I've had a busy week and am extremely lazy... I have analysis and reasons for why I'm picking these teams, but sorry, not gonna write them. Taking the team that won each meeting the last time they met this year.
PACKERS 27, BEARS 23
JETS 20, STEELERS 19
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
NFL Divisional Round Previews
Look at that.. as advertised, I went 2-2 with my picks last weekend. This time, I guarantee that same kind of production, maybe better.
This week we have 2 "OMFG GREATEST NFL RIVALRY GAME EVAH!!!" games in the AFC, a shootout in a dome, and I guess the Bears and Seahawks are still playing too...
Let's check it out...
SAT 4:30 PM
RAVENS at STEELERS
De-Fence. Divisional opponents.
Pittsburgh and Baltimore both finished 12-4 in the regular season and scored 27 points apiece in their two meetings, each winning by a field goal on the other’s home field. Five of the seven meetings over the past 28 months have been decided by three points, one by four and the other nine - that courtesy of Troy Polamalu’s late interception return in the 2009 AFC championship game that sent the Steelers to their seventh Super Bowl.
Thing to Watch - Will this be the year Joe Flacco finally gets the best of the Steeler D before Big Ben figures out the Ravens' D? Flacco is 0-5 against Big Ben, but if he plays as well as he did last week, that streak will end. The Steelers have played a lot better than one prognosticator (me) thought they would (they did NOT finish 6-10...), and they have the momentum going into this one.
Score: RAVENS 23, STEELERS 20.
SAT 8PM NFC
PACKERS at FALCONS
Again, the game of the week will most likely come from the NFC. I expect there to be a lot of points, but it will be interesting to see if the Pack D can contain Michael Turner the way the contained LeSean McCoy/Michael Vick the RB. Matt Ryan has only lost 2 games at home, but this pressure-happy GB pass rush will be his toughest test. If he can get some good looks, Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and Tony Gonzalez should be able to make plays.
Think to Watch - The ATL pass rush. It's been solid all season, but they didn't get much pressure on Aaron Rodgers the first time they met. If they are able to, that could be the key that gives the game to the Falcons. Ultimately, it will most likely come down to the QB, and in the Dome, I'll take Matty Ice over A-Rod.
Score: FALCONS 27, PACKERS 20
SUN 1:00 PM
SEAHAWKS at BEARS
This is how little faith the NFL had in the Seahawks winning: they gave the furthest west team the 1pm game. The Bears snagged the #2 seed by having a tenacious D, the best return man in the league, Jay Cutler being on more times than off, and a fairly easy schedule. Matt Hasselbeck had his best game of the season last week, and heck, he was in a Super Bowl a few years back... Maybe he has his best games on the big stages...I don't know. I don't watch the Seahawks.
Thing to Watch - Jay Cutler. Cutler is in his first playoff game (shocking, I know), and he is a win away from the NFC Championship. If he doesn't have one of his "..the hell are you doing?" games, he should get there.
Score: BEARS 28, SEAHAWKS 16
SUN 4:30 PM
JETS at PATRIOTS
De-Fence. Divisional opponents.
Overwhelming consensus is that this game will be somewhere in between the first game where the Jets won by like 2 touchdowns and the second game where the Pats won by like 2 million. Tom Brady is having his best year as a QB and that's kinda scary when you think about it. The last time he had this good of a year was 2007 when it came to an end at the hands of a shitty QB from NY...(see what I did there?)
Thing to Watch - Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. We know the Jets can shut down wide receivers not from Haiti, so Brady will need his these two to get open and make plays against the Jets linebackers/safeties. For the Jets, why not go vertical against the 30th ranked pass defense? What the hell, right? Both AFC games are likely to be played in sub freezing temps, maybe even snow... I don't know what that means, but figured I'd throw some weather analysis in there.
Score: PATRIOTS 26, JETS 21.
This week we have 2 "OMFG GREATEST NFL RIVALRY GAME EVAH!!!" games in the AFC, a shootout in a dome, and I guess the Bears and Seahawks are still playing too...
Let's check it out...
SAT 4:30 PM
RAVENS at STEELERS
De-Fence. Divisional opponents.
Pittsburgh and Baltimore both finished 12-4 in the regular season and scored 27 points apiece in their two meetings, each winning by a field goal on the other’s home field. Five of the seven meetings over the past 28 months have been decided by three points, one by four and the other nine - that courtesy of Troy Polamalu’s late interception return in the 2009 AFC championship game that sent the Steelers to their seventh Super Bowl.
Thing to Watch - Will this be the year Joe Flacco finally gets the best of the Steeler D before Big Ben figures out the Ravens' D? Flacco is 0-5 against Big Ben, but if he plays as well as he did last week, that streak will end. The Steelers have played a lot better than one prognosticator (me) thought they would (they did NOT finish 6-10...), and they have the momentum going into this one.
Score: RAVENS 23, STEELERS 20.
SAT 8PM NFC
PACKERS at FALCONS
Again, the game of the week will most likely come from the NFC. I expect there to be a lot of points, but it will be interesting to see if the Pack D can contain Michael Turner the way the contained LeSean McCoy/Michael Vick the RB. Matt Ryan has only lost 2 games at home, but this pressure-happy GB pass rush will be his toughest test. If he can get some good looks, Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and Tony Gonzalez should be able to make plays.
Think to Watch - The ATL pass rush. It's been solid all season, but they didn't get much pressure on Aaron Rodgers the first time they met. If they are able to, that could be the key that gives the game to the Falcons. Ultimately, it will most likely come down to the QB, and in the Dome, I'll take Matty Ice over A-Rod.
Score: FALCONS 27, PACKERS 20
SUN 1:00 PM
SEAHAWKS at BEARS
This is how little faith the NFL had in the Seahawks winning: they gave the furthest west team the 1pm game. The Bears snagged the #2 seed by having a tenacious D, the best return man in the league, Jay Cutler being on more times than off, and a fairly easy schedule. Matt Hasselbeck had his best game of the season last week, and heck, he was in a Super Bowl a few years back... Maybe he has his best games on the big stages...I don't know. I don't watch the Seahawks.
Thing to Watch - Jay Cutler. Cutler is in his first playoff game (shocking, I know), and he is a win away from the NFC Championship. If he doesn't have one of his "..the hell are you doing?" games, he should get there.
Score: BEARS 28, SEAHAWKS 16
SUN 4:30 PM
JETS at PATRIOTS
De-Fence. Divisional opponents.
Overwhelming consensus is that this game will be somewhere in between the first game where the Jets won by like 2 touchdowns and the second game where the Pats won by like 2 million. Tom Brady is having his best year as a QB and that's kinda scary when you think about it. The last time he had this good of a year was 2007 when it came to an end at the hands of a shitty QB from NY...(see what I did there?)
Thing to Watch - Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. We know the Jets can shut down wide receivers not from Haiti, so Brady will need his these two to get open and make plays against the Jets linebackers/safeties. For the Jets, why not go vertical against the 30th ranked pass defense? What the hell, right? Both AFC games are likely to be played in sub freezing temps, maybe even snow... I don't know what that means, but figured I'd throw some weather analysis in there.
Score: PATRIOTS 26, JETS 21.
Friday, January 7, 2011
NFL Wild Card Weekend preview
Soooo it's my first post of 2011, and what do you all want to hear about? How my New Years was, (great!) how getting my wisdom teeth out feels (terrible!), something about sports? That's what I thought.
Here now are my wildcard predictions, so you know what to do, pick the exact opposite 4 teams and also go 2-2...
(sidenote, why does anyone EVER get their pro sports insight from any site BUT this one??? CLICK ME )
Sat 4:30 PM
SAINTS at SEAHAWKS
The Saints are 10½-point favorites in this one, the largest point spread for a visiting team in an NFL playoff game in recent memory. The Saints have never won a road playoff game. Last year, en route to the Super Bowl, New Orleans had a bye the first week of the playoffs, then two home games.
More than that, the Saints have had to put running backs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas on injured reserve. So in quest of its first-ever road playoff win, New Orleans has to go without Ivory, whose running and pass-catching was so vital a year ago, and Thomas, who had stepped up to stabilize the Saints' offense by averaging more than five yards per carry.
Thing to watch: If the Saints have a massive SUPER BOWL HANGOVER. Like the one Rich had after his 21st birthday... That's probably the only way Seattle could win this game.
Score: SAINTS 31, SEAHAWKS 17
Sat 8:00 PM
JETS at COLTS
Aha, a rematch of last years' AFC championship game. Following a string of rabbit-out-of-the-hat wins, New York put all those division title thoughts back in the closet for next year following the 45-3 Monday night curb-stomping in New England. The 22-17 victory in Pittsburgh two weeks later may have been just as important, but in a good way.
Meanwhile the Colts are not the same Colts that won the AFC last year. The Colts won their last four and assumed their birthright atop the AFC South division. Survived injuries upon injuries to make it back here. And really, being in the AFC South helped. The Colts need Dwight Freeney to be in Mark Sanchez's mind all day and if that's the case, expect some "D'oh!" decisions.
Thing to Watch: It's almost like the Jets brought in Antonio Cromartie in preparation for a rematch with Indy. Peyton Manning is smart enough to avoid throwing in Revis' direction, and is accurate enough to make Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie beat you. This time they will be without the latter, as well as Mr. Consistent Dallas Clark. Now that the Jets have 2 superior corners, Manning will have to work Garcon, Jacob Tamme, as well as a solid rushing perforance in order to win. Very tough against an opportunistic defense.
Score: JETS 28, COLTS 24
Sun 1:00 PM
RAVENS at CHIEFS
There's no doubt CBS was hoping for a RAVENS COLTS first round game and JETS CHARGERS counterpart, but instead they have this curious matchup. The Ravens have been to the playoffs 3 straight years with Joe Flacco at the helm, but each time have not had a home playoff game.
The Chiefs lost one game at home during the regular season, and Kansas City is notoriously a difficult place to play. But the Charlie Weis situation could be a distraction within the Chiefs' organization. While Kansas City looked terrible against Oakland in Week 17, the Ravens finished the season winning four straight and have not lost a game all year by more than a touchdown. This will be Matt Cassel's first playoff start.
Thing to Watch: The Ravens' defense is not as good as everyone thinks it is, and the one thing that the Chiefs have going for them is Jamaal Charles. This guy is the fastest running back in the AFC playoffs, and if he gets going, the Chiefs could land a home upset.
Score: RAVENS 24, CHIEFS 21
Sun 430 PM
PACKERS at EAGLES
For me, this is the hardest game of the weekend to predict. The Philadelphia Eagles were a .500 team at Lincoln Financial Field and lost their season opener there against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who hope for a repeat result in Sunday's NFC wild-card game as they try to keep up with Michael Vick and the Eagles' big-play offense.
No team has won the Super Bowl after having a losing record on the road and no sixth seed has represented the NFC on the NFL's biggest stage, so Green Bay has plenty working against it after going 3-5 away from home. However 2 of those wins were at the Meadowlands and at Philly...
Thing to Watch: Michael Vick vs the GB pass rush. Oh man this is going to be the best game of the weekend.
Score: EAGLES 30, PACKERS 27.
Here now are my wildcard predictions, so you know what to do, pick the exact opposite 4 teams and also go 2-2...
(sidenote, why does anyone EVER get their pro sports insight from any site BUT this one??? CLICK ME )
Sat 4:30 PM
SAINTS at SEAHAWKS
The Saints are 10½-point favorites in this one, the largest point spread for a visiting team in an NFL playoff game in recent memory. The Saints have never won a road playoff game. Last year, en route to the Super Bowl, New Orleans had a bye the first week of the playoffs, then two home games.
More than that, the Saints have had to put running backs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas on injured reserve. So in quest of its first-ever road playoff win, New Orleans has to go without Ivory, whose running and pass-catching was so vital a year ago, and Thomas, who had stepped up to stabilize the Saints' offense by averaging more than five yards per carry.
Thing to watch: If the Saints have a massive SUPER BOWL HANGOVER. Like the one Rich had after his 21st birthday... That's probably the only way Seattle could win this game.
Score: SAINTS 31, SEAHAWKS 17
Sat 8:00 PM
JETS at COLTS
Aha, a rematch of last years' AFC championship game. Following a string of rabbit-out-of-the-hat wins, New York put all those division title thoughts back in the closet for next year following the 45-3 Monday night curb-stomping in New England. The 22-17 victory in Pittsburgh two weeks later may have been just as important, but in a good way.
Meanwhile the Colts are not the same Colts that won the AFC last year. The Colts won their last four and assumed their birthright atop the AFC South division. Survived injuries upon injuries to make it back here. And really, being in the AFC South helped. The Colts need Dwight Freeney to be in Mark Sanchez's mind all day and if that's the case, expect some "D'oh!" decisions.
Thing to Watch: It's almost like the Jets brought in Antonio Cromartie in preparation for a rematch with Indy. Peyton Manning is smart enough to avoid throwing in Revis' direction, and is accurate enough to make Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie beat you. This time they will be without the latter, as well as Mr. Consistent Dallas Clark. Now that the Jets have 2 superior corners, Manning will have to work Garcon, Jacob Tamme, as well as a solid rushing perforance in order to win. Very tough against an opportunistic defense.
Score: JETS 28, COLTS 24
Sun 1:00 PM
RAVENS at CHIEFS
There's no doubt CBS was hoping for a RAVENS COLTS first round game and JETS CHARGERS counterpart, but instead they have this curious matchup. The Ravens have been to the playoffs 3 straight years with Joe Flacco at the helm, but each time have not had a home playoff game.
The Chiefs lost one game at home during the regular season, and Kansas City is notoriously a difficult place to play. But the Charlie Weis situation could be a distraction within the Chiefs' organization. While Kansas City looked terrible against Oakland in Week 17, the Ravens finished the season winning four straight and have not lost a game all year by more than a touchdown. This will be Matt Cassel's first playoff start.
Thing to Watch: The Ravens' defense is not as good as everyone thinks it is, and the one thing that the Chiefs have going for them is Jamaal Charles. This guy is the fastest running back in the AFC playoffs, and if he gets going, the Chiefs could land a home upset.
Score: RAVENS 24, CHIEFS 21
Sun 430 PM
PACKERS at EAGLES
For me, this is the hardest game of the weekend to predict. The Philadelphia Eagles were a .500 team at Lincoln Financial Field and lost their season opener there against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who hope for a repeat result in Sunday's NFC wild-card game as they try to keep up with Michael Vick and the Eagles' big-play offense.
No team has won the Super Bowl after having a losing record on the road and no sixth seed has represented the NFC on the NFL's biggest stage, so Green Bay has plenty working against it after going 3-5 away from home. However 2 of those wins were at the Meadowlands and at Philly...
Thing to Watch: Michael Vick vs the GB pass rush. Oh man this is going to be the best game of the weekend.
Score: EAGLES 30, PACKERS 27.
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