Going on Record

I speak to a lot of friends about the NFL and game results. However, it is easy to fall into the "I said that" with no proof syndrome. So, this year, I'm going on record by writing down what I think will happen in each of the playoff games. Let's see how radically far off I am!!

Redskins at Seahawks

The Redskins are hot right now. They are playing well on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks did well in a weak division, but have pretty much given up on their running game. There should be bad rain and high winds this weekend, which leads toward a stronger running game being required. While the Seahawks play in a very noisy stadium, I don't think that is enough.

Redskins over Seahawks, 24-17

Jaguars at Steelers

The Jags are incredibly well-balance. They are efficient and quite good in the red zone. The Steelers are suffering through some key injuries and ineffective play. While they are at home, the Jags proved they could play there. I have also not seen good in-game/half-time adjustments by the Steelers in any of the games I watched.

Jags over Steelers, 27-24

Giants at Buccaneers

The Giants are up and down-- they sometimes play better than most teams in the NFC and other days they can't seem to walk and chew gum at the same time. Eli Manning is inconsistent at the most important position on the field. However, they have a good running attack and a pressure defense which can keep them in the game. They also have injuries at key positions which will affect their offensive rhythm. The Bucs are streaky with a stout defense. Garcia is superior to Manning right now, but does get "happy feet" on occasion against good defenses.

Bucs over Giants, 23-20

Titans at Chargers

The Titans are a sneaky-good team. They quietly rolled to a 10-6 record in a tough division. Their QB play is a bit streaky, as Young continues to improve and learn. He makes more plays still with his legs than with his arm, as his accuracy is not really at top-tier levels. The Chargers seemed to find their winning recipe at the end of the season, after a poor start. However, two people worry me: Norv Turner and Philip Rivers. After Rivers ended last season, I thought he was a franchise QB and there was little repercussion to getting rid of Brees. However, this season, he has played like a rookie at times and simply made bad decisions other times. Turner has never impressed me with his coaching-- he is a career loser who has been unsuccessful at the playoffs. However, the bad taste the loss to the Pats left in the Chargers mouth last year during the playoffs will be assuaged this year.

Chargers over Titans, 31-21