NFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

And just like that, the NFL regular season has come to a close and Wild Card weekend is upon us! Kansas City might be the most surprising team in the bunch, overcoming a 1-5 start to reel off 10 straight wins and come in as possibly the hottest (and most forgotten about) team in the playoffs. I know that the popular picks as the hot teams that no one wants to play entering the post season are Seattle and Pittsburgh, but would you want to play a team that’s on a 10 game win streak? Or one that lost a game that 2 weeks ago that should have cost them a playoff spot? Don’t get me wrong, that Pittsburgh offense is a force to be reckoned with and by no means am I saying that Kansas City is the better team. But, a team that has won 10 in a row can’t be ignored. Anyway, I’m most excited about the NFC side of the bracket. The AFC is a 2, POSSIBLY 3, team race. The NFC has 4 teams that all have a legitimate shot at making it to the Super Bowl. You can never count out Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers, even if he has struggled this year by his standards. One thing we do know is that the postseason brings the best out of someone like Aaron Rodgers. Carolina is 15-1 and Cam is playing out of his mind, but I think his lack of threats might hurt him along the way. Arizona looks like the most complete team in the NFL when healthy, but the loss of the Honey Badger will be hard to overcome. And then there’s Seattle…. what should be the 2-time defending Super Bowl Champs. Marshawn Lynch is coming back from injury and Russell Wilson is looking like an elite QB. They’re taking their postseason form just in time. It’ll be an extremely entertaining playoffs this year and I can’t wait.

I’m going with Seattle and Denver in the Super Bowl and Denver edging out Seattle 20-16. Call me bias…. *shrugs* GO BRONCOS!!

-Jalynn

Another great year in the NFL and I plan on spending all weekend watching these playoff games. Honestly, I don’t think there is ONE team that’s just the prohibited favorite which I think makes this a very compelling year. Unlike Lynn, I won't rush through this and throw my squad in the Super Bowl! So I'll start with just this weekends games. For the NFC... 

We open up Sunday with two match-ups I can’t wait to watch. The Redskins vs the Packers. Look, I think Aaron Rodgers is a top 5 skilled quarterback of All Time, but if you don’t have anyone to throw to, then you don’t have anyone to throw to. There’s no way around it. The Packers have struggled offensively the second half of the season, and as someone who had Aaron Rodgers on his fantasy team, trust me I know how he’s struggled to move the ball. On the other side, “Mr. You Got That” himself, Kirk Cousins just led the lead in completion percentage and has only thrown 3 picks in the 2nd half of the year. I just think the Redskins and Kirk Cousins will win this game due to Green Bay’s lack of offense.

Redskins 23

Packers 17

The next game features the Seahawks vs Minnesota. Seattle is one of the hottest teams in the league right now and as good as Adrian Peterson is, I have no belief in Teddy Bridgewater once that Seahawks defense stuffs the run. Unfortunately this one probably won’t be that close. Even without Marshawn Lynch, Seattle is absolutely rolling right now and Russell Wilson has elevated to ELITE QB status.

Seahawks 27

Vikings 13

Has everybody forgotten about the Chiefs?? I’ve literally heard almost every other team in the AFC get picked to go to the Super Bowl except for the team that has 10 straight wins. Now I know people don’t want to believe in Alex Smith, but I have always liked him. He was the number 1 overall pick people, he has talent!! And that Chiefs defense is NO JOKE! The Texans have a great defense lead by Brian Cushing (not Watt) in my opinion, but I don’t believe in their offense. DeAndre Hopkins is the truth but the quarterbacks issues they’ve had is holding me back from going their way.

Chiefs 20

Texans 16

And what might be the best rivalry going right now, Pittsburgh plays Cincinnati. Now, I’ll put it in the open. I’m a Steelers fan, have been since the Kordell Stewart days. I HATE the Bengals. To me, they build themselves off of cheap shots and Marvin Lewis has NEVER shown he could win a playoff game. As much I like and respect AJ McCarron, and think he will one day be GREAT, I’m definitely going with my Steelers.

Steelers 31

Bengals 20

-D-Will