2007 NFL Playoffs Schedule

AFC

WILD CARD WEEKEND
Saturday, Jan. 5

#5 Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) at #4 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), 5 p.m. PST (NBC)

Sunday, Jan. 6

#6 Tennessee Titans (10-6) at #3 San Diego Chargers (11-5), 1:30 p.m. PST (CBS)

#1 New England Patriots (16-0) and #2 Indianapolis Colts (13-2) have first-round byes.

DIVISIONAL ROUND
Jan. 12-13

San Diego, Pittsburgh or Jacksonville at Indianapolis

Pittsburgh, Jacksonville or Tennessee at New England

NFC

WILD CARD WEEKEND
Saturday, Jan. 5

#6 Washington Redskins (9-7) at #3 Seattle Seahawks (10-6), 1:30 p.m. PST (NBC)

Sunday, Jan. 6

#5 New York Giants (10-6) at #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7), 10 a.m. PST (Fox)

#1 Dallas Cowboys (13-3) and #2 Green Bay Packers (13-3) have first-round byes.

DIVISIONAL ROUND
Jan. 12-13

Tampa Bay or New York or Washington at Dallas

Seattle, Tampa Bay or New York at Green Bay

AFC, NFC Championships: Sunday, Jan. 20

Super Bowl XLII: Sunday, Feb. 3, 3 p.m., University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.)

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FEATURED COMMENT

Antonio Gates is easily one of the best tight ends to have ever played NFL football, but I doubt he would get into the Hall of Fame now if his career were to mysteriously end now. Why? Because, despite eye-popping numbers and video-highlight reels to die for, careers like Gates' are a microcosm of what's wrong with the modern corporate game and inherent problems trying to rate individual players in a team sport.

If Antonio had had a stellar college career as a tight end and retired tomorrow, he might make it in; but as someone who was UNdrafted yet enormously successful, his career makes the prognosticator industry look less than the Grand Pooba's they purport to be. Ditto for Gates' quick ascent to lofty numbers. Naysayers will mention Brees' lack of success with the deep pass, or L.T.'s phenominal success will be used as a "qualifier" against Gates' induction merit as he was "only a part" of a great offensive team. It's ironic, even foolish, but Gates needs to escape the "shadow" of L.T.'s iconic career to solidly define his own. Nowadays Jackson, Sproles, and others are getting more balls thrown to them too. So it will be, by offensive design, probably difficult for Gates to continue on with the pace of his earlier success; and that's assuming he can stay healthy. But whatever accolades may come his way eventually, he has been just fantastic to watch as a Charger.

Personally, I'd even rate him slightly above the great Kellen Winslow here, and Winslow's in the HoF. Winslow's career here also reiterates my earlier point; he was pivotal to the NFL to a large degree because his position was pivotal to the passing attack introduced to the NFL by Don Coryell and his staff. Yet, AMAZINGLY, relatively few folks are clamoring so much for Coryell's overdue induction into the HoF!? Coryell deserves to be there as much as anyone, period! But Don loved football and football players first and foremost, and never did the Corporate or media dance. Truth is, none are so blind as those that refuse to see.

Posted by Anonymous on "Is Antonio Gates Already A Hall Of Fame Player?"