2017 Playoff Predictions
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I'm back! Sorry for the delay, was hoping to get the playoff picks up before Week 1 kicked off, but it was a wild weekend. Plus I haven't worked in the last four days, and as those of you who actually read these know... I am almost unable to write SFL articles if I'm NOT on the clock at work (ha). Anytime you can collect the AP -and- the check at the same time, you gotta do it. Anyways, if you missed the season predictions, you can read them
HERE!
Wild Card Weekend
Kansas City Chiefs - 20 @
Oakland Raiders - 17
New York Jets- 21 @
New England Patriots - 20
Arizona Cardinals - 17 @
Green Bay Packers - 31
Washington Redskins - 24 @
St. Louis Rams - 21
I think the Patriots were a bit of a "surprise" pick to win the division, but they backed it up by looking good Week 1. I still think the Jets are the best team in the division right NOW, but Miami and the Patriots look like the future of the division. And Buffalo could hop into that conversation. For now though, I still think the Jets are a little more prepared for the playoffs, and I have them going back into New England (after splitting the season series) to win the rubber match. The Raiders I have as an early favorite for a dominating regular season... but I think this is do or die for the Chiefs this year. While I'm sure they do NOT want to play the Raiders in the playoffs, give me the Chiefs to get swept by the Raiders in the regular season and then head into Oakland and prove IT IS HARD TO BEAT A GOOD TEAM THREE TIMES IN ONE SEASON! Big OT win for KC in what feels like their Super Bowl. The Cardinals and Packers might have caught some folks by surprise when I had them as playoff teams, but the Cardinals are not THAT far removed from a SB win, and the Packers are destined to get off the Hot Seat and make a big splash this year. Ultimately though, the Cardinals struggle to put up points in the snow. The Rams stole a game from the Seahawks last week with a walk off Hail Mary, and I think they are the favorites in the West. I do think the veteran savvy of GM Walstead finds a way to steal a win in the stadium where he enjoyed success in the earlier SFL days (I think, I wasn't here for it).
Divisional Round
New York Jets- 28 @
Cleveland Browns - 14
Kansas City Chiefs - 31 @
Tennessee Titans - 30
Washington Redskins - 9 @
Dallas Cowboys - 27
Green Bay Packers - 24 @
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 23
The Browns are a team I'm really rooting for this year, and I think they have one more run in them after a disappointing showing in the playoffs last year that saw the Chargers absolutely smoke them. I still like them to win the North, but again this year they run into a buzzsaw team with a veteran GM and get routed at home. Hope I'm wrong. The defending Super Bowl CHAMPION Titans (yes, that feels good to say. that's my best bud!) will host a red hot Chiefs team who just vanquished their division foe and are playing with house money. The Chiefs didn't show it last week, but they have one of the best defenses on paper in SFL... and I think they'd be able to get to Bradford and force a couple turnovers. Could this game come down to a game winning kick for Tennessee that gets... MISSED by a young kicker? We shall see. Washington - Dallas rematch in the playoffs! The greatest rivalry in SFL history gets a whole new chapter with Justin and I. Last year he swept me in the regular season in two competitive games, but I won when it counted. This year I think we split the regular season (each stand tall at home), but if healthy I really think my defense will keep Wenning in check in the playoffs. The Packers go from snow storm to rain storm in Tampa, but upset the most decorated GM in SFL history to keep Cinderella alive for another week.
Conference Championship
Kansas City Chiefs - 31 @
New York Jets- 3
Green Bay Packers - 12 @
Dallas Cowboys - 20
The Chiefs after two HUGE wins in back-to-back weeks travel to New York and look like they've already won the Super Bowl. Sanchez butt fumbles. Gurley fumble fumbles. The team just never gets things started and the Chiefs are your AFC Champions. Can Cinderella carry the Packers to a classic SB1 rematch with the Chiefs? I think they come close, but ultimately the (currently) very hyped Cowboys defense holds the Packers to four FGs and scores a TD themselves to win 20-12.
Super Bowl XLVIII
Kansas City Chiefs - 12 @
Dallas Cowboys - 10
This game would be a lot of fun because of the history between Rodany and myself in SFL. The two of us have since got on the same page and get along fine, as long as we aren't trading. That said, I've got a ton of respect for how he builds his teams and the talented players he trades for and drafts. I think this match would be elite because of how amazing these two defenses are, and I wouldn't be surprised at all of those squads carry these two teams very far this year. Ultimately, in this version I've got the Cowboys hodling the Chiefs to four FGs to cap off an incredible post season where they give up ZERO touchdowns (a big change from them getting run over by the Seahawks the last two seasons)... but ultimately the Chiefs defense frustrates Glennon and David Johnson just a LITTLE bit more and the Chiefs are crowned SB Champions. Dallas might be a year away, but with Glennon, the window is wide open.
