2011 NFL Postseason Predictions: I’m officialy crazy
I’m crazy in picking this but since the season starts on Thursday, here it goes. Dad, you best put your thinking cap on to beat me this year.
DIVISION WINNERS:
AFC
AFC East: Patriots (1st seed)
AFC North: Steelers (2nd seed)
AFC South: Texans (3rd seed)
AFC West: Chargers (4th seed)
Wild Cards: Jets (5th seed), Ravens (6th seed)
Of note: You’ll notice the Colts are not on the list. That’s my big gamble for this conference.
NFC:
NFC South: Falcons (1st seed)
NFC North: Packers (2nd seed)
NFC East: Eagles (3rd seed)
NFC West: Cardinals (4th seed)
Wild Cards: Cowboys (5th seed), Rams (6th seed)
Of note: No Lions, No Saints, No Bears…oh my
PLAYOFFS:
Wild Card Round (winners in RED):
AFC:
Ravens vs. Texans
Jets vs. Chargers
NFC:
Rams vs. Eagles
Cowboys vs. Cardinals
Of Note: Texans are surprise team of the AFC, that momentum will carry them through this round against aging Ravens team. Cowboys will finally win a playoff game as Kevin Kolb will fold under pressure after surprising the league with team getting to playoffs. Michael Vick (if healthy) will be too much for the offensively strong Rams. And the Jets just suck so of course they’ll win this round…again.
Divisional Round (winners in RED):
AFC:
Jets vs. Patriots
Texans vs. Steelers
NFC:
Cowboys vs. Falcons
Eagles vs. Packers
Of Note: The week off will hurt the Packers even though they will be at home but the Falcons will not fold to that again this year as Cowboys will not be able to win on the road twice like the Eagles will. Momentum for that team will be scary throughout the postseason. In the AFC, the Texans fairytale ends in Pittsburgh with a too talented offense and a scary defense that will be well-rested. Patriots get payback for last year’s thumping on a banged-up Jets team. Big time. Look for some Rex Ryan tears.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
AFC:
Steelers vs. Patriots
NFC:
Eagles vs. Falcons
Of Note: Eagles momentum gets them their third road win, happens every year to some team. Will be a crazy game with Vick playing against his old team. Matt Ryan will have already proven he can win in postseason from previous week. I just see the Eagles having more to play for here. In the AFC, if the Patriots can get over the hump of beating the Jets and winning their first postseason game since losing the Super Bowl, you might as well hand Belichick the Lombardi trophy then and there. Steelers won’t be a match for them in Foxborough – especially since they are still smarting from their own loss. Has a team ever lost the Super Bowl to go on and win it the next year? I know the Bills went and lost 4 years in a row.
SUPER BOWL
Patriots vs. Eagles
Of Note: I’ve been predicting this since early August at least and I know I’m not totally crazy as I’ve seen some analysts pick this as well. It’s as simple as this: No way do Tom Brady and Bill Belichick go to the Super Bowl and lose again. Not going to happen. The Eagles will be spent by this point, no fairytale ’07 Giants story here. It will take everything they got to beat Atlanta and they will have peaked before this game. If When the Pats win, look to start hearing inane chatter about Belichick retiring (I can just hear sports radio: “How much more can you accomplish?”) Not going to happen of course, not at least until Brady stops playing or is traded.
Season Of Note:
- If Manning plays for the Colts, they could definitely make the playoffs but my guess is he doesn’t play the full season. They’ve hired a backup and now ESPN is reporting that Manning isn’t practicing this week.
- Because of the lockout, the more stable teams – your Patriots, Steelers and so forth – will have an advantage over those teams with big turn around, which is why you won’t see as many out-of-the-blue teams make it this year like in previous years.
- I think instead we’ll see some of the bigger name teams fall, like the Saints, the Bears and the Colts.
- Teams on the rise: Lions, Bucs, Jags, Raiders, Browns and Bills. None will make the playoffs this year.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!!!!!! WOOT!!!
