This week, we focus on the 4 teams that play in the wild card games.
First, in the Northish, Boston visits Dublin as significant underdogs. The best hope for the Bulldogs is if their stellar defense shows up and they figure out how to stop Dublin’s offensive game, something nobody has been able to do since the Damhas picked up RB Jim Taylor. A big question is how the QB’s show up: Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have both been inconsistent, mixing fantastic performances with mediocre ones.
#BOS
The most important change for the Bulldogs is an injury to starting T Bruce Armstrong, who is out for the rest of the postseason. With Sebastian Vollmer also injured, the Bulldogs will look to Marcus Cannon and Jeff Crisswell in their most important game of the season. Playing TE for Boston remains dangerous: Benjamin Watson is out, and Junior Miller has been signed for the postseason.There is some good news: both Jerome Kerley and Joey Browner are healthy once again. Finally, Vince Wilfork will be a game time decision.
#DUB
Dublin finally is making headway towards being healthy. Jim Hart‘s performance in the last game of the season has earned him the 3rd string position at QB, forcing the now-healthy Brett Favre to the taxi squad and Matt Flynn of the roster entirely. Most importantly, Don Hutson and Mike Michalske are both healthy again, as is TE Ryan Griffin. While many fans were calling for the choice to be the stunningly disappointing Lee Lacy, RB Donny Anderson was moved to the taxi squad for the first playoff game.
In the Southish, Tokyo welcomes Sydney as an even bigger favorite: that’s what happens when one team is 15-2 and the other 7-9. Since the bizarre loss to Beijing in the 2nd game of the season where they only scored 10 points, no team has slowed George Blanda down yet, but there have been games where Lionel Taylor has been less effective and games where he has been totally unstoppable. Perhaps the best hope for the Great White is to get into an old-fashioned shootout, and pray that Wilbert Montgomery can carry them or Dan Marino can have his best game of the year.
#SYD
LeSean McCoy is back on the DL, a loss Sydney is used to by now. More importantly, Koa Misi–already the 4th string ILB for the Great White, is out for a long, long time. Little-used Jeremiah Trotter and Bill Bergey are expected to fill in, and Earl Holmes has been drafted as a reserve. Two starters return for Sydney: TE Zach Ertz and DB Louis Delmas.
#TOK
Tokyo continues to run well in the injury department: nothing new for nearly 3 weeks, That, as much as anything, has been the key to their season.