Play off perdictions?

[_Markk]

Was 2-2 for the weekend, although my 2 losses were by a total of 3 points. Watching that missed Chicago field goal hurt.The game had one of the most bizarre calls, where a completed pass was ruled incomplete because no one picked up the ball after it was fumbled after the completion. -

I didn't understand the logic of that call at all, the ref picked up the ball which seems it should be dead at that point and Bear's ball?

[_honorentheos]

Going with my heart, I think a Rams/Chiefs rematch could be the best Superbowl in history so I'm hoping that is the outcome.

Tossing out a bracket and having some fun with it:

Week 1 (Jan 5/6):
Texans over Colts
Seahawks over Cowboys
Chargers over Ravens
Upset: Eagles over Bears just because. Defense wins championships but there is something about the Eagles clawing back into this that feels like a potentially dramatic sports moment is brewing.

Week 2 (Jan 12/13)
Chiefs over Chargers in a divisional match-up that could go either way. Possible contender for best game of the post-season. <-If the Colts beat the Texans, this will end up the AFC championship game in week 3 instead.
Texans over Patriots in the other divisional match-up, and the Brady era goes out with a whimper.
Saints over the Eagles. Guess that dramatic sports moment was just week 2 hype.
Rams over Seahawks, showing the baton has passed in the NFC West.

Week 3* (Jan 19/20)
Chiefs over Texans because of course Chiefs over Texans.
Rams over Saints in what could be a fun barn-burner of a game.

* If week 3 turns out to be Chiefs v. Chargers and Rams v Saints, this could be an amazing couple of games and make the Superbowl anti-climatic...or hype up what ends up being an even more insane game.

Superbowl
Chiefs over Rams, Mahomes MVP. Sets record for most combined points in a superbowl.

Welp, I'm 0 for 2 going into today. The Colts/Texans match up was a tough one to pick but I seriously didn't think the 'boys would get past the Seahawks. Given the Eagles over the Bears prediction was made as a bit of a joke, it looks like my bracket is a week 1 bust.

The tongue-in-cheek pick of the Eagles over the Bears worked out for me. For fun, I'm updating my predictions for the current match-ups:

Week 2 (Jan 12/13)
Chiefs over Colts.
Chargers over Patriots, and good riddance.
Saints over the Eagles.
Rams over Cowboys.

Week 3* (Jan 19/20)
Chiefs over Chargers. Should be a great game.
Rams over Saints. Also a potentially great game.

Superbowl
Chiefs over Rams, Mahomes MVP. Sets record for most combined points in a superbowl.

[_honorentheos]

There's a Tale of Two NFLs inside the playoffs, in my opinion.

Normally, I'm a fan who enjoys defensive battles more than high scoring offensive barn burners because they are more interesting to watch from the a performance perspective. But I also enjoy a good blocking scheme, and watch offensive linemen on plays as much as I do the backs and receivers. An offensive fireworks display, OTOH, often looks to me like the teams' coaching and playbook has been blown-up and things even if exciting it usually means the level of football being played isn't actually great. Kindof like when a brawl breaks out in a MMA fight, it stops being a competition between athletes at the top of their game and just becomes spectacle.

And personally I don't care for the NFL tinkering with the rules to make games more about offense and scoring because the tradeoff is it means the hampering the defense. It favors spectacle over competitive displays of skill. But I also get that the NFL needs to be accessible to make all the money it needs to make to pay for stadiums and fatten owner pockets, so it needs to appeal to more people than just those who have the exposure and interest to be able to appreciate the skill. So they need spectacle to attract eyeballs. It is what it is.

Of the possible Superbowl match ups brewing, there are two I think would be enjoyable but for different reasons. The first is the one I picked, the Rams v. Chiefs rematch. On paper, this is a game that should bring the spectacle dialed up to 11. It is the Superbowl that would definitely signal the NFLs offense-oriented changes are here to stay. As a signal for what the future of the NFL looks like, I don't like this. But as a Superbowl? I'm actually hoping for it. The Superbowl is the one game of the year where I appreciate spectacle.

The other match-up is between what I think are the most balanced teams left - the Saints and the Chargers. This would be a great game, and while there is a chance the scoring could light up, it seems much more traditional in that I would expect great play-making on both sides of the ball from both teams. I think this would be the better, pure football game. But it also seems to be more reflective of what the NFL marketed in the past, not it's marketing direction now.

I'm ignoring any possible universes where the Patriots or Cowboys make it. That match-up disinterests me so much I'd make other plans and probably read about the game the next morning with the hope Brady announced his retirement as the only potential positive in the story.

[_Brackite]

My Predictions This Weekend:

Chiefs over the Colts.
Chargers over the Patriots, Rivers needs to win one game against Brady.
Rams over the Cowboys.
Saints over the Eagles.

[Guest]

My Predictions This Weekend:

Chiefs over the Colts.
Chargers over the Patriots, Rivers needs to win one game against Brady.
Rams over the Cowboys.
Saints over the Eagles.

I'm going to say Colts upset the Chiefs. Chiefs upset Colts 34-33 31-13 I have two one on one fantasy matches and I have Mahomes as QB in one match and Luck in the other...diversity.

[_MeDotOrg]

They had a great win over the Chiefs just a couple of weeks ago but I would be very hesitant to say they will win that match-up again. They could, and Rivers probably deserves a ring as much as any QB in the league without one. But that looks like too significant of a match-up to say they should go to the Superbowl with a win today, in my opinion.

Rivers has always come out second in the comparison with Drew Brees, but he has always had great ability. I used to think of him as streaky, but watching him work with a good running game and very good defense, and you see it take a bit of pressure off his passing game. In many ways, it has been the same story for Brees this year, with a great running game and defense. Still have to give the nod to Brees, but he has played on more talented teams. And when Rivers gets hot, he throws with anyone.

[_Markk]

60-80% chance of rain tomorrow in LA. This will get interesting if it turns into a pure run game. As a Ram's fan I hope Gurley is healthy, it might be a good old fashion power game. As timid as Goff has been playing it may be better for the Rams, and if C.J. Anderson can perform like he did the past few weeks we might be in good shape.

[_Markk]

Rivers has always come out second in the comparison with Drew Brees, but he has always had great ability. I used to think of him as streaky, but watching him work with a good running game and very good defense, and you see it take a bit of pressure off his passing game. In many ways, it has been the same story for Brees this year, with a great running game and defense. Still have to give the nod to Brees, but he has played on more talented teams. And when Rivers gets hot, he throws with anyone.

I like his enthusiasm, he certainly wears his emotions on his sleeve. Now that they are in LA, almost every game was televised and the have a lot weapons. Bosa and Ingram are just coming into stride. I think if Gordon can have a game like he was having early in the season before he went down, and if Bosa and Ingram can keep pressure on Brady it is lights out.

What is interesting is Rivers is 37... I did a quick stat search and at 37 Payton had his best year, threw for over 5000 yards and 55 TD's, at 37 Brady had one of his better years and won the super bowl (thank you Pete Carroll). At 37 the saints had a crappy year, but Brees threw for over 5000 yards and 37 TD's, Big Ben is 36, and this year threw for over 5000 yards for the first time ( I'm sure the new rules helped). At 38 Fran Tarkington threw for almost 3500 yards the most in his career (it was his first full season playing 16 games)...

Not sure what this means in regards to Rivers and the Chargers winning, but it shows how important maturity is to the position.

I was reading the other day that when the Chargers moved to LA, Rivers did not want to move his family (9 kids) from North County (SD). He is a down to earth guy and drives like a 2008 truck or similar...so he talked it over with his wife and he bought a custom RV ( 200K) with a custom video system, and hired a driver... so he can watch film too and from practices in his 2 hour commute, instead of at the practice complex, so he won't miss time at home with his family. He's not so much my favorite quarter back but one of my favorite football players.

[_Brackite]

I'm going to say Colts upset the Chiefs. 34-33 I have two one on one fantasy matches and I have Mahomes as QB in one match and Luck in the other...diversity.

The Chiefs have not done that good in the playoffs over the last several years, but I think that they are going to beat the Colts today. It looks like that there is a lot of snow in Kansas City for the game today.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsspo ... yoffs/amp/

[_Markk]

I'm going to say Colts upset the Chiefs. 34-33 I have two one on one fantasy matches and I have Mahomes as QB in one match and Luck in the other...diversity.

The Chiefs have not done that good in the playoffs over the last several years, but I think that they are going to beat the Colts today. It looks like that there is a lot of snow in Kansas City for today.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsspo ... yoffs/amp/

Yeah, I just saw that and just dumped Tyrek Hill for Damian Williams and had enough money left to upgrade to Zach Ertz in one of my fantasy matchups...I still think the Colts have a good chance to upset the Chiefs.

I'm playing in four one on one match ups this weekend and I have a lot riding on New Orleans in the dome. At $11 dollars I have their defense in 3 of the four match ups, and Ted Ginn as my third receiver is three also ($14). My big hopes are on Marlon Mack and Elliot to have huge games today.

If it turns into a run match in KC Damian Williams could have another big day.

I took Gronk in one hoping for a big day, but my gut tells me it is a bad move.

This is the best time of year for sports...:)

Marlon Mack and Luck killed me, Hilton did okay...but Williams is keeping me in the money.