STEVE INSKEEP, Host:
OK. Here we are. It's time for the NFL playoffs. The playoff roster does include Atlanta and Miami, and it does not include the most dominant team of recent years, the New England Patriots. We'll leave that where it is for now but bring in Bill Curry, a former pro-football player and head coach at Georgia State University. Coach Curry, good morning.
M: Good morning, Steve. How are you?
INSKEEP: OK. Good to talk with you again. Happy New Year.
M: Happy New Year to you.
INSKEEP: Before we get down to one or two specifics, I just want to ask what you think it takes for a team to win this time of year.
M: Well, I was so lucky in my career to be on great teams in Green Bay and Baltimore, and I've had a lot of time to think about it. But it comes down to, really, ball security, field position and physical dominance. That's not interesting stuff to most fans. But if you study the teams with the best turnover margin - Miami, Tennessee, Baltimore, Indiana, New York Giants - what do they have in common? They're all in the playoffs. Field position, great kicking game, physical dominance, great defense - Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Philadelphia, the Giants - all in the top five in defense. So, those are the things that win this time of year, most of the time, with a few notable exceptions.
INSKEEP: So, the last-second pass is what we remember, but what really happens for a winner is they hang on to the ball, they don't fumble, and they grind it down the field.
M: Yeah, they do all that. Unless you have one of the Manning guys on your team, and either of them gets hot, that kind of quarterback can make the difference and overcome some of the other stuff that we just talked about, the basics. But it takes a superhuman effort by that player at the key time.
INSKEEP: We do have a couple of Mannings in the playoffs once again.
M: Yes, we do. And they're both there, and you've got to admit that they could change all this stuff I'm talking about.
INSKEEP: Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts is at the head of a team that looked a little shaky beginning of the season, but they're hot at the end.
M: If you're shaky at the beginning of the season and you win nine in a row at the end, and if you can get through the San Diego thing - because there's another hot team just in the last week or two - then they will be a real threat. But I think their biggest problem's going to be this weekend.
INSKEEP: Oh, and why's that?
M: Because of Philip Rivers, who's another hot quarterback, and a hot team that has played poorly not in just the first part of the season, but most of the season. And San Diego, to their amazement, finds themself with chance to go the distance here, and you wouldn't want to play them in San Diego this weekend.
INSKEEP: OK. So, Indianapolis-San Diego, one of four games this weekend. The other Manning with the New York Giants, the Super Bowl champions; they get the week off. Before I let you go, Bill Curry, I want to ask about one other team, though: the Miami Dolphins. What do you think it's like to be a team that won, was it, one game last year, another in the playoffs?
M: It's not only the story of the year; it's one of the great stories ever in the NFL. Nobody's ever gone from one win the previous year to a playoff berth the following year. The 10-game spread is- it matches the best ever by the Indianapolis Colts in '99. And Bill Parcells gets the credit, along with Chad Pennington. Just an incredible story about coming together and being hungry and being team-oriented.
INSKEEP: In a couple of seconds, could they win some games here?
M: They could, because they lead the league in turnover margin. It's just that simple. If you can do that stat, if they keep playing the way they've been playing, they've got a shot.
INSKEEP: It gets back to that basic thing, hanging onto the ball.
M: That's right, and taking it away from the other guy.
INSKEEP: Bill Curry, it's always a pleasure talking with you.
M: It was great talking to you, Steve, thank you.
INSKEEP: He is head football coach at Georgia State University, and also author of the book "Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle."
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