Playoff Predictions Week 3

Last week I split the games evenly, 2 correct and 2 incorrect.   So I was 50%  for my picks.  (However, all four of the teams I wanted to win, lost.)   My playoff record is now 5-3.   This week we are down to two games:

Baltimore vs. New England –   Tom Brady is on a mission, the question is this:  can the Ravens defense slow him down enough to give their fledgling offense a chance.  My feeling is no.   Baltimore’s D is good enough to make this one respectable, but not good enough to win.   Patriots 31 – Baltimore 23

New York vs. San Francisco –  The NFC championship no one saw coming at the beginning, middle or really even end of the season.   These two teams are red hot and confident.   This has all the makings of an epic game.  I think it will be a close, back and forth and come down to the 4th quarter.  It’s hard to win on the road in the playoffs, but if anyone knows how, it is Tom Coughlin and the NY Giants.   Expecting a great game.  Giants 27 – 49’ers 26

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Playoffs Week 2

Last week I picked three out of the four game correctly.   I really thought Atlanta was ready to make a statement – which they did, just not the statement I expected.   This should be another great football weekend.  Here’s what I see happening:

Saints vs. 49’ers  –  This should be a great game.   The 49’ers could be the one team with a defense good enough to stop the high octane Saints offense.   They won’t stop them completely, and can their offense score enough to win?   My answer is no, but oh so close.  Saints are not as good on the road, but good enough Saturday.    Saints 24 – 49’ers 23

Broncos vs.  Patriots – this game will be hyped up!  Lot’s of media attention, and the focus of course will be on the QB’s – the rematch between Tebow and Brady.   This should be a great game that I think will be close all the way through.   The Pats defense is not good enough to slow a motivated Tebow.   On the other side of the coin, no defense is good enough to slow Brady and his stud tight-ends.   The Broncos have to play mistake free football to win this one.   If they do –  the sports media outlets will go crazy!   My heart is with the Broncos, I love the underdog, but my head is leaning towards the Pats.     New England  31 – Denver 27

Texans vs. Ravens –  This could be a very good game.  I wish Houston had Shaub  playing.  His experience against such a good D would be helpful.   Expect the run game to be in effect for both teams.   I think Baltimore playing at home with their defense will pull this one out.   Again my head and heart differ:   Baltimore 20 – Texans 16

NY Giants vs. Green Bay –  This game will bring back some memories from ’08 when the Giants stunned the Packers at home and knocked them out of the playoffs on their way to unseating New England’s bid for a perfect season.  Fresh on their minds will be the Packs narrow win over the Giants earlier in the year.  The Giants are a resilient team that is playing very well right now despite a mediocre season.  They have shown the ability to play on the road and well at Lambeau.   Should be a fantastic game.  Plenty of offense.   Earlier in the year no one thought GB could loose, now it would hardly be a shock for the Giants to win.  That being said, for this game my heart and head unite on the arm of Aaron Rogers:   Green Bay 30 – Giants 27

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Playoff Predictions – Week One

I will attempt to pick the playoff games each week!   Here we go:

Bengals vs.  Texans –   Intriguing match, rookie QB’s.   Close game,  Arian Foster carries Texans in a squeaker:   Texans 20 – Bengals 17

Detroit vs. New Orleans –  Lions regret not beating Green Bay and getting the easier game in NY.   Offensive show is impressive on both sides.  Drew Brees is an unstoppable force at home.    Saints 42 – Lions 38

Atlanta vs Giants –  Another close game,  “Matty Ice” comes through in the clutch by throwing a late TD pass to the ageless Tony Gonzales.   Falcons 27 – Giants 24

Pittsburgh vs. Denver –  For those who were appalled by the lack of defense a night earlier in New Orleans this game is for you.  Denver = no passing game, Pittsburgh = no running game.   Pittsburgh has the better D.   Big Ben tries to highjack  Tebow time and throws a 4th quarter TD pass to Mike Wallace to put the Steelers ahead 17-16…  but Tebow does just enough to set up a Matt Prater  from 54 yards.   Broncos 19 – Steelers 17

What do you think will happen?   Enjoy the games!

 

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Playoffs?! You Want to Talk About Playoffs?

I am a passionate Philadelphia Eagles fan.  This has been a tough season so far.   While I’ve known that they have yet to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs I have held little hope of them actually making it.   The odds just seemed too great.  Now there are two games left in the season, and the chance exists for the Eagles to get in.  Here is what needs to happen:

Eagles must defeat the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas and the Redskins at home.    The Giants must loose to the Jets and then beat the Cowboys.   (Obviously  that implies that the Cowboys loose to both the Eagles and Giants).

A lot has to happen, but all of these scenarios are very possible.   Basically in all rests on 4 outcomes – The Eagles winning their games, the Jets beating the Giants,  and the Giants beating the Cowboys.

It’s Christmastime and we can all have a wish!   I think you can guess my wish!

If the Eagles do pull it off they will need big doses of #25!

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Playoffs!

The new season begins today in baseball – the playoffs.   I am hoping my Phils can make a nice run yet again and win it all.  They start with the Reds this afternoon.   Should be a great game.  My prediction for the series:  Phils in 4.

Roy Halladay

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Post-season Baseball Rolls On…

My Phillies continue their run back to the World Series tonight with a NLCS rematch against the Dodgers.  The Phil took the Rockies in 4 (as I predicted) and they will take this series as well against a very good and talented Dodger squad.   Cole Hamels will start them with a win, the Dodger will take game 2 and the Phils will win in 6.  Should be a great series!   GO PHILS!!!!

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Playoffs!? You want to talk about playoffs!?

In sports my first love is football – without out doubt.   However I grew up as diehard baseball fan and Philadelphia Phillies fan.  Nice to see them win the division and I’m looking forward to watching my Phils in the playoffs.  Playoff baseball is actually worth watching.   October really is a blessed month – plenty of great football, playoff baseball, cooler weather, great fishing… it’s a great month!  I’m hoping the Phils can make another run to the World Series.   We’ll see… the relief pitching has been an heartburn levels all year.   Can’t afford that in the playoffs!  Predictions coming when the match-ups are set.  For now just enjoying the division win!

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Believe in Green!!!

The Eagles are moving on after a nice win yesterday in the Meadowlands.   They went in a beat a tough Giants team at home.   It was a great win that was truly keyed by the defense and supported by an offense that wasn’t great but did come up with some key plays when they needed them.   

In my last post I said that third down would be the key to the game and it was (along with the 2 huge 4th down stops in the 4th quarter).  The Eagles were not spectacular but they were a solid 7-14 while the Giants were only 3-13.  That was key! I also said that opportunities had to be capitalized on.  The Eagles did that early on with Asante Samuel’s interception that set up the early TD.  The Giants did not – missing 2 field goals and failing to convert twice on 4th down in the 4th quarter.    

The defense was great the offense did what it had to, the special teams were solid after a game opening blunder on the kick-off return.  Now it is time to focus on what will be a tough NFC championship game next Sunday.   

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Eagles vs. Giants – Round Three!

Well the Eagles are in a position that I could have never anticipated a couple of months ago.  They have really come together and are playing some really good football.  A tough test awaits them this week as they travel up to the Meadowlands to take on the rival Giants.  The Giants have become the Eagles most significant rival of late.  While the Cowboys are hated the Giants are somewhat respected – they are good team.  This is going to be a tough game.  I expect a world class battle.  Both teams will come into the game with a high level of passion and desire.   It is going to be a grind it out, gut-check sort of game.    The winner of this game will do 3 things better than the other.

1.  Defensively – get off the field on third down.  The winning defense will come up with some big stops on third downs. 

2. Offensively – covert third downs.  When the Giants beat the Eagles this year they were  7 -15 on third down while the Eagles were a measly 3 -11.  In week 14 when the played again the Eagles went 12-18 on third down while the Giants went 3 – 11 on third down.  The Eagles won the game 20-14 in a game that wasn’t that close.  So the offense that converts the most third downs is going to put their team in good position. 

3. Capitalize on opportunities – this means scoring TD’s in the red-zone and taking any turnovers and capitalizing on those opportunities to grab points and seize the crucial factor of momentum.   

I think the Eagles will be the team to do this and I think they pull out a win (albeit a stressful one for their fans) with a solid game from the defense leading the way.  The Eagles defense hasn’t allowed a team to score 20 points since November.   If they do that they will win. 

Final Score Prediction –  Eagles 20 – Giants 17 

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Moving On

Well the Eagles snuck in the playoffs and they pulled out a nice win yesterday over the Vikings.  They didn’t play a great game but they came up with some key plays when they needed to and the defense really stepped up in the second half.   McNabb played well overall but the big props go to Asante Samuel for his pick-6 and B-West for his game sealing 71 yard TD catch.  Huge game this week at the Giants – they can win, they did it a month ago but they will have to bring their A game to have a chance!   

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