Indianapolis Colts/Kansas City Chiefs: Again with the Colts and Chiefs. Why do they meet in the playoffs so often?, the Colts winning, every time, most recently in a 45-44 shootout, during which they overcame an imposing deficit. And they're good this year too, having won 10 of their last 11, picking up an impressive victory on the road last week in Houston, even if they didn't score a point in the second half, when a touchdown and a field goal would have easily ensured victory. They didn't need it, but should versus Kansas City, the Chiefs scoring at will all season long, putting up some incredible offensive stats along the way. Patrick Mahomes looks Bradyesque, Breeseque. Riversesque. Fitting that they're all still playing for this years's Super Bowl. But Luck looked incredibly good years ago too and he's right back at it this season. The Chiefs may have scored a lot of points but their defence didn't play so well at times, in fact, in two games alone versus New England and the Rams they scored at total of 91 points (40 and 51 respectively) but lost both of them, lost both of them by 3. Both. They've also lost 6 playoff home games in a row, 6, a ludicrously high number, one of those strange sports things that defies all statistical logic and leaves me scratching my head every time I consider it. Note: one of my students ate 6 pieces of birthday cake today. Not 7. Nonetheless, Mahomes played shockingly well this year, and I bet the Chiefs will score early and often. Thinking this time the deficit is two high to overcome. Picking Kansas City by 14.
Dallas Cowboys/Los Angeles Rams: was mighty impressed with Dak Prescott last weekend. Some ill-timed pass interference penalties came to his aid, but late in the fourth he didn't gracefully glide when he efficiently ran. It was full-on "as-many-yards-as-possible" "punch-through-the-wall" athleticism that led to Dallas picking up a game winning touchdown. Love it when quarterbacks play that way. The Rams's offence was mighty impressive during the regular season however and Dallas's respectable D will have to dig deep to challenge them. They put up a lot of points a bunch of times and picked up wins versus Minnesota, Green Bay, the Chargers, Seattle (twice), Denver, and Kansas City, although they came up short against New Orleans, Chicago, and Philadelphia. But the Cowboys hold the edge in their playoff rivalry, which hasn't seen much action (any action) since 1985, Dallas having won 4, the Rams 3, the Cowboys winning 3 of their last 5 regular season games; all-time they're remarkably close (17-16 for Dallas). The Rams haven't seen much postseason action in the last decade, but wow, they're good this year. I'd like to see Prescott continue his winning ways but his defence is going to have play exceptionally well, and it looks he'll need to engineer at least 30. The Cowboys can do it but the Rams are freakin' stacked. Hoping it's close. Picking Los Angeles by 17.
Los Angeles Chargers/New England Patriots: how many years ago did Brady lead that game winning drive that cruelly cut short San Diego's playoff ambitions? At least that's how I remember it, all those years ago, looks like it was 2006, New England defeating them again the following year. Yet Philip Rivers perseveres. I wouldn't listen to any arguments about New England being washed up or Brady not playing well this year. They did lose some games though, games against teams that weren't Miami once every two or threes years or so (imprecise statistics) or an obvious Super Bowl contender. I kept thinking, whatever, they only have 10 points now, by the end of the fourth they'll have 34, 38, 43, that's what always happens. But it didn't for some strange reason, and Jacksonville, Tennessee, Detroit, and, Miami, beat them, not that they didn't still compile an 11 and 5 record and a bye by the end of December. But what does it matter? They've reached the Conference Finals 7, 7 years in a row, victory for the Patriots at Gillette Stadium practically guaranteed in the Divisional Round, in fact only one of those games was close, the Ravens going up by 14 twice if I remember correctly, New England throwing on practically every down to eventually pick up the win. Nevertheless, this season was different and the Patriots did seem to be missing something that they were never without for the last 7 years. Something which the Chargers possess in abundance. It won't be easy, and every play will be a daunting challenge, but I think the Chargers are poised for victory, as improbable as it may seem. So many years later. Should be a good game forgetting all that regardless. Picking the Chargers. The Chargers by 9.
Philadelphia Eagles/New Orleans Saints: here's a bit of a divisional round wild card. By all means the Eagles should be preparing for next season, but they're not, and are still a potent threat. Demonstrating again that they know how to win in January, they overcame the Bears last Sunday and punched their ticket to face New Orleans. The Saints, like the Rams and Chiefs, looked unstoppable this year, and apart from a couple of hiccups, in one of their few losses they still scored 40 points, in fact, looking at their schedule they scored 40 points or more 6 times this year, 6, defeating the Eagles by a lofty 48 to 7. They certainly look like they're poised to win, they certainly defeated a bunch of good teams this year, including the Rams by 10, they're well rested and playing at home, even if domes don't give as much of an edge in the playoffs, and their defence wasn't that shabby this year either. But sometimes you see teams bag a win like the Eagles did last Sunday and they show up the next week with a refocused defiant formidable intensity. I don't think the game they played earlier in the year provides any indication of how this one will turn out. But the Saints looked good this season. And I'm still picking them by 14. Note: I don't think I've picked the Eagles once in the last two years. A Cowboys/Eagles Conference Final would be classic.
No comments:
Post a Comment