NFL Playoffs 2017 - Conference Championships

NFL Playoffs 2017 - Conference Championships

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons

This is the hardest game I've had to pick this season.  By all logical reasoning, the Falcons should win this game.  It just feels like the Packers year...

Packers 35 - 31

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots

Patriots are 50 - 1 at home since 2007.  That's the only stat you need.

Patriots 26 - 17

NFL Playoffs 2017 - Divisional Round

Current Postseason Record: 4 - 0

I'll admit, last weeks games were much easier to pick than this weeks will be.  Luckily, this usually means that we're in for some better games than we had last week.  The Packers-Cowboys game is sure to set all kinds of viewer records and to be honest, I don't think it's the best game this week.  Onward:

Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons

Actually an underrated game this week.  This is a rare opportunity when we see strength vs strength with Atlanta's explosive offense vs the Seahawks feared defense.  Usually when this happens, the team with the defensive advantage comes away with the win, but this time, I think the loss of Earl Thomas combined with a Atlanta Defense that's been playing better will spell doom for the Seahawks.

Falcons 24 - 20

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots

The only real question here is will the Patriots win by 16 like their Vegas spread suggests.  I predict they cover the spread easily.

Patriots 31 - 13

Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys

I've been back and forth with this game all week.  The biggest problem with a team having a bye during wild card week is that we forget how good they really were to earn that bye.  Especially when the team playing them had a showing like the Packers did last week.  Honestly, we know what Aaron Rodgers is at this point and we know what the Cowboys will try to do on offense, so this game comes down to how the rookies of Dallas perform.  If they can stick to their plan and control the clock, they should have a great shot to beat Green Bay.  The problem with this is as Mike Tyson used to say: "Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth".

Packers 28 - 24

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs

While I'm sure the Packers-Cowboys matchup will be great to watch, in my opinion, THIS is the game of the weekend.  Andy Reid is an absurd 19 - 3 coming off of bye weeks and he likely knew that he'd be facing the Steelers all along.  The Steelers, on the other hand, are one of footballs hottest teams coming off a demolishing of a 10-6 Dolphins team.  Can the Chiefs do enough to stop Bell and Brown?  I'm actually asking.  I have no idea.....

Steelers 23 - 20

NFL Playoffs 2017 - Wild Card Round

Blah Blah Blah Intro Intro Intro....

On to the picks:

Oakland Raiders @ Houston Texans

What a snoozer.  One team benched it's $72 million dollar quarterback and the other one is starting a rookie quarterback who's never started an NFL game in his career.  The Vegas over/under for points scored in this game is a whopping 37 combined.  If you're not familiar with Vegas lines, that's one of the lowest for a playoff game we've seen this decade.  And you can bet that's not because both teams are going to have a historic "Defensive Battle".  Houston's defensive front in my eyes is enough to stop the Raiders running game and I think they know if they can do that, the Raiders are toast.  I think they do exactly that.

Texans 20 - 13

Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks

When watching Sunday's Packers Lions game, I spent a good amount of time contemplating if it was better to win or lose that game.  Seattle is never an easy place to play, but I wouldn't want to be going up against the Giants right now with their defense playing so well and Eli Manning at the helm.  The Seahawks offense has been stagnant again and while there's plenty of blame to go around, much of it falls on their patchwork offensive line.  Their highest paid offensive linemen is making less than $1 million this year in base salary.  That's not a position that you can afford to under pay even with an elusive quarterback like Wilson.  As bad as the Seahawks woes are, the Lions still have it worse.  In fact, their the only team in the NFC playoffs this season who I do not believe may have a legitimate shot to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.  In Stafford's last 4 weeks he's thrown 5 interceptions (which really should have been 6), compared to 3 touchdowns (which really should have been 2).  Stafford continues to miss people in the passing game and if he and the lions want to improve, he needs to be able to put together a full season.

Seahawks 24 - 17

Miami Dolphins @ Pittsburgh Steelers

By this time, I bet the Steelers players are sick of watching tape from their previous matchup with the Dolphins this year.  They were run over, thrown on, and demolished in every sense of the word.  Of course, that was with Tannehill in command who at least checks to the correct plays more often than not.  The Dolphins have surprised a lot of people up to this point, but their run comes to an end here.  This Steelers team is too high powered on offense with Ben, Bell, and Brown all playing their 1st playoff game together.  It's too bad for them, because I would've picked this team over the Raiders or Texans had they been lucky enough to play them.

Steelers 31 - 21

New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers

By far the hardest game to pick this weekend.  The Giants have all the pieces to return to the Super Bowl this season, with an OK offense and an above average defense.  The problem is the Packers stand in the way who are just a different team at home.  They've won 6 in a row and seem to have all of their offense clicking just at the right time.  This game is going to come down to one thing: Eli Manning.  If Manning plays well, the Giants win and if he has 2 turnovers or more, the Giants lose.  Unfortunately for the Giants, ball security isn't exactly Eli's specialty.

Packers 28 - 27