January 9th update

Explosive shootout in the Bayou:

• The NFL Playoffs started this weekend and featured some amazing games. The New Orleans Saints defeated the Detroit Lions in the much anticipated matchup of 5'000 yard passing QB's Drew Brees and Matt Stafford. The Lions had a great first half, nursing a 14-10 lead going into halftime over the favored Saints, and they looked like they had the game under control. But then Drew Brees did would Drew Brees does and the Saints went on a tear in the second half, scoring 5 touchdowns while only allowing 2. A game with a slow start took off and put up more than 70 points on the board as the final score was 45-28 Saints. The Lions have been a feel good story this year, will look to build on this season next year.


Steelers get Tebow’d in Overtime

• The Denver Broncos shocked the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-23 in the final game of the weekend after Tim Tebow finally had a breakout passing game, going 10 for 21 for 316 yards and 2 TD's, a shocking 31.6 yards per completion. The Steelers went into storming comeback mode in the second half of the game after being 20-6 at the break.
• Pittsburgh was able to figure out the Broncos stout defense scoring 17 points in the second half, and holding the Tebow-led Broncos to only a field goal. Unfortunately they could not close out the game in regulation. The Broncos won the coin toss and scored on their first play when Tebow found fellow second year player Demaryius Thomas on a 20 yard pass over the middle of the field, which Thomas took to the house after stiff-arming one tackler and outrunning the others.
• Tebow's Broncos go on to play against the Patriots next week, and leave many football experts questioning what they actually know about the game after nearly everyone predicted that the experienced Steelers defense would stymie and Broncos offense that had struggled to three consecutive losses to finish the regular season.


Texans, Giants advance with ease

• The other two games were the Houston Texans defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 31-10 in the Texans first ever playoff game and the New York Giants defeating the Atlanta Falcons by the strange score of 24-2. Two blowouts were surprising as the teams seemed more even than the score would indicate. The Texans rode a strong performance by running back Arian Foster who ran for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Giants won largely due to their pass rush hammering the Falcons running and passing games all day. The Falcons looked anemic and failed to convert on two short fourth downs that may have changed the complexion of the game. It is the second straight year that the Falcons have lost badly in their first playoff game despite having one of the better records in the NFC during the regular season.