NFL Predictions, The Home Stretch


We have just four weeks left in the regular season, and the playoffs are starting to take shape. It's time to revisit my pre-season predictions and make my revised predictions for the final four weeks of the season. Let's see if I can nail all 12 playoff teams this time.

Pre-Season Predictions:
NFC Playoffs:
1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Dallas Cowboys
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. Minnesota Vikings

Wild Card Round: Seahawks over Cowboys; Panthers over Vikings
Divisional Round: Cardinals over Seahawks; Packers over Panthers
NFC Championship: Packers over Cardinals

AFC Playoffs:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. New England Patriots
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Denver Broncos

Wild Card Round: Patriots over Broncos; Bengals over Colts
Divisional Round: Patriots over Chiefs; Steelers over Bengals
AFC Championship: Steelers over Patriots

Super Bowl LI: Steelers over Packers

Where it went wrong: That Super Bowl prediction is never going to happen. I think we all realize it. But that's hardly the biggest faux paux here. First off, the Cardinals' season went in the toilet. Rather than being the No. 1 seed in the NFC, they won't even make the playoff field. The Green Bay Packers are also not likely to make the playoffs. IN the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals have come off the rails. But I still think many of those teams will make the final playoff field. I also under estimated the Raiders and Lions.

Final Predictions:
NFC Playoffs:
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Detroit Lions
5. New York Giants
6. Washington Redskins

Wild Card Round: Lions Over Giants; Falcons Over Redskins
Divisional Round: Cowboys Over Lions; Seahawks Over Falcons
NFC Championship: Seahawks Over Cowboys

About: I think three come out of the NFC East. The Packers and Vikings are looming, as are the Buccaneers. But I think the Bucs have a tough schedule to end the season, and they just miss along with the Vikings and Packers. That week 17 match up between the Packers and Lions in Detroit will tell us a lot about the playoffs. In the playoffs, I like this Dallas team, but I think they fall just short to the more experienced Seahawks.

AFC Playoffs:
1. New England Patriots
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Oakland Raiders
6. Denver Broncos

Wild Card Round: Steelers Over Broncos; Raiders Over Colts
Divisional Round: Patriots Over Raiders; Steelers Over Chiefs
AFC Championship: Steelers Over Patriots

Super Bowl: Steelers Over Seahawks

About: So, I'm not abandoning my Super Bowl pick entirely. I still like the Steelers' offense, and their defense is rounding into shape. That makes them a super dangerous team, barring injury. The Colts get the automatic bid from the AFC South. The Texans are fading, and the Titans have too tough a closing schedule. I think the Colts make it to 8-8, maybe 9-7, and squeak in. But I think the Raiders take them out in the first round. That is quite a victory for Oakland to go from doormat of the AFC to second round of the playoffs this season. But I think they do it. You can't count out the Patriots, but I think the loss of Gronk makes them mortal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more