Now that the holidays are over, let the real party begin. America’s favorite time of the year, playoff season, is upon us. It’s time for the best of the best in the NFL to show what they’re worth, to finally achieve the greatness they’ve been chasing for the past seventeen weeks. Playoff season separates the boys—sorry Cowboys fans—from the men.

 

ANALYSIS

Despite being only one week in, the NFL postseason has supplied four entertaining games, both surprising and suspenseful. In the NFC, the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints went to Seattle to play a sub-par, disregarded Seahawks team. This was supposed to be an easy win for the “Who Dat” Nation. Playing in the loudest stadium in the nation against an inspired Seahawks team led by first year coach Pete Carroll, veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and resurgent running back Marshawn Lynch proved too much for the Saints, and they fell 41-36.

In the other wild card game, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers went to Philadelphia to play Michael Vick and the Eagles, who have formed the feel-good story of the year. In a tightly contested game, the Packers pulled out an exciting victory, sealed when Tramon Williams intercepted Vick’s pass in the Packers’ end zone with 30 seconds remaining, guaranteeing the 21-16 win.

The next day, Rex Ryan and the smack-talking New York Jets went into Indianapolis and narrowly defeated a hurting Colts team, needing a last second field goal to beat Peyton Manning’s crew, 17-16.

The other AFC wild card game featured the physical Baltimore Ravens venturing to Kansas City to play the overachieving Chiefs. A tight game for the first two quarters, the Ravens came out of the locker room firing at the start of the second half. They looked like a new team, dismantling the Chiefs 30-7 and looking like the team to beat coming out of the wild card weekend.

This upcoming weekend promises to be even more exciting, with the NFL’s top teams coming off their first round byes to start their quest for a Super Bowl berth. In the AFC, the Jets go to Foxborough to play the New England Patriots, the top seed in the conference and considered by many to be the Super Bowl favorite. The Ravens go to Pittsburgh to write another chapter in their hard-hitting rivalry with the Steelers.

 

PREDICTIONS

In the AFC East battle, I see Tom Brady and the prolific Pats offense overwhelming the Jets, with the Pats winning 35-21. In Pittsburgh, two great defenses will clash, and I predict the Steelers to come out on top in a defensive game, winning 17-10.

In the NFC, the Packers go to Atlanta to face the top-seeded Falcons, and the Seahawks go to Chicago to face the Bears. Matt Ryan is 20-2 at home, and after this game, he’ll be 21-2. Falcons win 24-17. The Seahawks are a nice story, but their magic runs out at Soldier Field, losing 30-10.

In the AFC Championship, I think the home field advantage will be too much for the Steelers, and the Pats squeak by 24-21. In the NFC, the Bears defense will confuse Matt Ryan all day, but he’ll outplay a mistake-prone Jay Cutler, and the Falcons will barely win, 17-14.

This results in a Patriots-Falcons matchup in Super Bowl XLV. I think this game will be a bit of a snoozer, with the Patriots overwhelming the Falcons on all sides of the ball, winning 35-10. Tom Brady gets his fourth Super Bowl ring, and celebrates by buying another pair of UGG boots.