Just know that we're all giant fans of our own team. The second you see me write off your team in the playoffs, bam, I'm an idiot, haha. Ignore the Tom Brady video on my channel, he's great and all, but I'm a 9'ers fan.
As of now, this is how I have the playoff picture lining up:
AFC
1st Seed: Houston (14-2)
2nd Seed: Denver (13-3)
3rd Seed: New England (12-4)
4th Seed: Baltimore (10-6)
5th Seed: Indianapolis (10-6)
6th Seed: Pittsburgh (9-7)
NFC:
1st Seed: Atlanta (13-3)
2nd Seed: San Francisco (11-4-1)
3rd Seed: Green Bay (11-5)
4th Seed: Washington (10-6)
5th Seed: Seattle (11-5)
6th Seed: New York (10-6)
Wild Card Games
AFC
Pittsburgh @ New England
Classic game here with Big Ben vs Mr. Brady. Given the Steelers up and down season, they're still always a dangerous team come this time of the season, but I have no doubt that the Patriots should pull this one out late in the 4th. This 2012 Steelers team doesn't compare to years past.
Winner: New England 31-21
Indianapolis @ Baltimore
The Andrew Luck craze will begin with a trip to Baltimore. Everyone that isn't living under a rock should know that Baltimore has slid the past few weeks with Ray's absence and Joe Flacco being Joe Flacco. They'll find a way to fall back into the playoffs, but at this time, were Ray Lewis, the heart of the defense, should be back already, Baltimore should win. I love what Andrew Luck has done at Indy, but the Colts have flirted with disaster in just about every game this season, and this time, they'll be on the losing end.
Winner: Baltimore 27-20
NFC
New York @ Green Bay
Flashbacks from last year anyone? Despite the Wild Card Game, the buildup will be enormous. Last two Superbowl Champions. Two Superbowl MVPs. A rematch after New York's blowout. Let's face it, the Giants formula is simple: Back into the playoffs with a mediocre record, ride the defense, and have Eli pull magic out of his ass in the 4th quarter. Should work, right? Not this time. With Green Bay hungry for redemption against the Giants not only from this year, but from last year's playoff thud, I see Aaron Rodgers outdueling Eli Manning in the 4th.
Winner: Packers 35-31
Seattle @ Washington
The RG3 craze. Robert, Griffin, III. Obviously the most electric rookie in the NFL to watch this season. Say hi to Seattle's defense. This will be a great match-up, with Robert Griffin testing his deep ball ability against arguably the best secondary with players like Sherman, Browner, and Thomas. What many people will forget is on the other side of the ball. Russell Wilson has quietly put together a huge season and has turned the franchise around. Whatever Robert Griffin do, so can Russell Wilson. I think the Seahawks boot Washington out early with a decisive win.
Winner: Seahawks 31-27
---Next Round---
AFC
Baltimore @ Houston
Intriguing matchup. I'm sure many forgot that last year, the Texans took Baltimore down to the wire on the road with a 3rd-string rookie at QB, TJ Yates. While it still feels awkward seeing the Texans as a 1-Seed, this team is for real. Ray Rice testing the run against Ray Lewis and the Baltimore D will be fun, but Joe Flacco will need to tighten up for the Ravens to pull this one out, and I don't think JJ Watt and the Texans D will bow down just like that at home.
Winner: Texans 24-14
New England @ Denver
This isn't the Conference Championship Game? What a shame. Just when viewers thought they saw the Brady/Manning duel end on a cold night in Foxboro, they may be able to watch it one more time. Denver is hot. I have them on what, an 11/12 game winning streak going into the playoffs. We all know the field generals will get their work done on the day. However, I'll pick the team with the stingier D at home.
Winner: Broncos 35-34
Seattle @ Atlanta
The Falcons are a joke. Let them win 13 or 14 games in the regular season before choking in the playoffs. That's what alot of people are thinking heading into the game. How do you combat the Roddy White/Julio Jones duo? Like I said before, hi, Seattle's D. This will be a tight, intriguing battle heading into the 4th. I have doubts of Seattle's consistency, especially on the road, and I don't think Russell Wilson can pull of the same magic in back-to-back road games. Finally! The Falcons win a playoff game!
Winner: Atlanta 21-20
Green Bay @ San Francisco
Another rematch? Yeah. We all recall the 49ers gutting the Packers in Lambau the first week of the season. Things have changed quite alot. Green Bay, like New York, is a team you don't want to meet in the playoffs. At this time, their stars Jordy Nelson and Clay Matthews should be 100%, too. The whole spotlight should be on Colin Kaepernick, the unsung quarterback who came to replace Alex Smith, a decision many still speculate. A belief of mine is that in a tight game with two even games, pick the team with the better QB. And we all know that matchup goes to Aaron Rodgers. However, San Francisco has the edge with a savage defense, and Kaepernick should make enough plays with his arm and his legs to finish off the Packers.
Winner: San Francisco 20-16
Conference Championship Games
Denver @ Houston
This is it. Houston on the big stage. The last time we saw Houston on the national stage, they were getting embarrassed by Brady's Patriots on the road. He's not here. But Peyton Manning is. Albeit, the game is at home for Houston, in a game where we'll see stellar defenses and productive offenses, in a game like this, pick the team with the better quarterback. What's that you say? Houston already beat Denver? That was the 2-3 Denver you beat. This team will be on an absolute roll and Peyton Manning will pull an all too familiar 4th quarter comeback to seal the deal and send the Broncos to the Superbowl..
Winner: Denver 24-21
San Francisco @ Atlanta
While Seattle's defense may have presented a challenge for the Falcons, San Francisco is taking the next step above. The Falcons D would have already faced a similar attack: a mobile QB with a pounding run game. Let's make this simple. The 49ers is a tad better than Seattle on defense. And that's why they'll also be a tad better to take out Atlanta and head for the Superbowl.
Winner: San Francisco 21-17
Superbowl
San Francisco vs Denver
Ooo, what a matchup. A Broncos team that hasn't felt a loss in months versus a savage defense riding a playmaking QB and a devestating rush attack. The matchups will be all over the field. Can Manning work his game against such a vaunted defense? Can Knowshon Moreno even pick up yards? Can Kaepernick avoid the rush and make plays like he's been doing? Can he get involved in the rush game along with Frank Gore and emergent rookie LaMichael James? Who will make the clutch plays? Who has the special teams edge?
Well. Homer pick here. Gut pick too. In an era where elite QBs have won Superbowls since some scrub named Trent Dilfer, the 49ers and sophomore Colin Kaepernick finish off the Broncos after holding off Manning's last ditch effort in the waning minute of the game.
vikejk17 They may very well. They're living and dying by the legs of Adrian Peterson. You don't see NFL teams do that. However, the games against the Packers and Texans are left, and no way Christian Ponder can do enough to win. They'll be great in the future though.
GO NINERS
LETS GO
also tag all the others for a great discussion period ev32, brendonbyrne, broncman789, khart92, axkxaxbatman, steel, sirbeastly, chlltownofcourse, survivor8, caliboy, @avatar3939, @Spinner554, @Bradyman7, @Dalagninja, @Gaiaphage, @torimarie, @sprtsgy1989, @pacers, @dcsooner, @BassAbsol, @the_domany, @aquamarine, @steve_ro, @chad814 @sjsoccer88, @ea31, @mikeroro
mikeroro well thanks for the reasons lol. its always hard to beat teams in rematches during the playoffs, and given a change of scenery, ill take denver.
vikejk17 don't give up just yet, dude. the vikings are playing two teams who are already going to the playoffs. they may not play at full strength, giving the vikings a pretty decent shot.
brendonbyrne Different week, different team. Different setting, different play. Different circumstances, different result. It'll be a classic, but you gotta agree the Broncos aren't that same team that fell so far behind NE all the way back in the first few weeks.
brendonbyrne Different week, different team. Different setting, different play. Different circumstances, different result. It'll be a classic, but you gotta agree the Broncos aren't that same team that fell so far behind NE all the way back in the first few weeks.
Sent by ClutchQB,Dec 17, 2012
You make a lot of really good points here, Clutch. They're both better teams than when they played earlier, and since it is the playoffs, we all know anything can happen.
BrendonByrne I can't see how you can say one team is better than another when it comes to the playoffs. Doesn't matter who has the better record, and so what if the Patriots are the better team? You can look at the turnover stats all you want, but they don't mean a thing, man.
And addressing your picks... Really good. No such thing as a bad prediction of course.
I believe the two teams you chose are playing the best in their respective conference right now. Kinda hope the Niners get knocked down a peg this week against Seattle, but we'll see. I have those two meeting in the playoffs too!
My predictions before SF beat NE included Seattle taking the division, but I've rethought that after seeing the game against New England. Still think Seattle wins this week though.
Chad814
Yeah. I won't be surprised to see San Francisco lose this weekend, much less get blown out. It's just hard to beat two great teams in back to back weeks, the Patriots couldn't pull it off, maybe the 9'ers can, maybe not. Given the game is in Seattle, I think the 49ers are in trouble.
dalagninja
The NFC race is wild, I used one of the ESPN predictors to chart things out and get my lineup. The Bears just missed out. I feel bad for them, especially with these late season slides 2 years in a row.
avatar3939
While Robert Griffin may have the ridiculous 4.3 speed and cannon for an arm, Wilson has still been just as productive and is very underrated. I took the Seahawks over the Redskins because of the lockdown secondary of Seattle. It seems the Redskins have been the trendy pick, but Seattle can easily go toe-to-toe with them.
avatar3939
I never said that Ray Lewis was the problem either, it was both his absence and Joe Flacco sucking. It's just belief on whether or not you think Flacco will get his shit ready come playoff time, and while he won't play out of this world, he'll do enough to win. I don't think the Colts 'hang in the 4th' style with everybody they play will help very much
