NFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW
We were on fire for the last 6 weeks of the regular season. From Week 12 through Week 17 our NFL picks were an amazing and documented 14 - 5 - 1 for a strike rate of 73%!
And so we come to the NFL postseason schedule, which looks like this:
Saturday: St. Louis (8-8) at Seattle (9-7), 4:30 ET, ABC N.Y. Jets (10-6) at San Diego (12-4), 8:00 ET, ABC
Sunday: Denver (10-6) at Indianapolis (12-4), 1:00 ET, CBS Minnesota (8-8) at Green Bay (10-6), 4:30 ET, FOX
Below is a capsule look at each of the 12 playoff participants, listed in order of seed:
AFC 1 - Pittsburgh (15-1) How They Got Here: AFC North Champion First Round: Bye Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 3-0 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 21st (1972-79, 82-84, 89, 92-97, 2001-02, 04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 23-16 Head Coach: Bill Cowher (130-77-1, 13 years) Head Coach Playoff Record: 7-8
2 - New England (14-2) How They Got Here: AFC East Champion First Round: Bye Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 5-1 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 12th (1976, 78, 82, 85, 86, 94, 96-98, 01, 03-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 12-9 Head Coach: Bill Belichick (53-27, 5 years in New England, 89-71 overall) Head Coach Playoff Record: 6-0 with New England, 7-1 overall
3 - Indianapolis (12-4) How They Got Here: AFC South Champion First Round: vs. Denver Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 3-2 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 14th (1968, 70-71, 75-77, 87, 95-96, 99-00, 02-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 10-12 Head Coach: Tony Dungy (34-14, 3 years in Indianapolis, 88-56 overall) Head Coach Playoff Record: 2-2 with Indianapolis, 4-6 overall
4 - San Diego (12-4) How They Got Here: AFC West Champion First Round: vs. N.Y. Jets Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 1-4 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 8th (1979-82, 92, 94-95, 04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 6-7 Head Coach: Marty Schottenheimer (24-24, 3 years in San Diego, 177-117-1 overall) Head Coach Playoff Record: First Appearance with San Diego, 5-11 overall
5 - N.Y. Jets (10-6) How They Got Here: AFC Wild Card First Round: at San Diego Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 2-4 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 11th (1968-69, 81-82, 85-86, 91, 98, 01-02, 04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 7-9 Head Coach: Herman Edwards (36-28, 4 years) Head Coach Playoff Record: 1-2
6 - Denver (10-6) How They Got Here: AFC Wild Card First Round: at Indianapolis Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 2-2 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 16th (1977-79, 83-84, 86-87, 89, 91, 93, 96-98, 00, 03-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 16-13 Head Coach: Mike Shanahan (101-59, 10 years in Denver, 109-71 overall) Head Coach Playoff Record: 7-3
Of these teams only New England and Pittsburgh offer the complete package of defense and offense, although San Diego has definite sleeper potential. Their defense is underrated and they have the weapons on offense to trouble any team. We feel they will beat the Jets straight up, but might struggle to cover a line of 7-points. Then we feel they will lose straight up the following week in Pittsburgh, but will have a shot of covering a line that will be around 7 as well.
NFC 1 - Philadelphia (13-3) How They Got Here: NFC East Champion First Round: Bye Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 2-2 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 15th (1978-81, 88-90, 92, 95-96, 2000-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 10-14 Head Coach: Andy Reid (65-31, 6 years) Head Coach Playoff Record: 5-4
2 - Atlanta (11-5) How They Got Here: NFC South Champion First Round: Bye Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 3-1 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 8th (1978, 80, 82, 91, 95, 98, 02, 04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 5-7 Head Coach: Jim Mora (11-5, 1 year) Head Coach Playoff Record: 0-0
3 - Green Bay (10-6) How They Got Here: NFC North Champion First Round: vs. Minnesota Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 3-2 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 14th (1966-67, 72, 82, 93-98, 01-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 17-10 Head Coach: Mike Sherman (53-27, 5 years) Head Coach Playoff Record: 2-3
4 - Seattle (9-7) How They Got Here: NFC West Champion First Round: vs. St. Louis Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 2-4 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 7th (1983-84, 87-88, 99, 03-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 3-6 Head Coach: Mike Holmgren (50-46, 6 years in Seattle, 125-83 overall) Head Coach Playoff Record: 0-2 with Seattle, 9-7 overall
5 - St. Louis (8-8) How They Got Here: NFC Wild Card First Round: at Seattle Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 4-3 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 21st (1967, 69, 73-80, 83-86, 88-89, 99-01, 03-04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 15-19 Head Coach: Mike Martz (51-29, 5 years) Head Coach Playoff Record: 2-3
6 - Minnesota (8-8) How They Got Here: NFC Wild Card First Round: at Green Bay Record vs. 2004 Playoff Teams: 0-5 Playoff Appearances (Super Bowl Era): 24th (1968-71, 73-78, 80, 82, 87-89, 92-94, 96-2000, 04) Playoff Record (Super Bowl Era): 17-24 Head Coach: Mike Tice (24-25, 3 years) Head Coach Playoff Record: 0-0
Pundits now feel that Green Bay poses the biggest threat to Philadelphia. What absolute nonsense! The Packers will be lucky to get past the Vikings, and then they will be brushed aside by the Falcons. Atlanta poses the biggest threat to the Eagles, and we look for them to represent the anemic NFC in a one-sided Superbowl. Think of the ratings though! Vick versus the AFC....stay tuned to see it turn into reality.
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