The AFC Playoff Picture

OK, a departure from the normally Bay-Centric theme to talk football playoffs...today the AFC, tomorrow the NFC, Wednesday a look ahead.

Here's what I saw in a nutshell:

Pittsburgh/Jacksonville - The best game of the weekend by far. I didn't think it would be that close - at 28-10 the game was going along about how I expected it to, with Jacksonville in control. But a funny thing happened on the way to a blowout - Pittsburgh showed some heart, Jacksonville got a little tight, and before you knew it not only was it a game, but the Steelers were in control.

And frankly, they should have won the game. Mike Tomlin made two enormous coaching mistakes - the 2 point conversions, which are so tempting but really should never be attempted unless it ties the game or it's under 3 minutes to go and makes sense, and the play call on 3rd down that failed and gave the Jags the ball back.

The 3rd down call to me is by far the most egregious. You could see the logic in the 2s, even though it was wrong, but I just don't get that play call at all. 3rd and 7, a first down almost puts the game away, but having to punt, with the wind howling, would create great field position for the Jags, making a go ahead field goal likely.

They went with a QB run which they had to know wouldn't work. It seemed like they just wanted to make Jacksonville use a TO there, which is just a terrible decision. From where the Jags would get the ball after the punt their problem wasn't the clock running out, it was scoring too fast and giving the Steelers too much time.

Plus, the Steeler passing game was clicking. Just an inane decision.

The better team one, but they shouldn't have. The game was decided in the minds of the coaches as much as it was on the field.

SD/Tennessee - Here's a game that I thought San Diego would win, but there was one doubt in my mind. I kept remembering that Norv Turner is their coach. I love Norv - he was fantastic with the 49ers and you could see this year what a difference his absence made with them - but he is a miserable head coach. He just isn't a good motivator, players don't fear him, and therefore his teams tend to play below their talent level.

A great example: he took a Chargers team coming off a 14-2 record and considered one of the top 2-3 teams in the league and turned them in to an 11-5 overwhelming underdog on the road next week.

But, the talent difference on offense between the Chargers and the Titans was great enough to overcome the Norv factor. At halftime I thought just maybe, but the Chargers talent emerged in the 2nd half and once they got up by 2 scores the game was over.

I love Jeff Fisher, and he got his team farther than the talent they had. I'd even go so far as to say that if Jeff Fisher was the Chargers' coach they'd have been off last week and hosting a playoff game this weekend, that's how much of a difference I think there is between he and Uncle Norv.

But, in the end the talent, greater than it's 11-5 record, also proved to be too much greater than the Titans, despite a valiant effort.

One great game and one solid game, not a bad way to start the playoffs at all...