NFL Playoff Predictions: Wild Card Round

The Giants aren’t in the playoffs, and since I don’t have any personal stake in the upcoming events of the NFL season, I’ll give my predictions on the outcome of what’s left…

New York Jets vs Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5)

The Jets are riding a crazy kind of momentum that they picked up playing the b-sides of good teams. Another New York team picked up a similar kind of momentum earlier in the season (5-0?), and we all know how that turned out. On the flip side, the Bengals have been an emotional wreck since the loss of fellow player Chris Henry. Ochocinco injured himself in the final game of the season against these same Jets, and that may be the deciding factor overall. Both defenses are a wash, and it will come down to an offense run by a rookie, and an offense bogged down with terrible feelings. Earlier in the season I posted on my twitter that I thought the Bengals could be on their way to the Super Bowl, but after the aforementioned death, I can’t see this team pulling it off.

Prediction: Jets (+2.5) over Bengals

Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys (-4)

The Dallas Cowboys just obliterated the Eagles in Dallas on Sunday. The Cowboys also beat them in Philly earlier in the season. These same Cowboys beat an NFC East rival twice once upon a time, only to lose to that team in the third, and most meaningful meeting. They played that game close, but in the end, Wade Phillips and Tony Romo’s Cowboys just couldn’t pull it off. The Eagles, their coach, and their QB, are semi-annual contestants in NFC Championship games, and they’ve not lost a wild card match up (3-0) in this era. The Eagles offense is more explosive from what I’ve seen, and I think that’s what’s going to determine the outcome. Again both defenses are pretty even. Tony Romo has never won a playoff game, and I doubt he starts here.

Prediction: Eagles (+4) over Cowboys

Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots (-3.5)

Wes Welker is injured, and will not be a factor in the outcome of any game the Patriots play for a while. Despite that fact, the Patriots will prevail. Edleman has an advantage filling in for Welker with his past as a QB, as I believe knowing how to read defenses is the most important role for a WR. This game seems like the biggest no-brainer, as the Ravens do not belong in the playoffs this season, and will be ushered out quite rapidly. Tom Brady will be enough for the Patriots to come out big here, as the Ravens defense hasn’t beaten a playoff team since week 2 (1-6 this season against PO teams), and this isn’t the week they do. Flacco vs Brady doesn’t seem fair, and the defenses are even yet again.

Prediction: Patriots (-3.5) over Ravens

Green Bay Packers vs Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

This is the game with the least balance in the defense department. The Packers have a world class defense, and the Cardinals will have to counter with world class offense. Boldin is another of the week 17 WR injuries, and I imagine that will play out negatively for the Red Birds. The Packers may be my sleeper pick for a Super Bowl run, if I could only trust their running game, which I don’t. I think Aaron Rodgers will be able to out throw Kurt Warner here, but I don’t know if that kind of philosophy is going to be able to carry the Packers passed better defenses in future rounds.

Prediction: Packers (+2.5) over Cardinals

The New York Football Giants clinch the NFC East

The Cowboys did their best to out-suck the Giants today, and found themselves turning over the game with less than two minutes left in the game. Tony Romo turned the ball over more times than a Cowboys fan cares to count, and the Steelers took advantage of 17 fourth quarter points to defeat Jerry Jones’ team. All this means is….

THE NEW YORK GIANTS ARE THE NFC EAST CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been a long season, and a long day, but when it’s all said and done, the Giants achieved their regular season goal with three games to spare. Despite constant injuries to key players (Plax, Jacobs, Osi, even E Truth), the Giants have exceeded even their own expectations in this rapidly declining season. Next week Big Blue takes on the Cowboys for the second time this season, and if Romo handles the ball similarly you can count on bolded record with an extra win added to it. Here’s the current one…

11-2

After Shock

That’s right, I’m Still in shock after seeing the Rangers blow that third period lead the other night. I can’t believe what my eyes witnessed, as Stephen Valiquette and the rest of the team just folded it up for the evening with less than ten minutes left on the clock. That is not what I’ve come to expect from this team (especially not Vally) after the past couple seasons. Hopefully they bounce back against the Isles tomorrow… On to some news.

Giants stomp out Cowboys 35-14: This whole game pleased the Giants fan in me. It was nice seeing the defense dominate. It was nice seeing the offense dominate. It was nice seeing Tony Romo on the sidelines, and T.O. throwing hissy fits every other play. I can’t get enough of the Cowboys downfall, which any clear thinking person would have seen coming. If Justin Tuck is blocking, GTFO of his way (Brad Johnson). It’s one thing for someone to claim the Giants only won because Romo was out, but last time I checked Romo doesn’t play defense, and still couldn’t stop Eli, Jacobs, and the rest of the Big Blue offense. Giants: 7-1

Knicks drop to 1-2 against Bucks: Michael Redd was injured, and left the game. Nothing else stands out as notable here…

Iverson to the Pistons, Billups back to Nuggets: Dyess and some kid I never heard of are also on their way to Detroit. Something tells me neither of these teams are going to win a championship anytime soon, but I think the Nuggs get the best end of the deal. A.I. needs a lot of shots, and so does Rip Hamilton, so I don’t see this going well. On the Denver side of the trade I see Chauncey fitting in well with Melo, and them getting back to the playoffs.

Halloween eve treats

New York Rangers trade Huge Specimen to Preds: Any trade that ends in “for future considerations,” isn’t a trade worth getting bothered about. Hugh was about as useless to this team as a basketball, and no one is going to miss him in New York/Hartford.

Tex’s agent to ask for 200+ Mil, Yankees may not be interested: Not interested Cash and the Yankees? Well then GET interested. Dude is a monster, we need a 1b, and this is the New York Yankees we’re talking about, money is of no consequence. Brian Cashman is a knucklehead, but if he passes on Tex this off-season, I will be calling him a lot worse things.

New York Rangers looking to lock up Dubinsky: It’s sad when Glen Sather is making the “smart moves,” and the Yankees are twiddling their thumbs in mediocrity. Funny what a difference a few years can make.

Steve Smith tells it like it is: Any team should be excited about playing these Dallas Cowboys. Their start QB is hurt, the WR corps is confused, TE has broken ribs, defense is suffering from Pac-Man Fever, and their coach is about to be canned. What better team could there be to play against? Tampa Bay?

Shanny giving up on the Rangers: Funny, since the Rangers gave up on him after last year’s playoffs. It was fun (sort of) while it lasted.

Knicks beat Heat in season opener: Finally something to look forward to in the NBA.

Come Plurk with me!

What a Weak(Week)

Giants and Rangers undefeated streaks end: Both teams managed to do pretty much everything the opposite of how they had been doing things. The offensive line allowed Eli to be bruised (chest) and battered. The defense couldn’t get a third down stop. Everything was just off. Today the Rangers became (5-1) after losing to the Buffalo Sabres by two goals. Through two periods the Rangers had only fired nine shots on the net. Once the Sabres got their two goal lead they held the blue line, and the Rangers basically ignored this, skating straight into their defenders. Hopefully they can make some adjustments, and come back as strong as their five game winning streak suggests they should… Petr Prucha still can’t find the back of the net.

“PHILADELPHIA IS PARTYING TONIGHT!”: The immortal words of Philadelphia’s finest detective, private, or otherwise. The Phillies are in THE SERIES!

For the love of God ESPN, stop talking about the Cowboys…

You too NFL Network

Bye week boredom

The Giants are 3-0 and atop the NFC  today, but there is a lot of football left. Since I missed my chance to make preseason predictions, I’m going to give you my picks for the rest of the way.

WEEK 5 vs Seattle Seahawks(1-2): Seattle hasn’t even come close to putting up an impressive showing this season. They’re a team that plays better with a lead because they like to run, and they’re a team that hasn’t had a lot of chances to do that. Hasselback is under 50% passing accuracy, and has thrown more INTs than TDs (3:2). If the Giants offense gets started early this could easily become a blow out.

Prediction: Giants 35, Seattle 17

WEEK 6 vs Cleveland Browns(1-3):  Tough to make a call on a game where the team you’re trying to size up doesn’t even know who their QB is going to be. Apparently they’re better than the Bengals (who the G-Men scraped past), but I don’t know that a 20-12 win is all that telling against a team with hardly any defense, especially when seventeen of those points came in the last quarter of the game.

Prediction: Giants 28, Browns 13

WEEK 7 vs San Francisco 49ers(2-2): They’re .500, but they’re also a part of the the weakest division in all of football. O’Sullivan is surely a step up behind center compared to SUPERBUST Alex Smith, but I’m not sure he’s good enough to keep the Giants from stacking the box for Frank Gore.

Prediction: Giants 24, 49ers 6

WEEK 8 vs Pittsburgh Steelers(2-1): Here is a game that is going to truly test the Giants. If they really walk through the next three games, which I clearly believe, they’re going to have to step their game up to do the same in Pit. They just came off a low scoring loss to Giants division rivals, The Eagles, but I have a feeling they’re going to be 4-2 coming into this game (though Fast Willie being out could easily change that). I see the Giants squeaking by in this one.

Prediction: Giants 21, Steelers 17

WEEK 9 vs Dallas Cowboys(3-1): The way the Redskins beat the Cowboys last night showed a lot of weaknesses in the supposed high powered offense of Dallas. T.O. Is unhappy all of a sudden, Marion Barber is getting the number of carries his back up should be getting, his back up got zero carries, and Jason Witten is really the only All-Pro player on their offense. Despite all that, they still have a really solid defense that has been overlooked due to their offense getting mass hype. Like most divisional games I expect this to be a close one, but I hope the Giants can make a real statement here.

Prediction: Giants 28, Cowboys 24

WEEK 10 vs Philadelphia Eagles(2-2): As I look over the Giants schedule I see that my blind faith and homerism won’t allow me to pick against the G-men too often, but this is a game that has me worried. The Eagles D loves giving Eli a hard time, and Donovan F. Mcnabb is going to get his first Strahan-less (not counting injuries) Giants game of his career. If Westbrook is in the lineup look for him to have a big day because he always seems to, and this could be the Giants first loss of the season. I hope I’m wrong about this, but the losses have to come from somewhere (right Patriots?).

Prediction: Giants 17, Eagles 28

WEEK 11 vs Baltimore Ravens(2-0): As of this writing they’re undefeated, but I have a feeling the Steelers are going to put an end to that before the night is out. Meanwhile I’m also picking them to lose here. I see a defensive struggle, multiple turnovers, Justin Tuck smiling, and Fred Robbins playing unsung hero as usual. Perhaps a special teams play, or defensive touchdown will decide this one, but I have a feeling it’ll all come down to a vintage Eli fourth quarter drive.

Prediction: Giants 21, Ravens 14

WEEK 12 vs Arizona Cardinals(2-2): Atop the NFL’s weakest division they stand (tied with the 9ers), and there they will not remain. Kurt Warner is on his fifteenth farewell tour, and this team just gave up (1)56 points to the Jets. Things are not looking great. Their schedule dictates a lot more beatings in the wings, and the Giants are one of those teams that’ll be giving them one.

Prediction: Giants 122, Cards 35

WEEK 13 vs Washington Redskins(3-1): To start our most difficult stretch with a loss would be a bad thing, but that’s what I see happening in this game. The Redskins have a way of throwing their best game at the G-men late in the season, and that’s not changing this season. The G-men will be in a strong position at this point, but the road warriors will seemingly get overwhelmed in D.C.

Prediction: Giants 17, Redskins 35

WEEK 14 vs Philadelphia Eagles(2-2): Revenge is a dish best serve cold, and on December 7th at Giants stadium, Andy Reid will understand that better than ever (that is, of course, assuming all these crazy predictions hold true). Can’t really forsee injuries or anything, but I have a feeling Mcnabb won’t be at 100% for this game, and that will come in handy as it always does when he isn’t.

Prediction: Giants 28, Eagles 14

WEEK 15 vs Dallas Cowboys(3-1): Probably enduring somekind of QB/WR controversy at the time, and they’re head coach being on the chopping block as well, the Cowboys will have too many in house problems to focus on the G-men. Romo, assuming he’s still the QB, will try gunning it out with Eli to no avail.

Prediction: Giants 38, Cowboys 24

WEEK 16 vs Carolina Panthers(3-1): John Fox is used to the cold (being a former G-men D coordinator), but I’m not so sure about his team. Hopefully the Giants pull this out, and against a team with a running game they should be able to handle, I can’t see them losing this one. I wanted to pick Carolina, but I just don’t think their team stacks up well against the Champs.

Prediction: Giants 21, Panthers 10

WEEK 17 vs Minnesota Vikings(1-3): Eli dominates in domes, and revenge games (that’s right, we didn’t forget last season)… Giants over Purple people eaters.

Prediction: Giants 42, Vikings 21

I’m not going to claim to be unbiased, or even all that serious, but that’s what I feel when I look at all these upcoming games.