Last weekend’s predictions were a complete failure. The Colts battled back to take out my highly regarded Chiefs. Andrew Luck put on one of the all-time great second half playoff performances I have ever seen. We are now blessed with another week of Rob Ryan’s bad hair moments as the Saints squeezed passed the Eagles. As for the Bengals, my weariness about Andy Dalton’s incredible skill of throwing INTs proved prophetic. Unfortunately, I still picked the Bengals to advance!
The sole correct prediction came last Sunday night, as the 49ers and Colin Kaepernick literally outran the Packers to victory. Those same 49ers will face-off against my hometown’s bye-week darlings, the Carolina Panthers. If this weekend’s predictions are as bad as last weekend’s I will be calling in back up. With all that said, here is my divisional round NFL playoff forecast.
New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks (Saturday 4:35PM)
Five weeks ago the Seahawks handed the Saints a humiliating 34-7 Monday night beat down. While the playoffs represent a new day, the Seahawks are well rested and ready for a repeat performance. New Orleans’s only hope is to get Drew Breese going early and to find some way to contain the athletic play of Russell Wilson. This the tallest order of the weekend, next to stopping Manning and the Broncos, as the Seahawks are heavily favored to make their first Super Bowl appearance in history.
While the Saints have the NFL’s top ranked defense, the Seahawks have already proven that they are too tough to handle. Marshawn Lynch has rushed for over 1200 yards and Russel Wilson has added another 500 yards to the Seattle running attack. Wilson has struggled a little in his sophomore season but he has plenty of back up if he falters. Seattle’s best insurance policy is their secondary. They will test Breese in ways that the Eagles failed to do last weekend. It’s hard to bet against Breese but this year’s Saints team is not built to stop a top flight team like the Seahwaks. If the Saints aren’t careful they may experience a relapse similar to the Monday night blowout they endured five weeks ago.
Final Score: Seahwaks 28-Saints 13
Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots (Saturday 8:15PM)
Somehow the depleted roster of the New England Patriots managed 12 wins this year. The team has defied logic. Unfortunately for them, another team that defies logic are the Colts. Andrew Luck has already engineered nine 4th quarter comebacks in his two year career. Last week was his most spectacular and I expect the Colts to defy logic one more playoff round.
The game itself should be close but the Patriots are heavily favored to win. The Colts are my upset pick and I am largely basing it on the chemistry between Luck and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. This, combined with the resurgent running capacity of Donald Brown, should provide the Colts with plenty of offense. We all know what New England’s Tom Brady can do. If he leads his team to the AFC Championship all bets are off. The Patriots, however, are without Tight End Rob Gronkowski and have lost some key defensive players throughout the year. They also have won almost every game this year by a close margin and I think they will struggle to put the Colts away. For this reason, I am picking the Colts in a close, thrilling upset.
Final Score: Colts 28-Patriots 27
San Francisco 49ers @ Carolina Panthers (Sunday 1:05PM)
The Carolina Panthers are back in the playoffs with a new coach, a maturing quarterback and a stellar defense. Many around Charlotte, and the surrounding Carolinas, are hoping the playoff magic is back, too. The Panther fan base has endured some lean years since the departure of Jack Delhomme and the team’s one-time Super Bowl caliber roster. Fans are hoping the one hold over from that team, Steve Smith, is ready to go after a week of much-needed rest.
Obviously, the 49ers have been here before. They may have come up short in last year’s Super Bowl but QB Colin Kaepernick has invaluable playoff experience. This will be Panthers QB Cam Newton’s first post-season game. The 49ers, however, are also 0-4 in divisional playoff matches when they are the visiting team. Earlier this year, the Panthers bested the 49ers in a 10-9 defensive struggle. The Panthers are 2nd in the NFL against the run and they are the one team that can stop the one-two punch of Kaepernick and 49ers running back Frank Gore. For this reason, I am picking the Panthers to edge out the 49ers and reach the NFC championship game to face the Seattle Seahawks. My only reservation is how many times Cam Newton was sacked this year (43). Like the Bengals’s Dalton and his INT miscues last week, I think this is the one area where the Panthers are vulnerable.
Final Score: Panthers 24-49ers 21
San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos (Sunday 4:40PM)
Two words: Peyton Manning. The Hall of Fame QB cannot be denied. After three thrilling weekend playoff games, I predict this matchup is a blowout. I was wrong about the Chargers last week but they just managed to delay the inevitable. The Broncos have worked too hard over the last two seasons to let the Chargers knock them out of the playoffs. While the Broncos have struggled at times on defense, their offense is first-rate. The Chargers will be over-matched by Manning’s veteran poise and his ability to pick a part opposing defenses. I also expect wide receiver Eric Decker to have a career day. Simply put, the Broncos passing attack has been prolific, the Chargers defense has not. Like I said: Peyton Manning. Game. Set. Match.
Final Score: Broncos 33-Chargers 10
