Brady. Rodgers. Wilson. Luck?
Yes, Andrew Luck. Talking about making the leap. Luck and his Colts knocked off the Broncos in upset fashion last week, to the chagrin of many, including myself, as a Denver win would've had my playoff record at an impressive 7-1. The loss caused major ripples in the Denver sea, including the team mutually agreeing to part ways with head coach John Fox (or in other words, they fired his ass). Really wanted to see Peyton try to get that elusive second ring which seems to be the only thing keeping him from being considered the greatest quarterback of all-time. Greatest regular season QB ever? Sure. But with so many epic signal callers in the past (and present), it's tough to put Peyton on the top of that list with such a mediocre postseason history.
While the Colts were a mild surprise, the other teams are usual suspects. Brady and his Pats are more than familiar with this stage, winning three rings and playing in the big game five times since 2002. (refresher, those two losses were to my NEW YORK GIANTS! Weeeheeee!) Rodgers and the Pack took home the hardware in 2010 and have had multiple playoff appearances since. Russ Wilson and the Seahawks are looking to be the first team to go back-to-back since the Pats ten years ago. Can Luck make the Super leap? Lots of intriguing storylines going into today.
And the picks...
PATRIOTS over Colts
So I guess this answers my last question. Andrew Luck is now comfortably in the upper echelon of current QB's after two impressive playoff wins. While a win against the Bengals isn't an incredible feat, to beat a rested, heavily-favorited Denver team and do it on the road was a head-turner. Sure, Indy's defense (and Peyton's horrible arm) had a lot to do with the victory, but with Luck at the healm, any game is winnable. Beating the Pats in New England in January would be a tough task for anyone, let alone a young QB still getting his postseason feet wet. As much as I don't want to see it, I expect the golden boy and hoody to confuse Luck enough to win by a touchdown.
SEAHAWKS over Packers
I know I'm going chalk here but doesn't a Pats/Hawks Super Bowl seem inevitable? Trust me, I'd much rather see Colts/Packers but I can't see it, especially not in this game. A hobbled Rodgers was enough to conquer the Cowgirls last week (Thank God) but this isn't a home came against a notoriously underwhelming team. This is a road test against Seattle's vaunted defense, on the verge of a repeat appearance to the big show. Don't think Rodgers has enough legs... and I don't think Green Bay's defense has enough cojones to stop Young Russ. I'll be cheering for stud WR's Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, celebrated members of my fantasy teams the past two years, but I see the Hawks winning easily.
So there you have it... two of the final three games of the NFL season. I'll be back in two weeks with my SUPER BOWL PREDICTION! Enjoy the games, amigos.
Showing posts with label Aaron Rodgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aaron Rodgers. Show all posts
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Sunday, January 22, 2012
NFL Conference Championship Predictions
Well, it was fun, my friends. I split last Sunday's picks, which means I'm guarenteed to finish worse than last year's 8-3 record. I know, what a damn shame. I'm not quitting, though, and I'm determined to nail my final three picks to go a respectable 7-4. Leggo!
(Home team in CAPS)
PATRIOTS over Ravens
And so they meet again. After last year's drubbing of #1 seed New England, Baltimore tries to repeat that task after a mediocre but successful performace against depleted Houston. QB Joe Flacco looked bad enough that he was publicly critized by defensive teammate Ed Reed, which had to do loads for the young man's confidence. Flacco should play better though against the Pats' putrid secondary, and the truth is the Ray Rice-led running game & Ray Lewis-powered defense are the staples they will rely on to lead the Ravens to victory. Although Baltimore's D played admirably against TJ Yates, the QB they will be playing later on is a just a tad bit more dangerous.
Tom Brady derailed the Tim Tebow train in vicious fashion, throwing for six TD's despite hardly throwing in the second half. With potential MVP's Aaron Rodgers & Drew Brees watching from home, it's Brady's showcase to show he is THE elite QB in the league as he chases his fourth ring. The weapons at his disposal have been well-documented, mainly TEs Rob Gronkowski & Aaron Hernandez, who will cause match-up nightmares for Baltimore (and frankly, any defense). I can't see Brady being this close to another Super Bowl & throwing a dud. He should be in top form & when he is, he's one of the few QB's who can will his team to a win regardless of his defense. Not only do I like NE here, I'd take the points (a touchdown) if I was betting against the spread.
Giants over 49ERS
Yes, I picked against my team last week, but as I noted, if I was going to be wrong, I was also going to be the happiest man in the world. And that I am. The road to Indy doesn't get any easier for NY, however, as San Fran has been merking teams recently. They surprised me last week as they were able to match the high octane New Orleans offense point for point, even pulling out a late 4th quarter comeback. Much has been said about the transformation of Alex Smith, and he deserves all the positive press. After being labeled a bust since he was drafted, it's hard to hate on a redemption story like his. But if he thinks he's facing the soft NO defense today, he is sadly mistaken.
The Giants pass rush has one goal, and that is to draw blood. After making Matt Ryan look completely clueless in round one, they made Aaron Rodgers look uncomfortable enough to appear human. Now, Alex Smith has definitely improved but he is no Aaron Rodgers. I expect the G-Men to harrass the SF QB and force some uncharacteristic turnovers. On offense, NY has been clicking, led by WR Hakeem Nicks. He has been a man-beast, averaging 140 yards a game in the playoffs thus far. As great as people perceive SF's defense to be, Brees lit them up last week & they only rank 16th against the pass this year. I'm rolling with the hotter (and more balanced) team to set up a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl. Eli vs. Brady part II, how can you hate that?
(Home team in CAPS)
PATRIOTS over Ravens
And so they meet again. After last year's drubbing of #1 seed New England, Baltimore tries to repeat that task after a mediocre but successful performace against depleted Houston. QB Joe Flacco looked bad enough that he was publicly critized by defensive teammate Ed Reed, which had to do loads for the young man's confidence. Flacco should play better though against the Pats' putrid secondary, and the truth is the Ray Rice-led running game & Ray Lewis-powered defense are the staples they will rely on to lead the Ravens to victory. Although Baltimore's D played admirably against TJ Yates, the QB they will be playing later on is a just a tad bit more dangerous.
Tom Brady derailed the Tim Tebow train in vicious fashion, throwing for six TD's despite hardly throwing in the second half. With potential MVP's Aaron Rodgers & Drew Brees watching from home, it's Brady's showcase to show he is THE elite QB in the league as he chases his fourth ring. The weapons at his disposal have been well-documented, mainly TEs Rob Gronkowski & Aaron Hernandez, who will cause match-up nightmares for Baltimore (and frankly, any defense). I can't see Brady being this close to another Super Bowl & throwing a dud. He should be in top form & when he is, he's one of the few QB's who can will his team to a win regardless of his defense. Not only do I like NE here, I'd take the points (a touchdown) if I was betting against the spread.
Giants over 49ERS
Yes, I picked against my team last week, but as I noted, if I was going to be wrong, I was also going to be the happiest man in the world. And that I am. The road to Indy doesn't get any easier for NY, however, as San Fran has been merking teams recently. They surprised me last week as they were able to match the high octane New Orleans offense point for point, even pulling out a late 4th quarter comeback. Much has been said about the transformation of Alex Smith, and he deserves all the positive press. After being labeled a bust since he was drafted, it's hard to hate on a redemption story like his. But if he thinks he's facing the soft NO defense today, he is sadly mistaken.
The Giants pass rush has one goal, and that is to draw blood. After making Matt Ryan look completely clueless in round one, they made Aaron Rodgers look uncomfortable enough to appear human. Now, Alex Smith has definitely improved but he is no Aaron Rodgers. I expect the G-Men to harrass the SF QB and force some uncharacteristic turnovers. On offense, NY has been clicking, led by WR Hakeem Nicks. He has been a man-beast, averaging 140 yards a game in the playoffs thus far. As great as people perceive SF's defense to be, Brees lit them up last week & they only rank 16th against the pass this year. I'm rolling with the hotter (and more balanced) team to set up a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl. Eli vs. Brady part II, how can you hate that?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
NFL Conference Championship Predictions
Is it too early to call myself a guru? After going 3-1 again last week, I've assured that I'll finish the playoffs over .500! I know, I know, what an accomplishment. Enough about me & my wise ways, though. There's two more games on the horizon today & I am determined to nail both of them. Let me say a quick prayer & get to these predictions.
(Home team in CAPS)
Green Bay Packers over CHICAGO BEARS
I picked GB over Atlanta last week but I had no idea it was gonna go down like THAT. You're probably sick of hearing how brilliant Aaron Rodgers was so I won't beat you in the head w/ that. The Packers as a whole, though, are peaking at the perfect time. Yeah, they're on the road & the Bears have played them tough this season, splitting their previous two games. I'm just not a Jay Cutler fan. He looked good last week but that was against a poor Seattle defense. The pressure Clay Matthews & the gang will bring will not allow him to be as comfortable. Like I said from the start of the post-season, GB will be in the Super Bowl.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS over New York Jets
There are toss-up's, and then there are TOSS-UP's. This is the latter. Although both teams beat formidable opponents last week, the Jets were way more impressive beating the Pats in Foxboro. Pittsburgh needed every break they could get against a Ravens team that went into halftime with a two touchdown lead. Granted, the Pitt defense is responsible for some of those Baltimore mistakes but if you saw the second half, the Ravens essentially gave that game away. What Mark Sanchez has been able to do in two years is nothing short of remarkable. FOUR road playoff wins? Wow. I just can't see him getting a 5th when the other guy throwing the ball is Big Ben, he of the 9-2 playoff record & two Super Bowl rings. In a close game, look at the QB match-up for the tiebreaker. I hope I'm wrong about this, though.
So there you have it. Packers vs. Steelers in the Super Bowl. A possible 8-2 record on the line. It doesn't get any better than this, folks. Enjoy the games!
(Home team in CAPS)
Green Bay Packers over CHICAGO BEARS
I picked GB over Atlanta last week but I had no idea it was gonna go down like THAT. You're probably sick of hearing how brilliant Aaron Rodgers was so I won't beat you in the head w/ that. The Packers as a whole, though, are peaking at the perfect time. Yeah, they're on the road & the Bears have played them tough this season, splitting their previous two games. I'm just not a Jay Cutler fan. He looked good last week but that was against a poor Seattle defense. The pressure Clay Matthews & the gang will bring will not allow him to be as comfortable. Like I said from the start of the post-season, GB will be in the Super Bowl.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS over New York Jets
There are toss-up's, and then there are TOSS-UP's. This is the latter. Although both teams beat formidable opponents last week, the Jets were way more impressive beating the Pats in Foxboro. Pittsburgh needed every break they could get against a Ravens team that went into halftime with a two touchdown lead. Granted, the Pitt defense is responsible for some of those Baltimore mistakes but if you saw the second half, the Ravens essentially gave that game away. What Mark Sanchez has been able to do in two years is nothing short of remarkable. FOUR road playoff wins? Wow. I just can't see him getting a 5th when the other guy throwing the ball is Big Ben, he of the 9-2 playoff record & two Super Bowl rings. In a close game, look at the QB match-up for the tiebreaker. I hope I'm wrong about this, though.
So there you have it. Packers vs. Steelers in the Super Bowl. A possible 8-2 record on the line. It doesn't get any better than this, folks. Enjoy the games!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
NFL Wild Card Weekend Predictions (Part 2)
If you would've told me I would go 1-1 in my predictions yesterday but the game I got wrong WASN'T the Jets, I would've thought you were loco. Somehow that's exactly what happened. Didn't expect Matt Hasselback & Marshawn Lynch to make the entire Saints' defense their bitch. With a chance to go 3-1 & brag that I am wiser than any NFL expert ever, here are my predictions for today's games.
(Home team in CAPS)
Baltimore Ravens over KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
I know, I know. Although this wouldn't be nearly the upset that Seattle over N.O. was, this still feels eerily similar to yesterday's game. Home team as the underdog although they have one of the strongest home fields in the league. Road team that looks superior & has faced & beaten stiffer competition. Yikes. Will I make the same mistake twice?
The Chiefs were an amazing 7-1 at home this season. Here's the thing. Guess how many playoff teams they faced there? Two? Nope. One? Not even. That's right. They faced ZERO. They beat up on the likes of Buffalo & Arizona. In fact, they've only faced two playoff teams the whole year (win @ Seattle, loss @ Indy), making their 10-6 record very deceiving. Meanwhile, Baltimore is battle-tested, going 12-4 this year w/ road victories over the Jets & Pittsburgh. Yes, KC has been successful running the ball, averaging an NFL-best 164 yds/game, but the Ravens can counter that with their 5th-ranked rushing defense. The crazy look in Ray Lewis' eyes should be enough to pump some fear into Jamaal Charles' heart.
Green Bay Packers over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Yeah, I'm a Giants fan but I promise you, this is a bias-free post! GB sucked it up on the road this season, only managing a 3-5 record. One of those losses, a 7-3 defeat to the Lions, happened when Aaron Rodgers got concussed & missed the entire 2nd 1/2. Their next road loss happened a week later at New England, where they only lost by 4 despite playing without Rodgers entirely. Throw in another loss that happened in OT & that 3-5 road record could've looked very different.
What Mike Vick has done this year is major OMG status. People seem to be focusing on the fact he has an INT in his last five games while he didn't have any in his first seven. Fair enough. But the dude also has 10 passing TD's & four rushing TD's in that same span. Whether he's a lil dinged-up or not, that Philly offense is still extremely dangerous. The problem for Vick is he's facing a GB defense that has certified studs (in the metaphorical sense, not physically), including potential Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews. GB's offense is no pushover either, featuring one of the deepest receiving corps in the league. I'm more confident that the Packers can slow down Philly on offense than vice versa. If GB can pull this one out, I like them to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
So the quest to 3-1 continues. Yes, I realize I picked all four road teams to win this weekend. Hey, shit happens. Besides, this is the NFL, where a 7-9 team knocks off the defending Super Bowl champs.
(Home team in CAPS)
Baltimore Ravens over KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
I know, I know. Although this wouldn't be nearly the upset that Seattle over N.O. was, this still feels eerily similar to yesterday's game. Home team as the underdog although they have one of the strongest home fields in the league. Road team that looks superior & has faced & beaten stiffer competition. Yikes. Will I make the same mistake twice?
The Chiefs were an amazing 7-1 at home this season. Here's the thing. Guess how many playoff teams they faced there? Two? Nope. One? Not even. That's right. They faced ZERO. They beat up on the likes of Buffalo & Arizona. In fact, they've only faced two playoff teams the whole year (win @ Seattle, loss @ Indy), making their 10-6 record very deceiving. Meanwhile, Baltimore is battle-tested, going 12-4 this year w/ road victories over the Jets & Pittsburgh. Yes, KC has been successful running the ball, averaging an NFL-best 164 yds/game, but the Ravens can counter that with their 5th-ranked rushing defense. The crazy look in Ray Lewis' eyes should be enough to pump some fear into Jamaal Charles' heart.
Green Bay Packers over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Yeah, I'm a Giants fan but I promise you, this is a bias-free post! GB sucked it up on the road this season, only managing a 3-5 record. One of those losses, a 7-3 defeat to the Lions, happened when Aaron Rodgers got concussed & missed the entire 2nd 1/2. Their next road loss happened a week later at New England, where they only lost by 4 despite playing without Rodgers entirely. Throw in another loss that happened in OT & that 3-5 road record could've looked very different.
What Mike Vick has done this year is major OMG status. People seem to be focusing on the fact he has an INT in his last five games while he didn't have any in his first seven. Fair enough. But the dude also has 10 passing TD's & four rushing TD's in that same span. Whether he's a lil dinged-up or not, that Philly offense is still extremely dangerous. The problem for Vick is he's facing a GB defense that has certified studs (in the metaphorical sense, not physically), including potential Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews. GB's offense is no pushover either, featuring one of the deepest receiving corps in the league. I'm more confident that the Packers can slow down Philly on offense than vice versa. If GB can pull this one out, I like them to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
So the quest to 3-1 continues. Yes, I realize I picked all four road teams to win this weekend. Hey, shit happens. Besides, this is the NFL, where a 7-9 team knocks off the defending Super Bowl champs.
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