have their week 11 loss fresh in their minds as a motivation tool against the Bears.