Quick Sunday Divisional Round Predictions
Yesterday I went 1 for 2 partially because I selfishly wanted to see Saints vs Cowboys 2.0, but I’ll try to limit the excuses for today’s picks.
5. Chargers @ 2. Patriots
Just like everyone else, I’d much prefer to see the Patriots get punched in the mouth today against a truly “better” Chargers team. That said I can’t ignore the fact that Phillip Rivers in 0-7 all-time vs Tom Brady, and were talking about a Patriots team coming off a bye, playing in Foxboro. It would be great if today were to become the day football historians look back on as the day the Patriots realized their years of super bowl and AFC championship trips were to be discontinued by NFL-ix (play on words for Netflix), but let’s take off the 3D glasses and realize we’ve seen this movie before, just this time it’s not as flashy. The Better offense has won every NFL game so far this postseason (you could debate Bears over Eagles), and the Chargers and Patriots are a push. On one hand the Chargers have Flashier weapons, but the most important of the bunch- Melvin Gordon- warmed up with braces on his knees and self-proclaimed himself to not be 100%. If your gonna beat the Patriots In Foxboro, in the playoffs, after a bye no-less, EVERYONE that is a key to your success up to this point must play to 100% of their regular season form. I get that this is the least-talented Brady/Belichick team that has been awarded a bye, but you or someone you know has doubted them more than ever before- No Josh Gordon, Brady playing “average”- and nevertheless were all gonna be sitting on the couch after the game questioning why we ever doubted the ending to a movie we’ve seen as many times as we’ve watched “Home Alone”. Brady 8 vs Rivers 0
Chargers 27
Patriots 31
6. Eagles @ 1. Saints
“Big Dick Nick “ Foles has arrived in the “The Big Easy” and he’s in for a rude awakening. Philly’s defense is only merely better than the New Orleans’ but in terms of offense Philly is no-match, and they experienced that first hand when they fell 48-7 to the Saints on 11/18 (week 11) in the same location they’ll play this afternoon- The Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints haven’t played a meaningful game since week 16, as they rested many important starters in their week 17 home loss to the Carolina Panthers. In truth, the only game the Saints have lost this year at home with Drew Brees was week 1 vs the Buccaneers, a game in which the offense put up 40 points. Given 3 weeks to rest, I’d expect the Saints offense to be riding high, but also having avidly prepared for a much different Eagles team this time around. Carson Wentz was the Eagles quarterback last time these two teams met, but since then the Eagles have won 6 of 7 including their last 4 games with Nick Foles as the starter. Shouldn’t matter though, because Drew Brees and Sean Payton happen to be the only QB/HC pair who has defeated Nick Foles in his career, and that game was played five years ago during Nick Foles career year, in Philly. Also, you wanna guess what happened the last time this QB/HC duo had the #1 seed and a three week break? They won their first game 45-14 and went on to win the super bowl that’s what. Give me ‘Nawlins.