The Chiefs and 49ers both punched their tickets to Super Bowl LIV in Miami. Both home teams won, in convincing fashion, and we have a very solid matchup with plenty of storylines to dive into. Before we get there, here is my recap of Championship Sunday.
AFC Championship Game
Kansas City-35 Tennessee-24
1) The way that the Titans played in the first half, you really had a feeling they could pull off the upset. They jumped out to a 10-0 lead and then a 17-7 lead in the first half. They were moving the ball, executing the gameplan, and keep Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs in check. After they went up 17-7, I can't really understand how it all got away from them.
2) The key sequence in this game was the latter part of the second quarter. Down 17-7 with only 6:39 left in the half, the Chiefs scored in 5 plays when Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for a TD, and then after a 3 and out by Tennessee, the Chiefs got the ball back and went right down the field again and capped off the drive with a TD run by Mahomes to take a 21-17 lead heading into halftime. That was the difference in the game.
3) Mahomes had a great 27 yard run to score the touchdown and it will go down as the memorable moment of the game, but the Titans did an absolutely awful job trying to tackle him. That was just so bad.
4) The final nail in the coffin was when Mahomes bought himself time, and threw a bomb to Sammy Watkins for a 60 yard touchdown to make it 35-17 with 7:33 left in the game. Mahomes has been doing that since he got into the league and it was the dagger that basically put the Titans away and clinched the AFC Championship for the Chiefs.
5) The Titans were valiant for most of the three quarters, but they just couldn't put together enough scoring drives in the second half to back the Chiefs in a corner. Give Tennessee credit for making a run as the #6 seed and going on the road to beat New England and Baltimore, but they just didn't have enough to take down the Chiefs in Arrowhead.
6) As a Broncos fan, there was always joy when the Chiefs lost or choked away a big playoff game. They haven't been to a Super Bowl since Super Bowl IV, and they have been the Broncos biggest rival in my lifetime. It seemed like they were a cursed franchise for a long time, but the last two years have changed that-specifically the rise of Pat Mahomes. As much as it pains me, the Chiefs are going to their first Super Bowl in 50 years. They have had a lot of heartbreak and disappointment during that time period, but they were able to erase those painful moments and get over the hump and get to the Super Bowl. The scary part from my perspective is that the Broncos have to deal with Pat Mahomes in the division every year, and that is going to be very difficult to deal with. The Chiefs and Mahomes are heading to first of what could be many Super Bowls.
NFC Championship Game
San Francisco-37 Green Bay-20
1) I thought that this game was going to be close, but boy was I wrong. This was complete domination by the 49ers. They dominated the game on both fronts as they raced to a 27-0 halftime lead. It was a butt-kicking.
2) Raheem Mostert rushed for 220 yards on 29 carries and scored 4 touchdowns. He was the story of the game. The run game was so dominant that Jimmy Garoppolo only threw 8 passes the entire game. His 36 yard run with 5:55 left in the first quarter was a on a 3rd and 8 play. That set the tone for the game and the performance by the 49ers rushing attack.
3) I thought the Packers looked terrible. They looked unprepared on both sides of the ball. The key mistakes by Aaron Rodgers were really just killer plays in the game. Down 17-0 but driving in the second quarter, Rodgers fumbled the QB-Center exchange and SF recovered. They got a field goal to make it 20-0. Then, right before the half, Rodgers threw a bad pick and SF scored a 18 yard TD run by Mostert to make it 27-0. That was the game right there.
4) The Packers have a nice season, but you have to wonder about them with the way they got buried and blown out in this game. They got killed three years ago in the NFC Championship Game at Atlanta, and now they got killed again. It will be interesting to see when or if Aaron Rodgers can get back to a Super Bowl.
5) The 49ers went wire-to-wire as the best team in the NFC and they proved it on Sunday with a dominant win in the NFC Championship and advancing to their 7th Super Bowl appearance and their first since the 2012 season. Give credit to John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan for rebuilding this team and in three years getting this franchise back to the Super Bowl.
Monday, January 20, 2020
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Championship Sunday Picks!
Championship Sunday has arrived and we are down to the NFL's version of the final four. Three of the four teams were not in the playoffs last year, so there is some hope for teams like the Broncos to turn their fortunes around quickly. I always like to rank the four possible Super Bowl matchups from best to worst as we head into the Championship games. Here is how I would rank them:
1) Chiefs vs. Packers-Rodgers against Mahomes, Andy Reid going for his first Super Bowl, and a rematch of Super Bowl I.
2) Chiefs vs. 49ers- You still have Mahomes and Andy Reid, and then you add an historic franchise like the 49ers with all their Super Bowl history
3) Packers vs. Titans- You have Rodgers, the Green Bay fanbase and national appeal and the underdog story of the Titans, with Ryan Tannehill going back to Miami for the Super Bowl.
4) 49ers vs. Titans- The history of the 49ers against the underdog story of the Titans.
Here are my picks for Championship Sunday....
Last Week’s Record: 1-3
Playoff Record:4-4
Overall Record: 123-127-13
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
AFC Championship Game
(6)Tennessee at (2) Kansas City
A Case for the Titans: We have seen wild card/low seeded team get on a run like this in playoffs in recent history. Look at the 2007 Giants and the 2010 Packers and you can see the path for Titans and how they can get to the Super Bowl. Amazingly, they went into Foxboro and beat the Patriots, and then went into Baltimore and knocked off the 14-2 Ravens. They definitely believe they can go into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs. They have momentum, they have motivation, they believe, and that could be very dangerous. They are the underdog, so the pressure will be on KC and Andy Reid-not Mike Vrabel and the Titans. Plus, Derrick Henry is having one of the alltime greatest postseasons in terms of rushing and they might be able to ride him one more time on the way to the upset and a surprise Super Bowl berth.
A Case for the Chiefs: Sometimes you need breaks and things to go your way if you are going to win a Super Bowl. The Chiefs got that this year so far. They got the bye in the playoffs and the #2 seed after Miami upset New England in Week 17. Then, the Ravens got upset by Tennessee during the Divisional Round, so now Kansas City is hosting the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. They avoided playing NE and Baltimore in this playoff run. Andy Reid is due to get back to another Super Bowl and have a chance to win one. They were so close last year when they lost in overtime at home to the Patriots, so it has been a mission for them this year to get back and win the AFC Title, and now they are home to do it. Plus, this will be Tennessee’s fourth straight road game counting Week 17. That is definitely going to play a factor for them. Throw in the fact that KC has the best QB on the planet right now in Mahomes, and all signs point to the Chiefs winning on Sunday and heading to the Super Bowl.
Prediction: KANSAS CITY (-7) over Tennessee: It was a nice story but Tennessee’s run is going to end on Sunday. The Chiefs haven’t made it to the Super Bowl since Super Bowl IV in 1969. They finally get that elusive AFC Championship and raise the Lamar Hunt trophy in front of their home crowd.
Final Score: Chiefs-31 Titans-17
NFC Championship Game
(2) Green Bay at (1) San Francisco
A Case for the Packers: They have Aaron Rodgers, and if you watched the Divisional Playoff win over Seattle, you can see that Rodgers still has it and can make the big-time throws in the big spots in the big games. He is still at an elite level, and he can still put this team on his back and win a game. Of course, he will have motivation for knocking off the franchise that passed him over for Alex Smith, but I would expect Rodgers to play well and that gives Green Bay a chance to win. The Packers got whipped pretty bad in San Francisco by the 49ers earlier this season, so I think they will use that as motivation and play a much better game this time around. Their defense can hang with the 49ers offense. If they get a lead early, then the 49ers might play tight. The Packers also got destroyed in their most recent NFC Championship Game appearance three years ago at Atlanta. You have to think the Pack will come to play on Sunday in San Francisco.
A Case for the 49ers: I know that Matt LaFluer has led the Packers to a 13-3 record and a spot in the NFC Championship, but the coaching edge in this game is decidedly in the favor of Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. I would feel very confident in Shanahan in this spot. The 49ers, pound for pound, are just the better team. Look at easily they handled the Packers in the regular season. The Packers have had some tough spots and looked pretty bad on the road a few times this year at San Fran and at Los Angeles. The Niners looked really sharp and convincing in their win over Minnesota last week. You know the crowd will be electric for this one as well. It is the first time the Niners are hosting the NFC Championship Game since 2011. They have more talent, they look confident, and maybe it is just their time to start their run. They were the best team in the NFC wire-to-wire this year, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see them cement that on Sunday.
Prediction: Green Bay (+7.5) over SAN FRANCISCO-Everything points to the Niners winning this game: Better team, better coach, and home field advantage, but I just have a sneaky suspicion that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers find their way to pull off the upset. I think they will survive the onslaught at the beginning of the game and they make the Niners nervous and then pull it out late. Just a hunch.
Final Score: Packers-23 Niners-20
1) Chiefs vs. Packers-Rodgers against Mahomes, Andy Reid going for his first Super Bowl, and a rematch of Super Bowl I.
2) Chiefs vs. 49ers- You still have Mahomes and Andy Reid, and then you add an historic franchise like the 49ers with all their Super Bowl history
3) Packers vs. Titans- You have Rodgers, the Green Bay fanbase and national appeal and the underdog story of the Titans, with Ryan Tannehill going back to Miami for the Super Bowl.
4) 49ers vs. Titans- The history of the 49ers against the underdog story of the Titans.
Here are my picks for Championship Sunday....
Last Week’s Record: 1-3
Playoff Record:4-4
Overall Record: 123-127-13
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
AFC Championship Game
(6)Tennessee at (2) Kansas City
A Case for the Titans: We have seen wild card/low seeded team get on a run like this in playoffs in recent history. Look at the 2007 Giants and the 2010 Packers and you can see the path for Titans and how they can get to the Super Bowl. Amazingly, they went into Foxboro and beat the Patriots, and then went into Baltimore and knocked off the 14-2 Ravens. They definitely believe they can go into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs. They have momentum, they have motivation, they believe, and that could be very dangerous. They are the underdog, so the pressure will be on KC and Andy Reid-not Mike Vrabel and the Titans. Plus, Derrick Henry is having one of the alltime greatest postseasons in terms of rushing and they might be able to ride him one more time on the way to the upset and a surprise Super Bowl berth.
A Case for the Chiefs: Sometimes you need breaks and things to go your way if you are going to win a Super Bowl. The Chiefs got that this year so far. They got the bye in the playoffs and the #2 seed after Miami upset New England in Week 17. Then, the Ravens got upset by Tennessee during the Divisional Round, so now Kansas City is hosting the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. They avoided playing NE and Baltimore in this playoff run. Andy Reid is due to get back to another Super Bowl and have a chance to win one. They were so close last year when they lost in overtime at home to the Patriots, so it has been a mission for them this year to get back and win the AFC Title, and now they are home to do it. Plus, this will be Tennessee’s fourth straight road game counting Week 17. That is definitely going to play a factor for them. Throw in the fact that KC has the best QB on the planet right now in Mahomes, and all signs point to the Chiefs winning on Sunday and heading to the Super Bowl.
Prediction: KANSAS CITY (-7) over Tennessee: It was a nice story but Tennessee’s run is going to end on Sunday. The Chiefs haven’t made it to the Super Bowl since Super Bowl IV in 1969. They finally get that elusive AFC Championship and raise the Lamar Hunt trophy in front of their home crowd.
Final Score: Chiefs-31 Titans-17
NFC Championship Game
(2) Green Bay at (1) San Francisco
A Case for the Packers: They have Aaron Rodgers, and if you watched the Divisional Playoff win over Seattle, you can see that Rodgers still has it and can make the big-time throws in the big spots in the big games. He is still at an elite level, and he can still put this team on his back and win a game. Of course, he will have motivation for knocking off the franchise that passed him over for Alex Smith, but I would expect Rodgers to play well and that gives Green Bay a chance to win. The Packers got whipped pretty bad in San Francisco by the 49ers earlier this season, so I think they will use that as motivation and play a much better game this time around. Their defense can hang with the 49ers offense. If they get a lead early, then the 49ers might play tight. The Packers also got destroyed in their most recent NFC Championship Game appearance three years ago at Atlanta. You have to think the Pack will come to play on Sunday in San Francisco.
A Case for the 49ers: I know that Matt LaFluer has led the Packers to a 13-3 record and a spot in the NFC Championship, but the coaching edge in this game is decidedly in the favor of Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. I would feel very confident in Shanahan in this spot. The 49ers, pound for pound, are just the better team. Look at easily they handled the Packers in the regular season. The Packers have had some tough spots and looked pretty bad on the road a few times this year at San Fran and at Los Angeles. The Niners looked really sharp and convincing in their win over Minnesota last week. You know the crowd will be electric for this one as well. It is the first time the Niners are hosting the NFC Championship Game since 2011. They have more talent, they look confident, and maybe it is just their time to start their run. They were the best team in the NFC wire-to-wire this year, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see them cement that on Sunday.
Prediction: Green Bay (+7.5) over SAN FRANCISCO-Everything points to the Niners winning this game: Better team, better coach, and home field advantage, but I just have a sneaky suspicion that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers find their way to pull off the upset. I think they will survive the onslaught at the beginning of the game and they make the Niners nervous and then pull it out late. Just a hunch.
Final Score: Packers-23 Niners-20
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Divisional Playoff Recap
NFC Divisional Playoff
San Francisco-27 Minnesota-10
1) This game was just an ass-kicking by the 49ers for most of the contest. This was a #1 seed coming off a bye and taking care of business in the playoffs. We don’t always see that in the Divisional Round, but the 49ers imposed their will on the Vikings from the first drive of the game.
2) There were few moments when the game was close, but for me the key sequence was when Jimmy Garoppolo got picked off in 49er territory, but the Vikings got stuffed by the Niners defense and settled for a field goal to cut the SF lead to 14-10 instead of tying it at 14 in the second quarter. That proved to me that the Niners were going to win this game.
3) After Jimmy G’s pick, Kyle Shanahan decided to run the ball down the Vikings throat, and the rushing attack dominated the Vikings defense. San Fran built a 24-10 lead and then after a muffed punt by the Vikings, they officially put the game away with a field goal and a 27-10 lead.
4) The Vikings rushing game was completely shut down by the 49ers defense, and Kirk Cousins was harassed all game long. After pulling the upset win over New Orleans last week, the Vikings simply took their beating and limped out of the playoffs.
5) Give the 49ers credit. They have been the best team in the NFC all year long-from Week 1 to Week 17. They backed it up on Sunday with a tremendous performance and now they get to host the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2011.
AFC Divisional Playoff
Tennessee-28 Baltimore-12
1) The Titans followed the formula for pulling the Divisional Round upset over a heavily favored opponent by getting a quick start/lead, getting a turnover, and the higher seed making uncharacteristic mistakes that they haven’t made all year as the home crowd starts to get nervous. That is how the first part of this game played out.
2) I don’t want to hear about bye week rust or not playing starters in Week 17 for the Ravens. They got beat in this game because they made mistakes and didn’t play as well as they had played from October on. Lamar Jackson’s pass off of Mark Andrews hands and interception in the first quarter set the tone. Tennessee converted to make it 7-0 after a great catch by Jonnu Smith in the corner of the end zone. After stopping the Ravens on a 4th and 1, the Titans went up top and Ryan Tannehill hit Kalif Raymond with a 45 yard TD to make it 14-0 only 15 seconds into the second quarter. Those two plays gave the Titans the lead, put doubt in the Ravens and completely changed the game.
3) The next big sequence came in the third quarter when the Titans stopped the Ravens once again on a 4th and short. With the score 14-6, Tennessee stopped Jackson again and once again they made him pay for it when Derrick Henry broke through on a long run that set up another Titans touchdown to make it 21-6. That was the back breaker.
4) The Titans touchdown to make it 21-6 was a sweet play. They put Marcus Mariota in at QB in shotgun, motioned him out of the backfield, and direct snapped it to Henry, who then completed a jump pass to Corey Davis for the 3 yard touchdown.
5) The next play, Lamar Jackson got sacked and fumbled and the Titans recovered deep in Baltimore territory. That set up a Tannehill touchdown run and at 28-6, this game was over.
6) The Baltimore crowd was stunned and you could feel that from watching the game at home. When we look back on this upset in the future, we will remember that Baltimore was 14-2, won 12 straight games, 10 point favorites, and by the advanced metrics stats, was one of the best teams in recent league history. This is one of the bigger playoff upsets in a long time.
7) Derrick Henry continues his incredible postseason and 2019 campaign. He passed Terrell Davis for the most playoff rushing yards in their first five playoff games. It is pretty amazing to watch him during this run.
8) The Titans certainly have something going. They went into New England and knocked off the Patriots, went into Baltimore and upset the Ravens, and now head to Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs. Can they really go through NE, Baltimore, and KC in three straight weeks?
AFC Divisional Playoff
Kansas City-51 Houston-31
1) I can’t remember a game that changed so quickly or comeback that happened that fast. Houston was up 24-0 early in the second quarter and by the time it was halftime, they were down 28-24. It was surreal, but you could almost see it coming.
2) Houston couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game. They got a quick touchdown to make it 7-0, then a blocked punt for a touchdown to make it 14-0, then a Tyreek Hill muffed punt inside the five yard line to set up another touchdown, and it was 21-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Chiefs dropped passes on key third downs and it looked like they were going to unravel. At 24-0, if you are a Houston fan, you had to believe you were hosting the AFC Championship Game next Sunday.
3) Everything changed so quickly. KC got a big return to set up a touchdown to cut it 24-7, and then Houston collapsed. A fake punt on 4th and 4 was stopped by the Chiefs and Pat Mahomes started going to work. The Chiefs cut it 24-14, and then Houston fumbles the kick return and Mahomes makes them pay again and it is 24-21. At that point, I really felt like the Texans were done and they weren’t going to be able to hold on. Mahomes throws another TD before the half and KC had the lead for good.
4) The second half was all KC, and Houston had absolutely no answers for the Chiefs offense and Mahomes. He ends up throwing 5 TDs and KC went on a 51-7 run to close the game. Just remarkable.
5) This was the fourth biggest comeback in playoff history, but the difference between this one and those other games was the fact that it took teams a half or three quarters to get back into the game. This 24-0 lead by Houston vanished in a matter of minutes. That was the most surprising part to me.
6) The Houston Oilers blew a 35-3 lead to the Bills in the 1992 Wild Card Game, and now the Houston Texans have their own version of a playoff collapse. You can’t jump out to a 24-0 lead in the playoffs and then lose by 20 points. That was an all-time meltdown and it will be interesting to see how they affects this team going forward.
7) Give KC credit. They deserve the accolades for the comeback. Mahomes is unbelievable. There is no question his status as the new face of the NFL. He was dynamic on Sunday. It looked like they were headed to another home playoff disappointment, but they rallied and could very well be on their way to the Super Bowl. They get to host the AFC Championship Game against Tennessee instead of having to go on the road to Baltimore. Things have set up perfectly for KC this year.
NFC Divisional Playoff
Green Bay-28 Seattle-23
1) Great win for the Packers, and I had picked Seattle to win the game. Aaron Rodgers reminded you of why is still one of the best QBs on the planet. He made big throw after big throw and Davante Adams had a great game. Rodgers made the key throws at the key moments of the game and that is what you need from your franchise QB.
2) Green Bay built a 21-3 lead at halftime, but you just knew that Russell Wilson was going to make a run and get Seattle back into the game. He played great in the second half, and he cut the lead to 28-23 after the missed 2 point play. He is just so gutty and really did everything he could to possibly pull this game out for the Seahawks.
3) The key for Seattle was when they cut the lead to 28-23 and they forced GB to go 3 and out, and they got the ball back with 4:54 left on their own 23. He hit Tyler Lockett for 14 yards and first down. Then, Malik Turner dropped a first down pass that would have moved the chains once again. Two plays later on third down, Wilson got sacked, Seattle punted and they never got the ball back. That drop will haunt Seattle all offseason.
4) The Packers won the game like they have won a lot of games this season. They were good offensively and Rodgers made the throws he needed to make. The defense played well and they got the stop they needed at the critical time. It has been their recipe all season long.
5) The Packers now head to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. The Packers were embarrassed by the 49ers earlier this season, so we will see how they respond the second time around. The last time they were in the NFC Championship in 2016, they got killed by Atlanta. Now, they get a chance to redeem themselves a few years later.
San Francisco-27 Minnesota-10
1) This game was just an ass-kicking by the 49ers for most of the contest. This was a #1 seed coming off a bye and taking care of business in the playoffs. We don’t always see that in the Divisional Round, but the 49ers imposed their will on the Vikings from the first drive of the game.
2) There were few moments when the game was close, but for me the key sequence was when Jimmy Garoppolo got picked off in 49er territory, but the Vikings got stuffed by the Niners defense and settled for a field goal to cut the SF lead to 14-10 instead of tying it at 14 in the second quarter. That proved to me that the Niners were going to win this game.
3) After Jimmy G’s pick, Kyle Shanahan decided to run the ball down the Vikings throat, and the rushing attack dominated the Vikings defense. San Fran built a 24-10 lead and then after a muffed punt by the Vikings, they officially put the game away with a field goal and a 27-10 lead.
4) The Vikings rushing game was completely shut down by the 49ers defense, and Kirk Cousins was harassed all game long. After pulling the upset win over New Orleans last week, the Vikings simply took their beating and limped out of the playoffs.
5) Give the 49ers credit. They have been the best team in the NFC all year long-from Week 1 to Week 17. They backed it up on Sunday with a tremendous performance and now they get to host the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2011.
AFC Divisional Playoff
Tennessee-28 Baltimore-12
1) The Titans followed the formula for pulling the Divisional Round upset over a heavily favored opponent by getting a quick start/lead, getting a turnover, and the higher seed making uncharacteristic mistakes that they haven’t made all year as the home crowd starts to get nervous. That is how the first part of this game played out.
2) I don’t want to hear about bye week rust or not playing starters in Week 17 for the Ravens. They got beat in this game because they made mistakes and didn’t play as well as they had played from October on. Lamar Jackson’s pass off of Mark Andrews hands and interception in the first quarter set the tone. Tennessee converted to make it 7-0 after a great catch by Jonnu Smith in the corner of the end zone. After stopping the Ravens on a 4th and 1, the Titans went up top and Ryan Tannehill hit Kalif Raymond with a 45 yard TD to make it 14-0 only 15 seconds into the second quarter. Those two plays gave the Titans the lead, put doubt in the Ravens and completely changed the game.
3) The next big sequence came in the third quarter when the Titans stopped the Ravens once again on a 4th and short. With the score 14-6, Tennessee stopped Jackson again and once again they made him pay for it when Derrick Henry broke through on a long run that set up another Titans touchdown to make it 21-6. That was the back breaker.
4) The Titans touchdown to make it 21-6 was a sweet play. They put Marcus Mariota in at QB in shotgun, motioned him out of the backfield, and direct snapped it to Henry, who then completed a jump pass to Corey Davis for the 3 yard touchdown.
5) The next play, Lamar Jackson got sacked and fumbled and the Titans recovered deep in Baltimore territory. That set up a Tannehill touchdown run and at 28-6, this game was over.
6) The Baltimore crowd was stunned and you could feel that from watching the game at home. When we look back on this upset in the future, we will remember that Baltimore was 14-2, won 12 straight games, 10 point favorites, and by the advanced metrics stats, was one of the best teams in recent league history. This is one of the bigger playoff upsets in a long time.
7) Derrick Henry continues his incredible postseason and 2019 campaign. He passed Terrell Davis for the most playoff rushing yards in their first five playoff games. It is pretty amazing to watch him during this run.
8) The Titans certainly have something going. They went into New England and knocked off the Patriots, went into Baltimore and upset the Ravens, and now head to Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs. Can they really go through NE, Baltimore, and KC in three straight weeks?
AFC Divisional Playoff
Kansas City-51 Houston-31
1) I can’t remember a game that changed so quickly or comeback that happened that fast. Houston was up 24-0 early in the second quarter and by the time it was halftime, they were down 28-24. It was surreal, but you could almost see it coming.
2) Houston couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game. They got a quick touchdown to make it 7-0, then a blocked punt for a touchdown to make it 14-0, then a Tyreek Hill muffed punt inside the five yard line to set up another touchdown, and it was 21-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Chiefs dropped passes on key third downs and it looked like they were going to unravel. At 24-0, if you are a Houston fan, you had to believe you were hosting the AFC Championship Game next Sunday.
3) Everything changed so quickly. KC got a big return to set up a touchdown to cut it 24-7, and then Houston collapsed. A fake punt on 4th and 4 was stopped by the Chiefs and Pat Mahomes started going to work. The Chiefs cut it 24-14, and then Houston fumbles the kick return and Mahomes makes them pay again and it is 24-21. At that point, I really felt like the Texans were done and they weren’t going to be able to hold on. Mahomes throws another TD before the half and KC had the lead for good.
4) The second half was all KC, and Houston had absolutely no answers for the Chiefs offense and Mahomes. He ends up throwing 5 TDs and KC went on a 51-7 run to close the game. Just remarkable.
5) This was the fourth biggest comeback in playoff history, but the difference between this one and those other games was the fact that it took teams a half or three quarters to get back into the game. This 24-0 lead by Houston vanished in a matter of minutes. That was the most surprising part to me.
6) The Houston Oilers blew a 35-3 lead to the Bills in the 1992 Wild Card Game, and now the Houston Texans have their own version of a playoff collapse. You can’t jump out to a 24-0 lead in the playoffs and then lose by 20 points. That was an all-time meltdown and it will be interesting to see how they affects this team going forward.
7) Give KC credit. They deserve the accolades for the comeback. Mahomes is unbelievable. There is no question his status as the new face of the NFL. He was dynamic on Sunday. It looked like they were headed to another home playoff disappointment, but they rallied and could very well be on their way to the Super Bowl. They get to host the AFC Championship Game against Tennessee instead of having to go on the road to Baltimore. Things have set up perfectly for KC this year.
NFC Divisional Playoff
Green Bay-28 Seattle-23
1) Great win for the Packers, and I had picked Seattle to win the game. Aaron Rodgers reminded you of why is still one of the best QBs on the planet. He made big throw after big throw and Davante Adams had a great game. Rodgers made the key throws at the key moments of the game and that is what you need from your franchise QB.
2) Green Bay built a 21-3 lead at halftime, but you just knew that Russell Wilson was going to make a run and get Seattle back into the game. He played great in the second half, and he cut the lead to 28-23 after the missed 2 point play. He is just so gutty and really did everything he could to possibly pull this game out for the Seahawks.
3) The key for Seattle was when they cut the lead to 28-23 and they forced GB to go 3 and out, and they got the ball back with 4:54 left on their own 23. He hit Tyler Lockett for 14 yards and first down. Then, Malik Turner dropped a first down pass that would have moved the chains once again. Two plays later on third down, Wilson got sacked, Seattle punted and they never got the ball back. That drop will haunt Seattle all offseason.
4) The Packers won the game like they have won a lot of games this season. They were good offensively and Rodgers made the throws he needed to make. The defense played well and they got the stop they needed at the critical time. It has been their recipe all season long.
5) The Packers now head to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. The Packers were embarrassed by the 49ers earlier this season, so we will see how they respond the second time around. The last time they were in the NFC Championship in 2016, they got killed by Atlanta. Now, they get a chance to redeem themselves a few years later.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Divisional Playoff Picks!
Last Week’s Record: 3-1
Overall 2019 Record: 122-124-13
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
NFC Divisional Playoff
(6) Minnesota at (1) San Francisco
A Case for the Vikings: The Vikings might have a little momentum going after
shocking the Saints in the Wild Card round in New Orleans. We have seen this
before: A team that no one picks pulls off an upset win in the first round, and
then they get on a run because they feel that no one believes in them. Could
the Vikings repeat that in this postseason? They certainly could. They are
playing with house money now after their win last week, and even Kirk Cousins got
the “QB who can’t win the big game” label off his back with that win. Now, they
are loose and can play the underdog role to a young 49ers team, who has
everything in front of them and everything to lose.
A Case for the 49ers: The 49ers have been the NFC’s best team from the beginning
of the season to the end. They have young talent on both sides of the ball, and
they were battle tested in the regular season. They had two tough games against
Seattle, swept the defending NFC Champion Rams, buried Green Bay, won in New
Orleans, and played Baltimore really tough on the road. They will be ready for
the Vikings on Saturday. Plus, I love the idea of Kyle Shanahan having two full
weeks to prepare an offensive game plan for this week’s game. I would give the
coaching edge in this game to Shanahan and his staff. The 49ers crowd and fans
could also be a real, big factor because they haven’t hosted a playoff game
since 2012.
Prediction:Minnesota (+7) over SAN
FRANCISCO-The 49ers will win this game, but I can
see this game being really close. I would expect the 49ers to start fast, but if
Minnesota can weather the storm early, then they can be in this game. The 49ers
have more pressure on them, so I think that they could play tight if things
don’t go their way. I think this comes down to the 4th quarter, but
I think the 49ers will pull it out.
Final Score: 49ers-27 Vikings-24
AFC Divisional Playoff
(6) Tennessee at (1) Baltimore
A Case for the Titans: The Titans are another team riding a lot of momentum heading
into this weekend. They knocked off the Patriots in Foxboro last week, and now
they have their sights set on the Ravens. The Titans have a lot of confidence.
You can buy into Mike Vrabel. You can buy into Ryan Tannehill. You can buy into
Derrick Henry. There is definitely a path for them to go into Baltimore and
pull the upset. The Titans have nothing to lose this week. They are another
team that is playing with house money. They can play fast and loose and all the
pressure is on the Ravens. The Ravens have won 12 games in a row. That’s hard
to do in the NFL, and they could be due for a loss.
A Case for the Ravens: They have been the best team in the AFC since Week 4. No one
has been able to stop Lamar Jackson and that offense-especially their running
game. John Harbaugh has been here before many times, and he knows how to manage
and handle his team in this big of a game. They are rested and ready, and the
crowd in Baltimore should be electric for this game on Saturday night. They
might just be too good for the Titans.
Prediction: Tennessee (+9) over
BALTIMORE-The Ravens will win the game, but I
expect another close game. Look for Baltimore to come out and play a little
tight, but I think they will settle down and find a way to win this game. I
think the Titans will be valiant, but Baltimore wins their first playoff game
since 2014.
Final Score: Ravens-24 Titans-20
AFC Divisional Playoff
(4) Houston at (2) Kansas City
A Case for the Texans: They already went into Arrowhead and knocked off the Chiefs
earlier this year, so you know they have the confidence of going there and
winning. Deshaun Watson can literally just take the game over and win it by
himself. He has that type of ability-even on the road in a tough environment. The
Chiefs defense has played well the last month or so, but Watson gashed them in
October, and the Texans are getting Will Fuller back for this game. Throw in
the fact that no one is going to be picking them in this game. Everyone is on
the Chiefs bandwagon, and I think the Texans will use that as motivation.
A Case for the Chiefs: With the Pats out, the Chiefs path to the Super Bowl became
a lot clearer and a lot easier. I think they will use what they learned from
losing to the Texans in October, and they will adjust what they do for this
game. Pat Mahomes is so good, and he is ready to make his mark on the league.
He got close to a Super Bowl last year, and I think this his the year he gets
there. Also, Andy Reid is due to get back to another Super Bowl, and this might
be his best chance. They got a break when NE lost and they slid into the #2
seed and a first round bye. Things might be falling into place for them to win
the AFC this year.
Prediction: Houston (+10) over KANSAS
CITY-I could see the Texans giving the
Chiefs problems for awhile, but KC and Mahomes will be too much in the end.
Look for a KC win setting up a Lamar-Mahomes AFC Championship showdown.
Final Score: Chiefs-30 Texans-23
NFC Divisional Playoff
(5) Seattle at (2) Green Bay
A Case for the Seahawks: They are battle-tested on the road, so going into Lambeau
Field won’t be intimidating for them. I like their chances with Russell Wilson,
and I don’t think they are afraid of the mystique of the Packers, the weather,
their tradition, and the home field. I think they play fast and loose, and Pete
Carroll knows how to get his team ready for these types of games. I know
Seattle didn’t look great last week in the win over Philly, but they have a
tendency to do that at times this year. When you doubt this team, then they
come back to bite you. I think this game fits this team perfectly. They will
play up the underdog role, but I think they might be a better team overall than
the Packers. This is a very live underdog here in this spot.
A Case for the Packers: After a two-year absence, the Packers are back in the
playoffs. It feels a little different this time around because although they
are 13-3 and got the bye, they haven’t dominated in the past like they did with
some of those other Aaron Rodgers-led teams. It will be interesting to see how
they respond. Obviously, with Aaron Rodgers at QB, the Packers have a great
chance to win this game. The crowd should be fired up for this game in the late
window on Sunday. The Packers defense has been really solid this year, and that
could give Russel Wilson fits. I like the Packers running game this year as
well, so Rodgers has that to lean on. Anytime the Packers are at home in the
playoffs, you have to like their chances.
Prediction: Seattle (+4) over GREEN BAY-
I think one road team wins this
weekend, and I think this is the spot. The Packers and Seahawks have played
some wild and memorable games in the past, and this might be another one. Great
setting for this game: Late Sunday window in Lambeau Field on a cold and
possibly snowy evening. This should be a close game throughout, but I have a
feeling that the Seahawks pull it out late and stun the Packers at home.
Final Score: Seahawks-23 Packers-20
Monday, January 6, 2020
Wild Card Weekend Recap
Three road teams won on Wild Card Weekend, including the Saints being stunned at home to the Vikings in overtime. Saturday's playoff opener between the Texans and the Bills was a crazy game that went into OT, and Tom Brady might have played his last game as a Patriot after NE was bounced by Tennessee. There is a lot of digest from Wild Card Weekend. Here is my recap of all the games...
AFC Wild Card Game
(4) Houston-22 (5) Buffalo-19 (OT)
1) This was a wildly, entertaining game from start to finish. The Bills jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead only to see the Texans storm all the way back to take the lead in the second half, but the Bills send it to overtime on a last second 47 yard field goal. The Texans ultimately pulled it out in the extra session, but this game was like two 8 year olds playing Madden 20 against each other.
2) The game changed when J.J. Watt sacked Josh Allen and forced a field goal at 13-0 Bills in the third quarter. It made it 16-0 and kept it a two possession game.
3) From there, Deshaun Watson flipped a switch and put the game on his back. He scored the first TD to cut it to 16-8. The Texans fed off the momentum, forced the Bills into turnovers and mistakes and took the game over for a 19-16 lead late in the game.
4) The end of this game was wild. After Buffalo drove deep into Houston territory trailing 19-16, Josh Allen took two horrible sacks. The last one was on a 4th and 27! Sean McDermott still had three timeouts left and they could have punted Houston inside their own 10, but for some reason they went for it and gave Houston the ball back in Buffalo territory. Bill O'Brien didn't help his team either when he went for it on 4th and 2 and decided to run a QB sneak with Watson. He got stuffed and the ball went back to Buffalo. The coaching decisions provided some head scratchers.
5) Deshaun Watson made the play of the playoffs so far by avoiding a sack in which he got sandwiched by two Bills defenders, and spun out and fired a pass for a huge gain that put the Texans in field goal position to win the game.
6) Give credit to the Texans and Watson for coming back, but this felt like a real opportunity lost for the Bills.
AFC Wild Card Game
(6) Tennessee-20 (3) New England-13
1) Derrick Henry dominated the game and he gave Tennessee a chance to control the clock. He certainly was a big reason why the Titans advanced.
2) The key sequence for me was when NE was stopped on three straight runs inside the 3 yard line late in the first half up 10-7. If they score a TD there, then they are up 17-7 and probably win the game. Instead, they settled for a short field goal, went up 13-7, and then gave up a TD drive right before the half to the Titans. The Titans went from possibly being down 17-7 at the half, to up 14-13.
3) The Pats defense did their part. Although they couldn't stop Henry, they only gave up 14 points and kept giving their offense and Tom Brady a chance to win it. The Pats just couldn't make the plays on offense to win the game.
4) Julian Edelman's drop on 2nd and 6 near midfield late in the game will haunt the Pats fans all offseason. He had room to run and would have given the Pats a nice gain and nice field position with plenty of time to win the game on a field goal.
5) The fact that Ryan Tannehill completed a huge 3rd down throw and knocked off the Pats in Foxboro is pretty amazing, but Tannehill has been really good since he took over in Week 7, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise.
6) Brady's pick six was just icing on the cake at the end for the Titans. Its crazy to think that Brady's last pass as a Patriot might be an interception return for a TD. There will be an entire offseason to dissect Brady's future, but it was wild to see it end like that in this game.
7) The Titans were the better team on this night. Mike Vrabel did a great job coaching his team and getting them ready, and they slayed the dragon in Foxboro. Gotta give them all the credit.
NFC Wild Card Game
(6) Minnesota-26 (3) New Orleans-20
1) This was the biggest upset of the weekend. NO ONE was picking the Vikings to upset the Saints, and they pulled it off in overtime. Just a stunner of a game.
2) Kirk Cousins needed a statement game on his resume, and this game will be the one that will get the monkey off of his back. He played great, and made big throws all game long. His game winner to Kyle Rudoph on 3rd and goal in overtime was a perfect throw.
3) The Saints and Drew Brees just didn't seem to have it all game long. They were down 20-10 in the 4th quarter, and it just seemed like they weren't on their gam. Give the Vikings and Mike Zimmer credit, but the Saints didn't look like the dominant team they were coming into the playoffs.
4) Once again, a sequence near the half helped decide this game. A Brees interception on a deep ball led to a Viking touchdown and a 13-10 Minnesota lead, and Will Lutz missed a 43 yarder to tie the game at 13 heading into halftime.
5) The Vikings got a huge win, and this is the type of game that could help get them on a run in these playoffs. This was about as good as it gets for this franchise.
6) The Saints are left picking up the pieces to another playof disappointment. How many more chances will Drew Brees and Sean Payton get? This will leave another bitter taste in their mouth, and it will be hard to rebound from this one.
NFC Wild Card Game
(5) Seattle-17 (4) Philly-9
1) This was the least entertaining game of the weekend. Once Carson Wentz went out with a concussion, this game lost it's appeal.
2) Josh McCown did his best to win the game for the Eagles, but the 40 year old QB just couldn't pull it off. The Eagles had battled injuries all year long, and it finally came full circle when their star QB got knocked out of the game.
3) The Seahawks did just enough to get the win. They weren't overly impressive, but it felt like once they knew Wentz was out for the game, they knew they had to just do enough to get by and they would win the game. It was a one possession game late but I never felt that the Seahawks were going to lose the game.
4) Seattle moves on and now becomes a very dangerous road team as they head to Green Bay.
AFC Wild Card Game
(4) Houston-22 (5) Buffalo-19 (OT)
1) This was a wildly, entertaining game from start to finish. The Bills jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead only to see the Texans storm all the way back to take the lead in the second half, but the Bills send it to overtime on a last second 47 yard field goal. The Texans ultimately pulled it out in the extra session, but this game was like two 8 year olds playing Madden 20 against each other.
2) The game changed when J.J. Watt sacked Josh Allen and forced a field goal at 13-0 Bills in the third quarter. It made it 16-0 and kept it a two possession game.
3) From there, Deshaun Watson flipped a switch and put the game on his back. He scored the first TD to cut it to 16-8. The Texans fed off the momentum, forced the Bills into turnovers and mistakes and took the game over for a 19-16 lead late in the game.
4) The end of this game was wild. After Buffalo drove deep into Houston territory trailing 19-16, Josh Allen took two horrible sacks. The last one was on a 4th and 27! Sean McDermott still had three timeouts left and they could have punted Houston inside their own 10, but for some reason they went for it and gave Houston the ball back in Buffalo territory. Bill O'Brien didn't help his team either when he went for it on 4th and 2 and decided to run a QB sneak with Watson. He got stuffed and the ball went back to Buffalo. The coaching decisions provided some head scratchers.
5) Deshaun Watson made the play of the playoffs so far by avoiding a sack in which he got sandwiched by two Bills defenders, and spun out and fired a pass for a huge gain that put the Texans in field goal position to win the game.
6) Give credit to the Texans and Watson for coming back, but this felt like a real opportunity lost for the Bills.
AFC Wild Card Game
(6) Tennessee-20 (3) New England-13
1) Derrick Henry dominated the game and he gave Tennessee a chance to control the clock. He certainly was a big reason why the Titans advanced.
2) The key sequence for me was when NE was stopped on three straight runs inside the 3 yard line late in the first half up 10-7. If they score a TD there, then they are up 17-7 and probably win the game. Instead, they settled for a short field goal, went up 13-7, and then gave up a TD drive right before the half to the Titans. The Titans went from possibly being down 17-7 at the half, to up 14-13.
3) The Pats defense did their part. Although they couldn't stop Henry, they only gave up 14 points and kept giving their offense and Tom Brady a chance to win it. The Pats just couldn't make the plays on offense to win the game.
4) Julian Edelman's drop on 2nd and 6 near midfield late in the game will haunt the Pats fans all offseason. He had room to run and would have given the Pats a nice gain and nice field position with plenty of time to win the game on a field goal.
5) The fact that Ryan Tannehill completed a huge 3rd down throw and knocked off the Pats in Foxboro is pretty amazing, but Tannehill has been really good since he took over in Week 7, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise.
6) Brady's pick six was just icing on the cake at the end for the Titans. Its crazy to think that Brady's last pass as a Patriot might be an interception return for a TD. There will be an entire offseason to dissect Brady's future, but it was wild to see it end like that in this game.
7) The Titans were the better team on this night. Mike Vrabel did a great job coaching his team and getting them ready, and they slayed the dragon in Foxboro. Gotta give them all the credit.
NFC Wild Card Game
(6) Minnesota-26 (3) New Orleans-20
1) This was the biggest upset of the weekend. NO ONE was picking the Vikings to upset the Saints, and they pulled it off in overtime. Just a stunner of a game.
2) Kirk Cousins needed a statement game on his resume, and this game will be the one that will get the monkey off of his back. He played great, and made big throws all game long. His game winner to Kyle Rudoph on 3rd and goal in overtime was a perfect throw.
3) The Saints and Drew Brees just didn't seem to have it all game long. They were down 20-10 in the 4th quarter, and it just seemed like they weren't on their gam. Give the Vikings and Mike Zimmer credit, but the Saints didn't look like the dominant team they were coming into the playoffs.
4) Once again, a sequence near the half helped decide this game. A Brees interception on a deep ball led to a Viking touchdown and a 13-10 Minnesota lead, and Will Lutz missed a 43 yarder to tie the game at 13 heading into halftime.
5) The Vikings got a huge win, and this is the type of game that could help get them on a run in these playoffs. This was about as good as it gets for this franchise.
6) The Saints are left picking up the pieces to another playof disappointment. How many more chances will Drew Brees and Sean Payton get? This will leave another bitter taste in their mouth, and it will be hard to rebound from this one.
NFC Wild Card Game
(5) Seattle-17 (4) Philly-9
1) This was the least entertaining game of the weekend. Once Carson Wentz went out with a concussion, this game lost it's appeal.
2) Josh McCown did his best to win the game for the Eagles, but the 40 year old QB just couldn't pull it off. The Eagles had battled injuries all year long, and it finally came full circle when their star QB got knocked out of the game.
3) The Seahawks did just enough to get the win. They weren't overly impressive, but it felt like once they knew Wentz was out for the game, they knew they had to just do enough to get by and they would win the game. It was a one possession game late but I never felt that the Seahawks were going to lose the game.
4) Seattle moves on and now becomes a very dangerous road team as they head to Green Bay.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Wild Card Weekend Picks!
Wild Card Weekend in the NFL is here, and these are some of the best weekends in all of football. I always enjoy Wild Card Weekend because it can be very unpredictable, and it is just a great way to get the postseason going in the NFL. Two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday. Fun times for a NFL fan, and you better enjoy it because the games start the dwindle and the season is coming to an end. Relish these playoff weekends....
Last Week's (Week 17) Record: 7-8-1
Overall Final Regular Season Record: 119-123-13
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
AFC Wild Card Game
(5) Buffalo at (4) Houston
A Case for the Bills: The Bills finished 10-6, their best record since 1999. They have a really good coach in Sean McDermott, who has completely transformed their culture. They made the playoffs two years ago and fell short, so they have that experience to go back on. QB Josh Allen can win a game on his own, and put this team on his back. They were close to taking the AFC East from the Patriots this year.Also, they are due for a playoff win. They haven't won a playoff game since 1995. This franchise is due to break that drought.
A Case for the Texans: Everyone is picking the Bills, which plays right into the Texans hands. Houston got buried in this exact spot last year when they lost at home to the Colts in the Wild Card round. Can that happen to the Texans again two years in a row? I think Deshaun Watson learned from that experience and he can take the game over for Houston and win this game by himself. Plus, J.J. Watt is coming back off of IR for this game, and I have a feeling that will really energize the defense and the home crowd. By the end of the week, I feel like all the momentum is going to be on the Bills side, so that makes the Texans very dangerous
Prediction: HOUSTON (-2) over Buffalo: I know that the Texans were an expansion team in 2002, and the Houston Oilers became the Tennessee Titans, but the last time the Bills played a Houston team in the playoffs was the famous 1992 Wild Card game in Buffalo that saw the Bills come back from a 35-3 deficit and win the game 41-38 in one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Now, these two hook up on Saturday afternoon to start the playoffs. I think everyone will be picking the Bills, so that is why I'm going with the Texans at home. Houston advances and goes to Baltimore next week.
Final Score: Texans-23 Bills-13
AFC Wild Card Game
(6) Tennessee at (3) New England
A Case for the Titans: If you look at "hot" teams coming into the playoffs, then the Titans certainly fit that bill. After falling to 2-4, head coach Mike Vrabel benched Marcus Mariota and went with Ryan Tannehill. The moved has paid off. The Texans went 7-3 from that point and secured a wild card berth at 9-7. Tannehill has been on fire with this offense, and you could see him catching fire in a game and having the moment of his career. Also, Derrick Henry was the best running back in the league this year. He led the league in rushing and TDs, and he can literally take this game over and dominate all night. This Titans team has nothing to lose, and I'm sure Vrabel will send that message to this team all week.
A Case for the Patriots: The Patriots blew an opportunity to have a bye in round one by losing at home to the Dolphins last week, and now they have to play a game during the Wild Card Weekend. I would think and expect the Patriots to be on their game this week. We know the offense is struggling in the passing game, and the defense isn't the same as it was in the beginning of the season, but Bill Belichick is going to get this team ready and focused to play their best game of the season this week. There is no doubt that he will have them locked in and ready to go. Let's be honest: Belichick vs. Vrabel in the coaching matchup should be a no-brainer. The Patriots are vulnerable, but anytime the public has doubted them, they have proved everyone wrong.
Prediction: NEW ENGLAND (-4) over Tennessee: This game will be interesting on so many levels. The Titans can give the Patriots a legitimate scare in this game, and the Pats have so much pressure on them to win this game-especially after last week's debacle. Is this the end for the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era? I have a hard time seeing that happen this week. The Pats will win and head to Arrowhead for a date with the Chiefs.
Final Score: Patriots-24 Titans-17
NFC Wild Card Game
(6) Minnesota at (3) New Orleans
A Case for the Vikings: Although they lost their last two games to finish 10-6, and looked terrible against the Packers at home in Week 16, the Vikings were one of the best teams in the NFC all year long. EVERYONE will be picking against them this week, and they can use that as motivation this week. The recipe is there for them: Run the ball with Dalvin Cook, let Kirk Cousins make a few big plays, and have their defense hold up enough against the Saints offense to pull off the upset. Cousins is also due for his "big moment" game of his career, and this would be the perfect setup for that. The Vikes can be dangerous here.
A Case for the Saints: The Saints finished 13-3 and looked like one of the three best teams in the league down the stretch. When you have Sean Payton as your head coach, and Drew Brees as your quarterback, then you have a shot to go to the Super Bowl. Plus, they are playoff tested, and have made deep runs the last two years. They are at home, and you know that crowd will be fired up and loud as usual. I think they are going to use the motivation of the last two years and the playoff disappointment of what happened to them in 2017 and 2018, and that will drive them on this playoff run.
Prediction: Minnesota (+8) over NEW ORLEANS: The Vikings upsetting the Saints this week would be the biggest upset of the weekend. The Saints will win this game, but I think they will sweat for awhile. I think the Vikings will keep this game close. This is a rematch of the NFC Divisional Playoff from two years ago when the Vikings won on that miracle touchdown catch by Stephon Diggs on the last play of the game. The Saints get their revenge this weekend and will head to Green Bay to take on the Packers.
Final Score: Saints-31 Vikings-24
NFC Wild Card Game
(5) Seattle (4) Philadelphia
A Case for the Seahawks: The Seahawks come in at 11-5, and were inches away from beating the 49ers on Sunday night and winning the NFC West and hosting a playoff game. Let's not forget about that as they head into the playoffs. As long as they have Russell Wilson, they have a shot to go deep in the playoffs. I think they will be very confident in this game at Philly on Sunday-like a big chip on their shoulder. They already went into Philly this season and won, so they can certainly do it again. I like their chances because all of a sudden a lot of people are doubting them.
A Case for the Eagles: At 5-7, the Eagles season looked like it was going to end in disappointment, but they righted the ship and won their last four games to win the NFC East at 9-7. Carson Wentz put the team on his back the last month to guide them to the playoffs, and you can see him doing that again in this game. I know the Eagles are banged up and injured in a lot of areas, but they will use that as their rallying cry. They used the "Underdogs" title on the way to their Super Bowl in 2017, so they can fall back on that once again. Don't forget that this team has played in a lot of playoff games over the last two years, so they are battle tested.
Prediction: Seattle (-2) over PHILLY: By the time this game kicks off on Sunday afternoon, a lot of people will have talked themselves into the Eagles as a home underdog. I just don't see it. I know that the Seahawks have lost their last two games, but I still think that they are the better team and will figure it out in time for Sunday. The Eagles were valiant in getting to the playoffs with all their injuries, but their time will run out this week, and the Seahawks will be sending them home and heading to San Francisco to take on the 49ers.
Final Score: Seahawks-26 Eagles-20
Last Week's (Week 17) Record: 7-8-1
Overall Final Regular Season Record: 119-123-13
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
AFC Wild Card Game
(5) Buffalo at (4) Houston
A Case for the Bills: The Bills finished 10-6, their best record since 1999. They have a really good coach in Sean McDermott, who has completely transformed their culture. They made the playoffs two years ago and fell short, so they have that experience to go back on. QB Josh Allen can win a game on his own, and put this team on his back. They were close to taking the AFC East from the Patriots this year.Also, they are due for a playoff win. They haven't won a playoff game since 1995. This franchise is due to break that drought.
A Case for the Texans: Everyone is picking the Bills, which plays right into the Texans hands. Houston got buried in this exact spot last year when they lost at home to the Colts in the Wild Card round. Can that happen to the Texans again two years in a row? I think Deshaun Watson learned from that experience and he can take the game over for Houston and win this game by himself. Plus, J.J. Watt is coming back off of IR for this game, and I have a feeling that will really energize the defense and the home crowd. By the end of the week, I feel like all the momentum is going to be on the Bills side, so that makes the Texans very dangerous
Prediction: HOUSTON (-2) over Buffalo: I know that the Texans were an expansion team in 2002, and the Houston Oilers became the Tennessee Titans, but the last time the Bills played a Houston team in the playoffs was the famous 1992 Wild Card game in Buffalo that saw the Bills come back from a 35-3 deficit and win the game 41-38 in one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Now, these two hook up on Saturday afternoon to start the playoffs. I think everyone will be picking the Bills, so that is why I'm going with the Texans at home. Houston advances and goes to Baltimore next week.
Final Score: Texans-23 Bills-13
AFC Wild Card Game
(6) Tennessee at (3) New England
A Case for the Titans: If you look at "hot" teams coming into the playoffs, then the Titans certainly fit that bill. After falling to 2-4, head coach Mike Vrabel benched Marcus Mariota and went with Ryan Tannehill. The moved has paid off. The Texans went 7-3 from that point and secured a wild card berth at 9-7. Tannehill has been on fire with this offense, and you could see him catching fire in a game and having the moment of his career. Also, Derrick Henry was the best running back in the league this year. He led the league in rushing and TDs, and he can literally take this game over and dominate all night. This Titans team has nothing to lose, and I'm sure Vrabel will send that message to this team all week.
A Case for the Patriots: The Patriots blew an opportunity to have a bye in round one by losing at home to the Dolphins last week, and now they have to play a game during the Wild Card Weekend. I would think and expect the Patriots to be on their game this week. We know the offense is struggling in the passing game, and the defense isn't the same as it was in the beginning of the season, but Bill Belichick is going to get this team ready and focused to play their best game of the season this week. There is no doubt that he will have them locked in and ready to go. Let's be honest: Belichick vs. Vrabel in the coaching matchup should be a no-brainer. The Patriots are vulnerable, but anytime the public has doubted them, they have proved everyone wrong.
Prediction: NEW ENGLAND (-4) over Tennessee: This game will be interesting on so many levels. The Titans can give the Patriots a legitimate scare in this game, and the Pats have so much pressure on them to win this game-especially after last week's debacle. Is this the end for the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era? I have a hard time seeing that happen this week. The Pats will win and head to Arrowhead for a date with the Chiefs.
Final Score: Patriots-24 Titans-17
NFC Wild Card Game
(6) Minnesota at (3) New Orleans
A Case for the Vikings: Although they lost their last two games to finish 10-6, and looked terrible against the Packers at home in Week 16, the Vikings were one of the best teams in the NFC all year long. EVERYONE will be picking against them this week, and they can use that as motivation this week. The recipe is there for them: Run the ball with Dalvin Cook, let Kirk Cousins make a few big plays, and have their defense hold up enough against the Saints offense to pull off the upset. Cousins is also due for his "big moment" game of his career, and this would be the perfect setup for that. The Vikes can be dangerous here.
A Case for the Saints: The Saints finished 13-3 and looked like one of the three best teams in the league down the stretch. When you have Sean Payton as your head coach, and Drew Brees as your quarterback, then you have a shot to go to the Super Bowl. Plus, they are playoff tested, and have made deep runs the last two years. They are at home, and you know that crowd will be fired up and loud as usual. I think they are going to use the motivation of the last two years and the playoff disappointment of what happened to them in 2017 and 2018, and that will drive them on this playoff run.
Prediction: Minnesota (+8) over NEW ORLEANS: The Vikings upsetting the Saints this week would be the biggest upset of the weekend. The Saints will win this game, but I think they will sweat for awhile. I think the Vikings will keep this game close. This is a rematch of the NFC Divisional Playoff from two years ago when the Vikings won on that miracle touchdown catch by Stephon Diggs on the last play of the game. The Saints get their revenge this weekend and will head to Green Bay to take on the Packers.
Final Score: Saints-31 Vikings-24
NFC Wild Card Game
(5) Seattle (4) Philadelphia
A Case for the Seahawks: The Seahawks come in at 11-5, and were inches away from beating the 49ers on Sunday night and winning the NFC West and hosting a playoff game. Let's not forget about that as they head into the playoffs. As long as they have Russell Wilson, they have a shot to go deep in the playoffs. I think they will be very confident in this game at Philly on Sunday-like a big chip on their shoulder. They already went into Philly this season and won, so they can certainly do it again. I like their chances because all of a sudden a lot of people are doubting them.
A Case for the Eagles: At 5-7, the Eagles season looked like it was going to end in disappointment, but they righted the ship and won their last four games to win the NFC East at 9-7. Carson Wentz put the team on his back the last month to guide them to the playoffs, and you can see him doing that again in this game. I know the Eagles are banged up and injured in a lot of areas, but they will use that as their rallying cry. They used the "Underdogs" title on the way to their Super Bowl in 2017, so they can fall back on that once again. Don't forget that this team has played in a lot of playoff games over the last two years, so they are battle tested.
Prediction: Seattle (-2) over PHILLY: By the time this game kicks off on Sunday afternoon, a lot of people will have talked themselves into the Eagles as a home underdog. I just don't see it. I know that the Seahawks have lost their last two games, but I still think that they are the better team and will figure it out in time for Sunday. The Eagles were valiant in getting to the playoffs with all their injuries, but their time will run out this week, and the Seahawks will be sending them home and heading to San Francisco to take on the 49ers.
Final Score: Seahawks-26 Eagles-20
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Broncos End of Season Mailbag
Now that the Broncos 2019 season is over, there are a lot of thoughts and questions related to the season and the upcoming offseason. Here is my take on those topics with an End of Season Mailbag....
Did this Broncos team live up to your expectations for this season?
-I had the Broncos finishing 8-8 and out of the playoffs this year, so I was pretty close. I wasn't too optimistic about the Joe Flacco situation at QB, and that turned out to be correct. I didn't think Denver would start out 0-4 under Vic Fangio. That surprised me. The fact that they got close to .500 was great considering they were staring at a 4-12 type season after the first month of the year. Overall, the Broncos pretty much finished where I thought they would.
How did you like Vic Fangio in his first year as Broncos head coach?
-If I had to give Fangio a grade for his first year as Broncos coach, I would go with C+. The team finished under .500 at 7-9, so you can't give him a high grade, but I was impressed with him in a few areas. He did a good job with the defense, but they just couldn't close out a few games. The team constantly played hard for him and went 7-5 after an 0-4 start. That was a good sign. I liked how he handled the team and handled the media in his first year. I would be a little worried about his game management and clock management strategy. I know he gets a little of a pass since it is his first time as a head coach, but I thought the game management area was a little sketchy. He has to clean that up in 2020. I do think he is a WAY better head coach that Vance Joseph, so I am pleased with him and the future looks good under Vic at this point.
How do you feel about Drew Lock after he started the last five games and went 4-1?
I have been a fan of Lock since his days at Missouri, so I was looking forward to watching him play this season. I thought he played really well, and I think he can be the franchise guy for this team going forward. He has a charisma and moxie around him, and you can tell his teammates rally around him. He also has a canon of an arm, and he can move around the pocket, and those attributes are something that he needs to use going into next year. It was so much fun watching Lock the last five games, and it made it exciting down the stretch. I look forward to watching him next year as our starter.
What other Broncos stood out to you this season?
-Philip Lindsay was great once again. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 7 TDs. Courtland Sutton had a great season with 72 catches, 1,112 yards and 6 TDs. I thought Kareem Jackson was awesome on defense for us this year. Justin Simmons was also great on defense and had an All-Pro year. I thought the emergence of Al Johnson at LB was great, and Shelby Harris and Derek Wolfe both had good years on the defensive line. Although he only had 8 sacks, Von Miller was still a force and still played at a high level.
What can be taken from this season that will bring optimism to next season?
-The Broncos young core of players and their emergence gives Broncos Country hope that next season will be a big year. On offense, Drew Lock, Philip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Dalton Risner, and Andy Janovich are all really good and really young. Defensively, we still have Von Miller, Bradley Chubb (Coming back from injury), Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan (Coming back from injury), Dremont Jones, Al Johnson, and Malik Reed. This team has a chance to be really good next year with that group.
Which was the best game of the season?
-This one is easy: The Broncos 38-24 dismantling of the AFC South Champion Houston Texans in December. Drew Lock and that offense rolled into Houston and torched the Texans defense. They built a 31-3 halftime lead and Lock completed 22-27 passes for 309 yards and 3 TDs. That is the game you will want to watch all offseason if you are a Broncos fan.
Who are the Broncos 2020 opponents?
-The Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, LA Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Denver travels to Kansas City, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, New England Patriots, NY Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers.
Who are the Broncos Free Agents this offseason?
Here is a list of the major Unrestricted Free Agents for the Broncos:
Chris Harris, Derek Wolfe, Shelby Harris, Casey Krieter, Adam Gotsis, Justin Simmons, Connor McGovern, Will Parks, Devontae Booker, Corey Nelson, and Jeremiah Attaochu
Their Restricted Free Agent list includes:
DeVante Bausby, Elijah Wilkinson, Joe Jones, Mike Purcell, and Tim Patrick.
Out of the Unrestricted Free Agents, I think Denver will let Chris Harris, Shelby Harris, Adam Gotsis, and Will Parks all go. I also think that Booker and Nelson will go, but no one will really care. I think they will sign Simmons to a long-term deal or Franchise Tag him. I think they will try to sign Wolfe to a short term deal, and it might actually happen. I think they will try to re-sign McGovern and that will happen too. I think they will re-sign Kreiter and Attaochu to team-friendly deals. I think they will also tender deals with all of their restricted free agents except for Joe Jones.
Did this Broncos team live up to your expectations for this season?
-I had the Broncos finishing 8-8 and out of the playoffs this year, so I was pretty close. I wasn't too optimistic about the Joe Flacco situation at QB, and that turned out to be correct. I didn't think Denver would start out 0-4 under Vic Fangio. That surprised me. The fact that they got close to .500 was great considering they were staring at a 4-12 type season after the first month of the year. Overall, the Broncos pretty much finished where I thought they would.
How did you like Vic Fangio in his first year as Broncos head coach?
-If I had to give Fangio a grade for his first year as Broncos coach, I would go with C+. The team finished under .500 at 7-9, so you can't give him a high grade, but I was impressed with him in a few areas. He did a good job with the defense, but they just couldn't close out a few games. The team constantly played hard for him and went 7-5 after an 0-4 start. That was a good sign. I liked how he handled the team and handled the media in his first year. I would be a little worried about his game management and clock management strategy. I know he gets a little of a pass since it is his first time as a head coach, but I thought the game management area was a little sketchy. He has to clean that up in 2020. I do think he is a WAY better head coach that Vance Joseph, so I am pleased with him and the future looks good under Vic at this point.
How do you feel about Drew Lock after he started the last five games and went 4-1?
I have been a fan of Lock since his days at Missouri, so I was looking forward to watching him play this season. I thought he played really well, and I think he can be the franchise guy for this team going forward. He has a charisma and moxie around him, and you can tell his teammates rally around him. He also has a canon of an arm, and he can move around the pocket, and those attributes are something that he needs to use going into next year. It was so much fun watching Lock the last five games, and it made it exciting down the stretch. I look forward to watching him next year as our starter.
What other Broncos stood out to you this season?
-Philip Lindsay was great once again. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 7 TDs. Courtland Sutton had a great season with 72 catches, 1,112 yards and 6 TDs. I thought Kareem Jackson was awesome on defense for us this year. Justin Simmons was also great on defense and had an All-Pro year. I thought the emergence of Al Johnson at LB was great, and Shelby Harris and Derek Wolfe both had good years on the defensive line. Although he only had 8 sacks, Von Miller was still a force and still played at a high level.
What can be taken from this season that will bring optimism to next season?
-The Broncos young core of players and their emergence gives Broncos Country hope that next season will be a big year. On offense, Drew Lock, Philip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Dalton Risner, and Andy Janovich are all really good and really young. Defensively, we still have Von Miller, Bradley Chubb (Coming back from injury), Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan (Coming back from injury), Dremont Jones, Al Johnson, and Malik Reed. This team has a chance to be really good next year with that group.
Which was the best game of the season?
-This one is easy: The Broncos 38-24 dismantling of the AFC South Champion Houston Texans in December. Drew Lock and that offense rolled into Houston and torched the Texans defense. They built a 31-3 halftime lead and Lock completed 22-27 passes for 309 yards and 3 TDs. That is the game you will want to watch all offseason if you are a Broncos fan.
Who are the Broncos 2020 opponents?
-The Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, LA Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Denver travels to Kansas City, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, New England Patriots, NY Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers.
Who are the Broncos Free Agents this offseason?
Here is a list of the major Unrestricted Free Agents for the Broncos:
Chris Harris, Derek Wolfe, Shelby Harris, Casey Krieter, Adam Gotsis, Justin Simmons, Connor McGovern, Will Parks, Devontae Booker, Corey Nelson, and Jeremiah Attaochu
Their Restricted Free Agent list includes:
DeVante Bausby, Elijah Wilkinson, Joe Jones, Mike Purcell, and Tim Patrick.
Out of the Unrestricted Free Agents, I think Denver will let Chris Harris, Shelby Harris, Adam Gotsis, and Will Parks all go. I also think that Booker and Nelson will go, but no one will really care. I think they will sign Simmons to a long-term deal or Franchise Tag him. I think they will try to sign Wolfe to a short term deal, and it might actually happen. I think they will try to re-sign McGovern and that will happen too. I think they will re-sign Kreiter and Attaochu to team-friendly deals. I think they will also tender deals with all of their restricted free agents except for Joe Jones.
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