It was a crazy final week of the season, and I don't think anyone expected to see the Raiders in the playoffs! We had some weird finishes, especially since very few key players sat out this final week of the season. How did the teams end up the season?
Power Rankings [Last week's position]
1. Buffalo Bills (11-6) [1]
2. Dallas Cowboys (12-5) [3] : Huge destruction of Philly to close the season and end their playoff hopes
3. Tampa Bay Bucs (13-4) [4] : The defending Super Bowl Champs are still a threat to repeat
4. New England Patriots (10-7) [2]
5. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5) [5]
6. Green Bay Packers (13-4) [6]
7. Los Angeles Rams (12-5) [7] : Their defense looked pathetic against the 49ers
8. Tennessee Titans (12-5) [11] : They captured the top seed in the AFC, but Houston didn't make it easy
9. Arizona Cardinals (11-6) [8]
10. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) [9] : Another massive fail in the final week. Their inconsistency makes them a poor choice to go all the way
11. Indianapolis Colts (9-8) [10] : Best team not in the playoffs
12. San Francisco 49ers (10-7) [13]
13. Philadelphia Eagles (9-8) [12]
14. New Orleans Saints (9-8) [15] : They did great in the final week, in hopes of capturing a playoff spot, but the Rams didn't hold up their end
and where are the other playoff teams?
22. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7-1) [NR] : Yes, they fought hard these last two weeks as a tribute to Big Ben, but this team had some massively poor weeks, too
23. Las Vegas Raiders (10-7) [NR] : The picture of inconsistency, this team won close games but failed miserably in others, ending up with the worst point differential (-71) for a 10-win team in NFL history
Divisional rankings [Last week's position]
1. NFC West [1] : They led the pack nearly every week, and finish the season as the only division with three playoff teams.
2. AFC East [2] : They had three teams with winning records and two powerhouse division leaders
3. AFC West [3]
4 (tie). NFC East [4] : Washington could compete, so only the Giants were a sloutch
4 (tie). NFC South [4] : Atlanta and Carolina were pathetic, and the Saints couldn't consistently finish games
6. AFC North [4] : The only division without a losing record, they beat up on each other enough to hurt their overall score
7. NFC North [7]
8. AFC South [8] : The Colts loss this week was the final nail in the division's coffin
Wildcard weekend picks
I'm picking too many home teams, I know it. There are frequent visiting team victories in the first week. I'll note some possibles, but there's only one I feel strongly enough to pick outright.
Saturday games
#6 Las Vegas Raiders (10-7) at #4 Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) : The Raiders can be unpredictable, so a win here is possible, but any team with the record-setting poor points differential should NEVER be favored. BENGALS, 24-23
#5 New England Patriots (10-7) at #3 Buffalo Bills (11-6) : The Patriots are a tough team, but the Bills seem to have their number this season. This one will be an offensive explosion. BILLS, 34-31
Sunday games
#7 Philadelphia Eagles (9-8) at #2 Tampa Bay Bucs (13-4) : Let's admit it, the Eagles don't really stand a chance against Tom Brady and the Bucs, even with the Bucs potentially missing a couple of receivers. BUCS, 27-16
#6 San Francisco 49ers (10-7) at #4 Dallas Cowboys (12-5) : Oooh, here's an upset I'd love to pick! If Dallas had rested their starters as I guessed they might, and they were cold, I wouldn't hesitate to pick the 49ers. However, the Cowboys used their game against the Eagles as extra practice for the playoffs, and boy did they impress! Garrofolo aggrevated his thumb late in last week's game, too, so that might affect his performance here. COWBOYS, 34-24
#7 Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7-1) at #2 Kansas City Chiefs (12-5) : I'm sure the Steelers would love to get Big Ben back to the Super Bowl for his final season, but it ain't happening. The Chiefs seem to have resolved the offensive issues that plagued them in the first half of the season, and they enter the playoffs having won nine of their last ten games. CHIEFS, 31-20
Monday Night Football
#5 Arizona Cardinals (11-6) at #4 Los Angeles Rams (12-5) : For the first time in history, Monday Night Football hosts a playoff game, and it should be a doozy! The Cardinals can light up the scoreboard, and the utter collapse of the Rams defense this past week opens the door. This is a visiting team pick I don't hesitate to make IN THE LEAST! CARDINALS, 34-17
No comments:
Post a Comment