 |
| If Phillip Rivers is ever going to take down TB12, this is the time (Photo creds to Clutch Points) |
Wildcard Weekend is done. Time for the divisional round. Let's go.
(P.S., there were some formatting errors that plagued last weeks article, so I, Joseph Arthur Smeltzer, apologize. The errors have been fixed, and we assure that this won't happen again.)
Rutz
Colts +6 over Chiefs.
Andrew Luck and the Colts offense can certainly pull off this upset, and KC has a morbid playoff history. I'll take the points, please.
Chargers +4.5 over Patriots
My one wrong pick last week was underestimating the Chargers. Phillip Rivers is playing out of his mind and there's nothing inspiring about New England, who seems worn out. LA wins straight up.
Rams -7 over Cowboys
With a week of rest, LA withstands a tough test from Dallas and wins by 10.
Eagles +9 over Saints
Philly's defense is peaking at the right time, and the Saints offense has slowed down recently. I'll take the New Orleans to win anyway because it's plainly superior, but by single digits.
Brad
Colts +6 over Chiefs
Without Kareem Hunt, Indy will at least contend with KC, maybe even win outright.
Colts 28, Chiefs 24
Patriots -4.5 over Chargers
I still believe the AFC runs through New England. I see the Pats finding a way to make the Super Bowl again.
Pats 34, Chargers 27
Rams -7 over Cowboys
I don’t think Dallas can keep up with the Rams. It will be close, but LA will pull it out.
Rams 36, Cowboys 28
Eagles +9 over Saints
Two words. Nick. Foles.
Eagles 24, Saints 23
Jeff
Colts +5.5 over Chiefs
I think the Chiefs win this one but only by the skin of their teeth.
Chiefs 30 Colts 28
Rams -7 over Cowboys
I don’t think the Cowboys offense will be able to keep up with the Rams.
Rams 31, Cowboys 17
Pats -4 over Chargers
Tom Brady in the playoffs? I wouldn’t bet against him.
Patriots 24, Chargers 17
Eagles +8 over Saints
I think New Orleans struggles in this one and Nick Foles works his magic once again.
Eagles- 20 Saints 18
Joe
Colts +6 over Chiefs
I hope I'm wrong on this one.
Andy Reid is a brilliant football mind, and the only way he'll get the credit he deserves is if he wins a Super Bowl. If Kansas City doesn't win the AFC this year, I'm not sure Reid will ever get that chance.
The Colts are the hottest team in the conference right now, and the combination of Indy's form and the Chiefs' playoff failures at Arrowhead Stadium makes it hard for me not to take the points.
Colts 17, Chiefs 14
Chargers +4.5 over Patriots
New England has one of the weakest run defenses in the NFL, and Melvin Gordon is one of the league's best running backs. This is a bad combination.
While the Patriots are still dominant at home, I don't believe this team rules the AFC anymore. New England is still good, but no longer great, and it's time for somebody else to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.
Chargers 31, Pats 21
Cowboys +7 over Rams
Dallas beat Seattle last week because of its front seven.
Led by linebackers Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylen Smith, the Cowboys limited one of football's best rushing attacks to 73 yards. Like the Seahawks, LA's offense is run-heavy, and since Jared Goff isn't as good as Rusell Wilson, the Rams are in trouble if they can't get Todd Gurley going.
I'll be bold and pick Dallas to win straight up, but even if the Cowboys fall short, I'm comfortable picking them to cover the spread because of their linebacker play as well as the fact that they'll probably have as many fans in LA Memorial Coliseum as the home team does.
Cowboys 20, Rams 19
Eagles +9 over Saints
New Orleans my pick to win the Super Bowl largely because I can't see anybody beating them in the Superdome. With that said, Philly is too motivated to lay down for New Orleans like it did the first time these teams met.
Nick Foles will play well enough to keep this game to single digits. The Saints should win, but it won't be by 41 points this time.
Saints 24, Eagles 20
Ryan
Chiefs -5 over Colts
Indy could have played with the Chiefs in fairer weather, but in the cold and snow Andrew Luck, hailing from Stanford and his comfortable dome in Indy can’t move the ball even against KC’s defense.
Cowboys +7 over Rams
LA wins but only by three or four. The Cowboys offense has a big day behind Zeke Elliott, but the defense isn't stout enough to pull out a road win
Chargers +4 over Pats.
This is against my better judgment. I thought Rivers looked horrible trying to throw the ball in the cold in Baltimore and he’ll have the same problem in NE. But last week I dreamt that Tom Brady was flying a FedEx plane and had to have an emergency landing to get home safe, so I have to bet accordingly. Jesus doesn’t lie to me in my dreams.
Eagles +8 against Saints.
Nick Foles is magic.
No comments:
Post a Comment