What a crap-duster last weekend’s games were! With the exception of the Seattle-Washington game, the wildcard games were rendered unwatchable within the first few minutes of their respective 1st quarters. And don’t get me started on the Vikings-Packers and Bengals-Texans games.
Ewww.
Hopefully the divisional round will provide us with better games than the wildcard round. Thankfully all of the games except for Seahawks-Falcons are rematches from the regular season. We’ll see.
On that note…
AFC
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos.
Houston Texans at New England Patriots.
Both of those games were ass-whuppings, and I expect the same to happen again. Both road teams did not look so hot last week against lesser competition, and given that both home teams are light years better than their opponents those games will get ugly in a hurry.
The Ravens lost 34-17 to the Broncos AT HOME during the regular season, and the game was more lopsided than the score itself. Yeah I know the Ravens are playing for Ray Lewis in his last playoff run, but Baltimore is just not as good as Denver. And given Joe Flacco will be playing QB on the road against a top-notch Denver D, the ass-whupping should begin early.
It’s been real Ray. Broncos 30, Ravens 14.
Meanwhile the game in Foxboro is going to be uglier than the former. Nothing’s changed with Houston from the first game, which means this game is going to be a good ‘ol fashioned prison beating on the field – just like the last matchup on the late-season Monday night contest.
The sadist in me is looking forward to witnessing the carnage. Patriots 30, Texans 10.
NFC
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers.
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons.
These games should be a lot better than the AFC matchups. My eye will be especially fixed on the Packers-49ers game.
I know the previous meeting during Week 1 was a Niners ass-whupping at Lambeau Field. I think Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense will look to make amends, while the Packers’ D will look to give young QB Colin Kaepernick a rude welcome to the NFL playoffs. But I love the Niners’ D, especially at home. They will bring it for sure, and it will be a long day for Rodgers and Co. on offense.
The key to this game is Kaepernick. If the young brother is not fazed, then the Niners should win. It will be close, but I’ll give San Fran the benefit of the doubt because it will be playing at home. 49ers 20, Packers 16.
The Seattle-Atlanta game is the ultimate undercard to the Green Bay-San Fran game. I think it will be good as well – a classic game between a great D (Seattle) and an unstoppable offense (Atlanta). I would be more tempted to give Seattle the edge, but it will be without its’ best pass rusher Chris Clemons, who tore up his knee against the Redskins.
The Falcons have to show me something. They have had good seasons the last two seasons, and had laid big-ass eggs in their first playoff games. I think this is the time that the ATL will get over the hump, though it won’t be easy. Russell Wilson will find a way to give the Falcons’ D hell, but it won’t be enough. Falcons 23, Seahawks 17.
Last week: 3-1 (not too bad if I don’t say so myself…)
Categories: NFL
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