So with the final few games coming up, I figured it was about time for me to post something again. Actually, with work wearing me out and getting ready for baby, there's been no time for blogging. So, it's time to post now that I woke up at 4:30 A.M. on my day to sleep in. Ok, it's 5 hours later than normal, but still...ok no more rambling about my personal life, time for my playoff predictions for the final few weeks.
AFC East - The Patriots HAVE to be the AFC Super Bowl favorite after last week's drubbing of the Jets. Tom Brady is your MVP (sorry Vick, but you can have Comeback Player of the Year) and he is playing so well right now. Deion Branch has found a fountain of youth in New England, but where was this the last few years in SEATTLE?!?!? Anyways, the Jets are reeling after said loss, and I am not sure what to think of this team. I want to think they're not a Super Bowl contender, but with their run game and defense they *can* be. I think both those teams make the playoffs, and New England as the #1 seed.
AFC North - The Steelers have the 1 game lead, and I think it stays that way. Both them and the Ravens have a tough game and 3 easy games left on the schedule, and I don't see the Ravens overtaking the Steelers. But something in me trusts the Ravens to make a deeper playoff run than the Steelers. Maybe it's because they've played a schedule where all their toughest games were on the road? I don't know, but something in my gut likes the Ravens more than the Steelers.
AFC South - If you had told me that Peyton would be needing to win out to win the AFC South this year, I would've laughed in your face. With all the injuries, they have had a rough year. I don't think the Super Bowl Loser Curse will happen, but it's in serious jeopardy of happening. I like how the Jaguars have been winning, and next week's matchup will determine who goes on to lose vs. the Jets/Ravens. MJD has to be an MVP Candidate as he is running SO well right now, but I think Peyton is back on track and will lead the Colts to the division title...again...
AFC West - Is there any less predictable division in the AFC? No. The Chiefs had the hold on the division, then Matt Cassel has an emergency apendectomy. Brody Croyle now is the one taking over, hoping to outduel Philip Rivers and all but seal their division title. I don't know how this pans out, but I want to think the Chargers miss the playoffs after everyone gift wrapped them as division winners before the season started.
NFC East - The Eagles and Giants will battle for the division title next weekend, but both have what could be tough games this weekend. The Eagles are facing a hot Dallas team, and the Giants are playing Minnesota, if they can even get there?!? Philly's road to the playoffs is much easier than the Giants, and less injury riddled, so I give Philly the division.
NFC North - The Bears? Yuck...I hope they miss the playoffs. They have a rough road to get there though, with NE, NYJ and road games in Minny and GB. That last game will determine the division winner, which will be the Packers (PLEASE GOD LET IT HAPPEN!!!) I am hoping the Bears miss the playoffs. This weekend's game at home against the Pats will show us what they are really made of. Meanwhile the Pack can tie up the division with a win over the Lions.
NFC South - The Falcons are the NFC's best team, more so when they're at home. The Saints are playing well with the semblance of a run game with Ivory. Both teams will make the playoffs, and I like both of them to make good runs once there too. I think Tampa will be the team left out, but I think that they are a team that will make a push for the playoffs for the next few years.
NFC West - Of course I am going to say the Seahawks will be in the playoffs. But this isn't (completely) me not being a homer. I think that they will beat St. Louis in Week 17, and that's what it will come down to. Neither team will be above .500, and that is pathetic. But someone has to lose to either the Giants or Saints in the first round.
Ok, a breakdown -
AFC - #1 Patriots, #2 Steelers, #3 Chiefs, #4 Colts, #5 Ravens, #6 NY Jets
NFC - #1 Falcons, #2 Packers, #3 Eagles, #4 Seahawks, #5 Saints, #6 NY Giants
Wild Card Round - Jets over Chiefs, Ravens over Colts, Eagles over Giants, Saints over Seahawks
Divisional Round - Patriots over Jets, Ravens over Steelers, Packers over Saints, Falcons over Giants
Championship Round - Falcons over Packers, Patriots over Ravens
Super Bowl - Patriots over Falcons
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Championship week predictions
Not a ton of games today, but we got a lot of good ones and I think we're going to see a lot happen.
SMU @ UCF - This is the C-USA title game and should be a fun one, bummed I don't get to watch. What a job these two coaches, June Jones and George O'Leary, have done at these schools. Both are legitimately good and have had really strong seasons, but I like the Knights (that's UCF) to win as the more rounded team here.
Big East - There are a trio of games today that should all have a hand in deciding who goes to the BCS for the bowl game that no one will watch. Is UConn to a big bowl game a great story? Sure I guess, for about 20 seconds, til you realize you don't want to watch UConn play Oklahoma in January unless it's on a 94 foot court. Early today we have Pitt and WVa in action, both still in the running. WVa has been the best Big East team this season and they will handle Rutgers. I don't think Pitt wins, but it doesnt matter if WVa already does since they've got the tiebreaker. Then in the evening UConn travels to USF which is just not the Big East team you want to play with everything on the line if history is any indication. I think the refs do a little bit on their part, USF does the rest, and UConn goes down... sending the not-deserving-but-most-deserving-in-the-Big-East to the BCS. Are we sure we can't just send TCU in this spot preemptively?
Nevada @ La Tech - As emotional and difficult a game that was for Boise last week, they are going home for seniors day and a chance for their fans to show their support for the incredible run this seniors group has had. Yes, the entire seniors group including kicker Kyle Brotzman. Should be one of those ovations that makes the hairs on your neck tingle. In the meantime Nevada has to fly halfway across the country, emotionally drained after the biggest win in school history, to face a high flying La Tech attack that is scoring 30-40 points a game and needs this one for a bowl win. I smell upset. La Tech wins it and gives Boise one last outright WAC title.
Wash @ Wash St - Oh the Apple Cup. This game actually matters because right now that Pac 10 has only four bowl eligible teams, sadly enough, unless Washington or Oregon St (both 5-6) win today. Washington would be, in my humble opinion, one of the least deserving bowl teams ever. They snuck through two fluke wins by 1 point and lost to their four best opponents by 30 or more each time. And the clock struck midnight on Jake Locker forever ago. I like Wazzu building off its momentum last week and taking the win here to keep the Huskies home for the holidays.
Oregon @ Or St - This Beaver team is hardly a 5-6 squad. They have already played and lost to both Boise St and TCU by a respectable 22 points combined. They had to play #4 Stanford already too. They beat pretty solid Pac 10 squads Cal and USC by a combined score of 71-14 at home, and all while missing their stud receiver and kick returner and getting nothing really from the QB position. These Beavers play very well at home and coach Mike Riley usually squeezes one big upset out of his squad every year (normally against USC) and Jacquizz Rodgers is one of few players in America who could shred a defense all on his own. Meanwhile Oregon has really struggled the last two weeks, could've lost in either of them, and this one is going to be interesting. I think Oregon St is close or even leading at the half, but the key is the 3rd quarter. That seems to be when Oregon really pulls away from a tired competition. If Oregon St's defense has the willpower and conditioning to hang in there, this will go down to the wire. I want to believe they do. But I have Oregon winning and headed to the title game.
Florida St vs Va Tech - These are actually both really pretty quality teams, and they've both been playing very well down the stretch. It's an interesting QB matchup as well. I'm going to side with the coach and defense I'm most comfortable with and the team I actually like, so VT it is for me.
Oklahoma vs Nebraska - This is being billed as a giant rivalry, and I'm sure it is, but I don't think this one is going to be pretty. OK and the Big 12 refs are going to have one big giant eff you to send Nebraska off, and I think the Sooners are going to roll. They don't lose these Big 12 title games. I got em by at least 20, maybe more.
Auburn vs SC - This is a really talented and really good SC squad who has really only played one bad game all season, against Arkansas. Ironically a win today would knock that same Arkansas team right out of the BCS, unfairly and all. If the nation doesn't know Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore yet, I have a feeling they will today. These are each one of the top 5 most talented in the nation at their position (that's WR and RB) and each has had some monster games. I think today could be a day where both actually do. Jeffery can torch this secondary, and Lattimore should do plenty of damage as well. But Auburn is Auburn, and they win the close games, and Cam Newton is a megasuperduper star. Auburn has already won six games this season by one possession. I think you can see where I'm going on this one. 13 times in the last 12 seasons, one of the top 2 BCS teams had lost in the final weekend. All the Cam Newton talk, all the emotions, all the pressure, I think it finally catches up to this team today. I've been saying all season that Auburn had a shot at the title, and when everyone finally caught up to me, I've been saying ever since that they didn't have the defense to actually get there. This is my last chance to be right... and I'm not backing down. SC springs the upset and Auburn goes down. Oh my.
ND St @ Montana St - Sorry Bisons, I think our run is over. I'll root for ya though.
SMU @ UCF - This is the C-USA title game and should be a fun one, bummed I don't get to watch. What a job these two coaches, June Jones and George O'Leary, have done at these schools. Both are legitimately good and have had really strong seasons, but I like the Knights (that's UCF) to win as the more rounded team here.
Big East - There are a trio of games today that should all have a hand in deciding who goes to the BCS for the bowl game that no one will watch. Is UConn to a big bowl game a great story? Sure I guess, for about 20 seconds, til you realize you don't want to watch UConn play Oklahoma in January unless it's on a 94 foot court. Early today we have Pitt and WVa in action, both still in the running. WVa has been the best Big East team this season and they will handle Rutgers. I don't think Pitt wins, but it doesnt matter if WVa already does since they've got the tiebreaker. Then in the evening UConn travels to USF which is just not the Big East team you want to play with everything on the line if history is any indication. I think the refs do a little bit on their part, USF does the rest, and UConn goes down... sending the not-deserving-but-most-deserving-in-the-Big-East to the BCS. Are we sure we can't just send TCU in this spot preemptively?
Nevada @ La Tech - As emotional and difficult a game that was for Boise last week, they are going home for seniors day and a chance for their fans to show their support for the incredible run this seniors group has had. Yes, the entire seniors group including kicker Kyle Brotzman. Should be one of those ovations that makes the hairs on your neck tingle. In the meantime Nevada has to fly halfway across the country, emotionally drained after the biggest win in school history, to face a high flying La Tech attack that is scoring 30-40 points a game and needs this one for a bowl win. I smell upset. La Tech wins it and gives Boise one last outright WAC title.
Wash @ Wash St - Oh the Apple Cup. This game actually matters because right now that Pac 10 has only four bowl eligible teams, sadly enough, unless Washington or Oregon St (both 5-6) win today. Washington would be, in my humble opinion, one of the least deserving bowl teams ever. They snuck through two fluke wins by 1 point and lost to their four best opponents by 30 or more each time. And the clock struck midnight on Jake Locker forever ago. I like Wazzu building off its momentum last week and taking the win here to keep the Huskies home for the holidays.
Oregon @ Or St - This Beaver team is hardly a 5-6 squad. They have already played and lost to both Boise St and TCU by a respectable 22 points combined. They had to play #4 Stanford already too. They beat pretty solid Pac 10 squads Cal and USC by a combined score of 71-14 at home, and all while missing their stud receiver and kick returner and getting nothing really from the QB position. These Beavers play very well at home and coach Mike Riley usually squeezes one big upset out of his squad every year (normally against USC) and Jacquizz Rodgers is one of few players in America who could shred a defense all on his own. Meanwhile Oregon has really struggled the last two weeks, could've lost in either of them, and this one is going to be interesting. I think Oregon St is close or even leading at the half, but the key is the 3rd quarter. That seems to be when Oregon really pulls away from a tired competition. If Oregon St's defense has the willpower and conditioning to hang in there, this will go down to the wire. I want to believe they do. But I have Oregon winning and headed to the title game.
Florida St vs Va Tech - These are actually both really pretty quality teams, and they've both been playing very well down the stretch. It's an interesting QB matchup as well. I'm going to side with the coach and defense I'm most comfortable with and the team I actually like, so VT it is for me.
Oklahoma vs Nebraska - This is being billed as a giant rivalry, and I'm sure it is, but I don't think this one is going to be pretty. OK and the Big 12 refs are going to have one big giant eff you to send Nebraska off, and I think the Sooners are going to roll. They don't lose these Big 12 title games. I got em by at least 20, maybe more.
Auburn vs SC - This is a really talented and really good SC squad who has really only played one bad game all season, against Arkansas. Ironically a win today would knock that same Arkansas team right out of the BCS, unfairly and all. If the nation doesn't know Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore yet, I have a feeling they will today. These are each one of the top 5 most talented in the nation at their position (that's WR and RB) and each has had some monster games. I think today could be a day where both actually do. Jeffery can torch this secondary, and Lattimore should do plenty of damage as well. But Auburn is Auburn, and they win the close games, and Cam Newton is a megasuperduper star. Auburn has already won six games this season by one possession. I think you can see where I'm going on this one. 13 times in the last 12 seasons, one of the top 2 BCS teams had lost in the final weekend. All the Cam Newton talk, all the emotions, all the pressure, I think it finally catches up to this team today. I've been saying all season that Auburn had a shot at the title, and when everyone finally caught up to me, I've been saying ever since that they didn't have the defense to actually get there. This is my last chance to be right... and I'm not backing down. SC springs the upset and Auburn goes down. Oh my.
ND St @ Montana St - Sorry Bisons, I think our run is over. I'll root for ya though.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)