The Chargers and 49ers only have two games left but the rest of the NFL teams still have three to be played. The Wild Card battle will be close in both leagues this year, and especially interesting in the AFC considering the Colts are fighting for a wild card spot for the second time in the last seven years. The normal 12 win season and division champion Colts have been the most consistent regular season NFL team in the past decade, even through the departure of Marvin Harrison and Tony Dungy, their best defensive player being hurt for more than 50% of the season year in and year out, and absolutely no threat in the running game which has made them one of the most dangerous one dimensional teams in history. All thanks to the quarterback who's started over 200 straight games and is now the current leader in that category- Peyton Manning. His poor play recently has led to only a 7-6 record from a team who has gotten used to 12 wins every season and now stares at the remaining three games on their schedule knowing that winning all three is a must; usually this time of the year Indy is figuring out which players they want to play or let rest for the playoffs.
Another interesting potential playoff team this year is the Philadephia Eagles. It's funny how EVERYONE has forgotten about the trade which sent Donovan McNabb to their division rival in Washington. Michael Vick has replaced a franchise quarterback just as well as any backup has come in and took over ever has. Let's not forget how long Donovan played in Philly and how many good seasons of football he gave them. This picture of both Washington and Philly would never have been predicted to be where it is now just two years ago- Vick was in jail and McNabb was quarterbacking the same team he's started for the majority of the past decade. How can people not love sports with storylines like this? Will Vick be able to lead his team to a Super Bowl and maybe even win one? Something Donovan McNabb never could do....
Ok, enough talk. Here's my predicions
AFC East winner: New England Patriots (14-2)
AFC North winner: Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
AFC West winner: San Diego Chargers (10-6)
AFC South winner: Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
AFC Wild Card: Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
AFC Wild Card: New York Jets (11-5)
The Ravens and Chargers will get through Wild Card weekend, meaning it would be Balimore vs New England and Pittsburgh vs San Diego for the AFC Divisional Playoffs. I see both New England and Pittsburgh advancing, with New Englad going all the way to the Super Bowl.
NFC East winner: Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
NFC North winner: Chicago Bears (10-6)
NFC West winner: St. Louis Rams (9-7)
NFC South winner: Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
NFC Wild Card: New Orleans Saints (12-4)
NFC Wild Card: New York Giants (11-5)
The Saints are an easy pick over whichever sorry division winner comes from the west this year. I think both wild card teams are better than the two lower seeded division winners in the NFC. The Giants will beat Chicago and go on to play Atlanta. Eli and the G-men should be able to beat Matty Ice and Michael Turner as the Falcons will NOT be doing the dirty bird much this winter. In a matchup between the Eagles and Saints, Drew Brees will lead his team through the playoffs again this year as the Saints come out on top. This leaves the NFC Championship game between two recent Super Bowl winners, with the most recent winner being the one to play in Feburary this year- the New Orleans Saints.
SUPER BOWL PREDICTION: New England Patriots: 34 New Orleans Saints: 24
The Patriots are the Super Bowl favorite right now and there's nothing to change that. Tom Brady and Bill Belicheat are on a roll and I don't see anyone coming close to stopping them at this point. The Saints may stay in the game early, but I don't see the Super Bowl this year as being anything special.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Yet another late charge
The San Diego Chargers seem to get more comfortable each season starting off with a losing record through the first half of the season only to finish the second half as one of the hottest teams in the NFL year in and year out. They continue to be a flashy Super Bowl pick pre-season coming from the AFC yet they have not been to the championship game since they lost to the Steve Young led 49ers in SB XXIX- over 15 seasons ago.
This season it was looking like there would be a new AFC West champion for the first time in four years. After last weekends shutout/blowout win over the division leader Kansas City last weekend and tonights blowout (4 minutes and 26 seconds short of another shutout) win over the 49ers it looks like the Chargers could be going into the playoffs this year with a head full of steam. The Bolts are now 8-6 and only a half game out of a tie for the division lead with Todd Haley's Chiefs (8-5).
Phillip Rivers and company are not guaranteed a spot in the playoffs just yet, but if they keep playing how they have been they will win their last two games against Devner and Cincinati- teams with a combined record of 5-21 this year. All they'll need then is one loss from the Chiefs to squeek their way into winning their fifth straight AFC West title.
This season it was looking like there would be a new AFC West champion for the first time in four years. After last weekends shutout/blowout win over the division leader Kansas City last weekend and tonights blowout (4 minutes and 26 seconds short of another shutout) win over the 49ers it looks like the Chargers could be going into the playoffs this year with a head full of steam. The Bolts are now 8-6 and only a half game out of a tie for the division lead with Todd Haley's Chiefs (8-5).
Phillip Rivers and company are not guaranteed a spot in the playoffs just yet, but if they keep playing how they have been they will win their last two games against Devner and Cincinati- teams with a combined record of 5-21 this year. All they'll need then is one loss from the Chiefs to squeek their way into winning their fifth straight AFC West title.
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