Last call for Wild Card predictions

There are some charisma challenged games (teams) on tap this weekend.  Bengals and Ravens are boring, Indy(blah) , Steelers, been there done that, Carolona and AZ, can you say 6 to 3.

 

The Boys and the Stompers should be good and there is the real hope that one or both embarrases themselves.  

 

Boys by 10

Big Ben by 3

Cinci Indy who cares

Hoping for the Cards but it is hard to win while scoring 3, 

 

 

I have a feeling about the Ravens. Le'Veon Bell is most likely out. That is so huge for that Steeler team. It's the equivalent of us losing Rodgers.

 

I want a Super Bowl XLV rematch but it probably won't happen now

 

Ravens 44 Steelers 42 in a wild one uncharacteristic of their other meetings

Panthers 16 Cardinals 13 - in a snoozer

Dallas 38 Detroit 16 - in a game not even that close

Indy 48 Cinci 23 - Cincinnati turns the ball over 5 times

 

{Skipping divisional round}

 

AFC CG - Indy vs. Patriots

NFC CG - Packers vs. IDGAF

Ravens over Steelers - as Boris said, no Bell is a huge blow.

Panthers over Cards - you don't win in the playoffs with a poor man's Doug Pedersen.  Panthers get trounced in the divisional round.

Colts over Bengals - no AJ Green or a really limited AJ Green turns the tables and Dalton craps the bed in the playoffs again.

Detoilet over Dallass - I know I've been beating this drum lately, but IMHO Dallass is overrated.

It's official Bell is out

Huge loss for the Steelers

Last time Ravens and Steelers got together Bell went for 58 total yards. Ben threw 6 TD's and the Steelers crushed Baltimore. 

 

The Ravens secondary is 2012 Packer bad. I see more of the same. Could be a 45-42 shootout but Baltimore won't have an answer for Brown and Bryant and Ben throws for 475 yards. 

Yeah, I imagine Dalton will crap the bed again in the playoffs.  8 INTs.  70 passer rating.  

 

Oh, wait, I'm sorry that's Andrew Luck's stats in  playoff games where he'd be 0-3 if it wasn't for an epic collapse by Andy Reid and the Chiefs last year.

 

Still think Indy wins.  I just am fascinated that rarely is Luck being pretty flipping bad in the playoffs discussed...

 

Bal/Pit - I think Antonio Brown goes off and Flacco does a whole lot of nothing. Again.  Pitt wins 30-13.  

Car/Arz - I think AZ defense is overrated, and can't overcome their incredible lack of offense.  Car wins 23-6

Dal/Det - I think Stafford has regressed big time this year.  If the 2013 Stafford is here, maybe they pull off the win, he makes a mistake late costing them.  Dal wins 27-17

Cin/Ind - Best game of the weekend potentially.  I think Indy's defense is garbage.  I love Jeremy Hill and if Green was 100%, I'd feel better about picking them.  But Indy beats average to bad QBs.  Indy 31-19.  

 

Setting up

Dallas @ Green Bay

Carolina @ Seattle

Indy @ NE

Pitt @ Den 

if that happens Pittsburg will crush Denver

Cardinals - 21-16

Steelers - 27-20

Colts - 31-24

Lions - 27-24

 

Steelers

Panthers

'Pokes

Colts

 

Taking the Cowboys as my lock of the week.

With apologies to Red Dawn, Carolina has too much defense, and Arizona has too little offense. I don't expect Scam Newton to excel, but they'll be able to score enough to beat the Cards. Panthers 17 Cardinals 10.

 

Steelers will be all over the Ravens, with or without Bell.

If Flacco were to get hot, it could be much closer, but he's been ice cold the lst 2-3 weeks, and I think Pittsburgh's DL will control the game. Steelers 27 Ravens 17.

 

Bengals/Colts is a toss-up.

Indy has the better QB, by far, but that's all they've got. No rushing attack, Hilton is hurting and will likely be limited, and a very weak OL. Their defense is suspect, at best.

Cincy has some defense, AJ Green, and....Andy Dalton. They also have a fairly weak OL, and are too inconsistent on offense.

If Dalton were to play well, it could keep them in the game, and give them a good chance to win, but I just don't think they have enough horses to get the win. Indy 17 Cincy 16.

 

DallAss/Detoilet is the game I think will be wide open, with the best chance to become a shootout.

Romo was white-hot in December, Bryant and Witten should have big games against the Loins secondary, and his OL can give him the time to find them. Murray may be able to run on them like Lacy/Starks did, if he can hold on to the ball.

The Loins have Megatron and.....Stafford. Much like Green/Dalton. I think Detoilet's OL is suspect, and Stafford will have a game against them similar to what he did in Green Bay. Poor decisions leading to hurried, errant throws.

I also don't think they will be able to run the ball against the Cowboys front 7, and it just compounds Stafford's faults. DallAss 35 Loins 27.

Most of us are picking the home teams....interesting.

Detroit will have to win the turnover battle, but I think they have enough talent to beat the Cowboys.  Cowboy rushing vs. Lion rushing defense will play a huge role.  Romo will throw a few up for grabs.

Since we are not going to make the Seahawks play in Lambeau, Wotever

The game that interests me the most (obviously) is the Pies/Stompers game. It's hard to get a bead on this one. At face value, Dalass SHOULD win this one but the meltdown potential by both QBs in big games make it a coin toss for me. If both QBs show up I think it's the Boys game to lose.

As a side note, it will be interesting to see if the stomper twins Suh/Raiola can play a clean game if the Loins get behind late.

 

 

Cowboys

Colts

Steelers

Panthers

 

 

Agree with the meltdown of both QB's part, but I think Romo has finally got the "it" as in the   lightbulb has gone on, and I think he finally get's it.  JMHO.  Pokes will win big, and don't really care about any of the other games, although will watch them all.  

Cardinals 16-13

Steelers- 31-21

Colts 31-17

Lions - 27-24

 

NFC games I'm most uncertain on. I don't have any confidence in either of my NFC picks...just going on blind faith. I just can't trust an NFC South team with how they all have played this year....and Riverboat Ron will play about as conservative as it gets. Arians and his staff should be able to easily outcoach/outscheme Ron Ron....and I trust Arizona's defense to contain a Panthers offense that doesn't have too many weapons and won't let Cam get out of the pocket and scramble for big yardage. May end up being a FG game.

 

I fully expect Dallas to win but hey, a Romo meltdown can happen at a moments notice and it usually happens in big games

 

Also those are the results I would like most. Bring the Cards to Lambeau thx

There ya go. 2 road teams. 

 

Lotta people discounting the Cards (myself included) but if they win, the Cards can go into Seattle & knock them off too. Cards are a good, well-coached team without a QB.

 

Don't forget the defense can score too. I think they'll need to, to win.

Panthers  Cam is the better QB

Steelers    Home field advantage

Colts         Don't trust Dalton

Cowboys   Lions too undisciplined  

Cowboys 38-21

- Cowboys dominate, Lions O looks like crap again and Lions D can't keep Bryant out of the endzone.

 

Panthers 24-14

- Cardinals D keeps the score low, but the Panthers grind it out with Stewart/Williams.

 

Steelers 24-21

- Tight game, comes down to last second FG.

 

Bengals 20-17

- Luck keeps them in the game, but the Colts D can't get the stops they need.

AZ Cards could be better D than the '85 Bears, but with Lindley as the QB, I don't see a chance for the Red Sea.

Lions will beat Dallas...book it. 28-20,

 

 

I was close on the Panthers game!

I wasn't