Super Bowl XLVII Prediction

If you have listened to the latest episode of the Three and Out Podcast then you know already what my prediction is (and if you haven't you need to check it out.  Simply put, I'm never picking the Ravens and ain't going to here.  I think this season was in essence a changing of the guard with the young QBs and I think the "X-Factor" Colin Kaepernick will be the difference for the Niners as they win their 6th ever Lombardi Trophy.

49ers 24 Ravens 10

2013 Conference Championship Picks

I had a so-so weekend last weekend with my picks going 2-2 and now 5-3 overall.  Hopefully, I can pick it up and go undefeated this weekend.  Here are my picks (and be sure to check out the latest episode of the Three and Out Podcast to hear more and hear banter on the picks).

The NFC Title game pits San Francisco vs. Atlanta.  The top 2 teams in the regular season in the NFC square off in the Georgia Dome.  The 49ers have a really tough team and are back in this game for the second year in the row.  They have a lot of momentum but I think the Falcons are going to get over the hump and get into the Super Bowl.

Falcons 31 49ers 28

The AFC Title game is a rematch of last season's AFC Title game with Baltimore vs. New England.  Simply put, go with Brady at home in the title game.

Patriots 37 Ravens 17

2013 Divisional Round Weekend Predictions

One week into the playoffs and my postseason picks aren't too bad.  I went 3-1 last weekend (which I was hoping to go 4-0 but Baltimore won so that didn't happen) and so it's onto the Divisional Round (for more banter check out the Three and Out Podcast where I discuss more about my picks).

The first game on Saturday is Baltimore vs. Denver.  The Ravens are coming off their win against the Colts while the Broncos lie in wait.  Out of all the games, this is the easiest game for me to pick.  I can't stand the Ravens + I like Peyton Manning = I'm picking the Broncos.  And the fact that Denver blasted them only a few weeks ago in Baltimore only adds to my case.  I think this will be the least interesting game and I'm okay with that because (hopefully) the Broncos will move on to the title game.

Broncos 31 Ravens 10

The night game on Saturday is Green Bay vs San Francisco.  We have another match up against two teams that played in the regular season.  In Week 1, the 49ers came into Lambeau Field and beat the Pack.  This will be different as it will be in San Francisco and the 49ers QB will be Colin Kaepernick instead of Alex Smith.  Out of the 4 games, this one is the hardest for me to pick.  Green Bay is playing better and healthy but they still have their weaknesses (O-Line shaky, not much of running game, defense can let teams hang around).  The 49ers have more playmakers this year compared to last year but this is Kaepernick's first playoff start.  I think this will be a close one but I'm thinking the home team pulls this one out.

49ers 20 Packers 17

The early Sunday game is Seattle vs Atlanta.  The Seahawks are coming off their first road playoff victory since 1983 after beating the Redskins.  They now have to travel again, this time to Atlanta.  Ironically, this is the only matchup this weekend where the teams are meeting for the first time.  Atlanta has a lot of pressure on them as the top seed with home field advantage.  QB Matt Ryan & HC Mike Smith are winless in the postseason but they do have that explosive offense.  Obviously key matchup will be Falcons WRs vs. Seahawks secondary.  It will be tough for a 10:00am pacific kickoff (1:00pm Eastern) but I think the Seahawks can pull it out and keep the ball rolling.

Seahawks 24 Falcons 20

The late Sunday game is Houston vs New England.  This is another rematch from a regular season game that saw the Pats beat the Texans on a Monday night game in the middle of the season.  The Texans are coming off a big win against the Bengals to kind of right the ship from the previous few weeks.  They do have a good offense and a good defense.  The Pats have their typical high scoring offense.  I think this time around the game will be a lot closer, however I still think the Patriots will win the game.

Patriots 27 Texans 24

2013 Wild Card Weekend Predictions

It's playoff time so it's time for predictions (I also shared them on the Three and Out podcast so feel free to listen to some of the debate on them) for the Wild Card round.

The first game on Saturday is Cincinnati vs Houston.  This is a rematch of last year's wild card game.  Houston is slumping coming into this game and Cincy is on a roll.  The Bengals still have not won a playoff game since 1990...and I don't see it happening here.  I think Foster and Schaub will get their act together and will take care of business.

Texans 27 Bengals 17

The night game on Saturday is Minnesota vs Green Bay.  This is the rubber match as they have played two games already this season with each team winning at home.  Adrian Peterson has pretty much run roughshod over the Packers and honestly I don't think this will be any different.  The key will be how second year QB Christian Ponder plays.  If he has a good game, the Vikings can win.  If not, they won't.  I think it'll be a close game but I think the Pack will win in Lambeau

Packers 20 Vikings 17

The early game on Sunday is Indianapolis vs Baltimore.  The old franchise from that city (Colts) verses the newer (Ravens).  This could potentially be Ray Lewis last game.  This is Andrew Luck's first postseason game.  The Ravens aren't the Ravens of old.  Their defense is older, injured and wore out.  Yes Indy is young but I think they're strong enough (#Chuckstrong) to pull this one out.

Colts 24 Ravens 10

The late game on Sunday is Seattle vs Washington.  Two dynamic rookie QBs in Russell Wilson & RG3.  Seattle hasn't won a playoff road game since 1983.  Washington has lost their last 2 postseason appearances, both to Seattle.  I think RG3 not being healthy + Seattle's punishing defense is enough for the Seahawks to get the W

Seahawks 31 Redskins 14

Predictions for the 2012 NFL Season

It is almost that time of year again.  Time for the NFL season to get cranked up.  This is my 5 time predicting at the start of the year for the season.  You know how many times I'm right?  Not that often.  But that's the fun of predicting is you never know.  So here's my predictions for the upcoming season (and yes I'm a homer)...

NFC East
NY Giants
Dallas
Philadelphia
Washington

NFC North
Green Bay
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota

NFC South
Atlanta
Carolina
New Orleans
Tampa Bay

NFC West
San Francisco
Seattle
Arizona
St. Louis

Wild Card:  Seattle, Chicago

AFC East
New England
Buffalo
NY Jets
Miami

AFC North
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Baltimore
Cleveland

AFC South
Tennessee
Houston
Jacksonville
Indianapolis

AFC West
Kansas City
Denver
San Diego
Oakland

Wild Card:  Houston, Cincinnati

Super Bowl:  Tennessee over Seattle

2012 Major League Baseball Predictions

After a year off from MLB predictions, I'm back.  On the down side, this will be the first MLB season since 2004 that I will not be living in an MLB city.  On the plus side, both teams that I strongly root for will be improved from last season.  Will that make a difference as far as making the playoffs?  That remains to be seen.  Of course, like all my predictions (especially preseason ones) this is a mix of what I think and what will actually happen.

AL East:
Tampa Bay (division winner)
Boston (Wild Card #1)
NY Yankees
Toronto
Baltimore

AL Central:
Detroit (division winner)
Kansas City (Wild Card #2)
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota
Cleveland

AL West:
Texas (division winner)
Seattle
Anaheim (LA) Angels
Oakland

NL East:
Philadelphia (division winner)
Atlanta (Wild Card #1)
Washington
Miami
NY Mets

NL Central:
St. Louis (division winner)
Cincinnati (Wild Card #2)
Milwaukee
Pittsburgh
Chicago Cubs
Houston

NL West:
Arizona (division winner)
San Francisco
Colorado
LA Dodgers
San Diego

Playoffs:
ALCS:  Kansas City vs. Detroit
NLCS:  St. Louis vs. Philadelphia
World Series:  Detroit vs. St. Louis
Champs:  Detroit

AL MVP:  Prince Fielder
NL MVP:  Matt Holiday
AL Cy Young:  Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young:  Roy Halladay

Super Bowl XLVI Prediction

I know it's Monday and there is still 6 days to go before the Super Bowl but I have a little time right now to get my prediction written down.  I have a fairly busy week this week with leading small group, several times speaking and this weekend helping take some college students down to Myrtle Beach for Converge (winter retreat for college students across the state of South Carolina).

Once again, I go into the Super Bowl matchup with a 6-4 record after correctly predicting the conference championship games.  This year's matchup is a rematch of Super Bowl XLII back in February 2008 between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.  New York vs. Boston, another epic matchup between those two cities.

The last time both teams were in the big games was that matchup that saw the then undefeated Patriots lose to the underdog Giants.  I'm sure there will be many references to that game for the next week or so.  In fairness, these are two different teams now than when these two teams faced off 4 years ago.

This version of the Patriots have a defense that is less than stellar, though they did pick it up in the playoffs.  Their receiver corps is probably less talented than the previous version but their TEs with Gronkowski and Hernandez are better (though the health of Gronk's ankle will come into question).  I would say the Pats running game this time around is a little better and one can never count out Tom Brady especially with a week off to rest up.

This version of the Giants has again a top notch front 4, I would say their linebackers are probably not as good as their SB winning team and their secondary is hit or miss.  Their receiving corps is better this time around with Nicks, Cruz & Manningham.  Their running game is probably better but it's inconsistent though recently they've been a little bit more consistent.  Eli Manning is playing better this year and could rightfully be considered a top flight QB.

Last time around I picked the Pats because I wanted to see an undefeated season.  This time around there's not that so it makes for a harder game to figure.  Both teams have their strengths and weaknesses.  Both head coaches (Tom Coughlin & Bill Belicheck) are veteran coaches who know how to win.

Best way to decide?  Go with the fantasy football team.  I have three players in this game:  Wes Welker and Stephen Gostkowski for the Pats & Ahmad Bradshaw for the Giants.  Both Welker & Bradshaw had weeks where they scored the most points for my team in the regular season.  Welker had more of those.  I'm going with that.  Pats get revenge for Super Bowl XLII and beat the Giants.

Patriots 27 Giants 24

2012 Conference Championship Picks

Well after a great 3-1 Wild Card round predictions, my divisional round picks fell flat on their face.  I went 1-3...but in my defense I didn't see the Saints turning the ball over 5 times & not double covering the Niners' best receiver (Vernon Davis), nor did I see the Texans muff a punt that swung momentum early in the game & the Texans couldn't ever recover, nor did I see the Packers receivers dropping so many passes...for what it's worth (Ironically, last year I was the same record after the divisional round 4-4).

So now the conference championship games.  To be honest, both games are eh to me but it is what it is.  There are two scenarios that I'd be fine with and there are two that would make for an ugh Super Bowl.  You can probably guess which two would make for an ugh Super Bowl (just think Super Bowl XXXV).  Okay onto my picks (as always the scores don't really matter just the picks).

The first conference title game is the AFC Championship game between the Baltimore Ravens vs the New England Patriots.  Let's be honest, is there any doubt who I'm picking in this game?  But for the sake of a semi thorough review, here goes.  The Ravens are coming off a victory against the Texans in the divisional round.  Their defense is playing well and when they utilize the run game with Ray Rice, they are a good team.  However, I'm not sold on that secondary (aside from Ed Reed) and I don't think that Joe Flacco is reliable in the big game or on the road (which this game is both a big game and on the road).  The Patriots are coming off a beat down of the Broncos.  Yes the Patriots have one of the worst defenses statistically in the league this year and they didn't beat a team with a winning record in the regular season.  But the Pats still have Tom Brady, they still have the offensive weapons.  On Sunday it will be the Pats' strength (offense) vs. the Ravens' strength (defense).  What puts it over the edge?  Two guys on the Patriots (Wes Welker & Stephen Gostkowski) were on my fantasy football team that won the championship, Ravens had 0.  Advantage Patriots

Patriots 31 Ravens 17

The late game is the NFC Championship game between the New York Giants vs the San Francisco 49ers.  To be honest, probably most NFL fans would've rather saw the Saints and Packers in this game but this is the game we've got.  The Giants are coming off a victory against the defending Super Bowl champs while the Niners are coming off a victory over the Saints.  A lot of people are comparing this Giants team to the one that won the Super Bowl in February 08.  I think the better comparison was one I saw earlier this week with this team and the Packers team of last year.  They have a great pass rush and the passing game is right up there.  Rushing has been kind of inconsistent but it's kinda coming into form now.  They are a team that seems to be hot at the right time but it also could be they're catching teams at the right time.  On the other side, the 49ers have had a stingy defense and a great running game.  Jim Harbaugh, in his first year as the Niners head coach, has turned this franchise around and have put them in a position to go to the Super Bowl since the mid 90s.  Alex Smith has looked more like the #1 pick this season.  However, this team is the more inexperienced team when it comes to the playoffs and their receivers dropped a lot of passes last week, something they cannot afford to do this week.  This one is very tough to pick.  Both teams have a legit shot of winning.  Giants have the experience but the 49ers are at home.  49ers have a tough defense but Eli Manning has become one of the elite QBs in the league.  Looking at my championship fantasy football team roster, I have one player from each team (Alex Smith vs. Ahmad Bradshaw).  Deciding factor:  Alex Smith was on my bench, Ahmad Bradshaw was a starter.  Going with the Giants

Giants 20 49ers 13

2012 Divisional Round Predictions

Well, I didn't do too bad with my Wild Card predictions going 3-1 (missed on Atlanta but then again they didn't show up last week).  This weekend's games have some easy to root for teams for the most part.  Lets see if I can keep the winning tradition going (as always the scores don't really matter just the picks).

The first game of the weekend is New Orleans vs San Francisco.  The Niners are in the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.  They have a stifling defense & a potential coach of the year in Jim Harbaugh.  The Saints are coming off a win against Detroit in the Wild Card round.  This is a tough matchup.  The Saints aren't the best road team in the world but they do have playoff experience and a top QB in Drew Brees.  The Niners do have a solid running game in Frank Gore and the aforementioned tough D.  Out of the 4 matchups, this will be the toughest to pick.  However, despite the road concerns, I'm taking the Saints.  Their defense will give Alex Smith fits.  I think for another week Saints fans can chant "Who Dat?"

Saints 27 49ers 17

The night game on Saturday is Denver vs New England.  Brady vs. Tebow II.  A lot has been said the first time around so there really isn't more that needs to be said.  Patriots won the first game though the Broncos put up a great fight in that game.  That time it was in Denver.  This time it's in New England.  Tebow had a great game last week against the Steelers.  And New England hasn't won a playoff game since the 2007 season.  Then again, if we go by history the division winner that no one expected to win in WC round lost the next round.  Think this time will be no exception.  Close one but think it'll be the Pats again.

Patriots 34 Broncos 30

The early Sunday game features Houston vs Baltimore.  Let's face it.  I don't like Baltimore and will not pick them to win.  Even with a 3rd string QB and little playoff experience, Houston does have a tough running game & their defense is top notch.  Plus I don't think Flacco is that great a QB.  Texans keep hope alive in Houston

Texans 24 Ravens 10

The final game features the NY Giants vs Green Bay.  They matched up earlier in the year with the Packers pulling out the victory in dramatic fashion.  The Giants are coming off a win against the Falcons and many are comparing them to the team that won the Super Bowl in the 2007 season.  Eh, I'm not really seeing it.  They are still inconsistent and their secondary is weak.  Aaron Rodgers can and will exploit it.  Packers keep up the chance for a repeat

Packers 37 Giants 27

2012 Wild Card Weekend Predictions

2012 is here and the first post of 2012 is predictions for the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.  Lots of intriguing matchups this first week of the playoffs and will be tough to pick.

(FYI, this is my opinion, the main thing is who I'm picking & not the score...)

The first game on Saturday will see Cincinnati vs Houston.  This is a rematch of a regular season game in week 14 which saw Houston win at Cincy.  This time the game will be in Houston.  This is the first time the Texans have reached the playoffs & this is the third time for Cincy since 1990 (which was the last time they won a playoff game).  The Texans are essentially on their 3rd string QB as they lost their top two to injury during the season.  Cincy has a rookie QB in Andy Dalton starting for them.  Though Houston had a stumble towards the end of the regular season, I think their defense will be enough to get them through this round and get their first ever playoff win.

Texans 27 Bengals 17

The second game on Saturday will see Detroit vs New Orleans.  This game is also a rematch of a regular season game in week 13 in which New Orleans won at home.  For Detroit, this is the first time they've been in the playoffs since 1999.  New Orleans is two years removed from their Super Bowl win.  The Lions have an explosive passing offense but not much of a running game.  The Saints offense are clicking on all cylinders & QB Drew Brees is an MVP candidate.  Like the Texans/Bengals matchup, don't think Lions will get revenge here.  Saints will roll.

Saints 37 Lions 24

The first Sunday game is Atlanta vs the New York Giants.  Atlanta is in the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in their history and a year removed from being the #1 seed in the NFC.  The Giants are in the playoffs since 2008 season, the year after they won the Super Bowl.  Some are saying this Giants team is like the Super Bowl team of 2007.  I'm not so sure.  I think this Falcons team is better than last year's team and I think could be "sleeper" team to make the Super Bowl.  It'll be close but I think Matty Ice (Matt Ryan) will get his first playoff win.

Falcons 27 Giants 20

The final Wild Card game is Pittsburgh vs Denver.  Big Ben vs Timmy Tebow.  This is probably the matchup that everybody "knows" how it's going to be.  Pittsburgh did a good job in bucking the trend of Super Bowl losers the previous year not making the playoff the next year.  Since 2000 only Tennessee in 2000, Seattle in 2006 and Indianapolis in 2009 and now Pittsburgh pulled it off.  In the previous 3 instances, only the Seahawks won a playoff game that next playoff season (the WC game against Cowboys with the botched FG attempt).  The Steelers come into this game with a hurt Big Ben (who should play) and a now hurt RB Rashard Mendenhall (who is out for the playoffs) but have a very tough defense.  The Broncos are in the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and did so by "backing" into the playoffs.  It has been a roller coaster year with Tebow at the helm after a 1-4 start.  They had a 7-1 run then lost their last 3.  A lot (and I mean a lot) of people are bashing Tebow (rightly so or not).  I don't think I've ever seen a player who was a "nice guy" who gets critiqued so heavily.  Although I'm not happy that Tebow helped contribute to the Titans not making the playoffs (with the crazy scenarios) I'm tired of so many people bashing him.  Most everybody is picking the Steelers to demolish Denver.  But this game is in Mile High and don't know how mobile Big Ben will be.  This game has a feeling of last season's Saints/Seahawks game.  We all know how that game turned out.  I think for at least one more time this season, it'll be Tebow Time

Broncos 20 Steelers 17

Predictions for 2011 NFL Season

It has been over a month since my last post.  I really need to write more.  Maybe this will be the start.  Considering that the NFL season starts tomorrow, I guess I should get in my picks (sure to be wrong) for 2011.

NFC East
Philadelphia
Dallas
NY Giants
Washington

NFC North
Green Bay
Detroit
Chicago
Minnesota

NFC South
Atlanta
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Carolina

NFC West
Seattle
St. Louis
Arizona
San Francisco

Wild Card:  New Orleans, Detroit

AFC East
New England
NY Jets
Buffalo
Miami

AFC North
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Baltimore
Cincinnati

AFC South
Tennessee
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville

AFC West
San Diego
Kansas City
Oakland
Denver

Wild Card:  Cleveland, Houston

Super Bowl:  Tennessee over Atlanta

Super Bowl XLV Prediction

It's time again for the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLV.  I had an interesting picking time this postseason.  I was .500 until the Conference Championship round when i picked both games correctly.  Coming into this game, I'm 6-4 picking games.

This year's matchup is the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers.  Two teams known for their toughness and their defenses, though they both have pretty good offenses.  Pittsburgh has won the Super Bowl twice in the last five seasons while Green Bay hasn't won since the '96 season.

I'll make this short and sweet.  I don't like Pittsburgh.  I still think back to Super Bowl XL where the refs pretty much gave the game to them against the Seahawks.  And I usually go with a rule that if I don't like a team, I'm picking against them.  Even though the Madden simulator had them winning (and they've been right except for once the past six years or so), I think one key element will play a huge factor.  Starting Center Maurkice Pouncey is out for the game.  Given the Pack's 3-4 D, it'll be tough for a backup center to hold off B.J. Raji.

I'm going with the Pack and Aaron Rodgers (part of my fantasy football team [K.C. Masterpieces] that won the championship in the Speed Kills league) to get the championship.

Packers 27 Steelers 17

2011 Conference Championship Picks

It's time to make my picks for the AFC & NFC Championship Games.  It's funny so far I've been a combined .500 so far this year in the playoff (4-4).  The odds are that means I'll pick one right and one wrong....or I could pick both correct or get both wrong.  So we'll see...

The first game is the NFC Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.  These two long time rivals are facing each other only for the second time in the playoffs (the last time was in 1941).  These two split the season series matchup.  The Bears beat the Packers in the first matchup while the Packers won in the last week of the season to get into the playoffs.

After early season bumps, both teams turned it on later in the season.  The Bears found somewhat of a balance between pass and run and their defense is as strong as it always is.  The Packers fought through injuries to key players and are riding a hot streak into and through the playoffs.

The two key questions are the following:  Can the Bears trust Jay Cutler?  Can the Packers win three road playoff games?

In thinking through who to pick in this game, two factors play into it.  One, the Bears beat the Seahawks, one of the two teams I root for.  Two, I had Aaron Rodgers on my fantasy football team (the one that has won 4 championships in 10 years).  With those two factors in play, I picking the Packers to win.

Packers 17 Bears 13

The late game is the AFC Championship game between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh.  They faced each other in the regular season with the Jets getting the win.

The Jets are the definition of up and down.  They have the talent but they also squander it on numerous occasions.  The Steelers overcame the loss of Big Ben early to end up the #2 seed.  Both teams have really good defenses.  Both teams have offenses that can make plays.


This matchup I really don't care about at all.  I don't really like either team.  But I do respect Pittsburgh's coach Mike Tomlin.  And I don't respect the way the Jets talk and act.  If I have to pick between these two, I'm going with the Steelers.

Steelers 24 Jets 10

2011 Divisional Round Predictions

It's time for more predictions, the Divisional Round is here and last week I went 2-2.  Ironically it was the first game and the last game of the weekend that I got correctly.  This weekend has some intriguing matchups with some hard decisions as to who I will pick.  So here's the picks:

The first matchup of the weekend is Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh.  If there was any matchup this weekend that I didn't like either team, this would be it.  I kind of wish this was an instance where it was like pro wrestling and there was a double disqualification and both don't advance.  However, that's not the case.  Baltimore came off a win against Kansas City.  Pittsburgh enjoyed the bye week off and got some rest to help with some of their injuries.  A key stat is that Baltimore's coach John Harbaugh has never beaten Pittsburgh when Ben Roethilsberger starts for the Steelers....he's starting for the Steelers.

Steelers 24 Ravens 17

The primetime game on Saturday is Green Bay vs. Atlanta.  They met in the regular season in one of the marquee games of the year and the Falcons came out on top.  Aaron Rodgers got his first playoff win last weekend on the road against Philly and it was the first time Green Bay had won a road playoff game since the late 90s.  Matt Ryan has lost only two times as a starter at the Georgia Dome (20-2) however, he lost his previous playoff game in a shootout against Kurt Warner and the Atlanta Falcons a couple of years ago.  This will probably be the game of the weekend.  I like both teams.  I could see either of these teams in the Super Bowl.  But given propensity to who I'm picking in the next game.  I'm going to say that Rodgers and Green Bay get revenge and eek out a victory.

Packers 27 Falcons 24

The early Sunday game features Seattle vs. Chicago.  Last week Seattle won in a shootout over the defending champs New Orleans.  They put together one of their best games of the season.  The running game came alive and QB Matt Hasselbeck channeled the 2005 version and had a big game.  Now they travel to Chicago to take on the Bears.  These two teams met earlier in the year and Seattle won that matchup.  The Bears are a different team but so are the Seahawks.  One key stat is that first time starters in the playoffs since 2003 are 5-19.  On top of that, this is the first postseason game in the career of Jay Cutler, college or pro.  And then a thought, prior to the playoffs starting I said that these Seahawks remind me of the 08 Cardinals, inconsistent in the regular season, turn it on at the end and make a deep playoff run.  Last week didn't do anything to deter me from that thought.  I'm going homer and picking the Hawks.

Seahawks 27 Bears 17

The final game of the divisional round is between the NY Jets and New England.  This has become of the big rivalries in the NFL with both sides spouting off at the mouth.  I know there are a lot of people who can't stand New England.  I don't mind them that much.  I used to like them but after the 2009 game against the Titans when Belicheck ran up the score I don't really like them anymore.  But, I'm really not a fan of the Jets.  So simply put, I'd like to see what happened the last time these two teams met happen again.  Pats roll.

Patriots 42 Jets 17

So there you have it, I'm thinking a Packers/Seahawks NFC Championship game and a Steelers/Patriots AFC Championship game.  So lets see if I end up right or not.

Predictions for the 2011 BCS National Championship Game

The time for the national championship game is here.  It's funny how late it is now that the 1-AA national championship along with NFL Wild Card Weekend is already done.  Hmmmmm......maybe yet another reason why there should be a playoff.

Anyway, the big game is here.  Oregon and Auburn.  Pac-10 vs SEC.  And as someone who has lived in both areas, I know what the conference fan bases are like.  It's true that the Pac-10 get slighted out east & are better than the perception is.  And the SEC is really really good and it plays out on the field as such.

The two teams are offensive powerhouses.  Oregon is a full throttle offense that doesn't want to stop.  Auburn has the Heisman Trophy winner in Cam Newton.  Each team's strength is their offense and their defense, while not bad....isn't as good.  So many people are predicting a shootout.

Two questions are key to this matchup.  One, how will the layoff affect these teams & which team will overcome that.  The other is which defense will stop the other's offense.

I'm okay with Auburn.  They're not Alabama or Florida to me so I don't have a problem rooting for them.  Now Oregon on the other hand I can't root for.  As a Washington fan, there are three rivals for me.  Washington St (Wazzzu), USC and Oregon.  So, weighing everything.  I'm going to pick the Tigers to end up winning this game.

Auburn 48 Oregon 41

2011 Wild Card Weekend Predictions

The first entry in 2011 is predictions for the start of the 2011 NFL playoffs, Wild Card Weekend.  After an up and down season, the playoffs are here and should be interesting.

(FYI, this is my opinion, the main thing is who I'm picking & not the score...)

On Saturday the first game is the Saints verses the Seahawks.  The defending Super Bowl champs vs a division winner that finished with a losing record at 7-9.  The Saints are banged up but they do have a lot of talent.  The Seahawks have the underdog role and Qwest Field advantage.  I like the Saints, I really do.  But I have to go with the Seahawks and the upset.

Seahawks 20 Saints 17

The second game on Saturday is the Jets verses the Colts.  The Jets have been a hard team to figure out.  They have beaten top teams like the Patriots and Steelers but have lost some unexplainable games.  The Colts made the playoffs on the last week and have overcome a lot of injuries.  I think Peyton will prevail in this matchup.

Colts 27 Jets 17

The first game on Sunday is the Ravens verses the Chiefs.  The Ravens aren't the Ravens of previous years but they are annoyingly tough.  The Chiefs are a surprise division winner and are hosting their first playoff game since 2003.  I don't like the Ravens at all so it makes it easier to make this pick.  My Kansas City friends will be happy as I think the Chiefs will roll.

Chiefs 31 Ravens 10

The final game is the Packers verses the Eagles.  This is probably the most intriguing matchup of the weekend.  The Packers are probably the most dangerous team in that you don't know what to expect.  They are one of those teams that could make a deep run.  The Eagles have some explosive offensive players including the should be Comeback Player of the Year Michael Vick.  This one is a tough one to pick.  I'm going with the Packers in this one but it'll be close.

Packers 34 Eagles 31

Predictions for the 2010 NFL Season

Football season is rapidly approaching and with that is the time of the year for predictions.  So, in the spirit of usually being wrong at the end of the season, here are my picks for this upcoming season:

NFC East:
Dallas
Washington
Philadelphia
NY Giants

NFC North:
Green Bay
Minnesota
Chicago
Detroit

NFC South:
New Orleans
Atlanta
Carolina
Tampa Bay

NFC West:
Seattle
San Francisco
Arizona
St. Louis

Wild Card: Minnesota, Atlanta

AFC East:
New England
NY Jets
Miami
Buffalo

AFC North:
Cincinnati
Baltimore
Pittsburgh
Cleveland

AFC South:
Indianapolis
Tennessee
Houston
Jacksonville

AFC West:
Kansas City
San Diego
Oakland
Denver

Wild Card:  Tennessee, Houston

Super Bowl:  Tennessee over Green Bay

2010 Major League Baseball Predictions

Spring is almost here and so it's time for predictions for MLB. Of course these predictions are purely mine and are a mix of what I'd like to see and what I think, which means there's definitely room for error.

AL East:
Boston (division winner)
NY Yankees
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Toronto

AL Central:
Chicago White Sox (division winner)
Kansas City (wild card)
Minnesota
Detroit
Cleveland

AL West:
Seattle (division winner)
Texas
Anaheim (LA) Angels
Oakland

NL East:
Philadelphia (division winner)
Atlanta (wild card)
NY Mets
Florida
Washington

NL Central:
St. Louis (division winner)
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Houston
Pittsburgh

NL West:
Arizona (division winner)
Colorado
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego

Playoffs:
ALCS: Seattle vs. Chicago White Sox
NLCS: Philadelphia vs. St. Louis
World Series: Seattle vs. Philadelphia
Champs: Seattle

AL MVP: Justin Morneau
NL MVP: Albert Pujols
AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez
NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay

Super Bowl XLIV Prediction

It's almost time for Super Bowl XLIV. The game is on Sunday and so it's time for my pick. This postseason I've done really well with picking as I've gone 7-3. I'm assured a winning record for the playoffs but it'd be nice to pick the winner of the Super Bowl as well. Last decade (in case you were wondering, from Super Bowl 34 to 43) I went 5-5 in picking the winner of the Super Bowl. We'll see how the new decade shapes up.

We get a great matchup in the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. In the regular season, I picked this as the Super Bowl matchup, though after Week 16 I thought otherwise (more on that later). We get two high powered offenses, two big name quarterbacks (Peyton Manning and Drew Brees) and what should be one exciting show.

In breaking down the matchup, it seems a lot of people are favoring the Colts because of Peyton Manning and rightfully so. He is arguably one of the best quarterbacks ever. He is the franchise player for the Colts for over a decade. This team rides on his arm. On the other side, you have Drew Brees, who wasn't a slouch at all at QB. He revived the Saints franchise and has been both a leader on and off the field. As much as what Peyton means to the Colts, Drew means as much as the heart and soul of the Saints.

One of the things I think that has gotten overlooked and what I think will play a factor is the running game. As much as it's been a pass happy league the last few years, running the ball is important (and I don't count bubble screen passes as runs) and I think will play a role in this game. When I look at the two teams' running games, Indy has a solid running game in Joseph Addai and the rookie Donald Brown. But, the edge goes to the Saints in that their running back duo (Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush) has been a little more consistent this season and has the ability to break a run for a big gain.

Another key will be special teams. The Colts have the oldest player to start a Super Bowl in K Matt Stover. He's reliable but won't be able to kick long field goals. That will factor in. The Saints K Garrett Hartley is young, has the leg but has missed some key field goals (though he did hit the game winner in OT in the NFC Championship game). Return game edge goes to the Saints (Reggie Bush/Courtney Roby vs Chad Simpson/T.J. Rushing).

Obviously a key story is Dwight Freeney and his injury. I think regardless of whether he plays or not, he will not be 100% and that will be a factor. He is known for his speed and with his ankle not 100% he won't have the full speed he needs to disrupt things. That in turn will upset the balance of the rest of the defense.

Important stat: In the regular season, the Saints had a +11 giveaway/takeaway while the Colts had a +2.

It has been a tough decision to figure out who to root for and who will win. For me, there are three factors in which I went with the decision I did. First, the Colts decision to basically quit on the last two games of the regular season. I thought then it was wrong and still do. I wouldn't want to reward them with a Super Bowl for doing something like that and deep down I think they won't win and that will be rectified. Two, though many people are picking the Colts, if you're not a Colts or Saints fan, the rooting interest might be steered more towards the Saints. Three, in a Madden simulation of the game earlier this week, the Saints won that game. That simulation has predicted the winner of the Super Bowl 5 out the last 6 years.

As much as I love Peyton (being a UT guy), I think the choice for me is clear....

Who Dat rolls to the victory

New Orleans 38 Indianapolis 30

MVP: Drew Brees

Championship Weekend Picks

Those who watched yesterday's video post know my picks, here's the picks in writing:

NY Jets 20 Indianapolis 14
New Orleans 45 Minnesota 38