Los Angeles Chargers/Jacksonville Jaguars: it's a shame both these teams can't win but at least one of them will make it through, they're well-matched in terms of records and lack of playoff experience anyways. Note that I made it through! Wednesday Jan. 11th equals one year without a cigarette for me. Not even a freakin' drag. I still really miss it. But am happy to have saved so much money (and to be healthier [if not more bored all the time]). When I first saw Justin Herbert I have to admit I felt old. I thought, how could someone who looks that young be a quarterback in the NFL? It was mind-boggling. Totally unexpected. And then he started winning huge games by scoring tons of points. How many times has he almost beat Mahomes in games where both teams scored more than 25? But Mahomes had the success and Herbert didn't, Kansas City kept pulling out the win, I felt bad for ye olde San Diego 😎, and wanted to see them emerge victorious. I guess they might play KC in another round, but it's too early to get my hopes up, and LA still has to make it past the Jaguars, who have won 6 of their last 7 (5 in a row). I do often imagine the playoffs like they're a book that I'm reading, not something that's totally off the wall, but one that does engage in relevant improbability. Thus, it struck me that a Lions/Jaguars Super Bowl would be incredible, after seeing how well both teams were finishing 2022. And if I were to think of a quarterback to play for Jacksonville, one who fits my literary pretensions, why not go with Trevor Lawrence, who seems as chill as an emboldened (yet oddly fierce) manatee? It's cool to see both Herbert and Lawrence experiencing success and furiously facing off this Saturday Night. When it boils down to it however. I've gots to pick the Chargers. AFC West forever! Jacksonville did crush them in Week 3.
Miami Dolphins/Buffalo Bills: another classic divisional rivalry generously showcased to uplift adoring fans, the Bills forced to play the very same Dolphins who definitively shocked them earlier on this season. Indeed Miami almost beat them twice and of the two games Buffalo only holds a one point advantage, the Bills were out of sight this year, yet still must face a threatening rival. They certainly came up huge versus New England last year in the Super Wild Card Round and may produce similar results versus the Dolphins, I used to always pick Buffalo at home versus Miami post-mid-November, no matter what their respective records (the 49ers did shock the Pack at Lambeau in the Divisional Round last year). The Bills and Dolphins have met four times in the playoffs but not since 1998, Miami's only win of the bunch, the Dolphins actually haven't won a playoff game since the 2000 season. Miami seemed to show up and score a ton of points in 2022 which led to many wins, but at other times they struggled, the classic 9 and 8 record. If the team that often scored 30+ shows up the Bills will have their hands full. But I think Buffalo will be waiting. Picking the famished Bills.
New York Giants/Minnesota Vikings: earlier on this year, I dared dream that Buffalo would face Minnesota in the Super Bowl, and one of them would finally reach the heights which so many franchises have previously ascended. Shortly thereafter Minnesota surprisingly lost to Dallas 40 to 3, I was somewhat shocked and dismayed, but they still managed to win 5 of their next 7 (some weekends everything just goes wrong). Cool to see the Giants playing well again, can't believe they've only played one postseason game since 2011, strange the seasonal ebb and flow, especially for a team that started playing in 1925 (the Vikings started in '61). They've met three times in the playoffs with New York holding a 2 to 1 lead, their last meeting 22 years ago, a Giants onslaught that didn't let up. But Minnesota won this season and won many a close game in 2022, they're much like the Broncos from 2015, I admit I love seeing the Vikings play well. But so far for this Super Wild Card weekend the potential for upset seems to favour New York, Miami or Seattle or Baltimore?, I can't see those teams winning anytime soon (Brady winning in the playoffs isn't an upset even if he had a rough year, the Jaguars and Chargers are pretty evenly matched). Note: I'm way off at times and it's just one game not a 7 game series (or even best of 3). I want to see Cousins win big games, he's been around so long and deserves more success. Winning the Super Wild Card game which seems to me the most likely to encourage upset would be impressive, another hard fought daring Vikings playoff win. Picking the Giants nevertheless, that's just the way I read it. Will veteran fortitude dam the tide!? Or will youth revel in victorious intoxication!
Baltimore Ravens/Cincinnati Bengals: sad to see a team struggling after having done so well, the loss of a starting quarterback always frustrating to say the god-forsaken least. The Ravens lost 3 of their last 4 after previously winning 9, methinks the situation's bleak, but the more time a backup practices, the more tenacious he gets. The Bengals are hot off a Super Bowl appearance that scant few thought they would aggrandize, they came close to winning the game, only falling short near the bitter end. Another divisional game brought to light during the Super Wild Card round, the teams having split their meetings this season, Baltimore falling short without Lamar Jackson. Their points against were similar in 2022 with the Bengals scoring 68 more, solid numbers from a feisty Cincinnati team, who's won 10 of their last 11. Including victories over Tampa and Kansas City, there was really only one game in 2022 where they didn't play well, winning many close ones like the courageous Vikings, if only Denver had generated more offence. Nevertheless, Cincinnati does seem fated to win with indubitable formidable flexibility, but if Baltimore was looking for hope, note that Cincinnati struggles in the playoffs. So many times I thought New Orleans would win and so many times they came up short. This may be the first time the Bengals have been picked to win a playoff game in many a decade. Picking Cincinnati. I would have either way.
Dallas Cowboys/Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I suppose it's not as hard as I think to find "nevers" for Tom Brady, since he spent the vast majority of his career in the AFC, but that doesn't change the fact that he's never played the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, which makes this rather exciting. From an old school perspective, you may not remember when Dallas ruled untouched incarnate, setting the gold standard for many a year, picking up 5 Super Bowl wins between 1971 and 1995 (strange that they haven't even made it back to the Conference Finals since then). But how do you pick against Brady?, who's breathed more playoff resilience than any other, it's just one game and how many times has he indefatigably adjudicated incomparably with everything laid-down on the line? This Dallas team needs postseason success to cultivate a new layer of noteworthy variability, they were a solid 12 and 5 and that's even better than it appears, considering they played Philadelphia, the Giants, and Washington twice a piece beforehand (winning 4 of those games [they didn't lose twice to Philly {they also beat Minnesota, Detroit and Cincinnati /but came up short versus Tampa!/}]). It seems unfair in a way to have to play Brady in the playoffs, when he's been excelling with so much distinction for such a long long period of time. But the road to the old school ways in which Dallas used to be distinguished travel through the most highly-decorated postseason and regular season quarterback ever, this Monday Night. And I'm afraid I'm picking Brady. Why does it feel like Dallas is the serious underdog?
*Stats from Wikipedia.
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