Jump to content

NFL Wild Card Weekend!


CRASHER

Recommended Posts

It’s always a letdown when the NFL regular season ends….at least for me….don’t get me wrong when playoff football is GOOD, there’s few things better…..but man when playoff football is BAD….and you’re stuck with it….and nothing else is on?? It’s damned torture….and makes you miss and long for the option of flipping to that awful, but entertaining anti-football game of Cleveland vs Oakland….but that’s not till September now….hopefully we get us some of that more gooder footballing this weekend (we should in theory at least)….I’ll save my end of season awards for the AFC/NFC Championship Round….I’ll need the filler material there….but here as a goof, let’s take a look at my pre-season predictions and see how I did (I was 154-101 in my season picks too, if anyone cares…)

 

Denver: 11-5;  KC: 9-7; SD: 5-11; Oakland: 2-14

Houston: 11-5; Indy: 9-7; Tenn: 6-10; Jax: 4-12

Cinci: 10-6; Baltimore: 10-6; Cleveland: 9-7; Pitt: 6-10

NE: 9-7; Mia: 9-7; Buffalo: 9-7; NYJ: 5-11

 

Seattle: 12-4; SF: 11-5; St Louis: 7-9; Ariz: 5-11

NO: 11-5; Atl: 11-5; Carolina: 8-8; Tampa: 5-11

GB: 11-5; Chi: 10-6; Min: 7-9; Det: 5-11

Was: 10-6; Dallas: x-y; NYG: 8-8; Phi: 4-12

 

Funny how I got most of the 1st place, 2nd place stuff right (I did remember saying keep an eye on Carolina if anyone else in the South slipped)…..but amazing how this league never pans out like you expect….

 

Saturday January 4th:

4:30pm:

Chiefs at Colts:

How the Chiefs can win:

Jamaal Charles….no non-QB can control the game like he can (maybe Dr McCoy in Phily can too, but Charles is better at it)…if he goes off, they’re set….it gives their defense a chance to do what it does and force pressure and turnovers…..Andy Reid is also pretty damn good at winning his first playoff game every season, and that’s a big advantage in coaching (unless Pagano matches him… Reid is a terrible adjustment coach), also don’t sell short Alex Smith’s ability to convert some 3rd down plays with his legs….he’s gonna have to, since I don’t trust this WR/TE corps worth a damn! Maybe the Chiefs should put out some of those second teamers who looked so awesome in the San Diego game last week! Also no one was better on the road then the Chiefs (6-2), given a good chunk of that was based on opponent, but the Colts ain’t world beaters either….

 

How the Colts can win:

….just like the Chiefs were 6-2 on the road….the Colts were 6-2 at HOME (including beating up on Denver and Seattle in their house)….and they did beat up the Chiefs in KC just a few weeks ago when both teams were playing for stuff…and like I said…Andy Reid don’t adjust too good….Donald Brown is finally starting to play up to his level, and the Colts are finally over their “no more Reggie Wayne” shock…and the Colts have only allowed 20 points in the last three games (one against the Chiefs too)…the offense hasn’t scored more than 30 since Nov 14, so close games ain’t nothing new to them, and this Colts team has been here before (something like only 11 Chiefs have playoff experience too)….and home field does matter a little….especially for the Colts….

 

Who will actually win?

This is the toughest of the four games to pick this week I swear….I can make a case for either team….and I can make a case for why both teams stink and deserve to lose here, and the odds are against me picking either one of these teams next week (unless there’s a blowout today)…in fact I wrote the rest of this damn preview and came back to this….argh, I can stall no more all signs point to the Colts….so I’ll call the upset and the Chiefs pull this out!

 

Game Quality: ***

 

8pm:

Saints at Eagles:

How the Saints can win:

Drew Brees…if he can match the Eagles point for point he gives his team a chance….while the Saints defense isn’t great either….it can generate some mistakes, and there’s NO pressure on the Saints here….no one gives the dome team a chance in the nasty weather in Phily….and not having Pierre Thomas is a BIG loss for them….and Peyton is a more proven and playoff savvy coach then Kelly is….Peyton’s gonna need to pull a rabbit out of the hat here….and the Saints D is going to have to play the Eagles like the NFC did….forget the gimmicks and just man up on the players…line ‘em up wherever you want, they’re still gonna do what they do at the end of the play and that can be accounted for…

 

How the Eagles can win:

Do what they do….run the ball…lots despite all this warp speed ADD offense gimmick, this is what the Eagles do….McCoy, Brown…pound and pound again…the high tempo pace and nasty cold is gonna wear down the Saints defense….and the Eagles defense has been playing better….and need I mention dome team and especially Drew Brees’ record in the cold?? Plus not having Thomas makes the Saints offense predictable based on which back is behind Brees…and the Saints have NEVER….ever….never….won a road playoff game….if the Eagles jump out early this could hang over their heads….

 

Who will actually win?

This is the easiest of the games to pick….nasty weather…hot team in Phily, the Saints stumbled their way out of the 2-seed and are just RIPE for the pickings…but this was a nice bounce-back year for the Saints and Peyton….it just ends in the frozen angry in Phily….

 

Game Quality: **

 

Sunday January 5th:

1pm:

Chargers at Bengals:

How the Chargers can win:

Unlike some other ex-Charger QBs, Phillip Rivers LOVES the cold! He also has two pretty damn good weapons in the backfield….with no one really noticing it, Ryan Matthews has been damned awesome under Mike McCoy, and Danny Woodhead may be the free agent signing off the off-season….and finally made everyone in San Diego forget Darren Sproles….add in Antonio Gates and a strong rookie season from Keenan Allen…as up and down as the Chargers were….they went 5-1 against teams that made the playoffs this year….and they’re just dangerous…if they can get enough from their defense (and this week it should be easier to do this)…this is as complete and dangerous a team in the AFC

 

How the Bengals can win:

8-0 at home, shows they know how to win in this place….and the cold weather shortens the game which will help their defense and lessen the shortcomings of their injuries….the running game needs to take the pressure…and the ball….away from Andy Dalton, and despite some key losses, the defense has still been strong and been overcoming Dalton mistakes for the last month…can you tell I’m not too confident here??

 

Who will actually win?

I don’t trust Dalton, I’m not a big believer in Marvin Lewis, and San Diego has too many weapons…plus I’ve been saying if they get in, they’re DANGEROUS….and San Diego sure did get in (all Steeler whining aside)…Dalton will make one mistake too many and send the Bengals home one and done yet again….plus I can’t trust ginger QBs, past or present :P

 

Game Quality: ***

 

4:30pm:

49ers at Green Bay:

How the 49ers can win:

Follow their formula…power running and physical defensive play only reminds the other team how damned COLD it’s gonna be out there….nothing like getting smashed to the frozen tundra as one of those big O-line  guys mauls you to dishearten you….not to mention the 49ers owned the Packers back in week one when it was nice out…and thanks to Seattle (and Carolina) the Niners are a bit under the radar this year…nothing like a chip on the shoulder of a physical, nasty team as is to give them an extra edge…..

 

How the Packers can win:

Aaron Rodgers….he is good enough to win games on his own…but he doesn’t have to…all his receivers are healthy again….and now he has Eddie Lacy….Eddie Lacy is a big strong….49er type of running back….he can pound it, even out the offense and take the load off of A-Rod and this crappy Packers defense….also how will Colin Kapernick handle this bad weather…his accuracy and throwing I’ve been questioning all year long, and add in the nasty conditions and I can only question it more….the defense doesn’t have to dominate….but it has to cash in on errant throws and cause some turnovers….

 

Who will actually win?

I’m still not sold on Kapernick being THE GUY as a QB, but I don’t feel that’s gonna matter today….the Packers are so terrible on defense that it won’t matter that it’s gonna be frozen-ass cold out there…..this game and this weather fits the 49er game and fits it well….the Packers will put up a good fight and I expect a big game from Lacy still, but the matchups just favor the 49ers in all aspects of the game….

 

Game Quality: ***

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 83
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Cinci is undefeated at home and that defense is scary.

 

So is their Quarterback....

 

The winner of that game I expect to see an upset or two from in the next few weeks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cinci is undefeated at home and that defense is scary.

 

Cincy is a joke.    I don't  think they have the coaching to put all this talent together in a coherent effort.    They are a great team on paper only.

 

I expect them to lose regardless of being at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cincy is a joke. I don't think they have the coaching to put all this talent together in a coherent effort. They are a great team on paper only.

I expect them to lose regardless of being at home.

I think Cincy wins tomorrow. It'll be a different story when they have to go to Foxboro next week though.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember all the outrage here when the Browns traded Richardson? :lol: That was funny.

 

At the time....yeah I could see it...but now.... :lol: ....though it didn't help the Cleveland folks keep their jobs either.....

 

Alex Smith is playing a BIG TIME game here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember all the outrage here when the Browns traded Richardson? :lol: That was funny.

The Richardson trade could be a franchise saving move by Cleveland. Getting a "do over" in the first round for the mistake of drafting Richardson in the first place, plus other picks for a potential bust plus their own first round pick looks brilliant in hindsight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tell me about it lol, gonna have to constantly switch between eagles and devils lol and boom a field goal away from a tie.

I wish I could split the screen between this game and the Devs game- the remote is getting a work-out lol.

Edited by CarterforPresident
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.