Playoff Prediction Thread

[BobDigital]

Put in your picks for winners and losers for the entire playoffs. Lets see who can come the closest.

WC

Bills (6) @ Jags (3) - Jags win - Jags are just too good for the McCoyless Bills. That D will make the Bills offense look silly. The Bills D is underrated and will keep it close but should be a routine win. Jags 24 Bills 9

Titans (5) @ KC (4) - Titans win - Titans win - KC is tough at home and have strung together a nice win streak and should be the favorite. The Titans are a good run D. Shut down the KC;s run and their offense falls apart pretty fast usually. Titan 23 KC 19

Falcons (6) @ Rams (3) - Rams win - Rams win - Falcons are a dangerous teams sometimes but the Rams are too good for them and Ryan isn't catching lightning in a bottle like he was before. Rams 34 Falcons 20

Panther (5) @ Saints (4) - Saints win - Saints have played the Panthers twice and beat them twice. It makes it a bit hard to pick them to win again in a sense but the key for me is their offense just is able to score on this D. Saints 31 Panthers 20

DIV

Jags (3) @ Steelers (2) - Jags win - The Steelers offense was blown off the field once by this D before. I think they lose again and a defensive score helps. Jags 27 Steelers 20

Titans (5) @ Pats (1) - Pats win - Pats will start slow but will blow the game open in the 2nd half. Titans don't have a great pass D and their offense will get stoned after the first half. Pats 31 Titans 16.

Saints (4) @ Eagles (1) - Saints win - Eagles just aren't the same with Foles. Enough said. Saints 27 Eagles 20

Rams (3) @ Vikings (2) - Vikings win - Arguably the true NFCCG. The Vikings have played this Rams offense before and shut it down. They have the answers to the test and just need to execute. But it won't be as easy as the first time. Vikings 23 Rams 20

CG

Jags (3) @ Pats (1) - Pats win - Bortles will have a hard day vs the Pats D and Brady and the Pats O won't bail him out with defensive scores. Jags are a good D but they are fairly simple. Pats 27 Jags 17

Saints (4) @ Vikings (2) - Vikings win - The Vikings will force the Saints to win without their run game most likely. I don't think they can this year. Vikings 24 Saints 20

SB

Pats (1) @ Vikings (2) - Pats win - Last year was the first OT superbowl. This is the first home game super bowl. The Vikings will force Brady to pass 50 times this game. The issue is their pass rush is only so-so. Stop Everrett and their pass rush stops. BB will not let one DE beat him with the TEs he has and RBs who chip block well. The Pass rush doesn't come from the interior much on their D. Their Pass D is so good mostly cause of their secondary. If the Pats OL gives Brady time it's won't matter. Also the best TEs the Vikings faced all year were Vernon Davis/Brate and they both had good games. On offense you basically take away their 1 WR and their run game. That is what the Pats do. The Places to attack this offense are fairly obvious.

Pats 27 Vikings 20

 

[Joey007]

Jags and Billz. I still can’t believe this is a matchup.

 

[TbSB5]

Very bold on the Chiefs losing to the Titans. Not a chance

NEs worst match up is the Chiefs...Unfortunately it will be the Chiefs who will be in Foxboro

Bills vs Jags: Jags
Titans vs Chiefs: Chiefs
Rams vs Falcons: Rams
Panthers vs Saints: Saints

Divisional
Patriots vs Chiefs: Pats
Steelers vs Jags: Jags
Eagles vs Saints: Saints
Vikings vs Rams: This will be the best game imho. Rams take it

CCG
Pats vs Jags: Pats
Rams vs Saints: Rams

Looks like a deja vu in the SB.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Jags and Billz. I still can’t believe this is a matchup.

Agreed. Buffalo broke the 20 point mark four times through the 9 games of December and November: 24 against Jets (14 points in final 6 minutes, garbage time, with Jets up 31 to 7), 24 against Chargers (14 of those points in complete and utter garbage time when the Chargers were up 40 points), 24 against Miami with Miami gifting a red zone turnover, and they scored 22 against a Miami yesterday. There it is! versus Miami is the only games Buffalo through actual offensive drives scored better than 20: 21 and 22 against Miami. In all of this I believe Buffalo broke the 330 yards of offense only once.

This is one of the most inept offenses I've seen make the playoffs in quite some time. And unless a turnover calamity happens to the Jags or the Bills' D pitches an 85 Bears type defensive game, the Jags couldn't be more fortunate in their WC matchup. Pitt can take out the Jags game films and start studying. This is about as probable as it gets for the 2017 playoffs.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Call this the year of the AFC home team:
Bills v Jags = Ummm, what the heck let's take a shot in the dark and say Jags
Titans v Chiefs = Chiefs (weak WC AFC entries)

Chiefs v Patriots = Patriots (Pats D peaking at right time, KC = FGs in the RZ)
Jags v Pitt = Pitt (homefield, Jags inexperience I think gives this to Pitt)

Pitt v Patriots = Patriots (Harrison has 7 sacks, Steeler fans flood and overwhelm local hospitals with thousands of nervous breakdowns)

???? v Patriots (NFC is an unknown to me)

 

[Joey007]

Agreed. Buffalo broke the 20 point mark four times through the 9 games of December and November: 24 against Jets (14 points in final 6 minutes, garbage time, with Jets up 31 to 7), 24 against Chargers (14 of those points in complete and utter garbage time when the Chargers were up 40 points), 24 against Miami with Miami gifting a red zone turnover, and they scored 22 against a Miami yesterday. There it is! versus Miami is the only games Buffalo through actual offensive drives scored better than 20: 21 and 22 against Miami. In all of this I believe Buffalo broke the 330 yards of offense only once.

This is one of the most inept offenses I've seen make the playoffs in quite some time. And unless a turnover calamity happens to the Jags or the Bills' D pitches an 85 Bears type defensive game, the Jags couldn't be more fortunate in their WC matchup. Pitt can take out the Jags game films and start studying. This is about as probable as it gets for the 2017 playoffs.

For me, I’m just a sucker for unique playoff matchups. Even if a crappy team is involved.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

For me, I’m just a sucker for unique playoff matchups. Even if a crappy team is involved.

Well Joey, unique is an interesting but not too far off from applicable for Buffalo. I don't know what the record for offensive ineptness qualifying for a wildcard spot but an offense averaging less than 19 a game(17.5 for away games) for a whole season?
A defense that only, ahem, allows 22.5 points per game. And they are only underwater by 50+ points in the point differential category.
That team is playing against a Jags team with a 150 point point differential (about 100 more points on O, about 100 less on D than the Bills).

But I see your point. The matchup is so out of whack that it makes for an interesting viewing experience to see if the Bills can put together their best performance and find a way somehow.

 

[Uptown]

Hopefully S Kevin Byard (8 INTs, 16 PD) or somebody can get their hands on a few Alex Smith balls.

 

[jah]

AFC:
6 BUF @ 3 JAX - 3 JAX
5 TEN @ 4 KC - 4 KC

4 KC @ 1 NE - 1 NE
3 JAX @ 2 PIT - 2 PIT

2 PIT @ 1 NE - 1 NE

NFC:
6 ATL @ 3 LA - 3 LA
5 CAR @ 4 NO - 4 NO

4 NO @ 1 PHI - 4 NO
3 LA @ 2 MIN - 2 MIN

4 NO @ 2 MIN - 2 MIN

1A NE vs. 2N MIN - Who's to say?

The ones I don't feel strong predicting are ATL @ LA, LA @ MIN, and NO @ MIN. In other words, I'm pretty sure how the AFC will play out, but the NFC is somewhat enigmatic. Philly has 1 and done written all over them. I don't think the Rams will make it too deep but they could easily prove me wrong. Minnesota just kind of strikes me as the team of destiny over there. A few weeks ago, I would have picked Carolina as a dark horse Super Bowl winner (not just participant), but the Saints own them this year, plain and simple.

 

[Todd Bradley]

AFC
Jaguars over Bills
Chiefs over Titans

Patriots over Chiefs
Steelers over Jaguars

Patriots over Steelers

NFC
Falcons over Rams
Saints over Panthers

Falcons over Eagles
Vikings over Saints

Vikings over Falcons

SUPER BOWL
Patriots over Vikings

 

[sb1]

The AFC is the “home team” for the Super Bowl this year so if it’s Pats-Vikings... MIN are the visitors in their own stadium.

 

[everlong]

WC:

Jax's SOS of .434 (tied with Tenn) and SOV of .394 are the worst of any of the playoff teams. I really think with McCoy the Bills would win. As it is I'm still going to take the Bills in the upset but I think it's a close, and flipping boring, 14-12 type of game.

KC has too much offense for Tennessee. Close for a while I think they win a 24-16 type game.

LAR vs ATL. This is going to be a great game. I wouldn't be surprised if either team won. If Gurley goes for 100 yards the Rams win. I think the Rams are tight and Atlanta controls the game and pulls off the upset.

NO vs Carolina. I'd like either team at home so it's NO here.

Divisional:

NE over Buffalo or if I'm wrong about that upset then KC. KC and NE are two different teams now.

Pitt over KC or if I'm wrong they still beat Jax. Pitt is a much better team than earlier in the season and it's still Bortles.

Minnesota beats NO or if Carolina gets through they avenge that loss earlier on the road. However if the Rams beat Atlanta I think they avenge themselves against the Vikings having learned from playing their earlier in the year.

Philly.....I'd like to know what the weather will be. If it's warm I think they're upset by any of the three NFCS teams they could play. If it's like this weekend on the other hand I think they win. In the end I'll taken Atlanta.

NE over Pitt. Harrison 4 sacks, 2 Forced Fumbles and a touchdown.

Minnesota over Atlanta, big.

SB:

NE 31-27: Trey Flowers game ending sack with Minnesota on the NE 8. The previous touchdown was overruled by NY as the receiver didn't survive the ground with the catch.

 

[stinkypete]

Wild Card
Jags over Bills
Chiefs over Titans
Saints over Panthers
Rams over Falcons

Divisional
Patriots over Chiefs
Steelers over Jaguars
Saints over Eagles
Rams over Vikings

Championship
Patriots over Steelers
Saints over Rams

Super Bowl
Patriots over Saints

 

[pats4life12]

Wild card:
Bills vs Jags: Jags
Titans vs Chiefs: Titans
Rams vs Falcons: Rams
Panthers vs Saints: Saints

Divisional
Patriots vs Titans: Patriots
Steelers vs Jags: Steelers
Eagles vs Saints: Saints
Vikings vs Rams: Vikings

Championship:
Pats vs Jags: Pats
Vikings vs Saints: Saints

Super Bowl:
Patriots vs Saints: Patriots

 

[Kdo5]

Call this the year of the AFC home team:
Bills v Jags = Ummm, what the heck let's take a shot in the dark and say Jags
Titans v Chiefs = Chiefs (weak WC AFC entries)

Chiefs v Patriots = Patriots (Pats D peaking at right time, KC = FGs in the RZ)
Jags v Pitt = Pitt (homefield, Jags inexperience I think gives this to Pitt)

Pitt v Patriots = Patriots (Harrison has 7 sacks, Steeler fans flood and overwhelm local hospitals with thousands of nervous breakdowns)

???? v Patriots (NFC is an unknown to me)

I'm picking the Pats to make it to the Super Bowl as well but I think our path there will be much more of a slog than we'd think.

The defense is playing well but the passing game has been on a downward trend recently. I believe that the missing pieces returning will make the difference but they need to shake that rust off quick or we could easily end up in a dog fight in the divisional round.

 

[r81m]

2017 NFL playoff bracket: Insiders pick all 11 winners

11 games, 1 champion: NFL Insiders predict the 2017 playoff bracket

Interesting.

I'd love the Titans and then the Jags!

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Thanks. I like the outcome, but I'd appreciate an "ESPN Warning" as some of us try to avoid ever giving clicks to their Website.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Thanks. I like the outcome, but I'd appreciate an "ESPN Warning" as some of us try to avoid ever giving clicks to their Website.

If you hover over the link, you will see a preview of the website's domain. That way you can always know where you're headed.

 

[sb1]

Demarcus Ware says we are one and done.

Welp- I guess my next Saturday is freed up now.

 

[sb1]

Is it too much to ask for the Patriots to win the Super Bowl comfortably this time so we can enjoy it? I think we've had enough nailbiters