NFL Playoff for the 2018 season are set

NFL Playoff for the 2018 season are set.  There are some surprises in them.  Will those surprise teams be able to do anything or will the old guard win again?   From year to year in the NFL there is about 5 teams that make the playoffs that did not make them the previous year.  That is a good thing.  It keeps things interesting and fun.  The NFL is always a crap shoot.  Except for the Patriots of the last ten to fifteen years.  They are pretty much in.

Here are the teams that we had making the playoffs.

NFC	AFC
Vikings   – Wrong	Steelers – Wrong
Saints – Right	Patriots – Right
Eagles – Right	Jaguars – Wrong
Rams – Right	Raiders – Really Wrong
Packers – Wrong	Chiefs – Right
Falcons – Wrong	Texans – Right

We were wrong on half of our picks for the playoffs.  Looking back at the Raiders pick have to wonder just what we were thinking.  Same thing with the Packers and the Jaguars.  But really both of those teams on paper looked much better than they actually turned out to be.

The teams that are in

NFC	AFC
Saints	Chiefs
Rams	Patriots
Bears	Texans
Cowboys	Ravens
Seahawks	Chargers
Eagles	Colts

The surprises here are the Bears and the Colts.  Even though a few of the other teams we did not pick.  It is really not completely a surprise that they made it to the playoffs.  I really did not think that the Bears and the Colts would be this good.  The big thing for the Bears was the win they had with the trade for Mack right before the season started.  Not only did he have a monster year.  He was able to motivate and elevate the entire team.  The key for the Colts was that Andrew Luck was able to regain some of his arm strength and stay healthy the entire year.  Yes it does appear that one player can make a huge difference.   At least in the regular season.  We will see what happens in the playoffs.

Exciting Playoff Weekend

The playoffs start this weekend. The Saturday games are the Colts at the Texans and the Seahawks at the Cowboys.  The Sunday games are the Chargers at the Ravens and the Eagles at the Bears.

It would be nice if the Saturday games has 1pm and 4:30 pm start times rather than being later.  I am not the norm here.  It seems that other people like the later start times.  I would rather watch the games during the day.   No worries.  This weekend is still one of the most exciting weekends in football.   Four games that mean everything.   Teams have to play all out.  They lost and their season is over.

Picks for Saturday Games

Colts at Texans 4:35 PM Saturday January 5th

In a match up of AFC South teams this will be the third meeting of the year for these teams.   They split the regular season meetings.  Each team winning in the others stadium.   Both games were decided by three points.  The teams are pretty evenly matched.  Texans have a slight advantage on defense but with the familiarity that the teams have that will not make much difference.  This game will be close.  The key here will be can J.J. Watt get pressure on Andrew Luck.  If he can the Texans will win.  If not then the Colts could come out on top.  I think that he will.  It will be a close game.

Texans 27 Colts 24

Seahawks at Cowboys 8:15 PM Saturday January 5th

The Cowboys and the Seahawks played in week three of the season.  The game was in Seattle.  It was not a close game.   The Seahawks beat the Cowboys 24-13.  The key in that game was Dak Prescott throwing two interceptions.  The game was also for the Seahawks season.  They started out 0 – 2.   Going 0 – 3 would have made it extremely difficult to make it to the playoffs.  Seattle also has one of the best home field advantages in the NFL and it showed.   The playoff game is going to be in Dallas.  Dallas is not the same team that the Seahawks faced early in the season.  The addition of Amari Cooper has given Prescott a true deep threat.   I do not see the Seahawks keeping up with the Cowboys in this one.

Cowboys 24 Seahawks 17

Picks for the Sunday Games

Chargers at Ravens 1:05 PM Sunday January 6th

These teams met in the second to last game of the season with the Ravens winning 22 -10.  This game was much closer than it looks in the final score.  The Ravens had a fumble return for a touchdown with less than 3 minutes to go in the game.  These two teams look to be very evenly matched.  The difference here is going to be will the Chargers be able to contain Lamar Jackson.   Jackson has added a lot to the Ravens with his ability to run.  This is not something the Ravens are going to want him to do as much in the future.  This year how ever it is going to be the way the Ravens roll.  If the Chargers can contain Jackson that will be the difference in this game.  I see this game being a low scoring game.

Ravens 16 Chargers 13

Eagles at Bears 4:40 PM Sunday January 6th

These two teams did not play in the regular season.   The Eagles how ever have the Bears to thank for getting into the playoffs.  The Bears beat the Vikings in the final game of the season to give the Eagles the final spot in the playoffs.   The key here is will Nick Foles survive this game.  Last year we all know what he was able to do in the playoffs.  He has filed in quite well for Wentz again this year.

The Eagles made the right choice by bringing Foles back this year.  I don’t know if it will be enough against the Bears.   Who thought they would be saying that this year?  The Bears in the playoffs and probably going to win a game.   This all goes back to that trade for Khalil Mack.   With how well the Bears did this year it really looks like they fleeced the Raiders.   I would have to agree.  They did but at the time it looked like a good trade for the Raiders.  Mack will put the pressure on Foles and will get to him at least twice.

Bears 24 Eagles 14