Well, this year began with one participant predicting a tie score in the very first game.  Not a good way to help The Commish keep his blood pressure under control.  Luckily, that was remedied minutes before the kickoff.

We have 4 games in the bag after a home team rampage (1st time in 5 years the home team won all 4 Wild Card games).  Here are the post-game analyses and a check-in on the current standings:

Houston Texans 31, Cincinnati Bungles 10
This is why we don’t allow the Bengals to get into the playoffs very often.  The Houston rookie DT JJ Watt pick 6 at the end of the 1st half set the tone for the rest of the game and sent the Texans on their way to Baltimore.  RB Arian Foster took over on the ground in the 2nd half and all the Bengals could do after that was be happy that they limped into the playoffs for the 1st time since 2006.  Buffalo Bill took the almost insurmountable lead with a 94-point effort, while Pete the Terp kicked off the goose-egg parade.

New Orleans Saints 45, Detroit Lions 28
Bet you were thinking late into the 2nd quarter that the Lions actually had a pretty decent chance to win this one, right?  So was Detroit.  Then the Saints decided to shift out of Park and promptly put up 35 second half points, behind the passing of Drew Brees (4th game in a row over 400 passing yards).  Give the Motor City credit for making the playoffs, primarily behind the passing combo of Matthew Stafford to Megatron (did he have 27 catches for 350 yards and 4 TDs?).  The Saints go marching on to SF, where they will meet the #1 D in the NFC.  Detroit took 10 Dodge Caravans back home.  Meanwhile, Pete the Terp made a comeback with 55 points in this one, closely followed by the ever-looming 2012 Winner.

New York Football Giants 24, Atlanta Chickadees 2
So, the Falcons hit a 2-run homer to start the day’s scoring, after a very lackluster 1st quarter.  Then, the Giants pitched a shutout the rest of the way, with a lethal and smothering defensive effort.  Consistent effort on offense for the Giants, led by the RB tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.  Pretty much a snoozer, unless you like to watch the NY Football Giants in action.  Buffalo Bill was at it again, posting 83 points, while Greg the Great jumped on the goose-egg bandwagon (seriously – Atlanta 30, Giants 12?).

Denver Tebows 29, Pittsburgh Steelers 23
Nail-biter extraordinaire.  Who would have thunk this?  OK, so the Steelers were without 15 or so starters and Big Ben was limping around on a gimpy ankle.  Denver raced out to a 20-6 halftime lead by actually scoring 2 TDs (something they had not done since about Halloween).  Pittsburgh rallied back and had the lead, only to see it tied late in the 4th quarter.  With 4th down and :04 on the game clock, the Steelers decide to punt vs. trying a 65-yard FG.  That decision quickly came back to haunt them as Denver QB Tim Tebow tossed an 80-yard TD on the very first play of OT.  Game over.  Broncos go to Boston for a Te(bow) Party next week with New England.  Greg the Great comes back in this one and Ben the Butler makes the scene, each with 42 points, while Pete the Terp doubles up on his goose-eggs.

HSBT Standings
With 4 of games out of the way, it’s looking like this:

• Buffalo Bill continues to lead with 207 points, his best Wild Card showing ever.
• 2012 Winner is also off to a nice start with 118 points.
• Despite 2 goose-eggs, Pete the Terp holds command of 3rd place with 114 points.
• HenricoFiveOh has 96 points.
• Comeback Kid is at 90 points.
• Ben the Butler is at 85 points, and
• Greg the Great is at 72 points.

Looks like a runaway, with everyone else vying for 2nd place.  However, keep in mind that only 13% of the total points each year are earned during the Wild Card games.  That is based on a total of 8,876 points amassed during 24 years of Wild Card games, for those of you who are wondering.  And – Buffalo Bill still remains the all-time Wild Card game points leader, with 2,119.  But wait a minute – he has won the trophy only 3 times, so there must be time for the other participants to overtake his lead!!

And, very interestingly, a few tidbits of HSBT history – 10 years ago (2002) and 20 years ago (1992) Buffalo Bill won the 1st Wild Card game.

That’s all for now.  The Commish will publish his expert analysis and predictions for this weekend’s Divisional Games later in the week.  You will want to read this before submitting your picks!  If you have a brain malfuntion and submit your picks early – DO NOT FORGET TO ALSO SUBMIT YOUR SUPER BOWL BONUS PICK.

~~ The Commish