There we go... 1-3 in the divisional round. That's more like my prediction track record. I got the Colts right but the Saints, Vikings, and Jets wrong. I thought the Saints would win but that it'd be a tighter game. That's the Jeckyll-Hyde Cardinals for ya... That puts my playoff picks at 4-4. I can still pull off a respectable 7-4 finish, but before I give you my terrible predictions here are a few thoughts....
- These playoffs have been brutally bad. We have had eight games thus far and only two have been close. The Cardinals-Packers wild card game and the Jets-Chargers from last weekend. For many people around here (myself not included), seeing the Jets win doesn't even qualify as a good game. Every other game has been brutal. Off the top of my head this is the worst playoffs since 2000. I did my best to recall 2001 to 2008 and was able to think of some pretty memorable or at least competitive games each year.
In 2000 the Wild Card Round featured the Ravens smoking the Broncos, the Dolphins beating the Seahawks, Eagles over the Bucs, and the Saints over the Rams (decent game - Hakim fumble lost it for the Rams). Then the 2nd round had the Ravens over the Titans (good game - Ray Lewis taking the ball from Eddie George for a TD and upset win), Raiders rolling the Dolphins, Giants destroying the Eagles, and the Vikings smoking the Saints.
To make matters worse in 2000 the Ravens beat the Raiders in a boring game while the Giants annihilated the Vikings 41-0. The Super Bowl was a 34-7 rotten matchup that Baltimore won. Hopefully 2009 doesn't match 2000 in its entirety.
- Sucks to be a Chargers or Cowboys fan. You have talented teams that should be competing for Super Bowls but each has a complete turd running the show in Norv Turner and Wade Phillips respectively. Guess what happened after each team's loss/poor efforts this weekend? Turner gets a three year extension and Phillips does too! Now that's two teams to scratch off the list of contenders next year!
- I have totally whiffed on the Jets up to this point, and maybe now I'm just listening to too much Michael Felger on 98.5, but this is a team that probably could have gone 11-5 this year had Sanchez not stunk it up so badly in a few games - granted that is what most rookie qb's do. Fans of the Patriots, Dolphins, and Bills (if they exist) should definitely be a little uncomfortable in years to come. That defense is top notch and if Mark Sanchez becomes an average to decent QB it's a 10 win team each year for the next few seasons.
- I guess last week gives one point to "rest" in the rest versus rust debate. Colts & Saints rolled their opponents.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREDICTIONS
Jets @ Colts (-7.5)
- I thought the Jets would lose to the Bengals. I thought they'd lose to the Chargers. I was dead ass wrong each time. Well... third time's a charm. I like the Colts to win and cover in this game. It is a tall tall task to beat Peyton Manning and the Colts. They are at home, rested up, and the most fucking savvy team in the league by a long shot. It will take a huge effort to keep this game close - which the Jets are capable of - but it will take a monumental effort to actually close the deal and win this game.
- These playoffs have been brutally bad. We have had eight games thus far and only two have been close. The Cardinals-Packers wild card game and the Jets-Chargers from last weekend. For many people around here (myself not included), seeing the Jets win doesn't even qualify as a good game. Every other game has been brutal. Off the top of my head this is the worst playoffs since 2000. I did my best to recall 2001 to 2008 and was able to think of some pretty memorable or at least competitive games each year.
In 2000 the Wild Card Round featured the Ravens smoking the Broncos, the Dolphins beating the Seahawks, Eagles over the Bucs, and the Saints over the Rams (decent game - Hakim fumble lost it for the Rams). Then the 2nd round had the Ravens over the Titans (good game - Ray Lewis taking the ball from Eddie George for a TD and upset win), Raiders rolling the Dolphins, Giants destroying the Eagles, and the Vikings smoking the Saints.
To make matters worse in 2000 the Ravens beat the Raiders in a boring game while the Giants annihilated the Vikings 41-0. The Super Bowl was a 34-7 rotten matchup that Baltimore won. Hopefully 2009 doesn't match 2000 in its entirety.
- Sucks to be a Chargers or Cowboys fan. You have talented teams that should be competing for Super Bowls but each has a complete turd running the show in Norv Turner and Wade Phillips respectively. Guess what happened after each team's loss/poor efforts this weekend? Turner gets a three year extension and Phillips does too! Now that's two teams to scratch off the list of contenders next year!
- I have totally whiffed on the Jets up to this point, and maybe now I'm just listening to too much Michael Felger on 98.5, but this is a team that probably could have gone 11-5 this year had Sanchez not stunk it up so badly in a few games - granted that is what most rookie qb's do. Fans of the Patriots, Dolphins, and Bills (if they exist) should definitely be a little uncomfortable in years to come. That defense is top notch and if Mark Sanchez becomes an average to decent QB it's a 10 win team each year for the next few seasons.
- I guess last week gives one point to "rest" in the rest versus rust debate. Colts & Saints rolled their opponents.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREDICTIONS
Jets @ Colts (-7.5)
- I thought the Jets would lose to the Bengals. I thought they'd lose to the Chargers. I was dead ass wrong each time. Well... third time's a charm. I like the Colts to win and cover in this game. It is a tall tall task to beat Peyton Manning and the Colts. They are at home, rested up, and the most fucking savvy team in the league by a long shot. It will take a huge effort to keep this game close - which the Jets are capable of - but it will take a monumental effort to actually close the deal and win this game.
- It may not be pretty at times, but I really can't bet against the Colts. Their clutchness this season has been uncanny. I could not be more sure of the Colts during a tight game. It's like watching the 2003 & 2004 Patriots. The game might be close, might get sloppy, but shit-fuck they'll pull it out. It's maddening how many breaks they get, but then again championship teams will make & get these breaks along the way (which includes our Patriots many-a-time).
Colts 24 - Jets 16
Vikings @ Saints (-2.5)
- Have I mentioned that I hate Brett Favre? My gahd I hate Brett Favre.
- The Vikings pass rush is totally a game changer. That should be the model for the next direction of the Patriots defense. Screw this bend but don't break wimpy shit. Get yourself a stud who pins his ears back and gets after the quarterback. I'd say Jared Allen is a top 5-10 player in the NFL.
- We all saw Reggie Bush play last weekend... All I got is six words for that performance... "WHERE THE FUCK HAS THAT BEEN?!?!?!" Did anyone who watched this guy play for USC NOT think this would be the standard Reggie Bush performance? Has there been a more disappointing player in the past 10-15 years??? Yeah I know, I know, there have been complete flops like Ki-Jana Carter or Ryan Leaf but, fuck... Reggie Bush was Gayle Sayers. Reggie Bush was Barry Sanders. Just look at the guy! He's built like a mack truck, he's lightning quick, I'd say he's the best athlete to step on a football field since Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson. I can only hope that he can stay healthy and put together a career that matches the flashes of brilliance he displays but I'm afraid that's probably not the case. I think Sean Payton knows this too. I'm hardly the first to think this, but Payton probably did his best to keep Bush fresh knowing that he will need to unleash him for the playoffs.
- I think the Saints as a whole are America's choice of the final four teams. First off, you have all the Katrina stuff with New Orleans. On top of that, they unquestionably have the best uniforms in the league, the best logo, and a roster filled with likable players. At the very least they need to come through for us here in the New England region. Most of us would rather get AIDS than see the Jets, Colts, or Vikings (Favre) hoist the Lombardi Trophy. And shit... it's been a rough year for us. The Lakers won the NBA title (screw you Nagle) while the Yankees won the World Series. We may have had a great run here in this decade but it's definitely ended with a giant wet turd plopped on our face. The Saints are our last hope of ending on a positive note...
- Plus I've kept saying it throughout the season (and have been wrong thus far) but I think Favre has a critical INT in him at the worst possible time.... we can only hope....
New Orleans 34 - Minnesota 27
New Orleans 34 - Minnesota 27
well you did well predicting the outcomes of these playoff games. vaseline comment was great. but favre let the team down. all he had to do was run for 5 yards and they were within fg range.
ReplyDeleteThat's it!!!!!! If he runs 5 yards at least he did all he could... he was beaten to holy hell and held that team together after the 17,000 fumbles (to his credit)... Had Longwell missed a 50 yarder at the end that isn't Favre's fault
ReplyDeleteInstead he goes back to his awful habits of trying to fit a pass in where it doesn't belong