PRO FOOTBALL — January 16

ARIZONA at NEW ORLEANS
NFC Divisional Playoff
(Saints -7, Total 57) — [private] Let’s consider, if you will, that New Orleans has not won a game since December 13, and had a pretty rough time of it in the two games before that, where they barely got by Atlanta and Washington. They have covered two of their last ten games, and there is the very real possibility that they peaked too soon. Thus, this is a very dangerous game for them, because like the game against the Cowboys, where they dropped their first after 13 wins, if they go to sleep for a quarter, they could find themselves almost of the running. Drew Brees is the guy who has to wind up and get the offense back in order. With 71% completions and some weapons who ought to be healthier and better rested (from an offense that had to go less than 13 yards per point), he may have his team in pretty good shape, especially the way Arizona was covering in the secondary against Aaron Rodgers last week. We’re told that Arizona will most likely be without Anquan Boldin, but that didn’t seem to bother Kurt Warner much last week, when he completed 29 of 33 passes. Since Warner often gets his game up for the playoffs (72% with 16 TD’s, 3 INT’s in playoffs last two years), we’re not all that worried about him having an implosion. He’ll improvise again, and do it with Early Doucet. New Orleans’ running game, which was so productive earlier in the year, has lost some momentum lately (just 90 ypg in last five), while Arizona is getting more, in the person of Beanie Wells (91 yards vs. Green Bay). Remember that Ken Whisenhunt has covered all five of his games as a playoff coach, and even against a team that needs to regain what it may have lost, the defending NFC champs are still not getting any respect.

THE PLAY: ARIZONA +7 ****

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
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