EXTRA POINTS.(football teams, players, brief notes.)(Brief Article)

Observation on the first round of the playoffs

If I'm a Vegas oddsmaker, I list the over/under for the Ravens-Titans game at 51/2 points. If I'm a bettor, I take the under. The teams' defenses are simply superb.... You could make a lot of arguments why Jim Haslett should be the coach of the year, but here's the most convincing one: His Saints dominated the Rams with an entire unit of backup skill players. No Ricky Williams. No Jeff Blake. No Joe Horn (after the third play of last Saturday's game). New Orleans ran up a 31-7 lead with QB Aaron Brooks, RB Terry Allen and journeyman WR Willie (three touchdowns) Jackson propelling the offense.... Even those Dolphins fans who forked over money to buy tickets to the game against the Colts that was blacked out locally missed RB Lamar Smith's final carry. Smith rushed 40 times (an NFL postseason record) for 209 yards, including a 17-yard TD run in overtime that lifted the Dolphins to victory. In the locker room after the game, a giddy coach Dave Wannstedt handed Smith a game ball, then jumped on Smith's back.... The Broncos hoisted a white flag when they brought in third-string QB Jarious Jackson with 4:31 left in their loss to the Ravens, but it looked like they had given up long before then. Yes, the Ravens had the best rushing defense in the NFL this season (60.6 yards per game), but the Broncos barely tried to test it with 1,500-yard rusher Mike Anderson.... Tired of seeing those Show Me Something commercials yet? ... It's both unjust and myopic to lay blame for the Rams' loss to New Orleans at the feet of PR Az-Zahir Hakim, whose ...