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I think back to 2010 when 7-9 Seahawks stunned 11-5 Saints. Falcons 13-3 won their division, were blown away by the 6th seed Packers. They beat Packers earlier in the year, got a different team in the playoffs. Bears won the NFC North in 2010, but Packers won the NFC Championship and the SB.
The 2011 Packers, 15-1, had a bye, Giants knocked them out of the playoffs. Packers kept them out of the playoffs 2010, same 10-6 record but had a win over the Giants during the year. 2011 Giants won the Super Bowl.
Playoffs are a different situation, throw out some of the season stuff and start over. Teams beat teams during the year by the end of the year all teams are different. A team that wins in Oct. can't think they will play the exact same team in January.
This reminds me exactly of the 2012 Ravens and how they got crushed at home vs the Broncos in like Week 12. Everyone was overreacting to that and marked Denver to the Super Bowl. It turned out a little differently in the division round.
Yep, I have a feeling the playoffs this year will not be what people are expecting. It would be funny if 2 teams play in the SB that no one expects. Could be teams that haven't been to the playoffs every year, Lions and Raiders!
The Patriots are better than anyone in the AFC but I still have a bad feeling without Gronk and Collins and what could happen moving forward. They really remind me of that 2010 team that lost to the Jets and how they gelled after letting Randy Moss go but were shocked vs the Jets. Besides Baltimore & the Seattle loss, this team truly hasn't been tested in the last few months. (Luckily got Pitt without Ben).
The team I still think has the best chance to knock off NE is Baltimore. Flacco looks good and they just have some nice offensive depth everywhere including reliable veteran receivers. Despite losing at New England and Dallas, they hung around in both of those games.
You might laugh but there's also something about the Titans that will make things interesting. They have the clutch QB, power run game, and playmakers in the trenches.
I liked KC a lot to knock off the Pats but losing Derrick Johnson is huge. Alex Smith is still a good playoff QB but I don't see their defense as dominant.
Pittsburgh can be very dangerous but teams have proven in the last few years that you can slow down this type of offense in January. This defense also can't make the big play.
Everyone loves Oakland and I'll probably eat my words but this team is not molded for January. The Raiders rely on this fast pace throw down the field game which can easily be slowed down. Not to mention with Carr playing with a dislocated finger and hasn't been he same since Buffalo. This team has also gotten lucky all year not being bitten by all the stupid penalties they make on top of an underwhelming defense.
Like others, I'm very high on both Green Bay and the Giants if they were in the playoffs today.
Last year, Green Bay got crushed in Week 16 at Arizona and everyone questioned their effectiveness in backing into the playoffs. It didn't matter as Aaron Rodgers and that offense will make the plays against the inexperienced playoff team every time. The Packers just have this continuity to their offense that can't be counted out. Almost every team except the Giants do have issues on defense and the Packers dealt with so many injuries early on.
As for the Giants, they have the hot defense but can they make everyone play their game? If it's 17-17 in the fourth quarter, they're in a great spot.
Rookies are the most volatile players you can have in the postseason. I learn this lesson each time I play fantasy playoff football. Is anyone worried that Dallas might be a bit overconfident when they start the divisional playoffs? I'm still waiting to see how this team responds when they're down in the fourth quarter.
Something is really off with Seattle. Losing Earl Thomas might be a bigger loss than Gronk or Derrick Johnson. They could survive this a few years ago but there's about three teams that could easily beat them.
I actually like Tampa a lot as an outside sleeper. Playing at Dallas in a big time Sunday night primetime game was the best thing to ever happen to this team. You know Winston and that offense came in really overconfident and were awestruck that they were making mistakes and not lighting it up early. Jameis adjusted and made some great plays to get back into it. He just couldn't find an answer in the last few minutes and I'm sure he'd love to do it again. It was such a great learning experience for a team who never plays in the national spotlight. Their offense is nice and their defense is healthy enough to make some plays. I do worry about the inexperience and the potential to make some big stupid penalties in pivotal spots.
I like Stafford's competitiveness and his receivers and their playoff experience. I'd like to see them competitive against good teams though.
Atlanta is overrated. Matt Ryan took a huge step early but this team relies too much on big plays downfield.
The Patriots are better than anyone in the AFC but I still have a bad feeling without Gronk and Collins and what could happen moving forward. They really remind me of that 2010 team that lost to the Jets and how they gelled after letting Randy Moss go but were shocked vs the Jets. Besides Baltimore & the Seattle loss, this team truly hasn't been tested in the last few months. (Luckily got Pitt without Ben).
The team I still think has the best chance to knock off NE is Baltimore. Flacco looks good and they just have some nice offensive depth everywhere including reliable veteran receivers. Despite losing at New England and Dallas, they hung around in both of those games.
You might laugh but there's also something about the Titans that will make things interesting. They have the clutch QB, power run game, and playmakers in the trenches.
I liked KC a lot to knock off the Pats but losing Derrick Johnson is huge. Alex Smith is still a good playoff QB but I don't see their defense as dominant.
Pittsburgh can be very dangerous but teams have proven in the last few years that you can slow down this type of offense in January. This defense also can't make the big play.
Everyone loves Oakland and I'll probably eat my words but this team is not molded for January. The Raiders rely on this fast pace throw down the field game which can easily be slowed down. Not to mention with Carr playing with a dislocated finger and hasn't been he same since Buffalo. This team has also gotten lucky all year not being bitten by all the stupid penalties they make on top of an underwhelming defense.
Like others, I'm very high on both Green Bay and the Giants if they were in the playoffs today.
Last year, Green Bay got crushed in Week 16 at Arizona and everyone questioned their effectiveness in backing into the playoffs. It didn't matter as Aaron Rodgers and that offense will make the plays against the inexperienced playoff team every time. The Packers just have this continuity to their offense that can't be counted out. Almost every team except the Giants do have issues on defense and the Packers dealt with so many injuries early on.
As for the Giants, they have the hot defense but can they make everyone play their game? If it's 17-17 in the fourth quarter, they're in a great spot.
Rookies are the most volatile players you can have in the postseason. I learn this lesson each time I play fantasy playoff football. Is anyone worried that Dallas might be a bit overconfident when they start the divisional playoffs? I'm still waiting to see how this team responds when they're down in the fourth quarter.
Something is really off with Seattle. Losing Earl Thomas might be a bigger loss than Gronk or Derrick Johnson. They could survive this a few years ago but there's about three teams that could easily beat them.
I actually like Tampa a lot as an outside sleeper. Playing at Dallas in a big time Sunday night primetime game was the best thing to ever happen to this team. You know Winston and that offense came in really overconfident and were awestruck that they were making mistakes and not lighting it up early. Jameis adjusted and made some great plays to get back into it. He just couldn't find an answer in the last few minutes and I'm sure he'd love to do it again. It was such a great learning experience for a team who never plays in the national spotlight. Their offense is nice and their defense is healthy enough to make some plays. I do worry about the inexperience and the potential to make some big stupid penalties in pivotal spots.
I like Stafford's competitiveness and his receivers and their playoff experience. I'd like to see them competitive against good teams though.
Atlanta is overrated. Matt Ryan took a huge step early but this team relies too much on big plays downfield.
I don't think Dallas will be over confident, maybe over whelmed... The best thing that Garrett has done all year is keep the players focused on the task at hand and not get ahead of themselves but I am worried about Dak especially. I don't know of a single Rookie QB that went far in the playoffs... He is doing things now that no rookie has ever done, outside of Big Ben... but playoffs are simply a different animal.
I am afraid that Dak will have to do more in the playoffs than he has been asked to do all year. You could see his caution vs the Bucs on Sunday night.. more than likely, he will not be able to play that way in the playoffs.. Teams are going to put 8 or 9 guys in the box, they are gonna shut Zeke down and force Dak to throw. Then they are gonna press cover and not give him a quick 3 step and throw. He is going to be forced to hit WRs running 20 yard routes, he is gonna have to be accurate and he will have to do this under pressure... If he can do that, Dallas has a great chance... we'll see.
You laugh but before the Patriots game they were 2nd in the NFL in points allowed (To the Patriots who drew a number of weak offenses). Their run D has made others change their game plans all year long. There aren't much better ones you'd want entering January.
You laugh but before the Patriots game they were 2nd in the NFL in points allowed (To the Patriots who drew a number of weak offenses). Their run D has made others change their game plans all year long. There aren't much better ones you'd want entering January.
we will see I guess. I don't buy it. But once you get in, anything can happen
Very true, playoffs definitely a different situation. I can't find an article I read about lower seeds winning the SB more than 1 & 2 seeds or maybe I have it reversed, brain fade, happens more than I care to admit.
Baltimore is not that great, their offense has underperformed, Flacco had almost no time in the offseason to work with his healed knee, he still doesn't know how to slide properly (every time he tries, the brace comes out, and it looks like a bone is sticking out of his leg), Jimmy Smith is injured on and off, and they're still figuring out their running game. But they still have a couple weeks to put it all together, and they're absolutely the one AFC team New England would prefer not to see in the playoffs.
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Kitchen sink at Prescott...only way. Find out what that guy has got. Bucs decided they didnt need to..got them far. NOT
