Week 15: Predictions

Any Given Sunday . . . 

These days in the NFL, any team can win on any Sunday. A good example was the Broncos losing to the Chargers at home. I'm sure most people thought San Diego would compete with Denver, but eventually the Broncos would score 40 or more points and win the game. The Chargers won the game and people are left wondering if their are anymore guaranteed wins in the NFL anymore.

When you look at games and try to bet on them, don't think the easy pick is a guaranteed win. The Saints play in St. Louis and you think they would kill them, but don't be shocked if the lose. That goes for the 49ers, Chiefs and Colts as well. Just because you are playoff bound team or winning your division, you have to play hard every game no matter the opponent. I hope the games this weekend will be just as exciting as last week and of course, there will be some upsets that we won't see coming.

I have picked two games to analyze this weekend, so let's get to it:


New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

This is a big game for both teams. Since the Broncos lost on Thursday Night, the Patriots have an opportunity to take over the 1st seed in the AFC playoffs with a win in Miami. This will be the first game without Gronkowski and that will change the offense a lot. New England will have to rely on Ammendola and Edelman to pick up the slack and look for Shane Vereen to play a huge roll for the Patriots. New England will face tough Miami defense that has been playing well all year, so Brady and company will have to be precise against an aggressive defense. The Patriots defense hasn't been playing very well and look for the Dolphins offense to exploit it. Remember, Tom Brady is really good and he will keep the Patriots in the game until the end.

For the Dolphins, this is the game of the year. Miami has lost the last 7 games vs New England including the last meeting in October. Miami raced out to a 17-3 halftime lead, but game up 24 unanswered points and lost the game. The Dolphins have won 2 games in a row on the road and look to win a big ball game in front of their home fans. The defense has been playing great football and will cause chaos for Tom Brady and his receivers. The front four will get a few sacks and finding ways to cause turnovers is vital for the Miami defense. This game will depend on Tannehill leading the offense to touchdowns, not field goals. They have been clicking the last couple games, so look for Hartline and Wallace to give the Patriots secondary fits.

The Patriots will blow their chance at the #1 seed in the AFC after a loss against the Dolphins. This won't just be a huge with for the team, but a huge win the city and fans of Miami.

Dolphins 24

Patriots 16

DT Jared Odrcik tells Brady to look out for
the Dolphins defense in their week 7 match up. 

I was taught that the best thing about
football are cheerleaders. Enjoy!

Baltimore Ravens at Detroit Lions

This is a great match up of two teams that are relieved the game will be played in a dome and not in the snow. The Ravens need to win to stay in the 6th position in the AFC playoff race, but it will be tough for them to hang with Detroit. The Ravens offense has been stagnant especially the rushing attack by Ray Rice. Joe Flacco will need to play a perfect game to give the Ravens a chance.  Jacoby Jones has been the go to WR and the return of TE Dennis Pita will help the passing attack. The Baltimore defense will have their hands full with Megatron, Reggie Bush and Stafford. This will be a shootout so the Ravens offense will have to carry the team on Monday Night.

When you get a transformer of yourself, you are badass.

The Lions need this win badly. They are coming off a crazy game in the snow in Philadelphia and have lost 2 out the last three, including a loss at home to Tampa Bay. The are tied for 1st in the NFC North with the Bears and need a win to stay in 1st. This game is in a  dome, so Megatron and the other receivers will be able to run their routes a whole lot better than the snow game last week. Look for Calvin Johnson to have a great game (he does every game) and the rushing attack of Bush and Bell will run all over the Baltimore defense. Stafford will throw 3 TD's and also throw a few INT's, but the Lions will run away with this game in the 3rd quarter.

The Ravens will battle hard like they always do, but not enough weapons on offense will cost them the game. The Lions will look good on Monday Night and keep themselves atop the NFC North.

Everybody loves Axel Foley.

Lions 30

Ravens 13

Here are the rest of my Predictions:

Atlanta Falcons 26, Washington Redskins 16

Chicago Bears 27, Cleveland Browns 20

Indianapolis Colts 27, Houston Texans 17

Philadelphia Eagles 34, Minnesota Vikings 19

Seattle Seahawks 31, New York Giants 13

San Francisco 49ers 30, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Buffalo Bills 13

Kansas City Chiefs 30, Oakland Raiders 13

Carolina Panthers 34, New York Jets 10

Dallas Cowboys 31, Green Bay Packers 20

Arizona Cardinals 20, Tennessee Titans 10

New Orleans Saints 27, St. Louis Rams 18

Cincinnati Bengals 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 20

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Week 14: Power Rankings

The Snow Has Arrived . . .


I went 13-2 in my game picks! The crazy weather and insane finishes made this weekend one of the best ever. The snowstorms that affected many of the game were awesome. The storm in Philadelphia was the worse with the snow piling up on the field and the players trying to play through it. Watching football in the snow while I am at home nice and warm is such a good feeling. From now on, the weather will effect how the games will be played. I believe it is a good thing because the Super Bowl is a cold city, so by the time the two teams get there, the players will be ready.

The 3 games I analyzed were full of excitement and should be a primer for the playoffs.


Eagles 34, Lions 20

McCoy and the Eagles flew
through the snow to a big win.

Megatron was shutdown due to the
snow giving a crucial loss to Detroit.

49ers 19, Seahawks 17

A big run by Gore in the 4th propelled the Niners to
a much needed win against the hated Seahawks.

Saints 31, Panthers 13

The Saints gave Carolina a serious reality check as they
take a 1 game lead in the race for the NFC South.

Power Rankings: Week 14

1. Denver Broncos- cold weather won't slow them down, too many weapons, AFC title already theirs?
2. Seattle Seahawks- tough battle with SF, focused on home field, Wilson still in MVP race, Harvin ready to go?
3. New England Patriots- Gronk injury hurts a lot, can they replace him? Vereen an X factor, defense needs to improve
4. New Orleans Saints- Carolina who? Saints unstoppable at home, Brees so good, re-match at Carolina in a few weeks
5. Carolina Panthers- got a big reality check in New Orleans, Newton didn't show up, will take frustration out on Jets
6. San Francisco 49ers- solid win vs 'Hawks, have to be road warriors in playoffs, getting healthy at right time
7. Kansas City Chiefs- back on track, defense comes alive, Charles leading the offense
8. Cincinnati Bengals- battling for 2nd seed in AFC, offense explodes vs Colts, defense was exposed
9. Philadelphia Eagles- hottest team in NFL, snow actually helped them, Foles getting better every game, McCoy running better
10. Indianapolis Colts- offense played better, defense will cost team in playoffs, Luck needs healthy weapons
11, Arizona Cardinals- defense is good, tough schedule ahead, Palmer and Fitz exciting the fans again
12. Detroit Lions- snow doesn't help a dome team, tied for first in division, Bush not playing hurts, can Stafford get team back on track?
13. Dallas Cowboys- crushed by Bears, defense is terrible, still in position for division title, Dez not involved again
14. Baltimore Ravens- crazy comeback win, tough schedule ahead, never count out champs
15. Miami Dolphins- good win in Pitt with bad weather, monster game hosting Pats this Sunday, gotta take next step
16. Chicago Bears- still alive for division title, McCown has been unleashed! Jeffrey and Marshall best WR duo?
17. Green Bay Packers- will Rodgers play again this year? Still in division title hunt, Lacy a bright spot for the Packers
18. San Diego Chargers- still in playoff hunt, solid win vs Giants, Rivers coming back to earth
19. New York Jets- long shot for the playoffs, Geno is a roller coaster, tough game in Carolina this Sunday
20. St. Louis Rams- looking to next year, too many injuries, division really good

OUT: Steelers, Giants, Titans, Browns, Jaguars, Vikings. Bucs, Falcons, Raiders, Bills, Redskins, Texans

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Week 14: Predictions

The Real Fun Begins . . .

This is going to be a great weekend of football games, mostly in the NFC. The 3 games I will be analyzing involve playoff contenders and possible match ups come January.
Let's get to it:


Detroit Lions @ Philadelphia Eagles

This game will have lots of points. The Eagles are flying high and looking for their fifth win in a row mostly because of Nick Foles. This season, Foles has thrown 19 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. That's right, 0 interceptions. With stats like that, it's no wonder the Eagles are in the race for the NFC East title. For Detroit, they come into Philadelphia after beating up the Packers on Thanksgiving Day. The Lions have a one game lead in the NFC North, so this game is very important game in a tight race for the division title.

Both defenses are playing decent this year, but both won't be able to contain the others offense. Look for the team with the last possession to pull out the game. Foles and Stafford will each throw for over 300 yards and 2 TD's. Look for LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson to slightly outplay Megatron and Reggie Bush. Stafford will throw a bad interception late in the game and allow Foles to lead the Eagles to a late score and pull out the victory.

 

Eagles 30

Lions 24







Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

If you like defense and a lot of trash talk, this is the game for you. These teams hate each other and it will show on the field. Don't be shocked if either a coach or player gets ejected at some point in the game. These two teams play old school football with tough defense, smart offense and good coaching. Russell Wilson has played like a MVP for Seattle and will look to prove it against a tough San Francisco defense on the road. Seattle has a 3 game lead for the division and a 2 game lead for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs so this game isn't a must win for them.

For the 49ers, they have to win this game. They are 1 game behind Carolina for the 5th seed in the playoffs, so they can't afford to lose any ground. The 49ers offense has played better the past few weeks, but can they continue it against a stout Seattle defense?

This will be a close game till the end with not many points scored and plenty of hard hits. Look for Kaepernick to rush for a lot of crucial yards and make good decisions against a tough Seahawks defense. Frank gore will step up and gain some tough yardage that will set up some clutch throws by Kaepernick. Seattle will hang in throughout the game but a couple bad plays on defense and a costly fumble by Marshawn Lynch will cost the Seahawks the game.

49ers 16

Seahawks 10






Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints

This will be another great Sunday Night game. Upstart Carolina is looking to take 1st place in the NFC South. The Panthers are playing complete team football. Defense is solid, offense is making plays and special teams don't make mistakes. Cam Newton is leading this team and will have to take his game to a completely different level to beat the Saints in New Orleans. The Saints, after getting humiliated on Monday Night in Seattle, are looking to bounce back in front of a raucous crowd in New Orleans. The Saints will return to their explosive offense despite being held down in Seattle. Can the New Orleans defense get back to playing good football after the Monday Night beat down?

This is a tough game to predict. I know the Saints are playing at home and you should never beat against them, but the Panther defense is great and their offense can match the Saints offense. If the Saints lose this game, they go from the 2nd seed to the 5th seed and would have to go on the road for the playoffs. That is why I will pick the Saints because they cannot afford to lose this game. Brees will have 3 TD's and throw for over 300 yards. Also look for Darren Sproles to run wild on a tough Carolina defense. Newton will keep the Panthers in the ballgame, but a couple turnovers due to the noisy crowd will cost the Panthers 1st place in the NFC South.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton & Defense coach Rob Ryan

Saints 27

Panthers 17

2 fans who really like Rob Ryan & Sean Payton

Here are my other Predictions:

Cincinnati Bengals 27, Indianapolis Colts 13

Green Bay Packers 23, Atlanta Falcons 17

New England Patriots 37, Cleveland Browns 20

Oakland Raiders 16, New York Jets 10

Miami Dolphins 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 16

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23, Buffalo Bills 19

Kansas City Chiefs 27, Washington Redskins 13

Baltimore Ravens 27, Minnesota Vikings 17

Denver Broncos 41, Tennessee Titans 21

Arizona Cardinals 25, St. Louis Rams 10

San Diego Chargers 24, New York Giants 17

Dallas Cowboys 34, Chicago Bears 30

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Week 13: Power Rankings

'Tis the Season . . . 

The college game between Alabama and Auburn was the highlight of the weekend. When I watched Auburn return the missed field goal and win the game, I was speechless. It was like a movie where the underdog does something crazy to win the game, but no one believes it could happen in real life. Well it did in Auburn Saturday night. Many sports people have criticized Alabama's coach Nick Saban for sending a red shirt freshmen onto the field to attempt a 57 yard field goal that would have won the game. There is some validity to that, but I think it is being over blown. How often have you seen a player return a kick like that? Once every 10,000 tries? It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback and criticize Saban for the field goal try. At the moment of the play, I believe kicking the field goal was the right call.

This was just a average weekend of games. There weren't any upsets, most of the favorites won and the Seahawks showed the whole league no one will beat them at home. I went 11-5 this weekend in my picks and got the score of the 49ers/Rams game exactly right! Let's analyze the biggest game (turned out to be a blowout) the Saints vs the Seahawks in Seattle.


Seahawks 34, Saints 7

The winner of this game was going to take a huge step toward home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Unfortunately, the Saints play like a different team when they have to play outdoors. The weather tends to cause havoc on New Orleans and shake up Brees just enough for them to lose. Last night was no exception as Brees threw for only 147 yards and had 1 fumble. When is the last time Drew Brees threw for under 200 yards? Worse off was their running game only producing a total of 44 yards. The atmosphere of Seattle and the elements caused those bad stats. This is the concern the Saints have because when they have to leave the Superdome, they aren't as high powered offensively as they should be. Their division games against the Carolina Panthers coming up are huge.

This was a shinning moment for the Seahawks. Monday night game, lots of people watching and they destroyed the Saints in every part of the game. The defense caused a fumble and returned it for touchdown early in the game. The secondary blanketed the Saints receivers all night and Jimmy Graham only had 3 catches. The star of the night was Russell Wilson, who looked like a MVP candidate. Wilson threw for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns and also ran for 47 yards. He had full control of the offense and created so many plays with his feet and arm, New Orleans didn't know what to do. The Saints defense has played well all year, but something about playing in Seattle for Wilson cancels out those stats. By the way, since Russell Wilson has become the starter for Seattle in 2012, he is a perfect 14-0 at home.

With this win, Seattle clinched a playoff spot and are now 2 games up on the Saints for home field in the NFC playoffs with 4 games to go. Good luck to any team in the playoffs that have to attempt to beat Seattle in their building.

                      Here are my Week 13 Power Rankings:

1. Seattle Seahawks- destroyed Saints, close to home field, Harvin's hip flared up, big game vs 49ers Sunday
2. Denver Broncos- took control of division, defense still concerning, offense fully loaded, cold weather coming
3. New England Patriots- rolling along, Brady is so good, total team effort, defense has some holes
4. New Orleans Saints- got crushed, but 2nd seed in sight, be cautious of Carolina, home sweet home
5. Carolina Panthers- bring on the Saints Sunday Night, defense in control, can Newton take another big step?
6. San Francisco 49ers- Crabtree on field, offense playing better, defense strong, road playoff warriors?
7. Cincinnati Bengals- solid win in San Diego, division in reach, defense is solid, offense still inconsistent
8. Kansas City Chiefs- 3 loses in a row, defense getting shredded, have they peaked? Smith has to save the day
9. Indianapolis Colts-  where have you gone offense? Luck lacks weapons, defense has to get better
10. Dallas Cowboys- never easy for Cowboys, look out for Eagles, offense looking good, defense still inconsistent
11. Philadelphia Eagles- Fly Foles Fly! whole team playing well, last game of the year at Dallas
12. Detroit Lions- finally beat the Packers! Division in sight, Megatron and Bush are dangerous, keep peddle to the metal
13. Arizona Cardinals- can't lose again, dark horse for playoffs, defense is good, Palmer giving them a chance
14. Baltimore Ravens- in the playoffs today! Flacco stepping up, don't sleep on the champs
15. Miami Dolphins- destroyed Jets, offense played great, defense looks great, have to be consistent
16. Chicago Bears- still in division race, offense looks the same without Cutler, defense a no-show
17. Tennessee Titans- still in playoff hunt, offense playing well, just an inconsistent team
18. Pittsburgh Steelers- big lose at Baltimore, coach acted like a fool, big game Sunday vs Miami
19. San Diego Chargers- bad lose vs Bengals, still in playoff hunt, can Rivers lead the team?
20. St. Louis Rams- in toughest division, defense is for real, too many injuries on offense to balance team

OUT: Giants, Packers, Falcons, Jets, Browns, Bills, Redskins, Vikings, Raiders, Bucs, Jaguars, Texans

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