Year in Review

      For the most part, nothing has changed. The two teams in the Super Bowl are probably the same teams that most people considered the favorites at the beginning of the season. One for their defense, and the other for their legendary quarterback and high powered offense. And after the records were re-written and the dust settled you have the Number one ranked defense in the league. You have the number one offense in the history of the league. Is it fate? Is the NFL really that predictable?

      Last season we were left with the sixth seeded Baltimore Ravens beating the 2nd seeded 49ers for the Harbaugh Bowl. Not many people predicted that especially if you watched the Ravens season. But they did win it all an they sent Ray Lewis off into the sunset. During the off season Baltimore saw veterans leave and their Super Bowl MVP get signed to a ridiculous contract. Because of the contract given to QB JOE FLACCO the Ravens were unable to do much else. They went into this season minus their number one WR, LB, and SS. Not many people outside of Maryland thought that they would repeat. You also liked Carolina going into the season with most people not knowing what to expect of them. Only to emerge in the end with one of the leagues best defenses. Did even they know that they were going to be that good? I know they will say they did. Losing play-off game since 2008 does not make them a failure. This was a very successful season for the Panthers... Teams like GB worked through the draft and added a 100 yard per game type of RB to go alongside of AARON RODGERS. That gives the Packers a strong diverse core that they can build upon and get back to the Super Bowl... Meanwhile the Denver Broncos are adding stars of their own. Much like the Miami heat in the NBA, the Broncos created a big three of their own and that is in a receiving core that has PEYTON MANNING throwing them the ball. A lot of people didn't know how
Last season we were left with the sixth seeded Baltimore Ravens beating the 2nd seeded 49ers for the Harbaugh Bowl. Not many people predicted that especially if you watched the Ravens season. But they did win it all an they sent Ray Lewis off into the sunset. During the off season Baltimore saw veterans leave and their Super Bowl MVP get signed to a ridiculous contract. Because of the contract given to QB JOE FLACCO the Ravens were unable to do much else. They went into this season minus their number one WR, LB, and SS. Not many people outside of Maryland thought that they would repeat. You also liked Carolina going into the season with most people not knowing what to expect of them. Only to emerge in the end with one of the leagues best defenses. Did even they know that they were going to be that good? I know they will say they did. Losing play-off game since 2008 does not make them a failure. This was a very successful season for the Panthers... Teams like GB worked through the draft and added a 100 yard per game type of RB to go alongside of AARON RODGERS. That gives the Packers a strong diverse core that they can build upon and get back to the Super Bowl... Meanwhile the Denver Broncos are adding stars of their own. Much like the Miami heat in the NBA, the Broncos created a big three of their own and that is in a receiving core that has PEYTON MANNING throwing them the ball. A lot of people didn't know how things would work with the acquisition of WES WELKER.  Some said that he wouldn't fit in.  Some said he'd push someone else out and take all the attention.  Some said that all three would have to sacrifice statistics and take one for the team.  This sound familiar?  One thing was certain....losing West Welker was going to hurt the New England Patriots more than it helped the Broncos.  Which was good news for the Broncos, too.  But New England adapted and did what they always do. Win.  Brady had one of his least productive seasons as far as stats, but the Patriots won 13 games and going into the AFC championship they looked stronger than ever.  Just think how good they would have been if they had another star receiver.   When it comes down to it, the most profound move in the off season wasn't just that Denver acquired another weapon on offense, but by doing so they took a weapon away from their conference rivals.....  

In the NFC the two favorites for the crown were division rivals and similar in so many ways. Even though the 49ers were one play away from winning the Super Bowl last year, they were not the early on favorites to win the NFC championship. It wasn't because of anything they did. The Niners added a second playmaker in ANQUAN BOLDIN for COLIN KAEPERNICK to throw to. But, it was what the Seattle Seahawks were doing that made them the most dominate team on paper in the entire NFL. Not only did they add WR PERCY HARVIN but they also added Cliff Avril to an already great defense. Over the course of the season the Seahawks defense was challenged at times including another suspension to Brandon Browner but they responded to the adversity by leading the league in almost every defensive category. CB RICHARD SHERMAN received the defensive player of the year award and he deserves it. This Super bowl is one of the most evenly matched games in recent memory. What the other team does well is what the opposition defends best. Seattle likes to run the ball. The only good part of Denvers defense is stopping the run. The Broncos throw the ball better then any team ever. And Seattles bread and butter is their pass defense with their big, physical CBs. These are the two teams that made the right moves in the off season. They both had records of 13-3. One is the number one offense. One is the number one defense. The neutral field will benefit no one. The Seahawks have improved their road record this year. We know they are a better team at home but they are still good away. With the game in New Jersey it will be cold. Peyton Manning has his issues with the cold but has also proven that he can play at a high level in any conditions. Both teams went through a lot to get here. At times people worried if either team would make it. But now here they are, the last two teams standing. The Denver Broncos vs. The Seattle Seahawks.

   

Conference Championships

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS(13-4) @ DENVER BRONCOS(14-3)
This is the game that everyone wanted to see. The Pats and the Broncos are the two best teams in the AFC and the rivalry between TOM BRADY and PEYTON MANNING is the best in maybe the history of the game. Brady comes into this game owning the series between him and Manning including a 34-31 overtime victory earlier this season in Foxborough. In that game it looked as if the Patriots were going to be blown out in front of their home crowd. Denver led big at halftime only for Brady to put together a miraculous comeback, free OT and win the game. The Patriots continued to play strong in last weeks dismantling of The Colts. They ran the ball with such ease and Tom Brady barely had to throw at all. It was the first time that I can remember that the Patriots scored more than 40 points and Brady didn't have a single TD. It's scary for the Broncos. Legarret Blount had four rushing tds and 166 yards. Steven Ridley had two scores as well. The Broncos run defense isn't anything spectacular so I expect more of the same game plan from the Pats. If the Broncos want to win they will have to be able to stop the run. Meanwhile the Patriots defense gave up over 2100 rushing yards on the season for an average of 4.5 yards a carry. If Denver uses a similar run first game plan they could have monster success with Knowshon Moreno. Both teams have given up similar numbers in the passing game so I expect the game to be very high scoring. The Broncos have the edge with Manning and all the weapons he has. Plus the home field advantage. The Patriots defense has allowed fewer points than the Broncos (338 to 399) but Denver has scored more then 150 more points than New England. Denver won't be stopped as they beat Brady and Manning gets redemption.
My final, Den 38-30

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(14-4) @SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(14-3)
In a game that features two dominant defenses you have to pay close attention to every little variable. The home field advantage is what you should take into consideration first. The Niners have been outscored 79 -11 the last two games in Seattle. But neither of those games were playoff games and didn't have a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The Niners have been here before. The last two seasons they were in the NFC championship game. Harbaugh and company know what's at stake and they know how to reach their goal. The Seahawks are in the Championship game for the first time since 2005. Experience usually wins with such evenly matched teams. And the Niners are more experienced in the playoffs. However, this is a Seahawks team that has lots of confidence. The stage is never too big it seems. Russle Wilson has played well in his first three playoff games. He has a record of 2-1. Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch played last weeks game like a man possessed. With Percy Harvin leaving last week with a concussion it hurt the Seahawks offense and somebody needed to step up. Lynch filled the void. If Harvin can't play this week Lynch will need to have the same kind of performance for the Seahawks to win. Opposite Lynch is Frank Gore who has always stepped up when it matters. I'd like to see more of both these QBs in the run game. Both have tremendous speed and playmaking ability. It was impressive to me that SF put up 23 points against the Panthers. The Panthers defense only allowed +20 in three games this season. Also, the Seahawks impressed by holding the Saints power offense to just 15 points. And SF offense is no where close to the Saints. How can the Niners win if they can't score? The Seahawks will grind out the win.
My final, SEA 20-13
 

 

NFL Playoffs Divisional Rounds

Well last week didn't go as anyone planned. Especially Andy Dalton. I picked the Bengals to win and it was the only game that I was absolutely sure about. It just goes to show that with all the stats and all the research it doesn't matter. Its playoff time and the hunger for winning far outweighs sheer talent. If a team wants it badly enough then they can beat anyone. Now to add to that. Something that I lost sight of last weekend was that experience is highly valuable in the play offs. We saw that in Philly, KC, and Cincy. The Eagles had a good season but in a win or go home situation they were out played and rookie coach Chip Kelly was out coached by Super bowl winner Sean Payton. In Indianapolis the Colts have a team that is used to winning. Not just last year, but they have a group of veterans left over from the Manning era and the entire franchise is used to winning. I don't know if there is any habit in professional sports more valuable than the habit of winning. The Bengals are losers. Not to speak badly about them, but it's what they know in big games. Andy Dalton is a lot like Tony Romo in the aspect of winning the big game. I don't know if it is pressure or what. He put up career numbers in the regular season, and at home he's played his best. At home Dalton and the Bengals were undefeated until last Sunday. How does a team go undefeated at home all season then lose the one game that means anything in front of their home crowd? There is only one word for it... CHOKE! And its the most embarrassing thing I've seen on an NFL field this season. Now you ask yourself. After this weekend what can we expect this coming Sunday? Well, You can expect the unexpected. The Saints luck will run out and speaking of Luck? You can expect to hear his name for at least one more week. Here are my predictions for the divisional rounds...


SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (10-7) @ DENVER BRONCOS (13-3)
San Diego will meet the Broncos in Denver for the third time. The season series is tied (1-1). It will be the ultimate tie breaker, winner goes home. The last time that these teams met it was in Denver and the Chargers pulled off the upset while limiting the Broncos to their lowest offensive output of the season. Phillip Rivers didn't have to do much against the Bengals. He didn't make any mistakes and played a good football game. But he will be the focal point of this Chargers team if they want to shock the world and win this week. Ryan Mathews will have success running in Denver and usually that means that the holes in the secondary open up leaving Rivers to take advantage. I think this game will be high scoring on both sides. Both teams rank in the bottom five in the NFL in passing yards allowed. So the key for this game is what ever defense can make the stops. San Diego's defense has been great while on their improbable run. In four of their last six games they've held opponents to 20 points or less. But the Broncos mission is clear. Its Super Bowl or bust. Peyton Manning has been on a tear all season. We know about the records on offense. What the Broncos need is for their defense to show up. What's troubling about Denver is that all three of their losses have been against the same teams that are still very much alive and well in the AFC playoffs. But the Broncos will be ready this Sunday. You will see the Chargers pumped up at the beginning of the game. They will probably even score an early Td and take the lead in the first QT. But by late 2nd Quarter, P. MANNING will find his groove and his team will settle down. It will be close going into halftime.  But in the third quarter, Manning and the Broncos will be focused.   Last week the Chargers defense allowed 343 pass yards by Andy Dalton and had two interceptions.  If  Manning has at least 300 yards he'll have three tds to go with it.  San Diego has to be more aggressive, take chances and capitalize more on mistakes.  But the Chargers won't be able to make a comeback.  In the 2nd half  of the fourth quarter the game will be out of reach and the Broncos will be one win away from the Super Bowl.
My Final:  Den 49 - SD 31
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(13-4) @ CAROLINA PANTHERS(12-4)
The Niners squeaked out a 23-20 victory in Green Bay last week. They did it in typical, 49er fashion by a strong running game starting with Kaepernick. He had 98 yards on seven rushes and a score. SFs defense held GB to just 20 points. The Niners proved that they can stop any offense in any stadium across the country. The Carolina Panthers will be in for it this weekend. The Panthers don't have the offensive fire power that GB has so it will be interesting as they match up. Carolina's winning and losing depends on its defense. Its pretty much been that way all year. If they can't find a way to stop Kaepernick and his receivers then it will be a long day. One thing is for sure, if the Niners want to win they will have to do it through the air. That's been the only success teams have had against the Panthers. They have only allowed four rushing tds all season. And when I say teams that had success I mean The New Orleans Saints. I think with the receivers that the Niners have they could easily create the same problems for the Panthers. Watch for SF to stray away from their run game just a little. They will have to be more aggressive to win. Last time these teams met SF lost by one point after kicking three field goals and being limited to just nine points. Kaepernick has the talent to throw the ball for 300 yards. He's got to trust himself and his receivers. If the passing lanes open up then it will also open up the holes for Kaepernick to run. In this game of defensive juggernauts, it will be up to which offense can move the ball better. Carolina has lacked playmakers all season. In the first match up between these two the Niners were without WR MICHAEL CRABTREE. He will be the difference maker in this one. The Niners have won seven in a row and in that streak only one team has scored more then twenty points. Similarly, the Panthers have won 11 of their last twelve and only the Saints who scored 31, have scored more then 20. But SF has been here before. This will be Cam Newton‘s, and many of the Panthers first playoff game. And like a week ago I’m taking the team that has the experience and that’s the Niners.
My final SF 24 - 20



NEW ORLEANS SAINTS(12-5) @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(13-3)
The Saints were able to do what they haven’t done best. Win on the road. Brees still struggled by throwing two interceptions and Jimmy Graham was also held in check as the Saints won 26 - 24. This week they will travel to Seattle an take on the Seahawks for the second time this year. The first time around the Saints had their worst game of the season and the reason for that is this. The Seahawks defense is just that good. They have 28 interceptions and they hold opposing QBs to an average rating of 63.4. The lowest rating in the league. What the Saints do so well is exactly what the Seahawks defend even better. The only bit of success against the Seahawks were when opponents pounded the ball up the middle with a big physical back. The Saints strong suit is not their running game. Mark Ingram will have his work cut out for him if the Saints try to use him to wear down the defense. Its hard to fathom the Saints playing two good games on the road in a row. Last week they got lucky that Philly couldn’t do more. The Seahawks will make sure that if Drew Brees makes a mistake it will turn into points for the Seahawks. The Saints don’t match up well at all against the Seahawks. Seattle has an answer for every one of New Orleans weapons. It might not be as lopsided as it was six weeks ago but its not going to be pretty for the Saints. Congrats on the season, and good luck next year Brees.
My final Sea 30 - 17

 

2013 NFL Playoffs

      Its amazing to me that the play-offs are already here. It seems like just weeks ago we were just beginning the season. Teams like the Falcons or my Browns had a clean slate and only high hopes for the year. Now week 17 is in the books and that favorite saying they hear so much in cities like Cleveland Ohio, "There's always next year", will be uttered many times over. Then you have the twelve teams like the Panthers, Chiefs, and Chargers, they are the teams just happy to be where they are. While they’re good enough to get here chances are , not many people outside of their respective fan base will give them much hope. The Defending Super Bowl Champs can muster enough fight to rightfully defend their title. That leaves the Lombardi Trophy up for grabs for a new team. The Broncos, Seahawks, and Forty Niners are the clear favorites. But looking at the seeding , it could be almost any one of these teams that could win it all.

TEAMS I’M ALREADY COUNTING OUT: San Diego Chargers, they had a good run and they came through in the end. But... They almost blew it against a KC team that didn’t play any of their starters. KC kicker RYAN SUCCOP had a chance to win the game with a go ahead field goal with four seconds on the clock but missed it. During the play the Chargers had more than six players crowding one side of the line. According to NFL rules, this is illegal but the refs didn’t throw a flag. So on a play that should have been ruled a re- kick the Chargers got away with one and forced OT. So in reality SD shouldn’t even be in the playoffs. But they are and they have an elite QB In Phillip Rivers so they have hope. But, its going to be difficult to go into CIN and upset the Bengals who are hungry for their first playoff win since 1990. And even if they do get past Cincy, there are two other teams in their division that they would have to go through, the first one being the Denver Broncos the following week. Don’t count on SD going far in these playoffs. They had a good season but are still a few pieces away from being a legitimate threat.

      Next on my list is the Green Bay Packers. Yes, they’ve got AARON RODGERS back and that’s great. It’s clear that they are a completely different team with their star QB. But, they face San Francisco in the first round. SF has the type of team that can go into any stadium and stop any opposing offense. SF beat GB in week one when both teams were healthy. But since then GB has been on a roller coaster ride and probably are even worse then they were in week one. Meanwhile SF has maybe the best receiving corp in the playoffs. They are better than they were at the beginning of the season. One thing GB has on its side is the home field advantage and some momentum from last weeks victory over the Bears. So let’s say they do get by SF. Then its on to Seattle or Carolina. The NFC is as tough as its ever been and GB is not good enough to hang with the best of the best.
SUPRISE TEAMS THAT COULD GO FAR...
      I look at the AFC brackets and I see the other five teams and feel that any one could win it all. Of course the Broncos. They’re the favorite in almost everyone’s mind. The Patriots can never be counted out. Indy has beaten four teams currently in the playoffs one being their first round opponents, KC, and another being the Denver Broncos. To count the Colts out would be insanity. They’ve proven all year that they can beat any team, on the road or at home. CINCY is hungry. They are one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL when they are at home. But they need to translate some of their home field success to road games. If they can figure out how to do that then they can go a long way. Kansas City has only beaten one winning team all season and that was the Eagles who at that time were 1-1. But the thing about the Chiefs is that they are a proven team that has a defense that has the ability to shut down any offense. Another thing they have is a great coach and plenty of tape to study against teams they’ve played. If the Chiefs face the Broncos again it will be for the third time this season and anyone knows how difficult it is to repeatedly beat the same team. Kansas City is one team that could go into Denver and beat the Broncos.

      In the NFC my eye will be on the Eagles. They are the hottest team going into the playoffs. They’ve won seven of eight. They scored 54 points in their last home game. And they have a ton of talent and momentum from last weeks win that sent them to the playoffs. Philly has the ability to win on the road. They have a record of 6-2 on the road and their defense has played pretty good in the second half of the season. Coach CHIP KELLY is innovative and not afraid to call any play. Being in his first NFL playoffs it will be interesting to see how well he calls the shots. He will need to be careful not to risk too much.


WHEN THE DUST SETTLES: Well, in the NFC it’s tough. The team that’s going to win will need two things: a defense that can stop any offense, and an offense that can score against any defense. The combination between the two might sound rare, so many teams have either one or the other. But in these playoffs I see at least six teams , AFC included, that possess this rare trait. The Seahawks, though some might disagree have a strong offense. They have had their lapses at times. But this is a team that has a strong running game, they have over 2100 rushing yards and 14 rush tds on the year. Russle Wilson has a QB rating of 102.4 and 26 tds on the season. They are not the best offense but with their defense they are good enough. Also Seattle has been without their deep threat WR PERCY HARVIN all season. If he comes back then the Seahawks will improve drastically on offense. My only concern about Seattle is their inconsistency at times and the recent sub par play of MARSHAWN LYNCH and Wilson. Lynch has slowed down lately and hasn’t had a 100 yard game in weeks. Wilson hasn’t had over 300 yards in his last few games and this is a team that lacks momentum. We all know how much momentum means in the playoffs. What gives them the best chance is their home field advantage. The Saints have shown to be great defensively and a power house on offense... At home... On the road, however, they have struggled mightily. They blew a golden opportunity to have the second seed and avoid going on the road until the NFC championship. Now as the sixth seed they will have to do something that they have not done all season. Play well on the road consistently. The Saints won’t play another game in NO. That means that they have to win four games on the road if they want to be super bowl champs. Their road record on the year is 3-5.


Carolina has the defense but the offense lacks big tie playmakers. They also don’t have the playoff experience to get it done.


Maybe the very best combination of offense and defense is the 49ers. They have two great WRs, a top five TE, a dual threat RB and a young QB that is a threat to pass or throw. Their defense can shut down any offense and they have been here before. The Niners just have to get past the Seahawks in Seattle. It’s something they have not been able to do for the past two years.


In the NFC I have to give the advantage to the best defense and the home field advantage. The Seattle Seahawks. But, the 49ers are a close second. Either of these teams can win it all and if I had to pick one to beat Denver it’d be the Niners. They have the defense to slow them or the offense to shoot it out with them.

In the AFC you have the Broncos at the top. Then there is a big separation to the next two teams, the Bengals and the Patriots. Then another drop off and you have Indy, KC and the Chargers at the bottom. The defenses in the AFC won’t matter much. The Broncos can score on any of the other five teams. The Patriots, and Colts beat the Broncos already but the way the season has gone I don’t see anyone stopping Peyton Manning from getting his second ring. The Broncos are my pick to win it all. They will defeat the Seahawks, 31 - 26
    

Wild Card Weekend

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS(9-7) @ CINCINNATI BENGALS(11-5)
The Chargers barely made it but they got in. Thanks to a missed field, goal by RYAN SUCCOP at the end of regulation and a missed penalty against the Chargers, SD has a chance. A slim chance but a chance. It's been up and down throughout the year for San Diego. They stayed off a respectable 4-3. But after their bye week they dropped three in a row and everyone thought they were finished. The very next week they beat the Chiefs and won five of their last six games to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009. That one loss in the last six weeks? Yeah, it was against the Bengals. QB PHILLIP RIVERS Has resurrected his career after a disappointing 2012 season. He has a 105.5 QB rating with 30 tds and over 4400 yards. His complete percentage is the highest in the league and he has many weapons to thank for that. RBS RYAN MATHEWS and DANNY WOODHEAD finished the regular season very strong. Mathews is having one of his best years as a pro rushing for over 1200 yards and seven tds. In his last four games Mathews has reached 100 total yards in each one. Woodhead finished with over 1,000 total yards and has turned into a pass catching, td scoring machine. He has one less receiving td then Jamaal Charles who is First in the league among RBs. SD is 4-4 on the road while the Bengals are undefeated at home.
Last week was the first game in Cincinnati's last five home games that they didn't score 40+ points. But they did put up 34 against the former champs. ANDY DALTON has had his best year as a pro. His four interceptions last week didn't help his QB rating but he threw 3 tds that made up for it and also broke the Bengals franchise record for td passes in a season, formerly held by Carson Palmer. Dalton has 34 tds on the year, 11 of them going to star wide out AJ GREEN. A key player that I will be watching in this game will be WR MARVIN JONES. Jones has 10 tds himself and half the receptions as Green. If he can continue to have success in the red zone it will help Cincinnati to get its first playoff win since 1990. CIN defense has only allowed seven rushing tds on the year and will be all over Mathews in this game. Overshadowed by Dalton on the offense, the defense has allowed a solid 18 points a game in the Bengals last six outings. They are tied for first in the AFC in points allowed. With a 3-5 road record the Bengals strength is their home field advantage. It will be no different in this game Cincinnati gets their playoff win.
My final, CIN 38 - SD 27



KANSAS CITY CHIEFS(11-5) @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS(11-5)
On paper this is one of the most evenly matched games this weekend. The CHIEFS chose to rest their starters last week. And two weeks ago when these teams played I have the feeling that Andy Reid was worried about showing too much of his game plan in a meaningless game. It was almost a sure thing that these two teams would meet again. The Chiefs are a better team then they showed in the first meeting between these teams. Watch for a heavy dose of Jamaal Charles in the pass game and on the ground. Charles was the most productive RB in the NFL this season and any other game plan would be insane. QB ALEX SMITH had a solid year with the Chiefs. He wasn't a highlight reel but he knows how to manage a game and he doesn't make many mistakes. COLTS QB ANDREW LUCK has put up similar stats compared with Smith. But Luck doesn't have a playmaker like Charles. Luck has done well without his best playmaker REGGIE WAYNE who suffered a season ending injury earlier in the year. Indy scored 30 points for the first time since week 11 and just their second with as many points since their bye week. The running game is slowly coming together for the Colts. TRENT RICHARDSON scored his 3rd td with the Colts last week and hopefully it will give him the confidence he needs. The other guy, DONALD BROWN is averaging 5.6 yards a carry and has five tds on the year. Why he isn't getting more carries is beyond me. The Colts should adopt a game plan similar to the chargers with the types of RBs they have. Luck has accounted for 370 of Indys rush yards. He has been overshadowed by the other QBs in his draft class but make no mistake Luck can run with the ball too. They say defense wins Championships and in this game KC has the advantage. Andy Reid will guide his team to a victory.
My final, KC 24 - 20


NEW ORLEANS SAINTS(11-5) @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES(10-6)
The Saints ended a two game losing streak last week against Tampa Bay. Much like the Bengals in the AFC, the Saints' Achilles heel has been their poor play on the road. Unfortunately for them, they will not play a home game again this season. That means they have to win every game on the road. And on the road the Saints just are not the Saints. They aren't the powerhouse offense that scores 34 points a game. Drew Brees isn’t the perfect QB that throws 3 tds and no picks. On the road with the Saints you have to forget about the 38 tds and 5,000 passing yards. And more importantly you have to forget about the defense that has been elite in the Superdome. On the road the Saints are a sub .500 team that has been outscored 179 to 142. Drew Brees is also much different on the road, he posts just an 86.3 QB rating, has nine of his twelve ints on the road and has only thrown 12 tds in eight road games. That’s the team that will be playing against the Eagles this week in Philadelphia. Meanwhile the Eagles haven’t been the best this year at protecting their home. They are just 4-4 at home but have won four straight at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly. The Eagles are third in the NFL in scoring and they have the leagues leading rusher along with a QB, NICK FOLES, who has the best passer rating in the league. The Saints give up 23 points a game on the road while Philly averages 34 points in their last four home games. This game has the makings of being a shoot out but New Orleans has to bring their A+ game and they have to do something they have not done all season, beat a winning team on the road. I don’t see anything changing this time around. The Eagles will win.
My Final, PHI 31 - NO 26


SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(12-4) @ GREEN BAY PACKERS(8-7-1)
The one thing that will keep this game interesting is that its being played in Green Bay. But the Forty Niners have been just as good on the road as when they play at Candle Stick Park. SF is 6-2 on the road where they’ve held opponents to 14 points a game in their last seven (week 2 @ Sea, lost 29 -3). What’s best for the Niners is something that won’t show up in the stat books and that’s the return of WR MICHAEL CRABTREE. Crabtree was Kaepernicks favorite target last season. Adding him to the squad with ANQUAN BOLDIN will increase the productivity for both WRs. BOLDIN is already having a good season with over 1,000 yards and six tds. Crabtree on the other side of the field will give him more opportunities and having Boldin out there will also help Crabtree as well. Don’t forget about TE VERNON DAVIS, he leads the team with 13 tds. Having these three guys together gives SF one of the best offenses in the Playoffs to go with the number three defense in the NFL. The pressure is on QB COLIN KAEPERNICK who has had an underachieving year. But now he’s got no excuse. He has to be more accurate and the Niners have to throw the ball more. The defense will ease some of his pressures but he’s got to get it done.

For the Packers they got their star QB back just in time. One thing you can’t do is judge the Packers by their record. They are 3-5-1 without Rodgers and 6-2 with him. One of those two losses were against SF in week one. That was in SF though. For what it’s worth Rodgers is 3-0 at home and the Packers are 4-3-1 at Lambeau Field. Rodgers in half the season has 18 tds 6 ints and 2500 yards. Its easy to see why the team lives and dies with him. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR candidate EDDIE LACY has over 1200 yards, and 11 tds on the year. He gives the Packers an every down RB that they haven’t had in years. Lacy and Rodgers together give the Packers a chance to win every week. The only problem is the match up they are in the first week. SF has dominated Green Bay the last two times they faced off, including Green Bays defeat last year in the playoffs. You can’t ever count Rodgers out but its almost unfathomable to think that San Francisco will lose in the first round. The Niners have the advantage with the third ranked defense that’s been their glue all season. Niners will prevail.
My final, SF 27 - GB 24