Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Wild Card Round Preview

Buffalo Bills (11-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (8-8)

Forecast: 47°

Sunday, January 8, 2012 4:30PM
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Injury Report
Buffalo Bills:
[OUT] LB Thomas Howard - Torn Tricep - Out for season

Kansas City Chiefs:
[OUT] SS Kendrick Lewis - Broken Jaw - Out for season

Key Playmakers

Matt Leinart	Fred Jackson	Torri Bonner
Quarterback	Halfback	Tight End
83.8 QB Rating 51% Completions 1,562 Yards 11 TD / 5 INT	310 Carries 1,327 Yards 4.2 Average 12 Touchdowns	39 Receptions 825 Yards 21.1 Average 5 Touchdowns

__________________________________________________

Matt Cassel	Chris Chambers	Tamba Hali
Quarterback	Wide Receiver	Linebacker
66.5 QB Rating 52% Completions 3,066 Yards 19 TD / 21 INT	56 Receptions 721 Yards 12.8 Average 8 Touchdowns	119 Tackles 15 Tackles for Loss 6 Sacks 1 Interception

Coverage:




Analyst Picks:

Dan Marino

The Chiefs barely made the playoffs, and the Bills had a pretty convincing victory the last time these two played. I'd be surprised if they don't win again.



Boomer Esiason

I think ultimately it comes down to which defense will force the mediocre opposing quarterback to make the most mistakes. In this game I think Buffalo edges Kansas City, Cassel's just been mistake-prone all season and that Bills defense have been making the big plays when it matters.



Bill Cowher

Where were you guys a month and a half ago? Saying the Bills weren't for real and picking the Chiefs to beat them? I said it then, I'll say it again their defense is winning them ball-games and as long as Leinart protects the football they will be tough to beat.



Shannon Sharpe

I think you guys are underrating this Chiefs team a little bit, they've got one of the better defenses in the league. If they can negate Fred Jackson and force Leinart to beat them they could win this. With that said, I still don't see it happening, Bills win.



James Brown

Well way to word that prediction... You guys said it best, the Buffalo defense forces mistakes, Cassel commits mistakes, Buffalo should win this one, at least on paper.

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Wild Card Round Preview

New York Giants (10-6) @ Green Bay Packers (10-6)

Forecast: 28°

Sunday, January 8, 2012 8:00PM
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Injury Report
New York Giants:
[OUT] WR Hakeem Nicks - Herniated Disk - 6 weeks
[OUT] HB Brandon Jacobs - Broken Collarbone - 7 weeks
[OUT] RG Chris Snee - Fractured Toe - Out for season
[OUT] LE Jason Tuck - Complete Achilles Tear - Out for season
[OUT] WR Steve Smith - Broken Ankle - Out for season

Green Bay Packers:
[OUT] C Scott Wells - Broken Tailbone - Out for season

Key Playmakers

Eli Manning	Ahmad Bradshaw	Malcom Floyd
Quarterback	Halfback	Wide Receiver
78.9 QB Rating 58% Completions 2,996 Yards 16 TD / 12 INT	194 Carries 814 Yards 4.1 Average 8 Touchdowns	52 Receptions 599 Yards 11.5 Average 3 Touchdowns

__________________________________________________

Aaron Rodgers	Ryan Grant	Greg Jennings
Quarterback	Halfback	Wide Receiver
80.6 QB Rating 59% Completions 3,449 Yards 17 TD / 15 INT	254 Carries 1,164 Yards 4.5 Average 13 Touchdowns	85 Receptions 1,118 Yards 13.1 Average 9 Touchdowns

Coverage:



Analyst Picks:

Terry Bradshaw

This is what I'm talking about, playoff football at Lambeau Field! Playing in the snow, two evenly matched teams going head-to-head... The Giants are decimated by injuries, the Packers don't know which Aaron Rodgers will show up, but I see the Packers taking this one.



Howie Long

I don't care what Aaron Rodgers shows up, even the inconsistent Aaron that we've seen all year is better than having 5 of your top players not show up at all. That's what New York has to deal with and that's why I think they'll be sent home to watch the rest of the playoffs from their couches.



Jimmy Johnson

Yeah I think the Packers avenge their heart-breaking loss from the 2007 playoffs, they just have more healthy weapons on offense and I think Aaron rises to the occasion. It's tough to beat the Packers in the snow at Lambeau.



Michael Strahan

Man, why are ya'll counting my boys out so quickly? The Giants have heart, we've seen what Manning can do in the playoffs before, the defense is still good without Tuck, and Floyd and Bradshaw will compensate for Nicks, Smith, and Jacobs. Giants with the upset.



Curt Menefee

I think this game will go down to the wire, but New York simply has too much stacked against them, I'm going to have to go with Green Bay.

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Great job, and good luck heading into the playoffs. Really like the presentation, and the appropriate use of NFL Today and Fox NFL.

Take down those Chiefs!

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

NFL Scoreboard - New England Patriots (10-6) at Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

January 7, 2012 1 2 3 4 F New England Patriots 0 6 0 8 14 Baltimore Ravens 10 7 0 10 27 Top Performers New England Patriots - Stats S. Morris 5 carries 51 yards 1 TD W. Welker 8 receptions 92 yards Baltimore Ravens - Stats R. Rice 25 carries 196 yards 2 TD J. Flacco 10/23 111 yards 1 TD / 1 INT	Team Stats Comparison First Downs 8 11 3rd Down Efficiency 5-19 8-19 4th Down Efficiency 0-2 0-0 Total Yards 213 349 Passing Yards 105 109 Rushing Yards 108 240 Penalties-Penalty Yards 3-30 3-15 Turnovers 2 3 Time of Possession 26:38 33:01
Scoring Summary First Quarter NE BAL BAL 11:47 K. Hobdy, 34 Yd FG 0 3 BAL 0:14 R. Rice, 75 Yd run (Hobdy) 0 10 Second Quarter NE BAL NE 10:32 S. Gostkowski, 48 Yd FG 3 10 BAL 2:31 T. Heap 14 Yd pass from J. Flacco (Hobdy) 3 17 NE 0:15 S. Gostkowski, 39 Yd FG 6 17 Fourth Quarter NE BAL NE 11:19 S. Morris, 40 Yd run (2-pt Conversion Successful 14 17 BAL 7:47 R. Rice, 54 Yd run (Hobdy) 14 24 BAL 4:54 K. Hobdy, 54 Yd FG 14 27
New England Patriots Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT T. Brady 10/13 92 0 0 B. Hoyer 6/23 38 0 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD C. Benson 14 40 2.8 0 S. Morris 5 51 10.2 1 A. Sarimento 5 17 3.4 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD W. Welker 8 92 11.5 0 R. Gronkowski 3 13 4.3 0 T. Price 2 13 6.5 0 R. Moss 1 4 4.0 0 B. Tate 1 4 4.0 0 Baltimore Ravens Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT J. Flacco 10/23 111 1 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD R. Rice 25 196 7.8 2 W. McGahee 11 25 2.2 0 L. McClain 6 18 3.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD E. Dickson 2 20 10.0 0 R. Rice 2 18 9.0 0 T. Houshmandzadeh 2 17 8.5 0 D. Pitta 1 30 30.0 0 T. Heap 1 14 14.0 1

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

NFL Scoreboard - Arizona Cardinals (9-7) at Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

January 7, 2012 1 2 3 4 F Arizona Cardinals 0 0 11 6 17 Dallas Cowboys 0 13 3 7 23 Top Performers Arizona Cardinals - Stats B. Wells 11 carries 123 yards 1 TD D. Anderson 12/24 131 yards 1 TD / 2 INT Dallas Cowboys - Stats T. Romo 24/44 335 yards 3 TD M. Austin 6 receptions 122 yards 2 TD	Team Stats Comparison First Downs 7 20 3rd Down Efficiency 1-11 13-23 4th Down Efficiency 0-0 0-0 Total Yards 259 407 Passing Yards 113 329 Rushing Yards 146 78 Penalties-Penalty Yards 6-60 1-15 Turnovers 3 1 Time of Possession 20:31 39:29
Scoring Summary Second Quarter ARI DAL DAL 7:14 M. Austin 30 Yd pass from T. Romo (2-pt Conversion Failed) 0 6 DAL 6:13 A. Ball, returned interception 32 Yds (Buehler) 0 13 Third Quarter ARI DAL DAL 10:46 D. Buehler, 46 Yd FG 0 16 ARI 6:57 J. Feely, 24 Yd FG 3 16 ARI 2:42 B. Wells, 96 Yd run (2-pt Conversion Successful) 11 16 Fourth Quarter ARI DAL DAL 2:39 M. Austin 27 Yd pass from T. Romo (Buehler) 11 23 DAL 1:28 L. Fitzgerald 7 Yd pass from D. Anderson (2-pt Conversion Failed) 17 23
Arizona Cardinals Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT D. Anderson 12/24 131 1 2 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD B. Wells 11 123 11.1 1 T. Hightower 6 17 2.8 0 W. Ta'ufo'ou 3 6 2.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD L. Pope 4 28 7.0 0 S. Breaston 3 47 15.6 0 R. Saunders 2 36 18.0 0 W. Ta'ufo'ou 1 9 9.0 0 L. Fitzgerald 1 7 7.0 1 Dallas Cowboys Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT T. Romo 24/44 335 3 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD F. Jones 16 47 2.9 0 M. Barber 13 23 1.7 0 J. Felton 7 5 0.7 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD J. Witten 8 128 16.0 0 M. Austin 6 122 20.3 2 M. Barber 4 31 7.7 0 D. Roberson 2 26 13.0 0 D. Bryant 2 21 10.5 0

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Dramatic Entrance
Bills-Chiefs overtime thriller makes for exciting start to NFL playoffs

Cornerback Zack Bowman leaps into the end zone as he scores after recovering a fumble on a kick return.

KANSAS CITY, MO -- Prior to this past Sunday's wild card playoff match-up between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, many analysts and experts pegged the game as a blowout in Buffalo's favor. On the contrary, for almost the first three whole quarters, it looked like Kansas City was in total control of the game. The Chiefs got the action started early as Thomas Jones broke free on a screen pass and ran 69 yards for the touchdown on their first play from scrimmage.

Demorrio Williams picks off Matt Leinart for the second time.

After a blown coverage assignment resulted in a 37 yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City held a 17-6 lead. "After that touchdown, I told Matt [Leinart] 'you go out there and get me a touchdown or you're done,'" recalled Buffalo head coach Dick Lebeau. "I mean this was just after he'd thrown his third interception, it was do or die for us as a team, not just him." Luckily for Leinart, that statement must have lit a spark. On the ensuing drive, Leinart found tight end Torri Bonner, who then broke a tackle on his way to a 58 yard score. Buffalo wasted no time getting in the call for a two-point conversion, in which Leinart dropped back to pass before scrambling to the right and just barely reaching the end zone, bringing Buffalo within 3 points.

The defensive game continued over half-way into the 4th quarter, where Kansas City forced Buffalo's Mason Crosby to attempt his second 50 yard field goal of the day, kicking into 11 MPH hour winds in the rain. The kick just barely made it over the crossbar to tie the game at 17.

Matt Leinart fights to reach the end zone on a 2-point conversion

Buffalo caught a big break when on the following kickoff special teams stand-out Lawrence Wilson forced a fumble in which Zack Bowman recovered and took 22 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

The Buffalo defense appeared to be poised for a stop on the next drive, as Kansas City faced a 4th-and-short at midfield. Fortunately for the Chiefs, Jones was able to run 5 yards and convert to sustain the drive. However, the Chiefs drive came to a halt as they were forced to punt on 4th-and-6 from the 40 yard line. Luckily, their defense made a stop, forcing a Buffalo punt with just over a minute and a half remaining in regulation.

Kansas City caught a lucky break of their own when Bowman bumped Javier Arenas for a fair catch interference penalty, giving them the ball at the Buffalo 49. After a leaping catch by Tony Moeaki got them to the 10, Matt Cassel found Dexter McCluster shaking a defender in the end zone for a game-tying touchdown which ultimately sent the game to overtime. The Bills won the coin toss and got first possession of the overtime period, but after a 3-and-out, were forced to punt and pinned the Chiefs at their own five yard line. Buffalo's defense then forced a 3-and-out of their own, and gained possession at their own 40. After a couple big runs by Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller, the Bills found themselves at the Kansas City 2-yard line. Instead of opting to kick a field goal, the Bills decided to continue running the ball and rookie fullback Trip Allen was able to virtually walk into the end zone to win the game. "You never know what could happen on a snap, hold, or kick in these kind of weather conditions, with all that was on the line we didn't want to take any chances," stated Lebeau in a post-game press conference. "Especially with the luck this franchise has had in the past..."

Kansas City head coach Todd Haley had the following to say after the game: "They played like they wanted it more. We forced turnovers, we took advantage of blown coverage, but we just didn't execute enough. My hat goes off to them, I'm proud of our guys for the game they played and am confident we'll be back next year even better."

The Bills will head to Indianapolis to take on the 13-3 Colts in the divisional round next Saturday.

Snap Shots
For the sake of saving space, the photo gallery has been contained in 'spoiler' tags. Additionally, please enjoy photos from scoring plays that have been placed in the scoring summary of the box score.

Spoiler

Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
1. Matt Leinart slips in the rain on the Bills' first drive.
2. Demorrio Williams jumps to pull in his first of 2 interceptions in the game.
3. Tight end Torri Bonner makes an incredible leaping catch early in the ballgame.
4. Marcus Stroud sacks Matt Cassel deep in Kansas City territory.
5. Jordunn Williams turns the ball over on a punt return.
6. Late in the game, rookie Logan Ellis forces a crucial incompletion.
7. Fullback Trip Allen fights for a first down on 4th-and-inches.
8. Tony Moeaki pulls in a tough catch along the sidelines late in the fourth quarter.
9. On a play where Khamari Dansby beat the coverage deep for a potential game-winning touchdown, Matt Leinart underthrows the pass allowing Eric Berry to tip the ball away just in time.
10. In overtime, Zack Bowman downs a punt at the Kansas City 5-yard line.

Box Score

NFL Scoreboard - Buffalo Bills (11-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (8-8)

January 8, 2012 1 2 3 4 OT F Buffalo Bills 3 3 8 10 6 30 Kansas City Chiefs 7 0 10 7 0 24 Top Performers Buffalo Bills - Stats Torri Bonner - TE 5 receptions 86 yards 1 TD Zack Bowman - CB 1 tackle 1 fumble recovery 1 TD Kansas City Chiefs - Stats Dwayne Bowe - WR 3 receptions 48 yards 1 TD Dillan Hitt - LB 16 tackles 5 tackles for loss 3 sacks	Team Stats Comparison First Downs 21 8 3rd Down Efficiency 7-19 2-13 4th Down Efficiency 1-1 1-1 Total Yards 415 300 Passing Yards 259 195 Rushing Yards 156 105 Penalties-Penalty Yards 4-50 1-9 Turnovers 4 2 Time of Possession 51:21 24:33
Scoring Summary First Quarter BUF KC 12:59 T. Jones 69 Yd pass from M. Cassel (Succop) Spoiler 0 7 8:41 M. Crosby, 50 Yd FG 3 7 Second Quarter BUF KC 1:48 M. Crosby, 32 Yd FG 6 7 Third Quarter BUF KC 10:40 R. Succop, 33 Yd FG 6 10 3:21 D. Bowe 37 Yd pass from M. Cassel Spoiler 6 17 1:36 T. Bonner 58 Yd pass from M. Leinart (2-pt Conversion Successful) Spoiler 14 17 Fourth Quarter BUF KC 6:28 M. Crosby, 50 Yd FG Spoiler 17 17 6:22 Z. Bowman, returned fumble 22 Yds (Crosby) Spoiler 24 17 0:53 D. McCluster 10 Yd pass from M. Cassel (Succop) Spoiler 24 24 Overtime BUF KC 4:08 T. Allen, 2 Yd run Spoiler 30 24
Buffalo Bills Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT M. Leinart 25/44 268 1 3 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD F. Jackson 27 101 3.7 0 T. Allen 4 16 4.0 1 C. Spiller 4 14 3.5 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD T. Bonner 5 86 17.2 1 D. McFadden 5 39 7.8 0 F. Jackson 5 39 7.8 0 L. Evans 3 43 14.3 0 T. Allen 3 26 8.6 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD M. Stroud 6 3 0 0 P. Posluszny 4 0 0 0 K. Mitchell 3 0 0 0 D. Whitner 3 0 0 0 L. Wilson 3 0 0 0 T. McGee 3 0 0 0 Kick Returning NO. YDS TD LONG R. Parrish 4 68 0 24 J. Williams 2 39 0 23 Punt Returning NO. YDS TD LONG J. Williams 5 30 0 14 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG M. Crosby 3/3 1/1 10 51 Punting NO. YDS AVG IN 20 B. Moorman 6 236 39.3 2 Kansas City Chiefs Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT M. Cassel 11/28 210 3 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD T. Jones 21 95 4.5 0 J. Charles 3 9 3.0 0 D. Bowe 1 1 1.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD D. Bowe 3 48 16.0 1 B. Whitaker 2 18 9.0 0 T. Jones 1 69 69.0 1 T. Moeaki 1 40 40.0 0 D. McCluster 1 10 10.0 1 Defense TKL SACK INT TD D. Hitt 16 3 0 0 E. Berry 9 0 0 0 B. Flowers 7 0 1 0 D. Williams 6 0 2 0 T. Jackson 4 0 0 0 J. Arenas 4 0 0 0 Kick Returning NO. YDS TD LONG B. Flowers 2 38 0 22 J. Arenas 2 34 0 19 Punt Returning NO. YDS TD LONG O. Scandrick 1 15 0 15 J. Arenas 1 6 0 6 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG R. Succop 1/1 3/3 6 33 Punting NO. YDS AVG IN 20 D. Colquitt 8 341 42.6 0

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Telford's Take:
Well, I might have aged a few years in the process but this was an incredible game to watch. I'm proud of my players for not giving up and remaining determined to score. This was a huge victory and I'm hoping we can build on the momentum from the end of the game and attack right out of the gates next week. Leinart just needs to protect the ball and we need to avoid giving up the big play.

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

NFL Scoreboard - New York Giants (10-6) at Green Bay Packers (10-6)

January 8, 2012 1 2 3 4 F New York Giants 0 6 7 0 13 Green Bay Packers 7 9 17 3 36 Top Performers New York Giants - Stats Malcom Floyd - WR 5 receptions 52 yards 1 TD Lawrence Tynes - K 2/2 FG 7 points Green Bay Packers - Stats Aaron Rodgers - QB 31/38 Completions 334 yards 3 TD Donald Driver - WR 6 receptions 27 yards 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison First Downs 11 19 3rd Down Efficiency 6-13 9-18 4th Down Efficiency 0-0 0-0 Total Yards 262 370 Passing Yards 234 328 Rushing Yards 28 42 Penalties-Penalty Yards 5-50 4-39 Turnovers 4 0 Time of Possession 23:00 37:00
Scoring Summary First Quarter NYG GB GB 5:12 D. Driver 2 Yd pass from A. Rodgers (Swenson) 0 7 Second Quarter NYG GB NYG 14:21 L. Tynes, 25 Yd FG 3 7 GB 7:38 B. Swenson, 23 Yd FG 3 10 GB 4:06 B. Swenson, 25 Yd FG 3 13 GB 2:20 B. Swenson, 46 Yd FG 3 16 NYG 0:21 L. Tynes, 20 Yd FG 6 16 Third Quarter NYG GB GB 11:29 D. Driver 9 Yd pass from A. Rodgers (Swenson) 6 23 NYG 5:41 M. Floyd 10 Yd pass from E. Manning (Tynes) 13 23 GB 3:16 B. Swenson, 33 Yd FG 13 26 GB 1:19 D. Driver 5 Yd pass from A. Rodgers (Swenson) 13 33 Fourth Quarter NYG GB GB 5:55 B. Swenson, 35 Yd FG 13 36
New York Giants Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT E. Manning 16/34 238 1 3 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD A. Bradshaw 13 19 1.4 0 M. Hedgecock 4 9 2.2 0 E. Manning 4 0 0.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD M. Floyd 5 52 10.4 1 K. Boss 3 56 18.6 0 S. Williams 2 69 34.5 0 B. Jackson 2 29 14.5 0 M. Jenkins 2 20 10.0 0 Green Bay Packers Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT A. Rodgers 31/38 334 3 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD R. Grant 22 29 1.3 0 J. Hester 3 6 2.0 0 A. Rodgers 3 0 0.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD G. Jennings 10 171 17.1 0 D. Driver 6 27 4.5 3 J. Finley 5 64 12.8 0 J. Nelson 3 39 13.0 0 D. Lee 3 31 10.3 0

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NFL Expert Picks - Divisional Round


Each week on ESPN.com, the brain trust of Bristol University convenes and our experts offer their predictions for the upcoming slate of NFL games. Last week, the only 100% prediction success rate came from the ESPN Accuscore Game Forecast with all four predicted outcomes being correct.

NFL Expert Picks - Divisional Round

	Allen	Golic	Hoge	Jaworski	Mortensen	Schefter	Schlereth	Wickersham	Accuscore	Pick 'em
BUF @ IND Sat 4:30PM
GB @ ATL Sat 8:00PM
BAL @ NYJ Sun 4:30PM
DAL @ SF Sun 8:00PM

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Divisional Round Preview

Buffalo Bills (11-5) @ Indianapolis Colts (13-3)

Forecast: 32°

Saturday, January 14, 2012 4:30PM
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

Injury Report
Buffalo Bills:
[OUT] WR Roscoe Parrish - Abdominal Tear - 3 weeks
[OUT] LB Thomas Howard - Torn Tricep - Out for season

Indianapolis Colts:
[OUT] LB Clint Session - Torn Hamstring - Out for season
[OUT] LT Charlie Johnson - Dislocated Hip - Out for season
[OUT] LB Scott Shanle - Partial MCL Tear - Out for season
[OUT] SS Bob Sanders - Torn Quadricep - Out for season
[OUT] DT Fili Moala - Broken Tibia (leg) - Out for season

Key Playmakers: Colts

Peyton Manning	Reggie Wayne	Dallas Clark
Quarterback	Wide Receiver	Tight End
86.7 QB Rating 56% Completions 4,648 Yards 38 TD / 23 INT	95 Receptions 1,504 Yards 15.8 Average 12 Touchdowns	67 Receptions 795 Yards 11.8 Average 9 Touchdowns

Keys to the Game

No Mistakes The Bills are going up against the most potent offense in the NFL, they can't afford to give them extra possessions.	Strike First If Indianapolis can get an early lead, they'll force Leinart to throw. Buffalo is susceptible to mistakes when they air it out.
Limit the Damage Buffalo can't allow Indianapolis to score quickly on big plays, that's how momentum is lost and home field advantage becomes strongest	Addai All Day If the Colts don't establish the run, they risk letting Buffalo control the tempo of the game and pay more attention to the passing game.
Norv's Creativity In order to keep the Colts on their toes, Norv Turner might want to throw some new plays into the mix.	3rd Down 'D' During the regular season Buffalo ranked last in 3rd down conversion, last week they converted 37%

Coverage:




Analyst Picks:

Dan Marino

I really want to pick the Bills in this one, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Manning, Wayne, and Clark in the playoffs? I don't think Buffalo will be able to keep up, but I'll be rooting for them.



Boomer Esiason

Yeah, I just don't know how anyone can bet against Peyton Manning, especially going up against a team lacking playoff experience. I think the clock strikes midnight for the Bills' season tonight.



Bill Cowher

Ye of little faith! Look, the Colts are a great team, there's no denying that, but these Bills are pumped up now that they've got that first playoff win out of the way. That defense forces some rare Peyton mistakes and Buffalo pulls out the upset.



Shannon Sharpe

I think Dan and Boomer hit the nail on the head. Indianapolis simply has too many weapons, too much experience, and the ultimate trump card in Peyton Manning. Buffalo could make it a close game no doubt, but they won't make it an upset.



James Brown

I hate to vote against Buffalo after how far they've come, but they've had all this success overnight. I just don't think you go from 5-11 to beating the Colts and winding up in the Conference Championship game in one season.

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Divisional Round Preview

Green Bay Packers (10-6) @ Atlanta Falcons (12-4)

Forecast: 70°

Saturday, January 14, 2012 4:30PM
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

Injury Report
Green Bay Packers:
[OUT] DT B.J. Raji - Partial ACL Tear - Out for season
[OUT] C Scott Wells - Broken Tailbone - Out for season

Atlanta Falcons:
[OUT] WR Michael Lonas - Partial Groin Tear - Out for season
[OUT] FS Thomas Decoud - Torn Hamstring - Out for season

Key Playmakers: Falcons

Matt Ryan	Michael Turner	Mike Peterson
Quarterback	Halfback	Linebacker
80.4 QB Rating 57% Completions 2,920 Yards 18 TD / 12 INT	326 Carries 1,823 Yards 5.5 Average 16 Touchdowns	95 Tackles 32 Tackle Assists 4 Sacks 2 Interceptions

Keys to the Game

The Real Rodgers Green Bay needs to get a performance like last week's out of Rodgers, they can't afford to have the hot-and-cold performances he had during the season.	Burn Them With Turner Turner was the best running back in the league this year, Atlanta needs to take full advantage of that so they can open up the passing game for Ryan.
Make Ryan Beat You Although Matt Ryan has come into his own as an NFL quarterback, he still lacks winning experience in the playoffs. Take advantage of that.	Heavy Blitz Although Rodgers is still a good quarterback out of the pocket, they increase the possibility of mistakes if they can pressure him all game.
Work the Outside Atlanta has some of the best linebackers in the league with Peterson, Lofton, and Weatherspoon. Green Bay needs to force the Falcons' secondary to make the tackles.	Share the Love Roddy White will likely be looking at double-teams all game. If Ryan is going to be successful, he must distribute the ball to the other receivers often.

Coverage:



Analyst Picks:

Terry Bradshaw

Aaron Rodgers really rose to the occasion last week. The Packers were relentless and although the Falcons are a lot better than the Giants, Green Bay's still going to pile on the points.



Howie Long

I don't know, I think Atlanta is going to send a lot of different blitzes at Rodgers and force him to think on his feet. As we saw in several games this season, that doesn't necessarily suit him well. Then the Falcons will Michael Turner them to death.



Jimmy Johnson

I think you're right, Howie. Mike Smith has finally got this Atlanta team functioning in harmony as a cohesive unit. Everything just seems to be 'clicking' for them at the right time. Those are the toughest teams to beat in January.



Michael Strahan

Did you guys watch the game last Sunday? Look what Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver did to my Giants. This is going to be a close game definitely, but I think Rodgers has that playoff edge and lights it up.



Curt Menefee

Atlanta at home in the dome, controlling the tempo with Turner... That's a tough atmosphere to go into and pull off an upset. Falcons are the team to beat in the NFC.

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Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Divisional Round Preview

Baltimore Ravens (11-5) @ New York Jets (11-5)

Forecast: 15°

Sunday, January 15, 2012 4:30PM
Jets Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Injury Report
Baltimore Ravens:
[OUT] CB Domonique Foxworth - Broken Jaw - Out for season
[OUT] LT Rashad Butler - Torn Groin Muscle - Out for season
[OUT] LT Michael Oher - Torn Pectoral Muscle - Out for season
[OUT] WR David Reed - Torn Groin Muscle - Out for season

New York Jets:
[OUT] DE Sydney Robinson - Herniated Disk - Out for season
[OUT] LB David Harris - Compound Fracture - Out for season
[OUT] RT Damien Woody - Herniated Disk - Out for season
[OUT] RG Brandon Moore - Fractured Hip - Out for season

Key Playmakers: Jets

Shonn Greene	Dustin Keller	Darrelle Revis
Halfback	Tight End	Cornerback
291 Carries 1,203 Yards 4.1 Average 7 Touchdowns	51 Receptions 626 Yards 12.2 Average 8 Touchdowns	48 Tackles 9 Tackle Assists 1 Tackle for Loss 7 Interceptions

Keys to the Game

Keep Away Darrelle Revis was the best cornerback in the league this season, Flacco must keep the ball away from him whenever possible.	Like White on Rice If New York can prevent Ray Rice from getting the running game going, they stand a good chance at forcing Sanchez into some mistakes.
Work the Flats It's no secret that the Jets run a blitz-heavy defense. Flacco is going to have to constantly dump the ball off if they're going to have a chance.	3-and-out The Ravens had the best 3rd down conversion percentage, if the Jets can keep Baltimore from converting they can dominate time of possession and field position.
Keller Killer Keller has been Sanchez's favorite target this year, especially in the red zone. Baltimore needs to figuratively take him out of the game, with Ed Reed spying on him for most of the day.	Control the Ball Most of New York's losses this season have come at the hands of turnovers. If the Jets can protect the ball, they should have success as all the weapons are there.

Coverage:




Analyst Picks:

Dan Marino

I still don't know if Sanchez is really built to handle the playoff pressure against a defense like Baltimore's. Flacco proved last year that he has what it takes to lead a team all the way, even if the Jets defense was first in interceptions this season.



Boomer Esiason

You know, I feel like the Jets defense, if their on there game, can be impossible to beat. Rex Ryan's going to have them well prepared in this game, they take it.



Bill Cowher

The Ravens are the defending champs, they made the Patriots look like the Browns last week, albeit Brady went down with an injury, but still... Baltimore's going to make a serious run at a repeat.



Shannon Sharpe

As a receiver, I'd hate to be lined up against Revis. Boldin will be completely neutralized and the New York run defense is good enough to contain even Ray Rice. As long as Sanchez remains calm in the pocket and makes good decisions, the Jets should win this one fairly easily.



James Brown

The defending champs are playing just like we saw them perform last post-season. As we know, they're next to unstoppable when playing at that level. Until somebody can shut them down in January I'm going to keep picking them.

[bichettehappens]

Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Divisional Round Preview

Dallas Cowboys (11-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (11-5)

Forecast: 50°

Sunday, January 15, 2012 4:30PM
Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA

Injury Report
Dallas Cowboys:
[Doubtful] LB DeMarcus Ware - Broken Ribs
[OUT] FS Danny McCray - Dislocated Ankle - 1 week
[OUT] RT Marc Colombo - Dislocated Elbow - 2 weeks
[OUT] RG Leonard Davis - Fractured Hip - Out for season
[OUT] RG Deuce Lutui - Fractured Elbow - Out for season
[OUT] C Phil Costa - Torn Pectoral Muscle - Out for season

San Francisco 49ers:
[OUT] C Eric Heitmann - Dislocated Hip - 2 weeks
[OUT] WR Lakieth Mark - Torn Bicep - Out for season

Key Playmakers: 49ers

Frank Gore	Michael Crabtree	Patrick Willis
Halfback	Wide Receiver	Linebacker
352 Carries 1,543 Yards 4.3 Average 9 Touchdowns	78 Receptions 788 Yards 10.1 Average 8 Touchdowns	102 Tackles 10 Tackles for Loss 2 Interceptions 1 Touchdown

Keys to the Game

No Romo Moments No botching a hold, no costly late interceptions. Tony Romo needs to prevent turnovers, otherwise this could be his last shot before Jerry Jones cuts him loose.	All on Gore Gore has to be the driving force of the offense. If they let Alex Smith have too much control the trademark poor decisions could start pouring in.
Fire and Ice Dallas needs to establish the running game early on, with Felix Jones as the big play burner, and Marion Barber as the closer to ice the game.	Bend, Don't Break The Cowboys offense is going to make place, that's inevitable. San Francisco needs to limit those big plays to non-scoring and force field goals whenever possible.
Butler At Your Service Victor Butler faces the tall order of filling in for the injured DeMarcus Ware. He must be able to pressure Alex Smith consistently.	Got Crabs? There are still questions about the consistency of the Dallas secondary. It behooves the 49ers to take a couple of shots downfield to Crabtree.

Coverage:



Analyst Picks:

Terry Bradshaw

It's now or never for Tony Romo and the Cowboys, this is probably their last shot at reaching the big dance with this core roster before Jerry Jones blows up the ship. They've got to be playing with a chip on their shoulder, playing for their lives.



Howie Long

I like this Dallas team, I really do, but this San Francisco defense is something else, led by Patrick Willis. With how beat up the Dallas offensive line is it's looking to be a long day for Romo.



Jimmy Johnson

I just don't think Romo has what it takes to be a championship-caliber quarterback in this league. It pains me to say that but time and time again he's come up short, why should we expect that to change suddenly?



Michael Strahan

This really depends how Alex Smith performs, or rather how well they gameplan to keep him out of trouble. But this San Francisco defense is bound to force some turnovers, they just have to capitalize on them.



Curt Menefee

San Francisco got hot at the end of the season, those are the most dangerous teams to face in the playoffs.

[bichettehappens]

Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Post-game Press Conference
Following the Buffalo/Indianapolis Playoff Game

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

[Official Transcript]

Date: January 14, 2012
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium Press Room


Media: Coach, where do you think your team went wrong today, if you had to pinpoint one area?

Coach: Simply put, we failed to execute. We came into this game with a plan, and couldn't put it into action.

Media: In retrospect, when you went for it on fourth-and-goal at the one, do you feel you should have just kicked the field goal instead of going for it, leading to the interception?

Coach: It'd be easy for me to say 'yes, we should have taken the three points' but ultimately at that point in the game we needed to make something happen. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

Media: Why then did you not go for it on 4th and 5 with 2 minutes left?

Coach: I trusted our defense to make a stop and get the ball back in time to try to win... Again, sometimes it just doesn't work out. If we had gone for it and failed they would've only had about 30 yards to go to score, couldn't take that risk.

Media: Does it hurt, to have come this far and played this well only to lose short of even the Conference Championship game?

Coach: ..................

Spoiler

Coach: I think we're done here

[bichettehappens]

Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

Any Given Sunday
Buffalo upsets Indianapolis in Divisional Round battle

Marcus Stroud's sack of Peyton Manning late in the 4th quarter ended all hope of a comeback drive.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Take a look at the individual match-ups on paper. Glance at the box score, notice the team stat comparisons and individual player statistics. All visible signs indicate that this should have been an easy victory for the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately for Colts staff, players, and fans, that's not what actually occurred on Saturday afternoon. Peyton Manning and his receivers had a dominating performance, gaining yards with ease, Joseph Addai gained over 100 yards on the ground and scored, and defensively they only allowed the Buffalo offense to reach the end zone on one occasion.

Gary Guyton makes a touchdown-saving tackle in the 4th quarter.

Head coach Jim Caldwell pinned the loss on a lack of execution. Bills coach Dick Lebeau appeared to echo similar sentiments in regards to how Buffalo earned the victory. "We had specific goals that we wanted to accomplish going into this game, and we executed those to perfection," he told reporters. "We were comfortable letting the Colts rack up the yards as long as we kept them out of the end zone for the most part. We wanted to avoid turnovers and mistakes and we did just that."

The Buffalo offense, although it didn't put up big yardage numbers, did an excellent job of controlling field position and playing smart. Quarterback Matt Leinart had one of his best performances of the season even though he only gained 145 yards through the air. "I was determined to not turn the ball over and avoid poor decisions," said Leinart. He completed a stellar 67% of his passes, which falls one completion shy of tying his season high. Fred Jackson had a respectable day on the ground gaining 76 yards despite only carrying the ball 15 times and not reaching the end zone. Jackson has yet to score in the playoffs after tallying 12 touchdowns during the regular season.

Zack Bowman gets a hold of Peyton Manning to bring him down for a sack.

With 7:26 left in the 4th quarter and down 19-14, Manning and the Colts were faced with a 4th-and-goal from the 1 yard line. Caldwell made the call to go for it and opted for a pass play. Manning dropped back and thought he had Dallas Clark open in the back of the end zone, but by the time the ball got there Zack Bowman was able to step in front of it for an interception. From that point on, the Indianapolis offense simply was unable to formulate a scoring drive and at the 2-minute warning they found themselves at their own 24 on 4th down, needing to get to the 29-yard line to convert. In what has been termed a "questionable" play-call, Caldwell sent the punt team out on the field. "At this point in the game, with the way Jackson's been running the ball and with your season on the line, you can't risk never getting the ball back. You've got to go for it here," said commentator Gus Johnson.

After being stopping Jackson for a short gain twice and using two of their three timeouts, the Colts allowed Jackson to gain enough for a first down, allowing the Bills to milk the clock down to 20 seconds before kicking a 49 yard field goal to extend the lead to 8. With 15 seconds remaining and no time outs left, the Colts got one last chance at a miraculous comeback, but that would be cut short when Marcus Stroud sacked Manning on the first play. Indianapolis did not have time to get off another play.

The Bills hope to continue their streak of playoff victories next week, as they will take on the winner of tomorrow's match-up between the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets. They'll have to do so without Paul Posluszny, as he left the game late in the 2nd quarter with what was diagnosed as a herniated disk. Training personnel for the Bills fear Posluszny might miss the rest of the playoffs.


Snap Shots

Spoiler

L to R / Top to Bottom
1. Gary Guyton gets early pressure on Peyton Manning, bringing him down for a sack.
2. Dwight Freeney collects one of his two sacks on the day.
3. Just before halftime, Paul Posluszny was carted off the field with a back injury.
4. Jairus Byrd drops a would-be interception in the third quarter.
5. Joseph Addai is stopped short of the end zone as the Colts attempt to rally in the fourth quarter.
6. Zack Bowman picks off a pass intended for Dallas Clark in the end zone.

Box Score

NFL Scoreboard - Buffalo Bills (11-5) at Indianapolis Colts (13-3)

January 14, 2012 1 2 3 4 F Buffalo Bills 0 10 3 9 22 Indianapolis Colts 7 7 0 0 14 Top Performers Buffalo Bills - Stats Matt Leinart - QB 16/24 Completions 145 Yards 1 Touchdown Khamari Dansby - WR 3 Receptions 69 Yards 1 Touchdown Indianapolis Colts - Stats Joseph Addai - HB 20 Carries 103 Yards 1 Touchdown Pierre Garcon - WR 6 Receptions 72 Yards 1 Touchdown	Team Stats Comparison First Downs 6 21 3rd Down Efficiency 1-11 2-11 4th Down Efficiency 0-0 0-1 Total Yards 220 404 Passing Yards 137 302 Rushing Yards 83 102 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1-10 1-5 Turnovers 0 1 Time of Possession 24:32 35:28 PLAY OF THE GAME (Click to enlarge)
Scoring Summary First Quarter BUF IND 0:30 J. Addai, 5 Yd run (Vinatieri) Spoiler 0 7 Second Quarter BUF IND 8:08 M. Crosby, 47 Yd FG 3 7 2:20 K. Dansby 56 Yd pass from M. Leinart (Crosby) Spoiler 10 7 0:45 P. Garcon 7 Yd pass from P. Manning (Vinatieri) Spoiler 10 14 Third Quarter BUF IND 10:44 M. Crosby, 37 Yd FG 13 14 Fourth Quarter BUF IND 14:03 J. Williams, returned punt 75 Yds (2-pt conversion failed) **PLAY OF THE GAME** 19 14 0:17 M. Crosby, 48 Yd FG 22 14
Buffalo Bills Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT M. Leinart 16/24 145 1 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD F. Jackson 15 76 5.0 0 T. Allen 2 7 3.5 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD K. Dansby 3 69 23.0 1 T. Bonner 3 13 4.3 0 L. Evans 2 16 8.0 0 T. Allen 2 13 6.5 0 D. McFadden 2 11 5.5 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD T. McGee 6 0 0 0 M. Stroud 5 2 0 0 U. Young 5 0 0 0 P. Tinoisamoa 5 0 0 0 J. Byrd 5 0 0 0 G. Guyton 4 1 0 0 L. McKelvin 4 0 0 0 Z. Bowman 2 1 1 0 Kick Returning NO. YDS TD LONG J. Williams 3 56 0 19 Punt Returning NO. YDS TD LONG J. Williams 4 127 1 75 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG M. Crosby 3/3 1/1 10 49 Punting NO. YDS AVG IN 20 B. Moorman 7 322 45.9 4 Indianapolis Colts Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT P. Manning 24/37 326 1 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD J. Addai 20 103 5.1 1 D. Brown 5 -2 -0.4 0 P. Manning 1 1 1.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD D. Clark 7 124 17.7 0 P. Garcon 6 72 12.0 1 R. Wayne 5 61 12.2 0 A. Collie 5 58 11.6 0 J. Addai 1 11 11.0 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD S. Nicholas 5 0 0 0 G. Brackett 5 0 0 0 A. Bethea 5 0 0 0 D. Muir 4 0 0 0 M. Bullitt 4 0 0 0 J. Powers 4 0 0 0 D. Freeney 3 2 0 0 Kick Returning NO. YDS TD LONG P. Garcon 3 58 0 21 J. Addai 2 35 0 20 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG A. Vinatieri 0/1 2/2 2 - Punting NO. YDS AVG IN 20 P. McAfee 7 316 45.1 0

OperationSports.com

Telford's Take:
Wow, almost speechless... Almost. This was a great win for us, it's almost unreal how far this team has come in one season. I'm impressed with Leinart's ability to protect the football and play smart, as well as our defense's ability to limit damage. Hopefully we can keep the momentum and our season going next week in either New York or Baltimore.

[bichettehappens]

Re: Unfinished Business: Buffalo Bills Story (Madden 11 Franchise)

NFL Scoreboard - Green Bay Packers (10-6) at Atlanta Falcons (12-4)

January 14, 2012 1 2 3 4 F Green Bay Packers 3 0 7 10 20 Atlanta Falcons 3 17 3 0 23 Top Performers Green Bay Packers - Stats Greg Jennings - WR 1 Reception 20 Yards 90 Yard Punt Return TD Clay Matthews - LB 14 Tackles 1 Tackle Assist Atlanta Falcons - Stats Matt Ryan - QB 16/22 Completions 195 Yards 2 Touchdowns Earl Bennett - WR 6 Receptions 82 Yards 1 Touchdown	Team Stats Comparison First Downs 13 17 3rd Down Efficiency 5-13 7-17 4th Down Efficiency 1-2 1-1 Total Yards 320 327 Passing Yards 277 207 Rushing Yards 43 120 Penalties-Penalty Yards 5-35 0-0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of Possession 24:24 35:36
Scoring Summary First Quarter GB ATL 10:39 S. Graham, 48 Yd FG 0 3 8:14 B. Swenson, 45 Yd FG 3 3 Second Quarter GB ATL 7:40 T. Gonzalez 6 Yd pass from M. Ryan (Graham) 3 10 2:07 S. Graham, 37 Yd FG 3 13 0:26 E. Bennett 12 Yd pass from M. Ryan (Graham) 3 20 Third Quarter GB ATL 13:04 G. Jennings, returned punt 90 Yds (Swenson) 10 20 7:00 S. Graham, 31 Yd FG 10 23 Fourth Quarter GB ATL 9:06 B. Swenson, 39 Yd FG 13 23 4:33 B. Hubbard 44 Yd pass from A. Rodgers (Swenson) 20 23
Green Bay Packers Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT A. Rodgers 14/25 251 1 0 N. Classan 2/6 16 0 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD R. Grant 12 22 1.8 0 J. Hester 4 12 3.0 0 A. Rodgers 3 3 1.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD D. Driver 8 97 12.1 0 J. Finley 4 67 16.7 0 B. Hubbard 2 55 27.5 1 J. Nelson 2 47 23.5 0 G. Jennings 1 20 20.0 0 Atlanta Falcons Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT M. Ryan 16/22 195 2 0 J. Crompton 2/3 12 0 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD M. Turner 25 86 3.4 0 L. Ball 9 19 2.1 0 O. Mughelli 7 15 2.1 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD E. Bennett 6 82 13.6 1 R. White 4 57 14.2 0 T. Gonzalez 3 20 6.6 1 M. Johnson 2 28 14.0 0 K. Meier 2 9 4.5 0

OperationSports.com