Four locals still alive in NFL playoffs

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 13, 2010

By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

Four River Parishes players are still alive in the NFL playoffs.

Hahnville’s Dawan Landry and Darius Reynaud and Destrehan’s Ed Reed and Mike Scifres are all set to play this weekend for a chance to move onto their conference championship games.

Reed and Landry are the starting safeties for the Baltimore Ravens. Scifres is the punter of the San Diego Chargers, while Reynaud is a wide receiver/return man for the Minnesota Vikings.

Reed, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, remains one of the NFL’s marquee names.

This weekend, he and Landry will attempt to makes things difficult for the NFL MVP as the Ravens travel to Indianapolis to play Peyton Manning and the Colts.

Reed battled injuries this season – he was sidelined for a month late in the year – but accumulated 50 tackles, intercepted three passes and forced three fumbles in 12 games. He intercepted Manning in the Ravens’ 17-15 loss to the Colts in Baltimore in Week 11, returning it 42 yards.

Landry is in the midst of perhaps his best season as a pro, tallying 89 tackles, intercepting four passes (one for a touchdown) and defending eight passes.

Each intercepted Tom Brady on Sunday as the Ravens eliminated the New England Patriots, 33-14.

Scifres is awaiting his first action of the postseason Sunday as his Chargers host the New York Jets.

He averaged 45 yards per punt during the regular season, landing 23 of his 52 punts inside the 20-yard line. Scifres has been named a Pro Bowl alternate this season behind Oakland standout Shane Lechler.

Reynaud has battled injuries this season, but has suited up for 11 games this season. He averaged 10.3 yards a punt return, good for 10th in the NFL among players with at least 20 attempts.

He and his Vikings will host the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday.