Saturday Games
AFC
Indianapolis Colts
v.
Houston Texans (11-5)
Indianapolis at Houston - The Texans get home field advantage by virtue of having won the division championship, and they enjoyed an impressive 6-2 home record this season. Indianapolis clearly has the higher profile, more explosive offense, but the Texans showed some explosiveness on offense themselves at points this season. The Texans have the better defense, even if the Colts defensive rankings were surprisingly high. Home field advantage could prove pivotal, although I feel that the Colts actually have more momentum going in, as they were absolutely on fire towards the end of this season. Remember, they were 1-5 heading into the mid-season point, and they have won nine out of ten of their remaining games since, including what amounted to a de facto playoff game on the road in Tennessee last weekend. So, they have had their backs to the wall for a long time, and know how to win under pressure. The Texans, meanwhile, started off 0-3, and then pulled off nine straight wins, which was a franchise record. But they are a modest 2-2 in their last four games, and they had to hang onto the final weekend before finally clinching the division title. So, I like the Colts as the hotter of the two teams. In their two earlier meetings, the team exchanged a pair of games decided by a field goal, with the road team winning both times. Right now, that sounds like it might be repeated, with the away team, the Colts, coming out on top again. My pick: Indianapolis
NFC
Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
v.
Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
Seattle at Dallas - Another tough game to call. If this game was being held in Seattle, this would be a lot easier to pick. These two teams met in Seattle earlier this season, of course, with the Seahawks winning, 24-13. At that time, it was seen as a big disappointment for the Cowboys, as Seattle was hardly seen as a serious playoff contender early in the year. And the Seahawks entered that game with an 0-2 record, which many felt confirmed their suspicions that they were a weak team. But clearly, they are in a very different, and better, place. Then again, so are the Cowboys. So, this game is interesting and difficult to make a pick with. Neither team particularly stands out as the clear-cut favorite. Statistically, Dallas has the better defense. But their offense has really struggled at times this season, and prior to the Giants game, that was particularly true in recent weeks. So, they will struggle against Seattle's tough and physical defense, most likely. Seattle's offense is the better unit, and the Cowboys will likely struggle to shut them down. Dallas was a difficult place to play for visiting teams, which should bode well for the 'Boys. But the Seahawks feel like the team with a bit more momentum going in. This is just a very tough game to call, as neither team is a lock. There is a lot to like, and admittedly dislike, with each. Too many vulnerabilities that could lead to things going wrong. My best guess is that home field advantage helps the Cowboys have a good chance against the Seahawks, but this one should be very tight. And my gut instinct tells me that in a tight, close game, the Seahawks will find a way to win this. My pick: Seattle
Sunday Games
AFC
Los Angeles Chargers (12-4)
v.
Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
L.A. Chargers at Baltimore - This is a rematch of a game that these two teams played just a couple of weeks ago, which was won by Baltimore. Yes, the Ravens went on the road to the West Coast and pulled off a huge win, which kept their playoff and division title hopes intact. They wound up winning, and that is the reason that a 10-6 team will be hosting a 12-4 team in this game. But that is how the NFL operates presently, and so the home field advantage could help to decide this goes to the Ravens, who were nowhere near as consistent as the Chargers were this season. Yet, they have won six of their last seven games, when their backs were to the wall. That makes them a dangerous team, and the win on the road against the Chargers, in a must-win situation, should give them a psychological edge. They know that they can beat the Bolts, and this time, they have home field advantage, to boot. After all, the Ravens finished 6-2 at home. But here's the thing: the Chargers were tied with the Saints for the best road record in the league. They played their best on the road, and something tells me that they are good enough to turn the tables on the Ravens, and beat them on their home turf, much like they themselves were beaten when the Ravens were the visiting team. Just a tough game to call, really! The Ravens have the better defense, and that usually proves especially useful once the postseason rolls around. But the Chargers also had a solid defense, and their offense was more consistent and explosive usually than Baltimore's offense was. This game really could go either way, and it could be decided in the final moments. This is the kind of game that could live up to the principle that football is a game of inches. Right now, the Ravens are the hotter team, having earned the division title, and home field advantage should help them. So they are my pick to win, albeit narrowly. My pick: Baltimore
NFC
Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
at
Chicago Bears (12-4)
Philadelphia at Chicago - Both teams have a tough defense, and both teams have been playing very well in recent weeks. This is a tough one, because you do not want to make the mistake of underestimating a tough Chicago Bears team, especially playing at home, but you also do not want to underestimate the defending champions, who showed heart and determination particularly in these final weeks in order to make this improbable run to the postseason. I would expect a low-scoring, defensive contest, especially if the injury to Foles become an issue once again. The Bears can have a potentially explosive offense themselves, but despite some notable defensive lapses on the part of Philly at times this season, they seem to be peaking at the right moment. Frankly, I believe this contest could go either way. These two teams feel evenly matched. They did not play earlier this season to clue us in on what might happen, so that makes this more difficult to predict, but also adds an element of intrigue and surprise, because these two teams are not really all that familiar with one another. But if I have to pick a winner, my guess is that the home town Bears pull it off, albeit barely, possibly right at the end of the fourth quarter. My pick: Chicago
No comments:
Post a Comment