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?
Showing posts with label Predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Predictions. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2012
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.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
NFL Wild Card Weekend Predictions (Part 2)
Ok, so the quest for perfection may have ended prematurely. Damn you, Bengals! However, I still have the opportunity to match my 3-1 record from last year's wild card weekend. The problem is that today's games present so many unknowns, it will not be easy to go 2 for 2. No complaining though. This is the life I chose. So without any further ado, here are my picks:
(Home team in CAPS)
GIANTS over Falcons
This weekend's true toss-up. The Falcons are loaded on offense this year. Last year's core of Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Michael Turner & future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez got an extra weapon in lethal rookie WR Julio Jones. Throw in the fact that the Giants have a weak secondary & you have a recipe for disaster. Atlanta has looked good going into the playoffs before, however, most notably last year when they locked up the #1 seed in the NFC, only to get raped in their first game by eventual champs Green Bay. Now they have to play outdoors against a peaking Giants team? Color me skeptical.
Kind of hard to be unbiased here, as I am a huge Giants fan so I get the chance to watch all their games. I've seen the highs & lows play out that eventually equaled a slightly above average season overall. However, NY, already featuring a potent passing attack with a near 5,000 yard passer (Eli Manning) & the best WR duo yardage-wise this year (Hakeem Nicks & sudden superstar Victor Cruz), has gotten their pass rush together on defense at the right time. The three-headed monster of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora & All-Pro Jason Pierre-Paul will help cover up the holes in the secondary, slowing up Atlanta's offense just enough to grab a close victory.
Pittsburgh over DENVER
Wtf do we make of Denver? The Kyle Orton-led team that started the season slowly morphed into the Tim Tebow-led powerhouse that made them front-runners in the AFC West, only to see them drop their last three games & limp into the playoffs. Even with all that said, Denver is in a good position to pull off an 'upset' here. Not only is this game in Denver where the altitude presents a real disadvantage for visitors, but Pittsburgh is littered with injuries ranging from RB Rashard Mendenhall to safety Ryan Clark. Even their rock, Big Ben, has been slowed down recently with a hobbled leg. The Steelers are far from full-strength & Tebow loves Jesus. Hallelujah!
I still like Pitt here, and that is a testament to their veteran leadership & experience. The Steelers have been down this road before. If there's any team that can overcome adversity in the post-season, it's Pittsburgh. Tebow has looked flat-out amatuerish recently, including a dreadful performance against Buffalo where he threw four picks, two of which were returned for TD's. Denver's strength in the running game can be combatted by Pitt's stunning-as-always run defense. For me to pick Denver here, I would have to expect Tebow to play flawlessly. God forgive me but I don't see it.
(Home team in CAPS)
GIANTS over Falcons
This weekend's true toss-up. The Falcons are loaded on offense this year. Last year's core of Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Michael Turner & future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez got an extra weapon in lethal rookie WR Julio Jones. Throw in the fact that the Giants have a weak secondary & you have a recipe for disaster. Atlanta has looked good going into the playoffs before, however, most notably last year when they locked up the #1 seed in the NFC, only to get raped in their first game by eventual champs Green Bay. Now they have to play outdoors against a peaking Giants team? Color me skeptical.
Kind of hard to be unbiased here, as I am a huge Giants fan so I get the chance to watch all their games. I've seen the highs & lows play out that eventually equaled a slightly above average season overall. However, NY, already featuring a potent passing attack with a near 5,000 yard passer (Eli Manning) & the best WR duo yardage-wise this year (Hakeem Nicks & sudden superstar Victor Cruz), has gotten their pass rush together on defense at the right time. The three-headed monster of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora & All-Pro Jason Pierre-Paul will help cover up the holes in the secondary, slowing up Atlanta's offense just enough to grab a close victory.
Pittsburgh over DENVER
Wtf do we make of Denver? The Kyle Orton-led team that started the season slowly morphed into the Tim Tebow-led powerhouse that made them front-runners in the AFC West, only to see them drop their last three games & limp into the playoffs. Even with all that said, Denver is in a good position to pull off an 'upset' here. Not only is this game in Denver where the altitude presents a real disadvantage for visitors, but Pittsburgh is littered with injuries ranging from RB Rashard Mendenhall to safety Ryan Clark. Even their rock, Big Ben, has been slowed down recently with a hobbled leg. The Steelers are far from full-strength & Tebow loves Jesus. Hallelujah!
I still like Pitt here, and that is a testament to their veteran leadership & experience. The Steelers have been down this road before. If there's any team that can overcome adversity in the post-season, it's Pittsburgh. Tebow has looked flat-out amatuerish recently, including a dreadful performance against Buffalo where he threw four picks, two of which were returned for TD's. Denver's strength in the running game can be combatted by Pitt's stunning-as-always run defense. For me to pick Denver here, I would have to expect Tebow to play flawlessly. God forgive me but I don't see it.
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.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
NFL Wild Card Weekend Predictions (Part 1)
Oh, so you thought this was just a hip-hop blog, huh? We versatile up in this bitch! I'm a huge football fan. Watch it religiously, root for my Giants, play fantasy football... I gets it in. With so much parity in the NFL, an even wilder wild-card weekend is upon us. I'll be predicting the outcomes of the games throughout the playoffs to see how I stack up against these so-called experts. Let the madness begin!
(Home team in CAPS)
New Orleans Saints Over SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Did the 7-9 Seahawks deserve a spot in the playoffs? Under the NFL rules, yes. Under life rules, hell no. Not while two 10-6 teams watch from home. But they're in & facing the defending Super Bowl champs. This is the one playoff game that everyone is expecting to be a blow-out, including Vegas, who has the Saints as a double-digit favorite despite playing on the road.
The one point I've heard about why this game might be closer than expected is that the Saints are a dome team & Seattle is notorious for being a tough place to play. However, looking at the Seahawks' home schedule this year, they only went 5-3. Their most impressive win was a 27-20 victory over San Diego in week 3 (the Chargers are known to be slow-starters). While their five wins came against non-playoff teams, their three losses all came against playoff teams in which they lost by a combined 68 points. Add to the fact that the Saints went 6-2 on the road & I don't see how this game is closer than two touchdowns.
New York Jets over INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Peyton Manning's 5-1 record vs. Rex Ryan defenses (the one loss in a game he sat out the second 1/2). The remarkable Jets playoff run last year where they won two road games w/ a rookie QB. The absence of Austin Collie & Dallas Clark. The presence of LaDanian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes & Antonio Cromartie. The Colts are clearly the hotter team, winning four straight & coming back to take the AFC South from pesky Jacksonville. The Jets, albeit against tougher competition, have lost three of their last five. All these things have been running through my head while deciding who I would pick to win. This is the definition of a pick-'em.
In last year's AFC Championship, Peyton was able to pick on any Jets' cornerback not named Darrelle Revis as Pierre Garcon had the game of his life. That won't happen this time with Cromartie there. The way to beat the Colts is through the ground & the Jets were #4 in rushing yards this year behind the two-headed monster of LDT & Shonn Greene. Sure, the Colts had the #1 passing offense in the NFL this year but the Jets were #6 in passing yards allowed, despite having their All-Pro CB either banged up or out earlier on. I just can't pick Indy when the Jets look like they're clearly the more talented team. It's time for them to show & prove.
So for today, I'm going with the two road teams. I'll be back tomorrow morning to recap today's games & offer my predictions for the Ravens/Chiefs & Packers/Eagles showdowns.
(Home team in CAPS)
New Orleans Saints Over SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Did the 7-9 Seahawks deserve a spot in the playoffs? Under the NFL rules, yes. Under life rules, hell no. Not while two 10-6 teams watch from home. But they're in & facing the defending Super Bowl champs. This is the one playoff game that everyone is expecting to be a blow-out, including Vegas, who has the Saints as a double-digit favorite despite playing on the road.
The one point I've heard about why this game might be closer than expected is that the Saints are a dome team & Seattle is notorious for being a tough place to play. However, looking at the Seahawks' home schedule this year, they only went 5-3. Their most impressive win was a 27-20 victory over San Diego in week 3 (the Chargers are known to be slow-starters). While their five wins came against non-playoff teams, their three losses all came against playoff teams in which they lost by a combined 68 points. Add to the fact that the Saints went 6-2 on the road & I don't see how this game is closer than two touchdowns.
New York Jets over INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Peyton Manning's 5-1 record vs. Rex Ryan defenses (the one loss in a game he sat out the second 1/2). The remarkable Jets playoff run last year where they won two road games w/ a rookie QB. The absence of Austin Collie & Dallas Clark. The presence of LaDanian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes & Antonio Cromartie. The Colts are clearly the hotter team, winning four straight & coming back to take the AFC South from pesky Jacksonville. The Jets, albeit against tougher competition, have lost three of their last five. All these things have been running through my head while deciding who I would pick to win. This is the definition of a pick-'em.
In last year's AFC Championship, Peyton was able to pick on any Jets' cornerback not named Darrelle Revis as Pierre Garcon had the game of his life. That won't happen this time with Cromartie there. The way to beat the Colts is through the ground & the Jets were #4 in rushing yards this year behind the two-headed monster of LDT & Shonn Greene. Sure, the Colts had the #1 passing offense in the NFL this year but the Jets were #6 in passing yards allowed, despite having their All-Pro CB either banged up or out earlier on. I just can't pick Indy when the Jets look like they're clearly the more talented team. It's time for them to show & prove.
So for today, I'm going with the two road teams. I'll be back tomorrow morning to recap today's games & offer my predictions for the Ravens/Chiefs & Packers/Eagles showdowns.
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