2008 Playoffs: The Mental Edge

Nobody could have seen both the Chargers and the Giants winning on the road yesterday in the crazy endings for the divisional round. Vegas sure cashed in on the reputation of the favored Cowboys and Colts. Myself included, I never, EVER expected Giants QB Eli "look-at-my-stupid-face" Manning to win in Dallas or Chargers head coach Norv Turner to out-coach Superbowl Champion Tony Dungy of the Colts.   

The difference in the playoffs so far? The mental edge. Think about it, the Cowboys were rolling along at 12-1 after beating the Green Bay Packers to pretty much lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs and they half-heartedly walked through their last few games after half the team made the Pro Bowl. The Colts rested their starters in the final game against the Titans.   

Meanwhile, the Giants didn't have to play the entire game against the Patriots in Week 17, but they played and it helped them get into a playoff groove. The Chargers could have relaxed mentally against their foes in the final few weeks after locking up the AFC West, but they went ahead and finished the season riding a six-game winning streak.   

The result: Cowboys out, Giants advance. Colts out, Chargers advance. That's the only logical explanation for Sunday's results.   

Football is such a mental game, and you cannot afford to relax in your preparation or your on-the-field intensity, and then all of a sudden flip a mental switch and be back on your A-game.   

Heck this doesn't even work in real life. I can't be in a dating rut and expect to just come out of it with a snap of my fingers. Once you get in a groove, then good things happen, but it takes awhile to get the momentum building.   

Anyway, that's all...