The dust has settled from Round One of the 2011 NFL Playoffs, and that weekend saw all four Wild Card teams eliminated from the playoffs, one-by-one, including a thrilling finish to the weekend as Denver quarterback Tim Tebow threw an 80-yard pass to Demaryus Thomas on the first play of overtime to upset defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh, a game parodied by singer (and Denver resident) John Parr, who re-did his 1985 hit "Man in Motion" from the film St. Elmo's Fire to the tune of Tim Tebow's Fire.
WILDCARD PICKS: 3-1
DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(Saturday)
# 3 New Orleans Saints (14-3) at # 2 San Francisco 49ers (13-3)- 4:30PM EST at Candlestick Park (San Francisco, CA)
# 4 Denver Broncos (9-8] at # 1 New England Patriots (13-3)- 8PM EST at Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
(Sunday)
# 3 Houston Texans (11-6) at # 2 Baltimore Ravens (12-4)- 1PM EST at M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, MD)
# 4 New York Giants (10-7) at # 1 Green Bay Packers (15-1)- 4:30PM EST at Lambeau Field (Green Bay, WI)
Here's How It Will Pan Out This Weekend:
Both # 3 seeds have things working against them in these matchups. The Saints have only won one postseason game outside of the (Mercedes-Benz) Superdome, and that one game was Super Bowl XLIV. The Texans are 0-5 all-time against the Ravens, including a 29-14 loss on October 16, also at M&T Bank Stadium.
The other two matchups are rematches from games played last month. The Patriots put "Tebow Time" on a break with a decisive 41-23 win on December 18. The Packers edged the G-Men 38-35 on December 4, Green Bay's closest test before their eventual loss to Kansas City in Romeo Crennel's coaching debut with the Chiefs on December 18.
The Giants will give the Pack another test, after they (almost) shut out Atlanta on Sunday, as the Giants defense is peeking at the right time. The 49ers did not allow a rushing touchdown until Christmas Eve in Seattle, and their defense is tough, but will they stop record-shattering quarterback Drew Brees?
Predictions:
Green Bay 30, NY Giants 27
New Orleans 30, San Francisco 13
Baltimore 28, Houston 6
New England 34, Denver 3
With that said...based on the predictions...
AFC Championship (3PM EST on Jan. 22)- # 2 Baltimore Ravens at # 1 New England Patriots (Gillette Stadium; Foxborough, MA)
NFC Championship (6:30PM EST on Jan. 22)- # 3 New Orleans Saints at # 1 Green Bay Packers (in a rematch of the regular season opener; Lambeau Field; Green Bay, WI)
This blog is a spin-off of A Man and His Awards, and hosts weekly football predictions as well as predictions for the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.
Showing posts with label nfl draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nfl draft. Show all posts
Friday, January 13, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
NFL Week 17 Picks & Playoff Seeding Predix 2011
By this time tomorrow, 11 of the 12 playoff seeds will have been determined, with only the fourth seed in the NFC and the NFC East Title still up for grabs, as the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. Ten seeds are still up for grabs, with only the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans locked in their playoff spots, but nine teams have already clinched the playoffs (Green Bay, San Francisco, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Detroit in the NFC; New England, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston in the AFC).
It will take about six hours to digress all the scenarios and tiebreakers that come with them, but here is who I think should get in:
(AFC)
1) New England
2) Pittsburgh
3) Houston
4) Oakland
5) Baltimore
6) Cincinnati
Week 18: Cincinnati at Houston, Baltimore at Oakland
(NFC)
1) Green Bay
2) San Francisco
3) New Orleans
4) NY Giants
5) Detroit
6) Atlanta
Week 18: Atlanta at New Orleans, Detroit at NY Giants
Here are this week's predix, and based on all the tiebreaker scenarios, who I think WILL end up getting in.
BIG GAMES OF THE WEEK:
(AFC)
Baltimore Ravens (11-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
and
(NFC)
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (both 8-7)
It's do or die time for three of these four teams (the Ravens are already in, but they could be as high as # 2, or low as # 5), but at least one (Dallas/NY Giants winner) more team will also get in.
The Bengals are 1-6 against teams with winning records (the lone win being against the Titans in Week 9), while the Ravens are going to embark on their fourth straight postseason appearance with Head Coach John Harbaugh and Quarterback Joe Flacco. A Bengals win means they are in. However, if they lose, they need two other teams at least (the NY Jets and either Oakland or Denver) to lose as well.
PICKS:
Baltimore 27, Cincinnati 13
NY Giants 37, Dallas 17
DRAFT WATCH OF THE WEEK:
Indianapolis Colts (2-13) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11)
and
San Francisco 49ers (12-3) at St. Louis Rams (2-13)
For the 49ers, it's win and a First Round Bye they get. For the Colts, it's lose and clinch the top pick in the 2012 draft. However, the Colts have won two straight after reeling 14 straight losses dating back to last year in the playoffs. A Colts win would kill their shot at the # 1 pick in the NFL draft and put Sam Bradford on the hot seat in St. Louis.
PICKS:
Indianapolis 24, Jacksonville 19
San Francisco 28, St. Louis 0
# 1 DRAFT PICK: St. Louis
OTHER EARLY GAMES:
Detroit Lions (10-5) at Green Bay Packers (14-1)
Detroit victorious at Lambeau? If the Packers rest their starters (given the Pack have already clinched Home Field), it is possible.
PICK: Detroit 33, Green Bay 13
Carolina Panthers (6-9) at New Orleans Saints (12-3)
PICK: New Orleans 42, Carolina 34
New York Jets [8-7) at Miami Dolphins (5-10)
PICK: Miami 23, NY Jets 20 (OT)
Buffalo Bills (6-9) at New England Patriots (12-3)
PICK: New England 34, Buffalo 7
Tennessee Titans [8-7) Houston Texans (10-5)
PICK: Tennessee 30, Houston 6
OTHER LATE GAMES:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11) at Atlanta Falcons (9-6)
Raheem Morris, we hardly knew ye.
PICK: Atlanta 35, Tampa Bay 0
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) at Cleveland Browns (4-11)
PICK: Pittsburgh 21, Cleveland 0
San Diego Chargers (7-8] at Oakland Raiders [8-7)
PICK: Oakland 23, San Diego 16
Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) at Denver Broncos [8-7)
Kyle Orton was the starter at Denver at the beginning of the season. This time, he's back at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and he's making it personal.
PICK: Kansas City 28, Denver 23
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (both 7-8]
PICK: Seattle 20, Arizona 19
PLAYOFF PAIRINGS:
(NFC)
1) Green Bay
2) San Francisco
3) New Orleans
4) NY Giants
5) Detroit
6) Atlanta
(AFC)
1) New England
2) Baltimore
3) Houston
4) Oakland
5) Pittsburgh
6) Cincinnati
UPSET PLAYOFF PICK: Either Dallas, Denver, and/or Tennessee
BLACK MONDAY:
Tomorrow is the oft-referred to "Black Monday", where coaches on the NFL hot seat get pink slipped. Black Monday came early in Jacksonville, Miami, and Kansas City this season. What coaches could be gone? Well, find out now...
(GONE)
San Diego- Norv Turner (Turner is gone, no doubt, and GM A.J. Smith will follow Turner out the door as well)
Tampa Bay- Raheem Morris (With Tampa Bay headed to a 4-12 finish after a 4-2 start, changes need to be made in Tampa)
St. Louis- Steve Spagnuolo (This is a gimme)
Indianapolis- Jim Caldwell (Unless they play the Peyton Manning sympathy card)
Minnesota- Leslie Frazier (Could go either way)
(50-50)
Cleveland- Pat Shurmur
Philadelphia- Andy Reid
It will take about six hours to digress all the scenarios and tiebreakers that come with them, but here is who I think should get in:
(AFC)
1) New England
2) Pittsburgh
3) Houston
4) Oakland
5) Baltimore
6) Cincinnati
Week 18: Cincinnati at Houston, Baltimore at Oakland
(NFC)
1) Green Bay
2) San Francisco
3) New Orleans
4) NY Giants
5) Detroit
6) Atlanta
Week 18: Atlanta at New Orleans, Detroit at NY Giants
Here are this week's predix, and based on all the tiebreaker scenarios, who I think WILL end up getting in.
BIG GAMES OF THE WEEK:
(AFC)
Baltimore Ravens (11-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
and
(NFC)
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (both 8-7)
It's do or die time for three of these four teams (the Ravens are already in, but they could be as high as # 2, or low as # 5), but at least one (Dallas/NY Giants winner) more team will also get in.
The Bengals are 1-6 against teams with winning records (the lone win being against the Titans in Week 9), while the Ravens are going to embark on their fourth straight postseason appearance with Head Coach John Harbaugh and Quarterback Joe Flacco. A Bengals win means they are in. However, if they lose, they need two other teams at least (the NY Jets and either Oakland or Denver) to lose as well.
PICKS:
Baltimore 27, Cincinnati 13
NY Giants 37, Dallas 17
DRAFT WATCH OF THE WEEK:
Indianapolis Colts (2-13) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11)
and
San Francisco 49ers (12-3) at St. Louis Rams (2-13)
For the 49ers, it's win and a First Round Bye they get. For the Colts, it's lose and clinch the top pick in the 2012 draft. However, the Colts have won two straight after reeling 14 straight losses dating back to last year in the playoffs. A Colts win would kill their shot at the # 1 pick in the NFL draft and put Sam Bradford on the hot seat in St. Louis.
PICKS:
Indianapolis 24, Jacksonville 19
San Francisco 28, St. Louis 0
# 1 DRAFT PICK: St. Louis
OTHER EARLY GAMES:
Detroit Lions (10-5) at Green Bay Packers (14-1)
Detroit victorious at Lambeau? If the Packers rest their starters (given the Pack have already clinched Home Field), it is possible.
PICK: Detroit 33, Green Bay 13
Carolina Panthers (6-9) at New Orleans Saints (12-3)
PICK: New Orleans 42, Carolina 34
New York Jets [8-7) at Miami Dolphins (5-10)
PICK: Miami 23, NY Jets 20 (OT)
Buffalo Bills (6-9) at New England Patriots (12-3)
PICK: New England 34, Buffalo 7
Tennessee Titans [8-7) Houston Texans (10-5)
PICK: Tennessee 30, Houston 6
OTHER LATE GAMES:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11) at Atlanta Falcons (9-6)
Raheem Morris, we hardly knew ye.
PICK: Atlanta 35, Tampa Bay 0
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) at Cleveland Browns (4-11)
PICK: Pittsburgh 21, Cleveland 0
San Diego Chargers (7-8] at Oakland Raiders [8-7)
PICK: Oakland 23, San Diego 16
Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) at Denver Broncos [8-7)
Kyle Orton was the starter at Denver at the beginning of the season. This time, he's back at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and he's making it personal.
PICK: Kansas City 28, Denver 23
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (both 7-8]
PICK: Seattle 20, Arizona 19
PLAYOFF PAIRINGS:
(NFC)
1) Green Bay
2) San Francisco
3) New Orleans
4) NY Giants
5) Detroit
6) Atlanta
(AFC)
1) New England
2) Baltimore
3) Houston
4) Oakland
5) Pittsburgh
6) Cincinnati
UPSET PLAYOFF PICK: Either Dallas, Denver, and/or Tennessee
BLACK MONDAY:
Tomorrow is the oft-referred to "Black Monday", where coaches on the NFL hot seat get pink slipped. Black Monday came early in Jacksonville, Miami, and Kansas City this season. What coaches could be gone? Well, find out now...
(GONE)
San Diego- Norv Turner (Turner is gone, no doubt, and GM A.J. Smith will follow Turner out the door as well)
Tampa Bay- Raheem Morris (With Tampa Bay headed to a 4-12 finish after a 4-2 start, changes need to be made in Tampa)
St. Louis- Steve Spagnuolo (This is a gimme)
Indianapolis- Jim Caldwell (Unless they play the Peyton Manning sympathy card)
Minnesota- Leslie Frazier (Could go either way)
(50-50)
Cleveland- Pat Shurmur
Philadelphia- Andy Reid
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