NFL Championship Games: ZZZZZZZZ Edition

 Bucs-Packers:

Prediction: Hard-fought game, but the Packers are the better team and on their own turf, so they should stick it out.

Reality: WHAT DOES IT TAKE? WHAT DOES IT FRIGGING TAKE FOR THIS TEAM TO WIN AN NFC CHAMPIONSHIP? We've tried playing teams that aren't as good as ours, we've tried playing teams with no offense, we've tried playing teams with the homefield advantage for once. Nothing works. Regardless of how good this Packers team was, the Bucs' defense was better, and made for a truly disappointing end to the season. Now Tom Brady goes to another super bowl, and the Packers, who deserved to, don't.

Bills- Chiefs

Prediction: I'd LIKE the Bills to win but the Chiefs are the better team, especially with Mahomes back

Reality: Yeeeahhh, this one wasn't even close, was it? As good as Josh Allen was, Patrick Mahomes was better, and had some explosive TD plays all night. Yes, Eric Fisher won't be heading to Tampa in 2 weeks, but Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and the whole gang were on fire tonight, and dwarfed a Super Bowl-caliber Bills team. 

So now we're looking at a Bucs-Chiefs Super Bowl. Brady vs. Mahomes. How absolutely boring. This is the kind of outcome that people predicted early in the season that I shrugged off because it couldn't be that cut and dry. But, sure enough, the Chiefs repeat as AFC Champs, and Brady and the Bucs sniveled their way to another Bowl themselves. I guess I'm rooting for the Chiefs again? I dunno, it's a conflictingly bland matchup, and I'm glad I can just watch it as yet another Super Bowl I don't have a vested interest in than to actually have a horse in it. 

Whatever. It's a Super Bowl at home, but this isn't really the genuine Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is it? It's a team that Tom Brady has hijacked in an effort to win a seventh ring that he doesn't need. The only excited Bucs fans that are gonna be there in 2 weeks will be bandwagoners.  And yes, maybe a few diehard fans, but this isn't really a homegrown, earned team like the 2003 one was, is it? 

Whatever. We're nearly back at baseball season. You'll hear less of my grumblings over time. 

NFL Division Games: I Think I Like How This is Looking Edition

 

Rams-Packers:

Prediction: The Packers at Lambeau will walk all over the Rams. It won't even be close. 

Reality: ....yeeeeeahhh. Though it was a tense, tight game for a bit, the Pack pulled away late and despite the best attempts by Sean McVay and friends, it wasn't close. Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, Robert Tonyan and A.J. Dillon are looking pretty dominant, and looked even scarier on Saturday. I'd love to see this team finally make another Super Bowl, but it all comes down to how tough their NFC Championship opponents will be. 

Bills-Ravens:

Prediction: The Ravens have the momentum, and they have the toughest running QB in the AFC. It'll be close, but the Ravens will show up and take it late.

Reality: Not that. The Ravens only scored a field goal all night. Lamar Jackson was taken out with a concussion, and Lamar Huntley had to finish the game for them. Meanwhile, Josh Allen continues to play like Josh Allen, Diggs and Singletary had big games, Taron Johnson had that incredible interception return for a touchdown, and the Bills massive seem to be more excited than they've been in years. I hope something happens for them this year. I really do.

Chiefs-Browns

Prediction: It won't especially be close. Chiefs win again.

Reality: It was actually kinda close, in that the Browns were within a touchdown, and if things had gone differently, they could have come back and won it all. But the way the Chiefs had the ball in the late 4th, it was never gonna happen, even without Pat Mahomes. I'm sincerely hoping that Mahomes is back next week for the Chiefs, even though I'm not sure how serious the concussion was. At the very least, the Chiefs still have a lot of nice pieces doing well for them, and the Browns have a finish they can be proud of as the regroup for 2021. Still...if the Chiefs don't have Mahomes next week, the Bills might have to start packing for Tampa.

Saints-Bucs

Prediction: It'll be close, but the Saints have the edge in terms of the way the teams are built, so they'll pull out in the end. 

Reality: FOUR PICKS? FOUR PICKS OFF OF DREW BREES? Lord almighty, that is not the way you wanna round out a career. That is just terrible. Brady, Evans, Suh...they all outdid them, and the defense came out in droves. Even if Brees had the better first half, Brady and the Bucs had the momentum. And once again, the Saints fans get absolutely tortured in January. I hate it. I absolutely hate it. 

Next week- Packers-Bucs, Chiefs-Bills. Three teams I enjoy and one Brady-fronted dud. I'd love a Packers-Bills Bowl, I'd be fine with a Super Bowl I rematch, and I will be very angry if the Bucs end up going to a damned Super Bowl. 

NFL Wild Card Round: Subverting Expectations, And Also Not

 

Bills-Colts

My Prediction: The Bills will steamroll Indianapolis and it won't be close.

Reality: Not...as such. This was a really close game, and really entertaining to watch. Yes, there was the angle of 'THIS COULD BE PHILIP RIVERS' LAST GAME' and such, but even still Rivers was hanging in there, and making solid throws even well into the death throes of his team's efforts. But...it was impossible to stop the Bills from still outscoring them, as Diggs and Beasley still had great showings. The last quarter was tense as hell, but the final hail mary was a wash, and the Bills had a crucial playoff win at home, their first in 25 years. I couldn't be any more here for it, and I hope their good luck continues.

Seahawks-Rams:

My Prediction: It'll be hard fought, but there's no way the Rams will beat the Seahawks at home with a no-name starting at QB.

Reality: I was...kinda right? The Rams didn't win with Wohlford at QB, they won with Jared Goff there. Even if Goff isn't quite what he was supposed to be when they drafted them [why do I sense another QB trade with Philly coming on?], Goff still led the Rams to a win despite his lack of throwing prowess. Simply because Russell Wilson couldn't get stuff done, and because Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey kept blocking him at every turn. Therefore, the Rams, who could get past the Seattle defense in its depleted state, came away with the victory. Of course. 

It's looking like the Rams will have to go to Green Bay next week, as they're currently the lowest seeded team still in the race, so I wish McVay and the gang the best of luck. They've won at Lambeau before, but not with a scattered team like this. 

Bucs-Washington

Prediction: Yes, the Buccaneers are going to win, but it'd be nice if Washington put up a biiiit of fight.

Reality: That's kinda what happened. The Washington Nonames were forced to start Taylor Heinicke at QB, as Alex Young was hurt, as he tends to be. So...Taylor Heinicke against the greatest QB of our times...what do YOU think happened? Honestly...Heinicke had some prime time moments, scored some TDs, showed some promise for whatever squad signs him as a backup in 2021, but...this game belonged to Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette, and the entire crew of veterans in Tampa. It wasn't gonna be close, and props to Washington for making it close, but...this was inevitable. 

Ravens-Titans

Prediction: Derrick Henry game v2. Titans are the better team, Ravens had more struggles during the season, Titans will win out.

Reality: The Lamar Jackson that should have showed up in last year's Titans-Ravens game showed up today, with some amazing running plays and touchdowns, plus some great work from the defense keeping Henry at bay. The Ravens looked more confident than they've looked in the playoffs in years, and deserved that win. 

Bears-Saints

Prediction: Saints won't even make it close.

Reality: I mean, that first half was kinda close. It was a game of defenses and stalemates, and it was a really dull game to broadcast on Nickelodeon. But, the Saints came alive in the second half and put Trubisky and the Bears away, as predicted. They'll play the Bucs next week, and that'll be interesting- Brady v. Brees for a crack at Rodgers [or...Goff?]

Browns-Steelers

Prediction: Okay the Steelers will probably win but man it'd be nice if the Browns found a way to get ahead somehow.

Reality: WHOA. THIS IS MORE LIKE IT. It's not a complete drubbing because the Steelers still scored 37 points and it's not a good sign for how the Browns will handle the Chiefs next week, but MAN THAT WAS SATISFYING. The Browns got their first playoff win in years, Landry and Chubb had big games, Baker Mayfield proved he can deliver in the playoffs, and a team that was undefeated til mid-November was sent home early. This is why I started watching football again, to see fun stuff like this again. It may not last long, but it's good to see the Browns victorious in the postseason for the first time in my lifetime. 

Next week, the plot thickens, and hopefully a good final picture forms. 

Football Custom of the Day: Manuel Edition

The man you see above does not deserve this team.

I know he's been pitted against good teams lately (Panthers= good team???), but for whatever reason, despite EJ Manuel's great performances as a quarterback, and despite the presence of people like Steve Johnson and Fred Jackson, they only have one win.

I mean, for a while, they had the Patriots going in week one. Like, they had a hell of a matchup, Manuel had a lot of nice TDs, and it was just their lack of a solid defense that bit them in the ass. Now yesterday, it was the crappy defense all the way. Manuel didn't do that much, he just did what he could, when he could.

Next week they play the Jets. This could be a game used for redemption, to finally win against a team that's semi-beatable. Hopefullu Manuel will shine even more than he has.

Coming Tomorrow- A veteran for the Kansas City Andy Reids.