Panthers' Quick Exit

The first five plays of the Carolina Panthers-Arizona Cardinals playoff game, the Panthers sliced through the Cardinals exactly like the experts predicted.

Sometimes quick scores can can give you the impression that it is going to be an easy game. It was an easy game for the Arizona Cardinals as they sliced up the seemingly slow Carolina defense. It seemed as though the Cardinals were decoying Jake Delhomme all night. Arizona made mincemeat of the Panthers, 33-13.

The Saturday game that proved to be the slugfest was the AFC playoff contest as Baltimore outhit Tennessee, 13-10. Tennessee fumbled twice inside the Ravens' 20, but the difference in the game was ECU's Chris Johnson suffering a sprained ankle. The rookie running back sat out the second half and without Johnson, the Titans could not find the end zone in the second half.

Both of the teams who had byes loss.

Today Philadelphia will try to continue the bye teams' losing as it plays the New York Giants in the 1 p.m. game and then the San Diego Chargers look to do the same to the Pittsburgh Steelers at 4:45.

We are down to six teams and the Western division teams who come in with the worst two records are still alive.

Oddly enough, who do you think the hottest team remaining in the playoffs is? The San Diego Chargers. They have the longest current winning streak at five games. San Diego has the worst record of any team in the playoff.

Clemson with a victory over N.C. State today has won their opening 16 games. Once again, the Wolfpack has very poor backup point guard play and they lose again because of it.

Duke won at Florida State. The beating they laid on the Seminoles was worse than the eight-point difference at the end.

I just have a feeling the winner of the Carolina-Wake game tonight will be the ACC champ.

I have failed to mention this, but my final tally in the bowl picks was 17-17. Embarrassing!

I know many of you know that Curtis Rushing has retired from the Nash-Rocky Mount school system. During the football season, he helped the Gryphons during the latter half of the season helping B.W. Holt's staff. Friday night, he was on the sidelines helping Grover Battle and the Northern Nash girls. Rushing also assisted Battle with his Nash Central Middle School football squad.

I ran into Chad Smith today at the Shell Rapid Lube. We chatted about his future plans. He told me that he attended the Hall of Fame ceremonies in Goldsboro Friday night for Holt.

I really wish he would stay in the area.