Wildcard Weekend

Alright, enough is enough. It's time to blog again.

The above picture is pretty much how I feel after watching the San Diego Chargers miss out on the playoffs. I didn't even want to talk about football for the next 6 months. But I figured a blog would take my pain away.

And it's time to get back to my blogging roots. Sports predictions. Some of my favourite things to make. I've had a lack of prediction blogs in the last couple of months, but it's time for that to change. The reason being because it is NFL Playoff time.

In fact, my last predictions blog was written in September the start of the NFL season. And looking back at it now, I can't help but squirm at the predicitions I made (as is the case most of the time). Some of them are just awful.

For example:

I said the Cowboys would win the NFC East. The Cowboys decided that they wanted no part of playing in their own building for this year's Super Bowl and finished at a lowly 6-10.

I said the 49ers would win the NFC West. The 49ers decided that they would change quarterbacks 446 times during the season and they also finished a medicore 6-10.

I said the Vikings would make the playoffs. The Vikings decided that they needed to bring Brett Favre back and he did them well by throwing 19 interceptions in 13 games and getting injured about 110 times in 13 games. As I've stated before, I hope the door drills Brett in the ass on the way out.

In total, out of 6 NFC playoff teams, I picked only 2 of them right at the beginning of the season (GB, NO). In the AFC, I did a little better, correctly predicting 4 out of 6 at the beginning of the year (IND, NE, PIT, BAL).

The fact is that it's the same old story in the NFL year after year. There are ALWAYS surprise teams that make the playoffs yet most prognosticators refuse to acknowledge them at the start of the year.

The Bears were expected to be at the bottom of the NFC this year. Now, they are an NFC favourite. The Chiefs were supposed to be the same old Chiefs. They won 10 games and won their division. Even the teams that narrowly missed out on the playoffs shocked everyone. The Bucs at 10-6? The Raiders at 8-8? What's going on here? Every year in the NFL, 2-4 teams who had dreadful seasons the year before, have playoff-caliber seasons the following year. So for those of you who making future NFL preseason predictions, remember this. I know I will.

(My early surprise favourites for next year barring an NFL lockout: Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo)

Anyways, enough with the regular season, it's time for the postseason. Wildcard weekend starts this Saturday. There are some great games....and there are some not so great games. I'll explain below in my first predictions blog of 2011: Wildcard Weekend

New Orleans at Seattle

And the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, who finished 4 games better at 11-5, have to fly cross-country to play in front of one of the loudest fan bases in the NFL. Why NFL why? At least let the Saints host this game.

Even with the loud crowd, and the long flight out west, the Saints should really have no problem winning this game. It's a Seattle defense that let the opponent score more than 30 points 8 TIMES THIS YEAR. It's a Seattle team that has gone 2-5 in their last 7 games. Seahawks, just get out of here and let the big boys settle things.

The Saints are considered one of those big boys in the NFL, although is it just me or have they been almost underrated this year. You wouldn't think so coming off of a Super Bowl title, but few people have mentioned the Saints as legitimate contenders this year. It's been Falcons this, Eagles that in the NFC this year.

And can we finally all agree that the Madden curse is officially toast? Drew Brees was featured on the cover of Madden 2011 in the summer. All the talk started about how the Saints would miss the playoffs because of the curse, or how Brees would tear both of his ACL's and miss the season. Well it turned out that Drew Brees was a top 5statistical quarterback this year and without him, this Saints team is nothing. But those Madden Curse conspiracy theorists still have a minor case: Brees threw 22 picks this year and has thrown an interception 12 games in a row. Cursed? Uhh.. if they lose to Seattle then maybe. But for now, this is basically the same team that won the Super Bowl last year. Chalk up a W.

New Orleans 34 Seattle 17

NY Jets at Indianapolis

Just like there's always a few surprise teams throughout the regular season, there's always an upset or two during Wildcard Weekend. Here's where I think it will come.

For the last half of this season, I have been saying that the Colts remind me of one team. The 2009 New England Patriots. Last year's Pats had an up and down season and finished strong to win their division and host a home playoff game. Baltimore came into New England on Wildcard Weekend and spanked them. The Colts are on pace for the same thing. The once-dominant team had a surprisingly average year, (just like the '09 Pats), their superstar QB played just OK (just like the '09 Pats), everyone thinks they will turn it around come playoff time(just like the '09 Pats). When similarities like this happen, you can't ignore it.

Plus, don't you think the Jets are still fuming after last year's AFC Championship loss in Indy? They had a 14-3 lead and Manning ended up picking them apart. What the Jets need here is a huge showing from their run game. Shonn Greene and LT need to split carries and pierce the Colts D. New York QB Mark Sanchez does not have to be great for the Jets to win this game. (It's not like he's ever played a great game anyways). I'm completely throwing out the Colts run game even though Joseph Addai is back so it will be up to Peyton to win the game through the air. Sure, Jacob Tamme and Blair White look good against the Titans and the Raiders, but how about against the Jets D, in my mind, the best in the league. Remember, the Jets almost beat the Colts last year. They can go back to the game tape and see what went wrong. And as much as I hate the Jets, I can't ignore similarites. Say it with me... the '10 Colts are the '09 Pats.

NY Jets 20 Indianapolis 17

Baltimore at Kansas City

There's always an upset and there's always a blowout during Wildcard Weekend. Here is the blowout. It made me legitimately sick down the stretch watching the Kansas City Chiefs beat lame duck opponents and eventually clinch the division title. My team, the Chargers, would beat this Chiefs squad 9 times out of 10. No question. Yet the Chiefs are hosting a playoff game.

I guess the next best thing for me is watching the lame Chiefs get demolished at home which is what the Baltimore Ravens will do on Sunday.

The Chiefs main strength is their run game. Do you really think they're going to run all over Ray Lewis and the stingy Ravens D? Nope. So it's up to Matt Cassel. He's the typical QB who shines in games against horrific teams and then when he plays a decent team, he's nowhere to be found. The Ravens are more than a just decent team. They are a contender. Baltimore is no stranger to winning playoff games on the road (see the last 2 years), so a game in Kansas City won't likely mean panic. And I'm the last person to trust Baltimore QB Joe Flacco, but he seems to falter when games are on the line. He won't have to worry because this won't be a close game.

Baltimore 34 Kansas City 7

Green Bay at Philadelphia

In my mind, the best of the four matchups this weekend. Green Bay went into Philly in Week 1 and beat them. But this was before the emergence of Philly QB Michael Vick. Vick has singlehandedly transformed this team from a team on the bubble, to a Super Bowl favourite. I can't remember watching 2 more amazing offensive performances in my life than what the Eagles did this year.

First there was the Monday nighter in Washington, where Vick combined for 6 TDS, and got like 75 fantasy points or something ridiculous. Best individual performance I've ever seen. Then, in one of the greatest comebacks I've ever seen, Vick and the Eagles overcame a 21- point deficit in the 4th quarter over the Giants and won in regulation. Remember, at this point, the Giants D was considered one of the best in the league. Then Vick tore through them and they were never the same.

The Green Bay Packers D is also considered one of the best in the game right now. The big question is how healthy is Vick at the moment? He has been banged up lots this year, and we really don't know how healthy he is. Even if he's not completely healthy, it's nothing compared to the health of the Green Bay Packers. Had the Packers not suffered all the injuries this year, they might be a Super Bowl favourite. But they underachieved and squeaked into the playoffs. As much as I like Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers, he's not enough. The Packers might have the worst run game in the league. So Rodgers will have to do it all through the air. Not going to happen. Michael Vick is on a mission. A few years ago, he was sitting in a jail cell, wondering if he would ever step on a football field again. Now he has just finished an MVP season, and has a chance to make one of the greatest sports comebacks of all time. From dogfights and jail cells, to touchdowns and Super Bowls(?). He's only 4 wins away.

Philadelphia 23 Green Bay 20