January 7, 2009 - With the NFL regular season in the books and the Week 1 of the playoffs in the books, it's time to turn to once again to Madden NFL 09 for answers.

Who's going to prevail in each of this week's four NFL playoff games? Can Arizona continue to ride Kurt Warner's arm to playoff success? Was the Cardinals' defensive statement against the Falcons a fluke, or can the team sustain that defensive intensity against a dangerous Panther attack? Can the Baltimore defense continue its dominance against the Titans, who have a devastating running attack? Can the Chargers make it six wins in a row and avenge a one-point loss to Pittsburgh in Week 11 of the regular season? And, can the Giants repeat without Michael Strahan and Plaxico Burress?

Madden's answers may surprise you, I know they surprised me. Here are the results from our latest simulation…

Saturday's Games
Arizona (9-7) at Carolina (12-4)
Cardinals 27 – Panthers 31
Carolina earned a four-point win over Arizona when the two teams met in Week 8 of the regular season, edging the Cardinals 27-23 at home, and, according to Madden, the results of Saturday's NFC Divisional Playoff game will be much the same. Our simulation predicted the Panthers would once again defeat the Cardinals by four points, this time by a final score of 31-27, ending Arizona's season and earning a place in the NFC Championship game.

BERJAYA
Jake Delhomme and the Panthers powered past the Cardinals in our sim.

In the simulated game, the lead changed hands five times before it was all over, with the two teams heading into halftime tied at 17-17 and heading into the fourth quarter knotted at 24-24, and the game was ultimately decided with just 2:50 left to play when Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme hooked up with wide receiver M Muhammad on a 1-yard touchdown pass.

Delhomme led the offensive charge for Carolina, completing 17 of 24 passes for 187 yards and three touchdown passes, but Panthers wide receiver D.J. Hackett took home Player of the Game honors for his five-catch, 52-yard performance that included touchdown catches of five and nine yards respectively. Deangelo Williams led the Panther rushing attack, carrying the ball 18 times for 82 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown run.

BERJAYA
Deangelo Williams has been outstanding for Carolina this year, and that excellence continues this postseason.

Rookie cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie was named the Cardinals' Player of the Game thanks to his huge interception and 47-yard touchdown return in the third quarter. Arizona's Anquan Boldin led the team's offensive efforts, hauling in six passes for 82 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.

Baltimore (11-5) at Tennessee (13-3) WK5
Ravens 20 – Titans 13
When these two teams met in Week 5 of the regular season the Titans rallied in the fourth quarter to overcome a 10-3 deficit, as tight end Alge Crumpler hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins with 1:56 left to play to earn a 13-10 win and remain undefeated. However, according to our Madden simulation, there will be no such comeback in Saturday's AFC Divisional Playoff game at Tennessee.

BERJAYA
Samari Rolle comes up with big play after big play for the Ravens.

Raven defensive back Samari Rolle got the scoring started in the second quarter after the neither team managed to find the end zone in the first quarter, intercepting a Vince Young pass and returning it 34 yards for the touchdown. The Titans weren't able to put the ball in the end zone in first half, but did manage to score five points thanks to a safety and a Robb Bironas field goal from 29 yards out. Baltimore extended its lead to 13-5 in the fourth quarter when fullback Le'Ron McClain plunged into the end zone from three yards out (and the team failed to convert its 2-point try), but the Titans bounced right back to tie the game thanks to a 20-yard pass from Young to running back Chris Johnson and a successful 2-point try of their own.

Ultimately Derrick Mason scored the game-winning touchdown with just 1:00 left on the clock, hauling in a pass from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco and taking it 29 yards to decide the contest and propel the Ravens into the AFC Championship game. Mason caught seven passes for 102 yards in the game.

BERJAYA
Derrick Mason was too much for the Cardinals to handle in our simulation.

Although Rolle was named Baltimore's Player of the Game, the real star of this contest was the Ravens' front-seven, who absolutely wreaked havoc on a Titan offensive line that was without All-Pro center Kevin Mawae, holding Tennessee to just 19 rushing yards on the game.

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