Classic Tecmo League - 2003

ROUND 1 OF PLAYOFFS

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At first I was wanting to pick my boy to pull the upset. Then I saw how scary the Cardinals team is, and then I also saw the 28-0 thumping the Cards laid down in week six on the season on the Boys. I changed my decision real quick. Cowboys QB Jeff Garcia was baited into 2 picks and had an awesome 27.1 qb rating on the day. Dallas must do something totally opposite because they were just bitch slapped earlier this season by their neighbors in the dessert. Arizona flew under the radar and got an 11-2 record and home field advantage in the playoffs. This team is scary and probably the best all around team left in the big dance. I personally haven't played Ones11Fahzu very often, but I do know he's a legit contender and on the rise in terms of ranking in our tecmo community. Peterson better bring his A game, or he will be watching the playoffs.

Cards cruise 24-10.

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The best matchup of the opening round is the battle of the big apple. New York vs New York. The two teams split in the regular season. Each team winning by a field goal. A true coin flip I think in deciding the victor in this game. Really two evenly matched teams, and players. The G men probably have the better offense because I see a huge difference at RB. Fred Taylor and his 63 MS accrued 1127 rushing yards this season while his opposition, RB/FB Troy Hambrick of the Jets got 874, but only 79 total in the two games vs their cross time rival. Favre vs Manning is a great matchup and should be exciting. Jets LB Ray Lewis will be looking to patrol the ground game and keep a eye on Manning's field of vision to drop back in his zones to possibly pick off the great quarterback. Really a coin flip to pick, but I guess I'll take the stronger offensive team, and roll with the G-Men.

Giants win 20-17.

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Atlanta and Tennessee square off for matchup number three on the season in our first round of the playoffs. The Titans swept the season series and looking at the records, Canes holds a 12-0 advantage over GorillaBrav. What does that tell us? Atlanta is due. The dirty birds must find a way to stop Titan RB Kevan Barlow. Barlow had 259 yards rushing in total in the games, more than 1/4 his season total. He kept moving the chains and keeping the Falcons tired defense on the field. In the 2nd half it costs the birds as the game opened up and the Titans won both matchups. Falcons RB LaDainian Tomlinson must show up. There is no reason a 63 MS back should be getting 41 and 47 yards in both games. This is the playoffs, LT needs to step up. By LT stepping up it keeps the heat of QB Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe was picked off twice in the first meeting and had a great 0 fer in the 2nd. 0 for 7 that is passing. Tennessee defense just is too much.

Titans move on 21-7.

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On paper and on the field this one should be an easy game to pick. The niners swept the bucs in both games this season at a combined 37-2 score. If Tampa wants to have any form of success at pulling the upset they must find a way to slow down 49ers QB Donovan McNabb. McNabb killed the Tampa two zone and threw for 5 scores in both ball games. Also RB Marshall Faulk must do better than the 14 carries for 26 yards performance...ouch that's a sick average. Yes he rolls in at 38 MS but, if San Fran is sitting pass all game, QB David Garrard will be a sitting duck and the boys will come a rushing and picking. Hard to go against a dominant player, and Regulator is probably the hottest player in tecmo currently so I will go out on a limb and say the Niners roll.

San Fran advances 28-10.

WEEK 8 GAME OF THE WEEK

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Zona and the Jets dance in week eights game of the week. Arizona currently sitting at 3-2 and New York at 6-0-1. This will be the first ever matchup league history between these two owners. Discdolo has been his steady self and got great use out of FB/RB Troy Hambrick. Hambrick sits 2nd in the league in rushing with his 547 total rushing yards. Ground and pound. The 2nd part of that equation is the pound, delivered by LB Ray Lewis. Lewis sits at 4th in the league in tackles with 28. Add to that his two interceptions and you got a killer on your hands, no pun intended. Going against Lewis is his lifelong good friend and fellow alumni in Ed Reed. Of course I'm going to talk about two of my favorite players of all time that went to the U in the write-up. Zona's Ed Reed has five picks of his own and sits in fifth in the league. Reed's stellar play, and QB Jake Plummer mistake free ball, nine touchdowns to zero interceptions, is a big reason why Arizona might be dancing the playoffs soon. One big hurdle remains, and that is New York. A make or break for the Cardinals, as a loss puts them back at .500 ball and right on the outside of a wild card birth. Plus the mindset of knowing you were able to beat an unbeaten would do wonders for the boys in the desert. Back and forth is how I see it. Whoever wins the turnover battle, probably wins this contest. Tiki Barber's 50 BC rating comes into play as a 3rd quarter fumble as he is smacked in the mouth by Ray Lewis costs his team the game.

New York wins on the road 28-21.

WEEK 7 GAME OF THE WEEK

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The 3-1 Steelers play host to the undefeated and 4-0 Buccaneers in our week seven game of the week. Maybe both of these teams flew under the radar to start the season, but I can assure you that is not the case now. Both teams lead their division and currently sit as the two seed in their respective conferences. Tampa doing this primarily on the back and legs of QB Steve McNair. McNair has more rushing attempts than starting RB Marshall Faulk(38 ms). McNair has a 8:1 TD:INT ratio and that is the number one reason why Tampa is winning. Keeping the rock and not turning the ball over. Pittsburgh is being led by RB Deuce McAllister who currently sits third in the league in rushing, 441 rushing yards. McAllister is being helped out by ball hawk Safety Brian Russell. Russell is 4th in the league in interceptions, with 5. Russell was even able to get a pick 6 in an earlier contest with Cleveland this season. Two evenly matched teams as well as owners in my book. I'll go with the home team to win due to an aggressive game plan on running the ball down the "Tampa Twos" throat.

Pittsburgh 24-14.

WEEK 6 GAME OF THE WEEK

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Week six has the visiting Dallas Cowboys going into the desert to play the Arizona Cardinals. Zona is led by captain QB Jake "the snake" Plummer. Plummer is 2nd in the league with his 136.9 passer rating, greatly in part to his 7:0 TD:INT ratio. Plummer mistake free play has the Cardinals at 2-1 and eyeing a wild card spot right now. On the flip side, highly touted and sought after Jeff Garcia for the boys hasn't been so lucky with his mistake free play. 4:5 is his TD:INT ratio. For someone making four million a season, and costing the Boys some much needed defensive help via trade, Garcia must step his play up. Doesn't get much easier this week as Garcia has to eyeball across on every play from center number 20. They call him Ed Reed. Reed picked off the Lions twice in the Cardinals last game in a route to a 38-7 drubbing. My bets is Reed gets another pick this week and keeps the Cowboys offense in check through the air. So RB Shaun Alexander, who has yet to really get going, needs to step up huge and get some carries. Alexander has had one game this season of 50 more rushing yards. Not really getting his number called is a reason for that, so if I were Dallas, pick run, stay away from Reed. Garcia doesn't listen and costs his team the game, only to get bailed out in the 4th quarter by an errant Plummer throw. Alexander goes for over 100.

Dallas wins 31-21.

WEEK 5 GAME OF THE WEEK

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Week five has the Baltimore Ravens playing host to the surprising undefeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens come into the showdown sitting at 1-2. Baltimore is still recovering from the hangover of losing their franchise player QB Daunte Culpepper as a cap casualty. Ravens standout WR Randy Moss is leading the league in yards with 570 yards, on 10 catches. For all you math majors, that's 57 yards a pop. So I'm guessing Kulseic isn't throwing many screens to the fleet footed Moss. It rains JJs in Baltimore on the tecmo Sunday afternoon. The Bucs do have the defense to combat that with a good secondary and some nice pass rushers. The boys from the Bay are getting it done in crunch time. Able to knock off the defending champ Niners in week three 10-7, Tampa might have surprised some people and showed they are true contenders. QB Steve "Air" McNair should have no trouble moving the ball and with the help of his great defense which ranks 4th in the league in points per game, 9.3 per contest. Tampa wins in convincing fashion.

Tampa rolls 27-10.

WEEK 4 GAME OF THE WEEK

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Regulator and Canes. Week four brings us a game between two of the best players playing today. Frisco enters at 1-0 and the Titans at a 3-0 start. Something has to give. Just like last week's game of the week, this could be a preview of the conference championship game. The winner will be in the driver's seat for home field advantage in the Godzilla Conference. On paper its a push in terms of teams. The Niners might have a slight edge, but nothing that sticks out too much. Tennessee might have the better defense, while Frisco the better offense. Vegas has the over/under at 42. I'll go with the under as I think these two teams will play stout defense. Tennessee is at home, so I'll go with the Titans. Trailing late in the 4th quarter, RB Kevan Barlow gets a dump off screen pass from Marc Bulger and scores with less than two minutes to play. A fumbled kickoff on the ensueing kick, kills the 49ers chances.

Tennessee 21-17.

WEEK 3 GAME OF THE WEEK

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We have a clash of the titans on our hand in week three. New York Giants vs New England Patriots. Hey its the superbowl all over again. Too bad these two teams won't be able to play in the superbowl. Probably the favorites in their division, this could be a preview of the championship game of the conference. I expect nothing less than a barn burner. TSBGOD has had a stranglehold on this conference for the most part for some time. I think he probably has some company now in terms of talent level. DE has always be a guy who flew under most people's radar. Not mine. I knew about him, well before everyone else did. Now with a team that he can truly call his, not just because they are his beloved Giants, but he pretty much built this team since the departing owner had a lot of expiring contracts. As to the game, look pretty dumb of me not to go with my superbowl champs this early in the season. New England gets behind early and abandons the ground game, which leaves QB Aaron Brooks in danger of throwing some interceptions. Free safety Aeneas Williams gets a pick six in the 3rd quarter and the Giants cruise after that.

G-men 24-10.

WEEK 2 GAME OF THE WEEK

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Week two has the (1-0) Dallas Cowboys hosting the (0-0-1) New York Jets. A battle of supremacy in the division. While I think these are the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the division behind the New York Giants, they could easily steal the division, and odds are one of these teams at least grabs a wild card spot. It all starts here though, a win helps the team in their cause for the post season. A loss, just is a set back, all be it early in the season. New York strangely enough tied in week one, to the hopeless Seahawks. A big shock to discolo and Jets fans everywhere. Seattle is not on the same level as the Jets, but still it is what it is. That's why we play the games. Looking at the head to head breakdown between discolo, and JesusLuvsme4ever, finds the dolo holds a four to three advantage. In the past two seasons, the teams have split the series matchup, including identical overtime scores two seasons ago. Team wise I feel no true advantage can go to either team. New York appears stronger defensively, while Dallas stronger with the rock. Jets LB Ray Lewis will no doubt be a factor. Lewis has the speed, thump, and hands to make life miserable for JesusLuvsme4ever. If Dallas RB Shaun Alexander, and QB Jeff Garcia can negate Lewis' impact, Dallas holds home turf and gets the W. If Lewis plays his cards right, I see a 8 tackle, 1 sack, 1 interception game on horizon. Got to go against my boy Peterson, with my boy Ray Ray.

Jets 27-17.

WEEK 1 GAME OF THE WEEK

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II know this game has been played already but I really did pick it. Just never did do a write up. These two bitter divisional rivals square off to get the 2003 season underway. TSBGOD making a jab at Ones, calling him Little Reg. Maybe an insult that Regulator is better? Maybe that Ones is referred to as Reg's little brother, when I believe he is the older of the two? Anyways onto the fun stuff, the matchup breakdown. Looking at the rosters, I feel that both squads are pretty even. Normally the Pats are head and shoulders above the rest in their division talent wise. Not this season. Coin Flip if you ask me. I have to talk about my boy Ed Reed, from the U, who is coming into his own. 56rp 63ms 75int, Patriots QB Aaron Brooks, would be wise to look him off and maybe play the short game. I think Brooks will be a steady player, and the Patriots will look to enforce the ground game on the cardinals. RB Jamal Lewis 56rs 63ms should have no issues getting some nice yardage on the ground and keeping Reed and his comrades at bay. In the end, I'll with experience to win this one in front of the home crowd fans.

Patriots 21-14.