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 Packers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Packers. Show all posts
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Friday, January 13, 2012
NFL Divisional Weekend Predictions
Well, that didn't go so well. After lighting it up last year & going 3-1 in wild card weekend, I only managed to split this year's four games. If I would've followed the simple plan of picking home teams, I would've been tasting sweet victory. Oh well.
Horrible picks aside, this weekend should be tremendous for football fans, as the four most interesting teams that played all advanced. This creates some sizzling match-ups for divisional weekend and darn it, I can't wait!
(Home team in CAPS)
Saints over 49ERS
The 49ers have to be the most over-looked team in the playoffs. Sure, I didn't help with my prediction above, but whatever. SF has a punishing defense, steady running game, brash yet confident coach. They have all the tools of a championship team. They're not exactly loaded on offense but they're just productive enough on that side of the ball to give their defense a chance to close out the game. I've heard people say that eventually, despite all the record-setting offenses we've seen this season, defense has to (and will) win these playoff games. And part of me believes that. Just not this time.
All bets are off when you're playing Drew Brees. The dude is simply playing out of his mind right now. As dominant as the SF D has been, the Saints have so many weapons on offense, it's almost impossible to stop them all. Will Brees have as easy a time w/ SF as he did with Detroit? Of course not. But if NO happens to get up by a touchdown or two, I have to feel confident that Alex Smith can close the gap to pick them. Simply, I do not.
PATRIOTS over Broncos
What a season for Denver. Everyone is going ham over Tebow & the boys after their stunning OT win over defending AFC champs Pittsburgh. Even if you have no horse in this race, you just have to root for a dude like Tebow, who has been critized rather unfairly despite being a respectable field general for most of the year. The leadership & magic(?) he brings are factors that go beyond stats. Will the feel-good story continue?
Not so fast, buddy. If anyone recalls, these teams matched up earlier this year & NE punished Denver, most notably their defense. While Brady may not be Brees-hot, he certainly protected his throne, passing for over 5,000 yards, second all-time right behind the NO QB. NE has a huge flaw on defense, particularly their secondary, and that's not a good sign with the way Tebow and D. Thomas were able to exploit the Steelers. But I have to believe that experience wins out here. NE has been down this road before, Denver is without the crutch of their home field & God knows what Bellicek has planned for Tebow. NE by two TDs.
RAVENS over Texans
This is my easiest pick of the weekend. Houston looked good against Cincy, who looked competitive to start but over-matched by the end. Andre Johnson appeared to be healthy & Arian Foster did what Arian Foster does. The defense came up w/ a monster pick-six and TJ Yates did nothing to wipe all of that clean. For the Texans to win, they will have to repeat that same formula, only multiply that by a million. These aren't the Bengals they're playing this week, my friend.
Baltimore, a group of grizzled veterans, should be refreshed after their week off. Everyone knows about the playmakers they have on defense, and I expect them to keep the pressure on Hosuton's rookie QB. But it's when the Ravens have the ball on offense where this game will be won. Houston has proven to be a solid crew on defense but a dual-threat like Ray Rice is the perfect remedy to solve that problem. An all-purpose yard king, Rice is just as dangerous catching balls out of the backfield than toting the rock after a hand-off. I smell a 150-yard combined performance from him to lead Baltimore to the win.
PACKERS over Giants
Ahhh, this pains me. No team has looked better in the past three weeks (with maybe New Orleans in the discussion) than the Giants. They've crushed the Jets, Cowboys & Falcons in order, bringing them to this rematch with defending champs Green Bay. The pass rush reached their pinnicle last week, holding Atlanta's potent offense scoreless. Hakeem Nicks showed what happens when defenses put too much focus on Victor Cruz. Brandon Jacobs looked like... well... not Brandon Jacobs, running for almost 100 yards. The G-Men are clicking on all cyclinders.
And then there's the offensive juggernaut known as the Packers. Yeah, they had the best record in the NFL. Yeah, they probably have the MVP in Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, his favorite weapon, Greg Jennings, is back from injury. It's not likely that the Giants will do to GB what they did to Atlanta. Like NE, the only thing keeping GB from being an unstoppable force is their pourous defense. They often bend but don't break, but New York has the pieces on offense to keep the pressure on, and that's exactly what I expect them to do. But that pressure can only sustained for so long. As much as it pains me to say it, I like GB here by a FG. And if I'm wrong, I will be the happiest man alive.
Horrible picks aside, this weekend should be tremendous for football fans, as the four most interesting teams that played all advanced. This creates some sizzling match-ups for divisional weekend and darn it, I can't wait!
(Home team in CAPS)
Saints over 49ERS
The 49ers have to be the most over-looked team in the playoffs. Sure, I didn't help with my prediction above, but whatever. SF has a punishing defense, steady running game, brash yet confident coach. They have all the tools of a championship team. They're not exactly loaded on offense but they're just productive enough on that side of the ball to give their defense a chance to close out the game. I've heard people say that eventually, despite all the record-setting offenses we've seen this season, defense has to (and will) win these playoff games. And part of me believes that. Just not this time.
All bets are off when you're playing Drew Brees. The dude is simply playing out of his mind right now. As dominant as the SF D has been, the Saints have so many weapons on offense, it's almost impossible to stop them all. Will Brees have as easy a time w/ SF as he did with Detroit? Of course not. But if NO happens to get up by a touchdown or two, I have to feel confident that Alex Smith can close the gap to pick them. Simply, I do not.
PATRIOTS over Broncos
What a season for Denver. Everyone is going ham over Tebow & the boys after their stunning OT win over defending AFC champs Pittsburgh. Even if you have no horse in this race, you just have to root for a dude like Tebow, who has been critized rather unfairly despite being a respectable field general for most of the year. The leadership & magic(?) he brings are factors that go beyond stats. Will the feel-good story continue?
Not so fast, buddy. If anyone recalls, these teams matched up earlier this year & NE punished Denver, most notably their defense. While Brady may not be Brees-hot, he certainly protected his throne, passing for over 5,000 yards, second all-time right behind the NO QB. NE has a huge flaw on defense, particularly their secondary, and that's not a good sign with the way Tebow and D. Thomas were able to exploit the Steelers. But I have to believe that experience wins out here. NE has been down this road before, Denver is without the crutch of their home field & God knows what Bellicek has planned for Tebow. NE by two TDs.
RAVENS over Texans
This is my easiest pick of the weekend. Houston looked good against Cincy, who looked competitive to start but over-matched by the end. Andre Johnson appeared to be healthy & Arian Foster did what Arian Foster does. The defense came up w/ a monster pick-six and TJ Yates did nothing to wipe all of that clean. For the Texans to win, they will have to repeat that same formula, only multiply that by a million. These aren't the Bengals they're playing this week, my friend.
Baltimore, a group of grizzled veterans, should be refreshed after their week off. Everyone knows about the playmakers they have on defense, and I expect them to keep the pressure on Hosuton's rookie QB. But it's when the Ravens have the ball on offense where this game will be won. Houston has proven to be a solid crew on defense but a dual-threat like Ray Rice is the perfect remedy to solve that problem. An all-purpose yard king, Rice is just as dangerous catching balls out of the backfield than toting the rock after a hand-off. I smell a 150-yard combined performance from him to lead Baltimore to the win.
PACKERS over Giants
Ahhh, this pains me. No team has looked better in the past three weeks (with maybe New Orleans in the discussion) than the Giants. They've crushed the Jets, Cowboys & Falcons in order, bringing them to this rematch with defending champs Green Bay. The pass rush reached their pinnicle last week, holding Atlanta's potent offense scoreless. Hakeem Nicks showed what happens when defenses put too much focus on Victor Cruz. Brandon Jacobs looked like... well... not Brandon Jacobs, running for almost 100 yards. The G-Men are clicking on all cyclinders.
And then there's the offensive juggernaut known as the Packers. Yeah, they had the best record in the NFL. Yeah, they probably have the MVP in Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, his favorite weapon, Greg Jennings, is back from injury. It's not likely that the Giants will do to GB what they did to Atlanta. Like NE, the only thing keeping GB from being an unstoppable force is their pourous defense. They often bend but don't break, but New York has the pieces on offense to keep the pressure on, and that's exactly what I expect them to do. But that pressure can only sustained for so long. As much as it pains me to say it, I like GB here by a FG. And if I'm wrong, I will be the happiest man alive.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Madden Super Bowl Sim
I will be posting my prediction column very soon (did I mention I'm 8-2 so far?) but until then, here's what the Madden video game simulated.
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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