NFL Divisional Playoffs: Luke Kuechly to Battle in Seattle
By Joe Micik
The NFL Divisional playoffs feature several Boston College Eagles in three different games, including two former teammates who would have faced each other.
Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers and his ex-teammate, Kevin Pierre-Louis of the Seattle Seahawks, might have met on the field of gridiron battle in the Emerald City. Both of them are linebackers who had a big impact for the Eagles: the former was arguably the most decorated defensive player in Boston College history, and the latter made a name for himself with some great seasons and got drafted into the NFL.
Unfortunately, Pierre-Louis was placed on injured reserve in November, but will be rooting his team on all the same.
In the NFC Wild Card game against Arizona, his second career postseason contest and his first win, Kuechly stole the show with ten tackles and an interception in the red zone. Kevin Pierre-Louis has yet to make his playoff debut, and sadly that will not change this weekend.
Either Kuechly or Pierre-Louis is guaranteed to be part of a franchise in the NFC Championship game for the first time next week. Should the Green Bay Packers of former Boston College defensive lineman B.J. Raji also get out of their playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, we would be guaranteed at least one Eagle with a team in the Super Bowl. (Keep in mind that Raji is on injured reserve and has not played this season, which is a bummer but it is what it is.)
The Cowboys have our former offensive lineman, John Wetzel, on their practice squad, not on the active roster.
In the NFL Divisional playoffs out of the AFC this weekend, there is only one cluster of Boston College players still standing, and they are with the Indianapolis Colts. Former Eagles offensive lineman Anthony Castonzo and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will face the Denver Broncos for a chance to go to their conference championship game. Sure, most people will be looking at the Andrew Luck vs. Peyton Manning angle, but it would be nice to see our former players succeed.
(Local fans would probably not be opposed to our ex-Eagles taking care of the Broncos, either.)
Boston College Eagles
The only matchup that features no former Boston College players at all is Baltimore at New England, the game in which most around here will have a specific rooting interest, anyway.
Going by the odds, and by logic, it would seem that even without Kevin Pierre-Louis, his 11-point favorite Seahawks will get through the NFL Divisional playoffs and into conference championship weekend. Raji’s Packers a little less certain of a bet, but they are a 5.5-point favorite.
In the AFC, Castonzo and Hasselbeck’s Colts are touchdown underdogs in Denver, but the home quarterback has faltered in the playoffs in the past.
Carolina and Seattle will meet at 8:15pm on Saturday night on Fox, while Green Bay plays Dallas Sunday afternoon in the early game and the Colts play Sunday in the late afternoon slot.