NFL Playoff Predictions

[WayAbvPar]

NE
Indy
Dallas
GB

In a perfect world it would be-
Jax
Indy
Giants
Seattle

Seattle has a chance in GB, but they aren't a very good road team. I am wondering if Hasselbeck is totally healthy, since he looked like shit for most of Saturday. If he gets it going (it would help if Deion Branch's vagina healed) and the defense contain the run and get some pressure on Mr. Favre, they can do it.

The only reason I want NY to beat Dallas is to give the Hawks a home game in the NFC championship if they manage to sneak by the Pack. It will likely cost me several hundred dollars if Dallas is one and done in the playoffs (FF league runs through the SB, and I am clinging to a tiny lead with Romo as my QB; other guy has Peyton).

[Paelos]

Jax
SD
NYG
Seattle

Why? Because I can possibly pull a glorious 0/8.

[naum]

NE
IND
DAL
GB

Yes, all the favorites, would like to pick JAC, but only in some alternate scoring system (say, where the W/L results were weighted against how many picked for/against — i.e., if 10 people predicted GB/SEA for instance, and 8 pick GB, 2 pick SEA, then 2 points would be awarded for correct GB pick (if GB won), but 8 points for SEA upset win (if SEA managed to upset). But then that's my peculiar fetish, to search for more equitable algorithmic prediction registry justifications…

[Hoax]

NE
Indy
NYG
GB

In a perfect world...

Jax
SD
Dal
GB

I have this terrible terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that Eli is going to play ok and more importantly the Giants disgusting front line is going to fuck Romo up badly.  I want to be wrong but I dropped a point last round (fuck you Giants) so I need to take one upset for a shot at the win.  I really want to take the Bolts but that defense really only comes alive when its playing with a lead and it can just hunt the QB, so barring that happening I just don't see it.  I know the Jags can't win, they just don't have the offense to put up 24 and nobody is going to hold the Pats to less then 17 this season.  But they MIGHT hurt Brady, or Moss, or both.  Also they might knock out 2-4 players on their defense running over them.

We've heard all year people say, the LB's are old if you run at them they will wear down.  I'm not exactly sold on that.  I would rather see somebody play physical with Moss and fuck with him, light him up with as cheap a shot as you can get if he comes across the middle.  Then if you can get him playing half-assed like he used to play just blitz LB/CB/Safety from his side and try to decapitate Brady.  That's the best plan I can come up with.  Oh, and fucking kill Kevin Faulk, god I hate that guy.

[sidereal]

Lot of chalk picks.  I feel obligated to pick an upset.  As I'm a Seattle homer, I should pick the Hawks, except I'm dead fucking certain that they're going to get creamed at Lambeau.  So I'll go . . (finger in the wind). . Gints.


Pats, Colts, Giants, Packers

[cmlancas]

Jax, NYG, GB, Ind

 

[tazelbain]

NE
Indy
Dal
Sea

[Daeven]

New England
Indianapolis
Dallas
Seattle

Re Seattle, I'm betting on Seattle's D ruining Favre's day. This becomes even more likely if Hasslebeck can recover from his hand injury.

I'm going to be rooting for Jacksonville, but it ain't going to happen.

In StupidUniverse, the Superbowl will be Indy v NYG, so we can listen to 3 hours of the announcers spooging all over the 'Manning Family Dynasty'. :P

[Trippy]

Since I'm behind most everybody else I'm going to have to go for some upset picks:

Jacksonville - cause Belichick is fucking cheater and there's no way the AP should've awarded Coach of the Year to him
Indianapolis
New York - gotta pick another upset somewhere
Green Bay

[cmlancas]

Trippy and I have the same picks again. Weird. 

[stray]

I don't see why/how anyone would pick the Giants to do jack shit against the Cowboys. They've had the rare opportunity to play them twice in the season already, and got beat down both times.

[cmlancas]

No TO. C'mon now, you think he's going to recover from a high ankle sprain in three weeks? That's borderline superhuman.

[trotski]

Jax -- Because, as Trippy pointed out,  the Pats wouldn't be shit w/o video tape. And, NE/BOS fans are the most worthless pieces of insufferable shit on Earth. They make Philly fans look like goddamn lovable donkeys.
IND
NY -- Only because I want a home NFC Championship game.
SEA -- If the D plays like they can, and Hasselbeck plays like he should, Hawks should win that game. I give the Pack their props, but Hawks O, when its on, is unstoppable.

" We want the ball, we're gonna score."

[stray]

I don't see why/how anyone would pick the Giants to do jack shit against the Cowboys. They've had the rare opportunity to play them twice in the season already, and got beat down both times.

Not to play down the threat he brings to the field, but as long as they figure out ways to get coverage off of Witten, I think they're fine. Sure, it won't happen all from one guy, like in TO's case, so more than likely it'll be Crayton and Glenn -- and they're not bad substitutes by any means. That team can still win against New York.

If it was Witten who was hurt, that'd be another thing.

[Ozzu]

No TO. C'mon now, you think he's going to recover from a high ankle sprain in three weeks? That's borderline superhuman.

He's going to play and he's going to play well. Wade Phillips was trying to cover that up to the media today, but some of the players said he was running routes and looked good doing it. Plus, Terry Glenn will be more up to speed. He probably won't start the game, but I could see him coming in on 3 WR formations.

The Cowboys will be ready. :)

[stray]

Hell, if his health status is being kept under wraps like that, that could really work in favor for Dallas.

[Ozzu]

Hell, if his health status is being kept under wraps like that, that could really work in favor for Dallas.

I think that was Wade's intention, but I don't think his teammates got the memo. 

If Glenn is even half the receiver he was last year, having him on the field with TO, in this offense, is going to be fun to watch.

[LanTheWarder]

I am obligate to pick at least one upset because I pretty much sucked the first week.

NE
Dallas
Seattle
Indy

[JWIV]

Not entirely playoff related, but Gibbs is resigning.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/08/AR2008010801636.html?hpid%3Dartslot&sub=AR

[shiznitz]

After reading that Romo was in Cabo with Jessica Simpson all weekend, I am tempted to change my pick to NY but I am going to sit tight for now.

[Rasix]

New England
San Diego
Green Bay
New York

I'm going with the teams that actually looked like winners going into the post season.  Not super confident on Chargers/Giants pulling it out, but more confident than Indy/Dallas not coming out flat.

[HaemishM]

What the fuck is with the Seattle love? Did any of you actually watch the Seahawks offense play against the Skins? They looked putrid through at least 2 of those quarters, with Hasselbeck not able to complete jack or shit.

[Rasix]

I think he'll be lucky if he walks out of that game upright. 

[Flood]

Caveat: Yes I am an insanely loyal Charger fan.

That being said I don't have any illusions about how they play sometimes (*cough* Rivers *cough*), the fact the the team is at this point relies almost entirely on LT, or that Norv isn't the strongest playoff coach but...

Still, I think they have a decent shot a beating Indy.  The last time they played was Cromartie's interception fest and Manning looked out of sorts, and the special teams scoring helped as well.

So yes, I'm looking at the game with the heart of a fan, but I don't think it's necessarily that lopsided.  I think the fact that it's a home game for Indy is the biggest hurdle as Rivers play like ass indoors. *cross fingers*



 

[Paelos]

What the fuck is with the Seattle love? Did any of you actually watch the Seahawks offense play against the Skins? They looked putrid through at least 2 of those quarters, with Hasselbeck not able to complete jack or shit.

Green Bay will lose their first game as I said in a previous post. Green Bay is totally reliant on the pass for 3/4 of their offense. Seattle is the same way. In a game where the weather is going to be in the mid-20s, no passing attack is going to be very effective for very long. The game will come down to which runningback and O-line will play the best, and who has the best special teams unit. I think Seattle will win the field position war and win a very low scoring game.

[Trippy]

Green Bay is totally reliant on the pass for 3/4 of their offense.

Right -- that's how Ryan Grant became the leading rusher in the NFL in the second half of the season.

[Paelos]

Green Bay is totally reliant on the pass for 3/4 of their offense.

Right -- that's how Ryan Grant became the leading rusher in the NFL in the second half of the season.

I realize that, but his gains are completely established by the pass, not the other way around. He's an impressive talent, but we're talking about a guy putting up 800 yards in the second half, and a team that had 2400+ in the air. If you take away that passing game, they won't be able to run like that at all.

[HaemishM]

Why would you think that Seattle would be able to pass any better than Green Bay? In a Favre vs. Hasselback matchup, I'd take Favre in cold weather any day of the week. As for running games, Shaun Alexander and Matt Morris will not equal Ryan Grant, who pleasantly surprised me late in the season. As bad as Green Bay's running game was the first half, that's been Seattle's running game the whole damn year, including at home against Washington. I've no idea what makes you think they'll be able to run against Green Bay any better. Green Bay has a better front 7 than Washington, and their corners are on par or better than the Skins as well. Not to mention the fact that Green Bay's passing game relies on high percentage throws like slants and such, which are still high percentage in the cold weather. Passing won't be the huge problem you think it will be, at least not for Green Bay.

Oh and the Pack's receivers are better too. Engram/Hackett/Burleson < Driver/Jennings/Jones.

[sidereal]

I disagree that the Pack receivers are better.  I heart Jennings, but I'd take our (Seattle) 3 over their 3.  Especially now that Branch is back.  And definitely our 4 over their 4 (Burleson > Robinson).  But it doesn't matter, because Favre is better than Hasselbeck, and even that doesn't matter because it's going to be a ground game, and the Seattle running game is a joke.  Holmgren completely abandoned it the second half of the season, because Alexander imploded and is now slightly worse than career backup Mo Morris.  On the plus side, our LB crew is pretty good and if Tatupu and Peterson can knock Grant around enough and get to Favre, we might win a turnover battle.  But I'm not betting on it.

[trotski]

Matt Morris

LOL

I agree that I think GB is going to win at home, Hawks can't win a ground war. But there is no way in hell the Packers front 7 are better than Seattle's. If you look at the stats, they are virtually identical in every category, except sacks, where Sea had a sizeable advantage.  They each gave up identical PPG. This game is going to be closer than you think. If Matt plays well, and Favre throws a few picks, Sea wins this game.

[WayAbvPar]

If I had to give % chance, I would say somewhere like 55%-45% in favor of GB, mostly because they are at home. Everyone outside of the PNW consistently underestimates Seattle. Hopefully they can surprise everyone again.

If they could somehow make it to the SB and beat the Patriots (spoiling the perfect season, and hopefully driving Brady into Belichick on the sidelines causing both of their gruesome deaths), I could die a happy man.

[Paelos]

Why would you think that Seattle would be able to pass any better than Green Bay?

I don't. I don't think either team will bother with it, and I think the special teams of Seattle is better than GB. That's where the game will be decided in my view; a battle of field position and cold weather kicking.

[cmlancas]

Playoff Predictions: NE won't make the Super Bowl.

Sorry.

[Wershlak]

I almost forgot about these predictions. Like others, I feel obligated to pick upsets to get back in it but I really feel that all the home teams should win. I wouldn't be too shocked if one of the NFC home teams lost but which one? Ahh well...

NE
Indy
GB
NY

Dallas is the team I dislike the most so I'll pick them to lose.

[WayAbvPar]

GO HAWKS!!