Here is my full Saturday WC weekend break down game by game. I will do Sunday another time.
1:05 Colts @ Bills
Colts - The Colts are an 11-5 team that in reality are more like an 8-8 team. Maybe even worse. They aren't particularly talented anywhere. Their DVOA is low for a reason. And while they save some big wins, when you watch those games you get the feeling that the other team either under preformed or out played them and somehow lost. So what is the deal with this team? Simply put: They are perhaps the scrappiest team. They never give up on a play. I often see a play that should be a loss turned into a nice gain for them. Add in Rivers occasionally making a big time throw and a few lucky bounces that's how a fairly unremarkable team becomes 11-5 and is often in games even against top teams. They have no strength and no real weakness except one. If you play disciplined against them and match their intensity they will have no answer. They will make some plays but water will seek it's level. In the games they handily lost this year (besides week 1 which I don't care about) it included a more talented team playing a fairly clean game. It doesn't need to be perfectly clean, cause the Colts make mistakes too.
Bills - That offense is very good and Allen has been very consistent the last 5 weeks. The defense has been a little disappointing but there is still a a little talent there, but it hasn't played up to it's level and i don't think that will change. By now you should know what this team is. If I were trying to stop them though, the first thing I would do was make anyone but Diggs (1,535 yards) beat me. Easier said than done.
Score: Bills 31 Colts 23 - The Colts will keep it close and somehow stay in the game, but the Bills just need to not blow it pretty much.
4:40 Rams @ Seahawks
Rams - It starts with their D which has been fantastic this year. No surprise. I won't talk about it much, only to say that was Aaron Donald rightfully get praised, the unit as a whole is good right now. It's a shame that they have the QB they do. They have good skill players that aren't being used like they should. While the stats for the run game look okay on paper, it is highly inconsistent and usually depends on the run D they are facing. Vs a bad run D they are good. Vs a good run D they are bad.
Seahawks - Wilson and those weapons are scary. They are having a bit of a slump but not too bad. They were never going to maintain their early season form and they played a lot of decent Ds recently. Their D is pretty average overall. It should be enough to keep this often sluggish and now injured offense where they need them to be.
Score: Seahawks 20 Rams 16 - Rams keep it close with their D, but the Seahawks do just enough to get by them in a tight one.
8:20 Bucs @ Washington
Bucs - I imagine most of you have watched this team this year, so I won't say much but this. The defense will be getting some injured people back soon, though not enough in time to help this game too much. I don't expect them to look as bad on that end as they have recently. The one reservation I have is are the coaches here smart enough to realize the obvious for this match? Get the ball out to Brown and Godwin early and often will be key for them, but they may want to do 7 step drops too much.
Washington - I looked carefully at it, and do not believe the Alex Smith 5-1 hype. In reality in games he is more like 5-2, as one game he was in rather quickly. And in the games he won he was often carried to victories vs bad teams. Their win vs Pitt wasn't impressive as far as Smiths play. A few wide open throws and short ones for 30 yards made him look better than he was. This offense is just as bad under smith as it has been with anyone else under center. The front 4 while fearsome is being slightly over hyped right now. They can get pressure, not the purple people eaters these are not. Nor are they they 07' Giants. They will need it to be to that good to win though. If they don't get to Brady fast, their zone concepts will be a huge issue in this match up. Also they can't really stop the run, and while they Bucs don't attempt runs if they don't work as much, they will stick with it if it does.
Bucs 27 Washington 17 - They won't get enough pressure and the Bucs running game will be the unsung hero.
TB
