Playoffs, continued...

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It's an exciting week around here! The 49ers haven't made it to the playoffs in 10 years--even before Mike and I met. What this means for the Alexander family is that after Laila's Saturday swim class and traditional Benihana lunch, we will all be heading home to camp out in front of the TV. Small children included.

So without further ado, here are today's games!

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers:
Lots of people will be watching this game...especially in this town! The game is basically an offensive powerhouse (Saints) vs. a defensive powerhouse (49ers). Saints QB Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's record for passing yards in a single season that held for nearly 30 years. Versatile running back Darren Sproles, along with superstar tight end Jimmy Graham helped Brees achieve this record. One thing going for the 49ers defense is that the game is played outdoors. The Saints offense made for the "fast" inside turf of their domed stadium. The 49ers are hoping that the outdoor grass will slow down the offense enough so that the defensive line can put pressure on Brees and force him to make mistakes. The 49ers offense is not as strong as the Saints, but QB Alex Smith has played well enough to keep the team in the game.
The 49ers special teams have played unbelievably well this year with kicker David Akers breaking the record for most field goals in a single season. 49ers first year coach, Jim Harbaugh, is looking to win Coach of the Year for the dramatic turnaround of the team this season. If the 49ers can keep scoring pace with the Saints and force Drew Brees to turn the ball over then they have a very good chance of winning this game...even though they are the underdogs. Go Niners!

Players to watch:

49ers Offense:
QB Alex Smith
RB Frank Gore
WR Michael Crabtree
TE Vernon Davis

49ers Defense:
DE Aldon Smith
LB Patrick Willis
LB Novorrow Bowman
CB Carlos Rogers

Saints Offense:
QB Drew Brees
RB Darren Sproles
WR Marques Colston
TE Jimmy Graham

Saints Defense:
DE Will Smith
LB Jonathan Vilma
CB Jabari Greer
SS Roman Harper


Denver Broncos at New England Patriots:
All eyes are on Bronco QB Tim Tebow who has slowly become a fan favorite for his exciting last minute heroics along with his signature prayer "pose" to God after touchdowns. It has officially been dubbed "Tebow-ing." (If you haven't heard about Tebow, then you might be living under a rock.) Nobody (except, I guess, God) thought Tebow could get the Broncos to the playoffs and for sure nobody thought he could win a playoff game--which he did last weekend against the Steelers. This week will be much more difficult as they are going up against the Patriots who crushed them in week 15. (41-23) 
Tom Brady also broke Dan Marino's record but did not pass for more yards than Drew Brees so it was less talked about. The Patriots offense had a very strong season making up for one of the worst defensive units in the league. Tight end, Rob Gronkowski, had an unbelievable year shattering the single season record for 13 touchdowns (by a TE) in a season. He had 18. Tim Tebow might be able to take advantage of this terrible defense but it will be difficult for him to keep pace with Tommy and the Patriots offense. The Broncos defense has been a big part of winning games even though all eyes have been on Tebow.


Players to watch:


Broncos Offense:
QB Tim Tebow
RB Willis McGahee
WR Demaryius Thomas


Broncos Defense:
DE Elvis Dumervil
LB Von Miller
CB Champ Bailey


Patriots Offense:
QB Tom Brady
WR Wes Welker
TE Rob Gronkowski


Patriots Defense:
DE Shaun Ellis
DT Vince Wilfork
LB Jerod Mayo


And there you have it! Stay tuned for tomorrow's games!