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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Wildcard Weekend

By: Josh Fyffe

Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis Colts: Reasoning: Kansas City sported an easy schedule, while also showing they can’t win the big games. Kansas City had 10 of its 11 wins against non-playoff teams, only beating the Eagles in week 2, and since week 2, the Eagles are a vastly improved and different team. They are also the coldest team heading into the playoffs, going 2-5 in their final 7 games after starting 9-0. I also don’t see someone as talented as Andrew Luck starting his career 0-2 in the NFL postseason.


New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles: New Orleans Saints: Reasoning: Aside from my personal prejudice against Nick Foles, the Eagles have the league’s worst pass defense and gave up 358 yards to Kyle Orton in their most important game this season. Drew Brees just threw above 5000 yards….for the fourth time in his career. That mismatch alone, and the fact the Saints run defense isn’t awful, will give them the victory. I would be willing to reconsider this pick if weather becomes a MAJOR factor.
San Diego Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals: San Diego Chargers: Reasoning: This is my upset pick for the weekend. I am picking the Chargers partially because they are a team of fate this season. And although that may sound like a load of crap, their highest percentage to make the playoffs since week 1 of this season was at 19% and that was in week 16. Odds were against them all season, and going into Cincinnati, where the Bengals boast an undefeated record at home, the odds couldn’t be more stacked against them. The Bengals however, do have the second most TDs scored this season in the AFC outside of the Denver Broncos, but two of the three times that the Broncos failed to scored 30+ in a game came against San Diego. Phillip Rivers also was quietly the second best statistical quarterback to play all 16 games. While, the Bengals strength is their pass defense, I still see Rivers being a veteran quarterback and throwing together a quality game. I predict Andy Dalton will make a few too many mistakes and Rivers plays a sharp, but not godly, game to allow the Chargers to steal this one from the Bengals.

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers: Green Bay Packers: Reasoning: The Packers are a completely different team with Aaron Rodgers in the lineup. If this was Rodgers first game back and he had not played in the division victory over the Bears, I would be picking the 49ers, as a team can’t just throw players in after missing significant time and expect a well-oiled machine.  Although, I slowly believe that this Packers defense is starting to stiffen and if they can FINALLY defend the read option to an acceptable level, like every other team in the NFL, then they can eke out a close home win over the 49ers. However, it will be very tough for Green Bay to defend Vernon Davis, Anquan Boldin, and now Michael Crabtree. Those weapons alone will make Kaepernick look like a much better QB than he actually is. If the Pakcers can take two of those guys out of the game, (doubling Vernon Davis with an LB and a Safety and trusting speedy Sam Shields on the recovering Crabtree), it will be a major defensive victory for the Packers. Another reason why I am taking the Packers; look at some of the 49ers tough games this year: a loss 27-7 to the Colts, a near loss to Atlanta that was saved by an amazing play Navarro Bowman, and a road loss to the Saints.  All three of those teams feature a star quarterback (Matt Ryan, Andrew Luck, Drew Brees) in a high octane passing offense that the 49ers struggled against.  Although the 49ers bested the Packers earlier this season, that game was in Candlestick, and didn’t feature the same likely OROY Eddie Lacey of the Packers. You can also not look at the 49ers record and argue that they are the better team as they were gifted with a very easy schedule this season, winning 10 of their games against non-playoff teams, while they were a mere 2-4 against playoff teams.


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