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2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: Midwest Region

The Midwest Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament features some great teams and plenty of potential madness. Let’s break it down and preview how the Midwest will play out.

Cover photo taken from the Houston Chronicle.

Welcome back to the Madness. The 2023 NCAA Tournament is upon us with 68 teams and 67 incredible games ahead to crown a champion. The 2022-23 college basketball season has been one of the most unique in recent memory, as the field appears to be as wide open as it has ever been. There isn’t necessarily a clear favorite in this tournament, so March Madness is sure to live up to its name in the coming weeks. To preview the tournament, I’ll be breaking down the 2023 bracket region by region. This is the preview of the Midwest: perhaps the strangest, most unpredictable quadrant of the entire bracket.

Meet the 1 Seed: Houston Cougars

What Kelvin Sampson continues to do at Houston is simply remarkable. Houston has been one of the most formidable teams in the nation for several years in a row, making the second weekend in each of the last 3 NCAA Tournaments, including a Final Four in 2021. Now, he boasts his best team yet: one that has been on top of college basketball all season long. They sat in the #1 spot in the AP Poll for the majority of the season en route to being ranked first in BPI, NET, and KenPom and coming one game away from being the top overall seed in the tournament. This team utilizes so much of what made Houston squads of the past so strong: freak athleticism and ridiculous defense. The Cougars have both in bunches. Star guard Marcus Sasser, a First Team All-American, leads the way, averaging 17/3/3/2 and being an absolute pest on defense. Jamal Shead is his backcourt companion, who leads the team in assists and runs the offense to perfection. Forward J’Wan Roberts holds things down in the paint, averaging 10/8/1/1/1. But the player who has really helped separate Houston from the rest of the country this season has been star freshman forward Jarace Walker, a future lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. At 6’8 240, Walker is an absolute beast down low, averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds per game. Simply put, this is Coach Sampson’s best and most talented team in his time at Houston, which is really saying something. The teams of the past may have had their roads end in heartbreak, but this is a squad that feels destined to change the narrative. They deserve to be the favorites to win a fairytale hometown title.

Meet the Sleeper: #13 Kent State Golden Flashes

Honorable Mentions: #7 Texas A&M, #12 Drake

That’s right. The sleeper is the 13th-seeded team out of the MAC. And by all means, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. But this is March. Nothing makes sense! Kent State enters the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the field, having run the table in the MAC Tournament, including a win over heavily-favored Toledo, en route to a championship. Star guard Sincere Carry leads the way for this exciting offense that puts up nearly 80 points per game. They have all the makings of a Cinderella, relying heavily on their shooting and offensive play to simply outscore teams. But the real strength of this team is their defense, which ranks in the top 40 in efficiency according to KenPom. It’s a formula that nearly earned them road wins over Gonzaga, a 3 seed in the West, and Houston, the 1 seed in this region. In a quadrant of the bracket that looks ripe with upsets, the Golden Flashes are deservedly going to be one of the trendier picks. But don’t be afraid to pick them to win more than one game. They have proven that they have what it takes to do so.

Upset Waiting To Happen: #13 Kent State over #4 Indiana

Honorable Mentions: #12 Drake over #5 Miami, #10 Penn State over #7 Texas A&M

See above. Indiana certainly is the better team in this game, and the Hoosiers almost match up too well with the Golden Flashes. Kent State is pretty undersized while Indiana has one of the best big men in the sport in First Team All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis and are extremely well-balanced while Kent State is much better defensively than offensively. But like I said, this is March, a time when nothing makes sense. Honestly, Indiana hasn’t been very impressive down the stretch, and I think they’re over-seeded as a 4. But this would still be a shock for most people. The best upsets are the most unexpected ones, and this could very well be one of those upsets.

Best Potential Games: #2 Texas vs. #7 Texas A&M, #1 Houston vs. #2 Texas

Honorable Mentions: #2 Texas vs. #3 Xavier, #1 Houston vs. #5 Miami (FL)

On the surface, it doesn’t get much better than Texas vs. Texas A&M. Ever since the Aggies left for the SEC, we are never graced with this glorious rivalry. To get it in the second round of this tournament would be a delight. I think Texas is one of the best teams in the field, and I think TAMU is one of the most under-seeded teams in the field. This is a second weekend-caliber game just waiting to happen in the first weekend. Both teams are crazy athletic and extremely fun to watch. I would give the edge to the Longhorns, but I have no doubt that it would be air tight from wire-to-wire in an instant classic which we would be lucky to see so early in the tournament.

The appeal of a potential Houston vs. Texas Regional Final needs no explanation. In-state rivals battling for a chance to go back to the Lone Star State for a shot at the national championship? Sign me up. This game would be a peak display of athleticism and guard play. Marcus Sasser vs. Marcus Carr, Jarace Walker vs. Timmy Allen; the matchups are just too juicy. This is actually my prediction to be the Regional Final. As for who I think will win…

My Pick For Houston: #2 Texas

Honorable Mentions: #1 Houston, #3 Xavier

I love this Texas team. They are just so damn good. They have impressed me all season long. The Longhorns could have fallen apart after a world of controversy hit the program’s head coach Chris Beard, who was dismissed from the program amidst a domestic abuse scandal. Interim HC Rodney Terry has done an incredible job getting the program back on track, going 17-7 and leading the Horns to a Big 12 Tournament championship. They rank 5th in BPI, 6th in KenPom, and 7th in the NET, boasting one of the most-well balanced lineups in all of college basketball. Marcus Carr leads the way in the backcourt, leading the team in scoring (15.9 points/game), assists (4.1/game), and steals (1.8/game). Tyrese Hunter and Sir’Jabari Rice complete one of the best backcourts in the country. Star forward Timmy Allen locks down the paint as one of this team’s key pieces, but a leg injury might have him limited or even unavailable throughout the tournament. Still, I have full faith in Texas. This is a team that went 14-8 in Quad 1 games; they are as battle-tested as any team in the field, and they have been resoundingly successful in the most important games of the year. They won the best league in the nation (by a good margin, in my opinion) in emphatic fashion. They have all the makings of a Final Four team and championship contender. I can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Houston over #16 Northern Kentucky: Cougars might win this one by 50.

#9 Auburn over #8 Iowa: This could very well be the best game of the first round. Iowa has one of the best offenses in the country, but they’re playing a pseudo road game in Birmingham against Auburn, who have the athletes and defense to slow the Hawkeyes down. It’s going to be a war from start to finish, but I don’t trust Iowa’s defense to come through in the most difficult spots down the stretch.

#5 Miami over #12 Drake: It is so tempting to pick this upset. I would honestly pick Drake if we knew that Miami big man Norchad Omier is out. But the possibility of him playing is preventing me from rolling with the Bulldogs. Besides, the Hurricanes boast some of the best guard play in the country with Jordan Miller, Nijel Pack, and ACC PotY Isaiah Wong. Moreover, much of this team has the tournament experience from last year’s Elite 8 run. That should be enough to put them over the top, even without their commanding defensive presence down low.

#13 Kent State over #4 Indiana: You get the point by now. This game should be fascinating to watch, and I can’t wait to be either vindicated or proven completely wrong.

#11 Pitt over #6 Iowa State: This is a classic case of strength vs. strength. The Cyclones excel on defense, grinding you down slowly over the course of 48 minutes. The Panthers, on the other hand, excel on offense with a subpar defense. In March, I tend to favor the superior offensive team. Moreover, teams that win in the First Four carry some momentum with them into the Round of 64, and I think Pitt will have just enough gas to pull off the upset.

#3 Xavier over #14 Kennesaw State: Xavier has one of the best offenses in the country and can light up the scoreboard with the best of them. I like what they have going on in year one under Sean Miller, but I think the loss of Zach Freemantle will prevent them from going too far in this tournament. Thankfully for them, this first game won’t be too difficult.

#7 Texas A&M over #10 Penn State: Like Iowa-Auburn, this is one of the best games of the first round on paper between two power conference teams. Both A&M and Penn State played for conference championships last weekend, and both are more than capable of playing the role of bracket buster in this tournament. Their matchup should be fascinating. I was far more impressed with the Aggies throughout the course of the season as they went 15-3 with some standout wins in the SEC, which was much tougher than the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions will hang around, but their defense won’t be able to get enough stops late to pull the mini-upset.

#2 Texas over #15 Colgate: While I think Texas will make the Final Four, it won’t start with an easy win. Colgate will not be a pushover; this is their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and in each of their previous three first round games, they have been competitive. The Raiders, who are the best three point shooting team in the nation, won’t go down without a fight, but they simply won’t be able to overcome the athleticism and dominance of the Longhorns for a full 48 minutes.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: South Region

The South Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament features an abundance of talent and fascinating teams, including my pick to win it all. Let’s break it down and preview how the South will play out.

Cover photo taken from AL.com.

Welcome back to the Madness. The 2023 NCAA Tournament is upon us with 68 teams and 67 incredible games ahead to crown a champion. The 2022-23 college basketball season has been one of the most unique in recent memory, as the field appears to be as wide open as it has ever been. There isn’t necessarily a clear favorite in this tournament, so March Madness is sure to live up to its name in the coming weeks. To preview the tournament, I’ll be breaking down the 2023 bracket region by region. This is the preview of the South: a region with a plethora of star power and loaded teams, including the one I think will win the national championship.

Meet the 1 Seed: Alabama Crimson Tide

Not only is Alabama a 1 seed for the first time in program history, but they are the top overall seed in the field of 68. Even if Houston had won Sunday afternoon’s AAC title game, I still think the Tide would have been in this position, considering they beat the Cougars early in the year. They have been at the top of college basketball since the start of the season, running through the non-conference before dominating the SEC en route to a regular season and tournament championship. It starts with Nate Oats, the head coach who continues to do incredible things in Tuscaloosa. Bama is in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament after getting a 2 seed in 2021 and a 6 seed last year. While neither of those teams made it as far as they would have liked, this is his best squad yet, featuring many of the same standouts from previous years. Guards Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly dictate the backcourt; a perfect pairing of scoring and passing. Sears ranks second on the team in scoring with 12.5 points per game while Quinerly leads the Tide in assists with 3.8 per game. Freshman forward Noah Clowney has emerged as a young star with 10.1 points and 8 rebounds per game. But the real star of the show is freshman phenom Brandon Miller, a forward who is the most transcendent player in the sport and will be a top three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Miller leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 19.6 and 8.3 per game, respectfully. His athleticism is unmatched for his size at 6’9″ and 200 pounds. No matter where Alabama plays, he is the best player on the floor. He is the clear differentiator for this team. Miller has made headlines off the court for reasons that I won’t comment on, but it clearly hasn’t slowed down his play nor that of his teammates. Alabama has one of the best defenses in the nation, ranking third in efficiency according to KenPom, and play at a lightning-quick pace, ranking fourth in tempo according to KenPom. The Tide are rolling full steam ahead, and it’s hard to foresee any team in the tournament slowing them down.

Meet the Sleeper: #6 Creighton Blue Jays

Honorable Mentions: #7 Missouri, #12 College of Charleston, #13 Furman

If you told me six months ago that Creighton would be a “sleeper” in this tournament, I would be shocked. The Blue Jays were supposed to be one of the best teams in college basketball this season, being ranked 9th in the preseason AP Poll. However, a string of six consecutive losses in the non-conference absolutely doomed them. Still, they had a nice season in the rugged Big East and were able to punch their ticket to the dance as a six seed. This team shows why they had such high expectations this season in flashes; the talent is still there, it’s just a matter of them realizing their potential. Big man and two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the way in the middle along with standout forward Arthur Kaluma. The backcourt is one of the strongest in the nation with SDSU transfer Baylor Scheierman alongside sophomores Trey Alexander and Ryan Nembhard. When the Jays are clicking, they are one of the toughest teams in the nation to stop on offense, and their defense is sneakily even better. When they’re on top of their game, this is one of the best teams in basketball. They’re just not on top of their game often enough to be considered a true contender in this tournament. But March is about hot streaks, and nobody will want to see Creighton if they get even the slightest bit warm.

Upset Waiting To Happen: #13 Furman over #4 Virginia

Honorable Mention: #10 Utah State over #7 Missouri

13s beating 4s are a very rare thing, but we’ve gotten some close calls in recent years. I’m not fully sold on this upset, but if you’re looking for some madness, I think you can find it in this matchup between Furman and UVA. The Paladins are a great story, winning the SoCon and getting to the dance for the first time in a whopping 43 years. They pour in a ton of points from the outside led by the high-scoring duo of Jalen Slawson and Mike Bothwell. Moreover, this Virginia team is over-seeded. They’re barely in KenPom’s top 35 and the top 30 of the NET. They’re a big name and a big brand, but they probably shouldn’t be a 4. Finally, UVA will be without forward Ben Vander Plas, one of they key cogs to their gameplan on both sides of the ball. They struggled mightily without him in the ACC Tournament, so it remains to be seen if they can function properly without him. The Cavaliers defense is still great and certainly not easy to score on, but if you can shoot over them and hit your threes, you can beat them. We saw UMBC do that in 2018 and Ohio do it in 2021. The blueprint to beating Tony Bennett’s packline defense has been laid out, it’s just a matter of the Dins following it.

Best Potential Games: #2 Arizona vs. #3 Baylor, #1 Alabama vs. #2 Arizona

Honorable Mention: #1 Alabama vs. #3 Baylor

It’s not wise to assume chalk in any region, but man these would be incredible matchups. Zona and Baylor have two of the best offenses in the country, and both excel offensively in different ways. The Wildcats use their athleticism and size to dominate down low while the Bears use their exquisite guard play to rip defenses apart. I would love to see this matchup, however I don’t think it’s going to happen. I put all my faith in Arizona last season just for them to go out with a whimper in the Sweet 16. This year, I see them losing in the second round. I have much higher hopes for Baylor.

Apropos of above when it comes to a potential Alabama-Arizona Regional Final. 1v2 Elite 8 games are becoming increasingly rare, but this would be one hell of a way to bring them back. Each team boasts a ridiculous offense, freak athletes, and is led by one of the sport’s best coaches. It would be appointment television and an instant classic in Louisville. But as I said before, I don’t see Zona getting here. I think it will be Alabama and Baylor fighting for a Final Four spot.

My Pick For Houston: #1 Alabama

Honorable Mentions: #2 Arizona, #3 Baylor, #6 Creighton

The Crimson Tide are simply the best team in the field of 68. They have the best player in the nation in Brandon Miller. Nate Oats is coaching like the premier HC in the sport. They are as balanced as any team I have seen. Their guard play is infallible, and their defense is soul-crushing for opposing teams. I don’t think any team in this tournament is capable of stopping Alabama’s offense for 48 minutes on any given night. This team has been primed for a title push since November, and I think they’re going to achieve what they set out to do. I have Alabama beating Baylor in the Regional Final, and they will be cutting down the nets in Houston when it’s all said and done.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Alabama over #16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: A national championship push has to start somewhere.

#9 West Virginia over #8 Maryland: The Terps have been the better team in their first season under Kevin Willard, but the Mountaineers are battle-tested after going through the Big 12 gauntlet for the last several months. I think their defense will make the difference and get them to the second round.

#5 San Diego State over #12 College of Charleston: The Cougars are perhaps the single trendiest upset pick in the first round, and for good reason. They won a staggering 31 games this year en route to the best season in program history. But I don’t know if they have what it takes to win a tournament game, especially against a team as defensively sound as the Aztecs are. The MWC better hope their champion doesn’t lose in the first round again.

#4 Virginia over #13 Furman: Although I think this is the most likely upset of the first round in this region, I can’t bring myself to pick the Paladins in this spot. UVA is typically one of the more sound teams in the field under Tony Bennett, and although they’re shorthanded, their packline defense and guard play should propel them to a hard-fought win over a potential Cinderella.

#6 Creighton over #11 NC State: These teams have each had weird seasons. The Wolfpack have been floating on the bubble for months and barely snuck into the dance. The Bluejays, on the other hand, were supposed to be one of the best teams in the nation, but dwelled in the shadow of several other teams in the Big East. Still, as I outlined above, Creighton has all the talent in the world to make a run in this tournament, and I think they’ll easily dispatch of an extremely average NC State team.

#3 Baylor over #14 UCSB: The Bears boast perhaps the best backcourt in the nation with LJ Cryer, Adam Flagler, and Keyonte George. Scott Drew’s squad might not be as formidable as it was in the previous two tournaments, but I think they’re primed to make up for last year’s shortcomings. It’ll start with a fairly easy test against the Gauchos, who had a nice run to win the Big West.

#7 Missouri over #10 Utah State: Every metric in the world favors the Aggies in this game, and they are slight favorites to advance. But I saw the Tigers win several games against very good SEC teams in recent weeks, and I think their higher level of competition has prepared them for a potential second weekend push in this tournament. This one will be close from wire-to-wire, but I like Mizzou to make more plays late to advance.

#2 Arizona over #15 Princeton: Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats let me down in a huge way last year, but they are back and ready for another run. I think they’re more than capable of doing a lot of damage in this tournament, and it’ll start with what could be the biggest blowout of the first round against the Ivy League champs.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Super Bowl LVII Preview and Prediction

Super Bowl LVII is finally here, featuring one of the best, most star-studded matchups we could ever ask for. Here’s my in-depth preview of what could be an instant classic, including my pick to win it all.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday. The 2022 season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, featuring some of the best games, plays, and storylines in recent memory, and we have one game left to decide a champion. These playoffs have been a blast, and our two 1 seeds remain to battle in what could be an instant classic. Tonight, the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona. Let’s take a look at each team’s journey to get to the big game.

How the Chiefs Got Here

After falling apart in last year’s AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs had a lot of questions to answer and a lot of soul-searching to do. Trading away perhaps the best WR in football in Tyreek Hill, letting go of key veteran defenders in favor of starting rookies, and continuing to rebuild their broken offensive line led many people, including myself, to believe that Kansas City was heading for a mini-rebuild. I still thought they’d be just fine, considering they have the best quarterback of all time, an all-time mastermind head coach, and perhaps the best receiving tight end to ever play the game. But none of us saw them being this good again. Despite all of the aforementioned losses, all the Chiefs did this season was put a better product on the field en route to a nearly spotless 14-3 campaign led by QB Patrick Mahomes winning his second MVP in runaway fashion after accounting for the most total yards of any player in NFL history with 5,250 passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns and 358 yards with 4 scores on the ground to boot. They don’t have a real WR1, but nobody needs one when you have Travis Kelce, who dominated defenses once again to the tune of 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns. The WRs essentially operate by committee, but Juju Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Kadarius Toney are all capable when they’re on. The offense is completely surgical, bleeding out the opposition with a thousand paper cuts. The unit has adapted and become even more effective without an explosive element, which has terrified every single defense they’ve played this season. They’ll need to bring their A-game against perhaps the best one yet, including the best pass defense in the NFL.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes put together a masterful 2022 campaign en route to his second career MVP and perhaps his second ring. (h/t Yahoo! Finance)

The defense might be young, but the vets are still doing their thing. DT Chris Jones was by far the best interior defensive linemen this season with 15.5 sacks with two key ones in the AFC title game to help the Chiefs get to this point. The rookies have shown some promise, but they will need to step up and play key roles in this game if they want to contain a well-balanced machine of an offense that the Eagles possess. It’s going to be a battle in the trenches all game long, but with the way Kansas City’s defensive front is playing, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they can get pressure and keep the rushing attack limited.

Star Chiefs DT Chris Jones has put the defense on his back with the best season of his incredible young career. (h/t KC Kingdom)

The Chiefs have the talent and the identity to win any football game in any fashion. Betting against Patrick Mahomes is a mistake that always comes back to bite. Not many people are giving them a chance in this game, which might not be smart. But it also might be warranted when you consider the team that’s lining up across from them.

How the Eagles Got Here

Like most people who pay even the slightest attention to this league, I thought the Eagles would be pretty good this year. They had an incredible offseason, making amazing moves to fill positions of need on the roster and build one of the best teams from top to bottom in the NFL. I said they would win the division with a 13-4 record, but fizzle out in the playoffs. I thought they were great but young, lacking in the experience and perhaps the talent to compete with the veteran teams of the NFC. All these months later, they have the chance to stamp themselves as one of the greatest teams of the 21st century.

It all starts with Jalen Hurts, the third year QB who took the league by storm in 2022. Many people, including myself, have doubted his ability to be an effective thrower of the football in this league. For the longest time, I was unsure of whether or not he had what it took to be a franchise guy. Any and all doubts were put swiftly to bed with his amazing, near-MVP campaign featuring 3,701 passing yards and 22 touchdowns paired with 760 yards and a whopping 13 scores on the ground. A shoulder injury derailed the end of his season and a shot at a potential MVP, but everyone knows what Hurts is capable of when he’s clicking. The shoulder may limit him in this game, but he is as competitive and determined as any athlete in all of sports, and I guarantee that he’s going to step up and show out on the biggest stage.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts broke out in his third season, becoming one of the best, most effective dual-threat signal callers in football. (h/t Andscape)

It helps that the offense around Jalen is so spectacular. The Eagles had massive holes to fill at WR dating back to 2021. They drafted Heisman-winning WR DeVonta Smith last year to help, but they still needed a bonafide WR1 in the offense. So this past draft night, they made a huge splash to trade for star pass-catcher A.J. Brown from Tennessee. The combination of Brown and Smith has proven deadly, as both finished in the top 10 for receiving yards (1,496 and 10 TD for Brown, 1,196 and 7 TD for Smith). Dallas Goedert also provides some of the best complementary play from the TE position in football. But where this team really makes its money is in the run game. The three-headed monster coming out of the backfield is headlined by Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, and Kenneth Gainwell. Sanders leads the way with 1,269 yards, but the guys behind him put in work whenever their numbers are called. Having one of the best offensive lines in football certainly helps with that. All five starters up front could end up being Hall of Famers, and they have been far and away the best line in football this year. It’s damn near impossible to see the possibility that they crack at all, even against a great Chiefs front.

The two-headed monster at WR of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith has proven itself as one of the best receiver duos in football. (h/t Bleeding Green Nation)

And then there’s the defense, which has been one of the best in football all year long. They’re deep, they’re stacked all over the place, and they’re impossible to move the ball on. The front is malicious, led by edge rushers Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham, as well as interior men Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox. The LB core, which was previously one of the worst in the league, now bolsters names like Haason Reddick, who was second in football this year with 16 sacks, Kyzir White, and T.J. Edwards. The secondary was the best in football this year, giving up less passing yards than any other team in the league (179.8/game). DBs like Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox have been locking it down for a while in Philly, but newcomers James Bradberry and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who the Eagles got for pennies on the dollar, have pushed this unit over the top en route to being the best in the league.

LB Haason Reddick has emerged as one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL with an ability to break the game at any given moment. (h/t Yardbarker)

The Eagles haven’t broken a sweat all year long. They get ahead in games and then bleed you to death with their run game and defense. They gave up just seven points in each playoff game, winning both by a combined score of 69-14. That’s as nice as it gets in this league. I recognize that they’ve gotten some breaks along the way, but that doesn’t make this team any worse. Nothing can do that. They are the best team in football and have been all year long. Their tallest test stands in front of them, but they are more than capable of getting the job done once again.

Key Matchups

Championships are won in the trenches. The matchups up front on both sides of the ball are going to determine this game, just as they have determined almost every Super Bowl I’ve ever watched. To me, the biggest matchup in this game is the Chiefs defensive front vs. the Eagles offensive line. It’s strength on strength: the areas in which both teams make their money. The Eagles line hasn’t been beaten once all year long. Two weeks ago, they made rather light work of one of the best defensive fronts I’ve ever seen when they pushed the 49ers around for 60 minutes. They have an admittedly easier but still very difficult task in front of them with the Chiefs front, which boasts the like of Frank Clark and Chris Jones. If Philly can push them around and open up lanes for the run game as well as keep Jalen Hurts upright long enough to make the necessary throws, then the Eagles could run away with this game. But if the Chiefs can penetrate and make Hurts and the offense uncomfortable, then the Birds will have a big problem on their hands. They love being the more physical team, getting out to an early lead, and then pounding you into the ground. If they can’t run the ball or if Hurts can’t throw with his shoulder injury, then they are finished. They do not want to fall behind in this game under any circumstances. If they do, I don’t know if they have what it takes to come back and beat Patrick Mahomes.

Another extremely imperative matchup to watch is the Chiefs young secondary going up against the plethora of weapons on the outside for the Eagles. They have struggled more than they have thrived this season, especially in the playoffs. The Jaguars gave them fits, and the Bengals shredded them. That being said, they have also made key plays when it counts, including three key interceptions in big moments across those two playoff games. I don’t think the Eagles possess a better core of weapons than Cincinnati did, but I know for a fact that this defense is susceptible to getting torn apart, and that Philly offense is more than capable of doing that to them. If they can’t contain A.J. Brown and/or DeVonta Smith, then Jalen Hurts will take advantage and throw the ball all over the yard. I still have my reservations about his shoulder issues, but he can make the easy throws. If those throws are there, then the Chiefs won’t be able to keep up. But if they can limit the passing attack and let their defensive front handle the load by dealing with the rushing attack, Kansas City might have an easier time keeping things under control and letting their offense do the heavy lifting.

I would say Patrick Mahomes going up against the best secondary in the league is something to watch, but I think we all know he’s more than capable of shredding any secondary at any time on any stage. I am never ever going to doubt his abilities, especially when the lights are brightest. It’s going to be difficult, but between his incredible ability and Andy Reid’s ability to gameplan after two weeks of preparation, I feel comfortable saying that Mahomes is going to get his game off. It’s honestly just a matter of how the other side of the ball performs.

My Pick

Last Week: 1-1

Season Total: 181-99-2

Before I get into my pick for the game, I think it’s worth noting that I have not picked a Super Bowl correctly in seven years. The last team to not let me down was the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. It has been downhill ever since. I feel fairly confident in my pick for this game, but I’ve been swayed back and forth over the last two weeks. It’s a very difficult pick to make when both teams match up so well with one another. It’s even more difficult when one team is so deep, but the other has the best football player ever lining up at QB. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop, crunching the numbers, micro-analyzing every matchup at the most granular levels, and reading into superstitions. But after all that, I’m sticking with what my gut has told me since the Championship Games went final on January 29th.

Eagles 27-20 Chiefs

Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, FOX

Simply put, the Eagles are the better football team in this game. They have the better roster from top to bottom with far less holes, if any. They execute flawlessly on both sides of the ball, and when they’ve been fully healthy like they are in this game, they’ve only been beaten once (and it was at the hands of your Washington Commanders!). I recognize that the Chiefs have more experience, perhaps the best coach in the league, the best QB to ever touch a football, and so many signs point in their direction. I told myself two weeks ago that I’d never bet against Patrick Mahomes again, but I can’t even bring myself to pick them when they’re the clear side as a 1.5-point underdog on a neutral site. I just don’t see the Eagles losing this game. Moreover, a ton of trends are in their favor. The top-tier defense almost always beats the top-tier offense in the Super Bowl. The MVP curse is real in the Super Bowl; nobody to win the award has won the big game in this century. On top of that, the three previous times that the MVP runner-up has faced the winner in the Super Bowl, the runner-up has won. Jalen Hurts is more than capable of making it four.

I do have some worries about the Eagles in this game, though. The main one lies with Jalen Hurts’ shoulder injury, which has limited him severely as a passer since he returned to the lineup. He hasn’t needed to throw the ball whatsoever in the games leading up to this point, but if Philly is to win this game, he will need to make all the requisite throws in big time spots. I don’t know if the run game will be able to carry the entire load on its shoulders. Moreover, the Eagles lack Super Bowl experience in key spots. The only people on the offense who have been to this game are on the offensive line, and the only defenders who have are the rotational defensive linemen. Experience can play a very big factor in a game like this, especially when you’re facing the Chiefs, whose QB has been to 3 Super Bowls and whose coach has been to 4. They know what it’s like to lose, and they know what it’s like to win. They’ve made mistakes, and they’ve learned from them. That’s a pretty scary sight for a team full of guys in Philly who have had it pretty easy all year long.

To me, it all boils down to one thing: Patrick Mahomes will need to be Superman for the Chiefs to win this game. If they are to emerge victorious, he will have to put together the piece de resistance of his young career. I don’t think his defense has what it takes to contain the Eagles offense, so he’s going to have to put the team on his back and cut up the opposing defense and outscore Philly. He’ll likely get no favors from his run game, so it’s going to be a 50 to 60 pass attempt-type of game. As much as I know for a fact that Mahomes is capable of doing such a thing, I just feel like the wheels are going to come off at some point or another. The Eagles are a team that is built to win a championship from top to bottom. The Chiefs have too many holes to ignore, and I think that will be their undoing in this game. It pains me immensely to say it, but I have already surrendered to the idea that the Eagles are going to win their second Super Bowl in the last six years. Help me, Patrick Mahomes. You’re my only hope.

I just want to close this out by saying a huge thank you to everyone for another fantastic season. This was the first time in my three years of doing this that I was able to cover the NFL every single week from the preseason all the way to the Super Bowl, and it was a blast from start to finish. Thank you to everyone and anyone who read a piece, clicked a link, retweeted an article, or even gave me the slightest time of day. It truly means a lot as I continue to grow and try and get better at providing the best content that I possibly can. It has been amazing, and I can’t wait to keep moving forward. I hope you all had a great year, and have a great Super Bowl Sunday. I’ll see you guys in a few weeks for March Madness and the start of the baseball season. Until then!

All stats taken from ESPN.

NFC and AFC Championship Picks

Championship Sunday is finally here with two titanic matchups to determine the matchup in Super Bowl LVII. Here are my picks to get to Glendale in two weeks’ time.

Cover photo taken from NBC Sports.

Last Week: 3-1

Season Total: 180-98-2

Eagles 23-20 49ers

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, FOX

At the start of both the regular season and the playoffs, the 49ers were my pick to win the NFC. I said they were the best team in the conference, and I saw them getting to Glendale in two weeks’ time. But it feels much tougher to pick them now then it was a few weeks ago. That’s almost entirely due to how the Eagles looked last Saturday night against the Giants. After ending the regular season a bit battered and sluggish, I didn’t have a lot of faith in them to look like the team that ran circles around the league in the regular season. But they looked so much better than I could have anticipated. They look like a team on a mission. They are so damn explosive offensively, and their defense looked as good as it has all year long. Jalen Hurts’ injury is no longer a concern, and the Birds are back to looking terrifying on all fronts.

That being said, so are the Niners. They willed themselves to victory last Sunday against the Cowboys in a total team effort. It was really cool to watch. The defense was obviously remarkable and continues to be the unit that makes every difference in their games. But their weakest link has made itself apparent, and it’s Brock Purdy. He had his moments and made some nice throws last week, but he also got away with a lot that he likely won’t get away with on the road against the best defense he has ever played. If the Cowboys defense had any brains, they likely could have won the game off of those mistakes. I just don’t know what to expect out of Purdy in a spot like this. He has been a great story, but can he go on the road to an extremely hostile environment and win a playoff game against what could be the best team in the league to go to the Super Bowl? I have my doubts.

That’s one of two key matchups for me in this game; the other is in the trenches with San Francisco’s defensive front against the Eagles offensive line. Both of those units are the best in the league at their respective positions, and whoever gains the advantage will likely sway the game in the favor of their team. While I would give the edge to the Niners’ defense, I think Hurts and the offense can move around and still execute their game to put points on the board. The SF defense will get their game off as well, but does the offense have what it takes to keep up when they’re led by Brock Purdy in this spot? To a point, yes. They probably do. But I trust Jalen Hurts and the Eagles more to make the plays late to win the game. Purdy will make some mistakes, and the Birds will take advantage, even against San Francisco’s incredible defense. And they will fly all the way to Arizona.

Bengals 27-24 Chiefs

Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, CBS

At the start of the playoffs, the Bengals were my pick to win it all. I said they were the best team in the league, and I saw them hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks time. Despite all the temptation in the world and so many signs to do so, I am not backing down on that now. But man, this is a hard pick on all fronts.

For starters, everyone and their mothers are backing the Bengals all of a sudden. Last week’s thumping of the Bills has everyone worshipping Joe Burrow and the rest of this team, and that makes it very difficult to pick them. Right in conjunction with that is all the doubt surrounding Patrick Mahomes after he sprained his ankle last week. This line got all the way down to Bengals -2.5 because of it. But we all know the truth. Patrick Mahomes on one leg is still better than most QBs in this league, and he will still play just fine in this game, hence the line moving back in the other direction to Chiefs -1.5. That “injury” isn’t what concerns me about the Chiefs at all. In fact, it kind of makes me more scared to pick against them. Mahomes will definitely be limited in terms of his mobility, but making him a pocket passer limits his mistakes and might make him even more surgical. Kansas City will get their game off on that side of the ball via the quick passing game. They won’t be erratic and so focused on downfield shots like Josh Allen and the Bills were last week. And I don’t know if Cincinnati will be able to stop that in Arrowhead.

On the other hand, I have no faith in KC’s ability to stop the Bengals offense. Everyone loves bringing up the stat that Joe Burrow is 3-0 against the Chiefs with three great performances, including in this very spot last year. He is just on another level in the playoffs, as is the rest of the offense. Even with the beat up offensive line, he gets the job done. In fact, the backups did their thing last week in Buffalo, pushing around that defense and opening up all sorts of possibilities for the run game. If they can replicate that performance against this Chiefs front, then the Bengals could have their way once again on offense. Even if they don’t, I have no doubt in the ability of the passing game to put up huge numbers and points as they always do against this secondary.

The biggest question is what Mahomes and the Chiefs offense can do in response to that. People forget that they were absolutely dominating for the first half of last year’s title game before inexplicably falling apart in the second half. That was a different offense, but this one might be even better. I find it extremely difficult to bet against Patrick Mahomes in a spot like this, even on a bum ankle. But at this point, it might be harder to pick against Joe Burrow. All he does is win, and I have to see him lose to the Chiefs to believe that it’s even possible. When you combine that with the fact that I’ve been backing the Bengals for so long now and picked them to win the Super Bowl, I have to pick them in this game. It’s arduous, but necessary.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Divisional Round Picks

Only eight teams remain as we head into an absolutely stacked weekend. Here are my picks to make next week’s Championship games.

Cover photo taken from Sportcasting.

Last Week: 4-2

Season Total: 177-97-2

Chiefs 27-20 Jaguars

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, NBC

In analyzing and/or picking this game, there are really only two statistics to consider. The first of which is that Andy Reid is the greatest head coach off a bye in the history of the sport. He boasts a record of 27-4 following an off week, including a perfect 3-0 record in the AFC playoffs with the Chiefs (1-1 in Super Bowls). The second of which is that both the Chiefs and every other 1 seed ever largely struggle as large favorites in the Divisional Round. 1 seeds have gone 13-25-1 ATS in this round in the last 20 years, and 8-22-1 ATS when favored by 10 or less. Some books have this spread to 8.5 or 9. So, you can bank on the Chiefs winning this game, but don’t be surprised if it’s closer than you or Vegas think. Moreover, we pretty much know what we’re going to get out of these teams. The Jaguars are an amazing story and are good enough to give any team in the AFC fits. Their offense is certainly capable of putting up both yards and points on an underwhelming, continuously underperforming Chiefs defense, especially through the air with Trevor Lawrence slinging it all over the yard. But they don’t have what it takes to go to Arrowhead and beat Kansas City off a bye, especially considering how dominant the Chiefs have been and how incredible Patrick Mahomes has been playing this season. The MVP-to-be enters this game after putting up the most offensive yards in a season in the history of the league. Everyone on offense is getting involved, and it all starts with the greatness of #15. After seeing how Jacksonville’s pass defense has fared in recent games, I don’t trust them to limit Mahomes in any capacity. Jacksonville might be able to keep up for a while, but this is simply too tall of a task for a young team that has overachieved this season.

Eagles 24-20 Giants

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, FOX

If last week’s divisional contests (with the exception of the last 20 or so minutes of the Seahawks-49ers game) were any indication, we’re in for a close game on Saturday night. Another reason to support that is what I said above about how 1 seeds perform ATS in the Divisional Round. Combine that with the uncertainty around Jalen Hurts’ shoulder and the general feistiness of the Giants, and you have the makings of a physical divisional bloodbath. Both of these defenses will show up and show out on the big stage. In my opinion, this game comes down to whichever offense can execute better in key moments down the stretch. New York’s offense looked surgical from start to finish last week in Minnesota, but that was against one of the league’s worst defenses. On a cold night against a fantastic Philly defense, they will have a tougher time. While there are questions around Hurts and his injury, I think he has had more than enough time off to heal and get ready for this game. If the Birds offensive line can keep him upright and get enough push on the Eagles’ patented run plays, then they could win this game comfortably. It will be tough against a stout Giants front, but I like Philly in that matchup. It will take a few key plays late from Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense, but they will be the ones celebrating by the end of the night en route to the title game.

Bills 30-27 Bengals

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, CBS

This is easily my most anticipated matchup of this round, if not this entire season, and I think it’ll easily be the best game of the weekend. That’s exactly what I said when these teams met three weeks ago. I’m just as excited now as I was then, and I can’t wait to see them play a full playoff game against one another. However, my pick is different this time, and it’s hard to explain. I still think the Bengals are the better team, and I still think they’re the best team in the league. I think people who believe they’re somehow worse because they struggled in primetime against a division rival are vastly misguided. I think Joe Burrow is better than Josh Allen. I think Ja’Marr Chase might be better than Stefon Diggs. The Bengals can actually run the ball with a good backfield whereas the Bills can’t run the ball with anyone but their QB. And at this point, Cincinnati might have a better defense. On top of everything, Joe Burrow might be the best QB as an underdog in the league right now, and he has proven time and time again that he can go on the road and win these huge games against great teams. So why am I switching up now and picking Buffalo? The biggest reason is the injuries to Cincinnati’s offensive line. They will be without their three best linemen after they had spent all regular season healthy. Last week, Burrow was under duress quite a lot against a pass rush that’s only slightly better than the ones the Bills possess. Again, Burrow has proven that he can overcome this, but the Bengals have also proven that this can be their downfall in a big spot. But more than anything, the Bills just feel like they’re in the midst of a special run. They are playing inspired and the entire city of Buffalo is rallying behind them. They did not play a sharp game last week, but I think they’ll look much better on Sunday afternoon. If Josh Allen plays clean, mistake-free football (which I don’t feel comfortable with expecting), then the Bills have the offensive capability to win this game comfortably. All they have to do is get after Joe Burrow. If he has enough time to throw, he will make them pay. I just don’t see that being possible without his two starting tackles and best interior lineman. He has done it before, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he leads Cincy to another improbable victory. But I can’t bank on that right now.

49ers 31-20 Cowboys

Sunday, 6:30 PM, FOX

This is the big brand game of the weekend, and rightfully so. Cowboys-49ers in the playoffs is as classic as it gets and always seems to deliver. It certainly did last year in a thrilling Wild Card game in Dallas that ended on one of the most mind-boggling late-game plays and execution sequences in recent memory that sent the Cowboys home early and propelled the Niners to a near-Super Bowl run. This game feels quite different with San Francisco being the hottest team in the league, having won their last 11 games and barely breaking a sweat despite having to turn to Brock Purdy. The rookie continues to ball out with perhaps the best weapons in the league and easily the best defense in football behind him. The Cowboys, on the other hand, were overlooked by quite a lot of people, myself included, before going to Tampa and smacking the Bucs last Monday. They’re the underdogs in this game, but you can guarantee that they won’t go down without a fight. However, I feel like Monday night’s performance is once again swinging the pendulum of our perception of the Cowboys completely in the other direction. All of a sudden, people think they’re the best team in the NFC that can go on the road to play perhaps the best team in the league and win. I think we need to pump the brakes there. I think Dallas might be the most overmatched team in this entire round. They looked great against a Buccaneers team that we all knew was awful. How are they going to look against the 49ers? Will Dak Prescott be able to replicate his performance from last week against the best defense in the league? I say no. Will Dallas’ own defense be able to slow down San Francisco’s offense, which no one else has been able to do? I say no again. I think Purdy and company will have their way with the Cowboys’ susceptible defense, and Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and the defense will lock up Dak and the Dallas offense for the most part en route to another fairly easy win for the Niners for them to get back to the conference title game.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Wild Card Weekend Picks

The playoffs are upon us with six great games on tap in a stacked schedule that spans the whole weekend. Here’s some spoilers on how it’ll play out.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Last Week: 12-4

Season Total: 173-95-2

49ers 24-13 Seahawks

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX

The Seahawks come into this game as big underdogs after sneaking into the playoffs following the final events of the regular season. Even in a divisional playoff game, which are always so close, nobody is giving Seattle a chance. That’s a perfectly fair assessment if you ask me. Not only are they arguably the worst team in the entire postseason field, but they’re going on the road to play the hottest and perhaps the best team in the entire NFL. San Francisco has been a freight train ever since the midway point of the season, and they haven’t blinked en route to a season sweep of the team they face on Saturday. While some may say that they’re bound to cool off, I assure you that it won’t happen in this game. I don’t even see them slowing down. Their defense is the best in the league and their offense is firing on all cylinders. With Deebo Samuel back in the fold, it’s only going to be harder to stop them on that side of the ball. I love the Seahawks offense and their young pieces on defense, but I just think they’re going to be overwhelmed in what is Geno Smith’s first playoff game. Unless their corners can step up and make plays to force Brock Purdy into some turnovers, the Seahawks are going to have a long afternoon in the Bay. With Tariq Woolen dealing with an ankle problem, that seems like it’ll be the likely outcome.

Jaguars 23-20 Chargers

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC

It’s both very rare and extremely cool to see a playoff matchup between two of the young elite QBs that will likely run this league for years to come so early in their careers. I have no doubt that Trevor Lawrence vs. Justin Herbert will live up to the hype in their respective playoff debuts. Both the Jaguars and the Chargers carry some winning momentum into this game, going a combined 9-1 in their last five games (with the Chargers’ loss coming in a game where they “rested” starters), and Jacksonville will be electric once again just one week after hosting the division-winning game against the Titans. But the news isn’t entirely good on both sides. Los Angeles’ star WR Mike Williams will miss this game, and likely the entire postseason if they were to move on, with a back problem that emerged while he was playing in the Chargers’ meaningless game last week in Denver. That will be a huge detriment to their offense, which we saw struggle mightily when not at full strength in the regular season. But Herbert will still have Keenan Allen on the outside and Austin Ekeler behind him, so the Bolts will still be able to do damage on offense. I just don’t know if it will be enough to overcome Jacksonville on the road. As I said earlier this week, the Jags essentially got their playoff jitters out of the way last week in a de facto play-in game. I think they’ll be much, much sharper on Saturday night, and I think Trevor Lawrence can have a big day against a maligned Chargers defense. Herbert will keep LA in it from start to finish, and this game could likely come down to whichever QB has the ball in their hands when the clock hits triple zeros. I just happen to trust the home team a little bit more in almost every other area.

Bills 30-13 Dolphins

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

If Tua Tagovailoa was playing in this game for the Dolphins, perhaps it’d be worth talking about. We all saw how thrilling the primetime clash was between these two teams just a few weeks ago when Miami was at full strength. Alas, it will be Skylar Thompson once again for the Fins, which means they don’t stand a semblance of a chance. You’d think that any QB can step in and run that star-studded offense to perfection, but that’s simply not the case here. The Dolphins are infinitely worse without Tua, and it has shown in every single game he has missed. It took until the final moments of the final game of the season for them to win a game that Tua didn’t start and finish. That’s a pretty staggering statistic. Even if he were playing in this game, I don’t think it would have been enough to pick against Buffalo. The Bills are riding high into this matchup and playing inspired football, as we saw in last week’s amazing display for Damar Hamlin. They are simply better on both sides of the ball, and you can’t expect me to believe that Josh Allen won’t launch the ball all over the place once again in the playoffs. I think he’s in for what could be a special postseason run, and I think the Bills will once again put on a show en route to another emphatic victory over a division rival.

Vikings 26-23 Giants

Sunday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX

This could very well be the most fun game of the weekend, which is pretty hilarious given the QB matchup and the nature of these two teams. The Giants are a trendy sleeper pick in these playoffs despite finishing the year going 3-6-1 in their final 10 games. The Vikings are the team that everyone expects to bow out early due to their flukey nature when they play at a time other than 1pm and/or against good teams. Quite literally anything can happen in a matchup like this. They played just three weeks ago in this exact same spot and it was wild from start to finish with Minnesota walking it off on an improbable 61-yard field goal. New York was the better team in nearly every facet in that game and still came up short. Who’s to say that it won’t go the other way this time? It really wouldn’t shock me if the Giants were to flip the script. The Vikings aren’t that much better despite having a better record and the gift of playing at home. Plus, you just never know what you’re going to get out of Kirk Cousins. Rest really isn’t a factor when you consider that both of these teams rested their starters last week. So, what gives? I say experience. Experience matters in the playoffs. Kirk Cousins has played in this spot before in much tougher environments against much tougher teams. Daniel Jones’ toughest postseason test has been… the 2018 Independence Bowl? It just feels too inconceivable to see this young, inexperienced Giants team go on the road and knock off a more skilled Vikings team. I know their defense is awful, but I don’t believe the Giants have the offensive firepower to take advantage of that. Plus, all Minnesota has heard throughout the last few weeks is how awful they are and how they’ll be one and done. That’s bulletin board material for them. I think they’ll play this game with a chip on their shoulder, and while it might not be the most convincing win in the world when it’s all said and done, they’ll be the ones moving onto San Francisco in a week’s time.

Bengals 26-14 Ravens

Sunday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC

Remember what I said about Bills-Dolphins up there? Apropos of that here. The Ravens will once again be without Lamar Jackson as he misses his sixth straight game with what they said was a one-to-three week injury. Feels fishy, doesn’t it? Their reward for this medical mishap is going back on the road with their backup QB to play perhaps the hottest and, in my opinion, best team in the league who they just got smacked by one week ago with their own chip on their shoulders caused by the decision-making of the NFL. At least this time it’ll be Tyler Huntley, right? Who cares. Huntley has looked awful all year long, especially in divisional games. It might look prettier than Anthony Brown’s performance last Sunday, but I assure you, this will still be a wash for Cincinnati. The Bengals have so much to prove in so many ways, and Joe Burrow is going to light it up in an electric home primetime playoff atmosphere. It will honestly be awesome to see, and I can’t wait for it. I do have my reservations about the trenches for the Bengals on both sides of the ball. Their makeshift offensive line will have to keep Burrow upright against a solid Ravens front. But if he can get the ball out quick to his playmakers, then Cincy will absolutely cruise into a highly anticipated rematch with the Bills.

Buccaneers 20-17 Cowboys

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN/ABC

Let me get this straight. Tom Brady is hosting a playoff game against a notoriously awful playoff team, quarterback, and head coach in a primetime spot having never lost to said team… and he’s an underdog? Yeah right. To bet against Brady and the Bucs in a situation like this would be dubious at best. They may have fallen backwards into the playoffs. They may be the only team in the field with a losing record. They may have been awful for the better part of the season. And yes, I may have slandered them all year long. But I would be a complete idiot to pick the Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy-led Cowboys to go on the road and beat Tom Brady in the playoffs. I do think Dallas is the better team in this game, but it just doesn’t make sense. They ended the year on a pitiful whimper in DC last week, and Dak has had perhaps the worst year of his career. Their offense looks worse by the game and their defense isn’t doing enough to make up for that. A team like Tampa will make you pay for those kinds of mistakes. They don’t inspire the most faith in the world, but their division-clinching win over the Panthers showed me that this team shows up when it matters. Tom Brady looked incredible in that win, and if he looks even half as good as that on Monday night, then the Cowboys are positively screwed. I don’t know if that will happen; this will probably be a tight game from start to finish that’s dominated by the defenses. In that case, I’m not picking against the Bucs defense against the turnover machine known as Dak. And I’m not picking against Tom Brady.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 18 Power Rankings

With the regular season in the books, the final Power Rankings of the year provide an insight into how the playoff contestants stack up as well as some reflection on the seasons of those who didn’t make the dance.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

1 – Bengals (12-4)

The Cincinnati Bengals are my top team at the end of the 2022 season, but I don’t know if they have ever felt more vulnerable. Their offensive line, which has previously been so solid all year long, has lost two of its most key pieces in Alex Cappa and La’el Collins in the last three weeks. So, there’s a better chance than not that we see Joe Burrow under duress just as much as he was during last year’s playoff run. That being said, I still trust Burrow and the Bengals offense under any and all circumstances, and I still trust this defense. They have plenty of experience from last year and feel determined to make amends. Their injuries could come back to bite them, but as it stands, they are my Super Bowl favorites.

2 – Chiefs (14-3)

Kansas City ended their season far more emphatically than I pictured they would. They destroyed the Raiders on the road in one of their more convincing performances on the season. They barely had to do anything offensively to separate themselves. They didn’t have the flashiest game in the world, but it didn’t matter. This team simply kills you with a thousand paper cuts. Patrick Mahomes continues to be masterful, and the defense is carrying some nice momentum into the first round bye with back to back great performances, especially in the secondary. While there’s no guarantee of the Chiefs getting multiple home playoff games, they are extremely worthy of being the betting favorites to win it all. They are the team to beat in the NFL.

3 – 49ers (13-4)

The 49ers are the best team in the NFC. They might just be the best team in the league. With every passing week, they look better and better on both sides of the ball. I already have no idea how anyone is supposed to move the ball on their defense, but now I don’t know who can stop their offense. Brock Purdy continues to play better and better, and they just have too many weapons to account for. And now, Deebo Samuel is finally back. So is Elijah Mitchell, who provides an entirely different element to the already deadly backfield. This team is absolutely horrifying, even if they’re not the 1 seed. With the way the other NFC contenders have performed in the last month or so, I would genuinely be shocked if the Niners didn’t make it to Glendale in a month’s time.

4 – Bills (13-3)

I said last week that the Bills had the chance to give us one of the greatest sights in sports history. And they did just that. Buffalo was absolutely electric from start to finish in an inspiring win for Damar Hamlin to lock up the 2 seed and ensure that the AFC Championship be played at a neutral site if this team plays Kansas City. It also ensured a much easier first round matchup. While I think Buffalo could have played a better game defensively, Josh Allen was awesome from start to finish, launching the ball all over the place and making highlight throw after highlight throw. We saw the Bills get hot at the end of last year and carry that momentum into two great playoff games on offense. I wouldn’t be shocked if we see the exact same thing happen again in the coming weeks.

5 – Eagles (14-3)

Despite getting Jalen Hurts back, the Eagles looked quite sluggish once again on Sunday. They did not play a great game by any means, but still won convincingly over the Giants backups. They did clinch the 1 seed, and I think they will really benefit from having a first round bye. We could see the Birds in two weeks come out scorching hot offensively. At the same time, we could see a repeat of Sunday’s performance lead to an early exit. Both seem entirely possible, but I have a bit more faith in the former actually happening. This team is too talented across the board to get complacent, especially after clinching the top seed. Their second round matchup will be the most important factor. If it’s the Giants or Cowboys, then they should be fine. But if it’s Tom Brady and the Bucs, they might be in trouble.

6 – Chargers (10-7) 1

The Chargers weren’t as cautious with their starters as I thought they would be on Sunday, but Brandon Staley did eventually pull Justin Herbert and company out of the game in the fourth quarter. However, it wasn’t before Mike Williams sustained an injury that could potentially keep him out of the Wild Card game in Jacksonville. That mistake could prove to be extremely costly for LA; we saw how their offense looked when they weren’t at full strength, and that’s not something this team can afford to revisit. However, the Chargers are getting some good injury news as Rashawn Slater could return to the team if they were to beat the Jaguars on Saturday night. The offensive line has played very well in his absence, but getting one of the best LTs in football back obviously provides a massive boost to the offense. In any case, it will be tough for the Chargers to go on the road and win in Herbert’s playoff debut. But we all know he’s capable of getting the job done.

7 – Jaguars (9-8) 1

We all know the Jags didn’t play their best game on Saturday night in a de facto playoff game. But I think that was expected. I told you all that it would be close despite the Titans’ QB situation. It was a combination of their coaching and the jitters of Jacksonville. I’m not shocked at all that they struggled for so long and needed a big break in the game’s waning moments to clinch their playoff spot. But I think that getting those jitters out of the way will be extremely helpful for this team as they head into a very tough playoff matchup with the Chargers. They will likely play a lot more relaxed and look like the Jags of December again.

8 – Cowboys (12-5) 2

Yeesh. For a team that could have wound up as the 1 seed by Sunday night, the Cowboys put up one of the most pathetic performances you will ever see. I don’t think I’ve truly realized how sad it was. To play a team playing a 3rd string QB with absolutely nothing to play for and virtually not show up is just embarrassing. Dak Prescott played perhaps the worst game of his professional career and the rest of the offense never got off the plane. The defense couldn’t stop a Commanders offense starting a plethora of backups. It was just an abomination from start to finish. It’s hard to tell if this is who the Cowboys are going into the playoffs, but it inspires little to no confidence ahead of a road matchup against Tom Brady, who has never lost to Dallas in his life.

9 – Vikings (13-4)

As I said last week, the Vikings didn’t have to do much to beat a Bears team that was essentially playing to lose to be handed the #1 pick in the draft. I still have my reservations about this team, but it was nice to see them close out a great regular season with a rare convincing victory. Minnesota was able to get their starters some rest ahead of a pretty tough matchup next week with a Giants team that also rested their starters on Sunday. Their game a few weeks ago was pretty close, and anything can happen in the rematch, but I’ll get more into that later this week.

10 – Lions (9-8)

The Lions may have missed out on the playoffs, but they won all of our hearts this season. They finished the season on a 7-2 tear after a poor 2-6 start, beating playoff teams and crushing playoff dreams left and right. Sunday night’s win in Lambeau was simply awesome to see, and it’s so cool that NFL fans can rally around this team like we have in recent weeks. I can’t wait to see what they have in store moving forward. I can only hope that they don’t mess it up in typical Detroit fashion, because this is one of my absolute favorite teams in the league right now, and I don’t want them to go away.

11 – Giants (9-7-1)

The Giants knew they were locked into the 6 seed and rested their starters accordingly. It would be vastly unfair to move them up or down after that. I actually like their chances going to Minnesota to play a team they nearly just beat in the very same building. It’s one of the more interesting matchups of the weekend, but like I said, I’ll get into it more later this week.

12 – Buccaneers (8-9) 3

Since they were locked into the 4 seed, the Buccaneers only played their starters for a few drives on Sunday in Atlanta before letting their backups get some reps in a meaningless loss. Thus, Tampa is the only playoff team with a losing record. You might as well throw that out the window, because having Tom Brady in the playoffs is enough to make the Bucs absolutely horrify me. I don’t know what this team has in store for the postseason considering how up and down they’ve been all year long, but if #12 plays like he did to close out the year and the defense steps up like they seemingly always do, then we could be in for some more playoff magic.

13 – Steelers (9-8) 1

Kudos to the Steelers for finishing the season so strong. Like the Lions, they closed out the year 7-2 after starting 2-6 to ensure that Mike Tomlin has still never finished a season with a losing record. By all means, Pittsburgh deserves to be the 7 seed in the AFC. However, the chips just didn’t fall their way. I’m still impressed with this team. They made something out of nothing time and time again, and while I have no idea what to make of their future, perhaps the pieces are there to return to their typical status. Kenny Pickett will continue to develop into a fine young QB, and the defense will keep balling out. If they can get some offensive weapons, then I’ll have high hopes for the Steelers in 2023.

14 – Dolphins (9-8) 1

The Dolphins have snuck into the playoffs as the 7 seed to every NFL fan’s dismay. If they had Tua Tagovailoa suiting up to play QB, we’d all be enticed by their matchup with the Bills on Sunday. Alas, it will be Skylar Thompson once again, and since they’re not playing the Joe Flacco-led Jets, they will get curbstomped. It’s not going to be pretty. I wish we could have seen this team at full strength in the postseason, but they only have themselves to blame for their shortcomings. Perhaps in 2023 they won’t fall apart as drastically as they did this year.

15 – Seahawks (9-8) 2

It wasn’t pretty by any means, but the Seahawks did their job on Sunday by beating the Rams and getting some help from the Lions in order to sneak into the playoffs as the NFC’s 7 seed. This may be a postseason team, but I still don’t feel great about them. They looked very sloppy against LA and realistically should have lost if Baker Mayfield didn’t hand them the ball over and over again. Geno Smith is still very careless with the ball and isn’t playing nearly as precise as he was to start the year. The run game was chugging, which is a good sign, but we all know this offense isn’t going to do a damn thing against the 49ers defense. I expect their postseason to stay to be extremely brief.

16 – Ravens (10-7)

That’s right. I think the Ravens are the single worst team in the playoff field. It’s largely due to their QB situation, but I also just haven’t liked what this team has been doing all year long. While I believe their defense has been very good since Roquan Smith came over from Chicago, their offense has been a complete mess, and the defense can’t make up for that. If Anthony Brown is the starting QB once again on Sunday in Cincinnati, then the Ravens don’t stand a chance. If it’s Tyler Huntley under center, then perhaps they can hang around for a bit. If Lamar Jackson returns, then they could definitely win, but that’s just too unlikely at this point. That means their offense is going to continue looking like a JV team. The defense might be able to stifle the Bengals’ high flying offense, but will it be enough? I doubt it.

17 – Packers (8-9) 5

I have no desire to talk about the Packers. To have their season ended at home for the third straight time after laying the third straight dud is just embarrassing. Aaron Rodgers once again checked out of the game and looked absolutely pathetic down the stretch. He is definitely leaving Green Bay, but that’s another story. Sunday night was simply another indictment on the Matt LaFleur era for the Packers. They were unprepared, poorly coached, made stupid decisions on and off the field and paid the price for it. That’s all this team has done in the last ten years. Nobody should be remotely surprised anymore.

18 – Patriots (8-9)

The Patriots were about as competitive as I expected them to be on Sunday, but just as I predicted, it was all for naught. For every positive, there was a negative, especially when it came to Mac Jones. He had some nice throws and wound up with three touchdown passes, but also had some pretty bad ones and threw two picks. The run game looked pretty solid at times, but they simply couldn’t rely on the run game once they got down. Perhaps the most disappointing thing was the defensive performance by a team that has prided itself on making plays on that side of the ball. They were pretty awful from start to finish, as was the special teams, which allowed two kick return touchdowns. It was simply a Murphy’s Law type of game for the Patriots, which is a pretty fitting ending to a season where so much has gone wrong.

19 – Commanders (8-8-1) 4

I have no remote idea where any of that came from, but I love it. I absolutely love this team showing a ton of fight to close out a tough season. I love beating the brakes off the Cowboys. I love the team and the fanbase rallying around Sam Howell going into next year. I love the defense showing up and showing out. I love FedEx rocking in a psuedo-primetime setting. I would have loved to see this type of energy in recent weeks when the season still could have amounted to something, but I’m not complaining. This is going to be a very weird offseason, and I have no idea what 2023 holds for this team or this franchise. But I’m going to enjoy the way 2022 came to a close after so many weeks of sadness.

20 – Panthers (7-10) 4

The Panthers had one of the strangest seasons of any team in the league. They were perhaps the worst team in the league through two months, then turned it around and were a few plays away from making the playoffs. Now, they enter an offseason where they need to find a QB and may need to find a new head coach as well. I think Steve Wilks has done enough to retain the job, just as I felt about Rich Bisaccia last year in Vegas. We all saw how replacing him worked out for the Raiders. If the Panthers can find a QB in the draft or free agency, they can definitely be a fun young team under Wilks next year. I just hope for their sake that they make the right decisions.

21 – Saints (7-10) 2

Like their NFC South counterparts above them, the Saints had a very strange 2022 season. They were bad, then good, then bad, then good, then bad again. Now, they enter a nightmare free agency period where they are almost sure to lose a ton of talent while not having much draft capital to work with. 2023 could be a year where the Saints are one of the worst teams in the league, regardless of who their head coach is. Dennis Allen should be fired by all means, but I don’t think any coach can salvage the absolute mess that New Orleans will be in a few months time.

22 – Raiders (6-11) 2

In a microcosm of their entire season, the Raiders looked much worse on Saturday than I thought they would. Like so many other teams in this range, Las Vegas enters a very strange offseason with a ton of questions. Derek Carr is almost certainly on his way out, but the team sits in a position where they can make a play for a top QB in the draft. Perhaps they try to fill the position through free agency; a certain GOAT has been linked to the franchise due to his preexisting relationship with the head coach. Regardless, there are a lot more problems here than just the QB position. The defense is still going to be an absolute mess, and Josh Jacobs is likely going to leave. It’s going to be a long year ahead for a team that only endures long years.

23 – Jets (7-10) 2

The second half of the season couldn’t have gone any worse for the Jets. Going from 6-3 to 7-10 and losing the final six games of the year is simply inexcusable, even by Jets standards. Their QB play was abysmal down the stretch, and injuries unfortunately got the better of them. I don’t think this season is a failure by any means, in fact, this team overachieved more than anything else. They should feel great about their fantastic rookie class and phenomenal young pieces moving forward. The most important thing is finding a QB this offseason, and with a solid young roster, I think the Jets will have plenty of suitors.

24 – Browns (7-10) 2

It’s safe to say that the Browns vastly underperformed this season. It’s rather shocking that they were clearly better with Jacoby Brissett at QB than Deshaun Watson. That will likely change next year, but I’m not sure if that’s a guarantee. We’ll see what happens. This is a solid roster from top to bottom that can’t afford to underachieve again. I would love to see that though.

25 – Titans (7-10)

The Titans did exactly what I thought they were going to do on Saturday night. They were competitive from start to finish and their poor QB play cost them the game and the division. It was extremely obvious. Now, Tennessee is faced with a ton of questions going into what is sure to be a weird offseason. The QB position isn’t entirely settled and the WR group is rather pitiful. They better hope to revamp the offense to be vastly better than the unit that let them down in such a big way in 2022. I trust Mike Vrabel to get the job done, but they better hope that whichever GM they hire can do it as well.

26 – Rams (5-12)

Simply put, the 2022 Rams were the worst defending champions I have ever seen. You can blame it on their awful injury luck, but they were pretty bad even before that. This team has no future at all, and now Sean McVay might be stepping down. They are all sorts of screwed if that ends up happening. They have no picks and are in cap hell, so good luck to whoever inherits this absolute mess of a franchise after he’s gone. Like the Saints, this doesn’t seem like a salvageable situation.

27 – Broncos (5-12) 1

Good for the Broncos to close out such a tough season with a nice win at home against a division rival. I could tell how much it meant to Russell Wilson, the team, and the fans. Perhaps Denver can carry this momentum into next year. It will certainly be tough with limited draft capital and a limited offensive roster. This team will simply go as far as Russ and whichever HC they hire can take them. That doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence, but perhaps the Broncos have what it takes to do a 180 in 2023.

28 – Falcons (7-10) 1

All things considered, a 7-win season should be considered as a massive success for the Falcons. This team is absolute garbage and got hammered with injuries and bad luck all year long and still managed to finish the year a game out of first place. That’s remarkable. I like what Arthur Smith is cooking in Atlanta, and I think that this team can produce a fruitful future if they play their cards right this offseason. They have to nail free agency and the draft, and they better hope that they can find a QB. I hate to say it, but Desmond Ridder is simply not going to be the guy moving forward.

29 – Texans (3-13-1) 2

Congratulations, Texans! You just fumbled one of the most un-fumble-able bags in the history of the sport! You now have to watch as someone (perhaps a division rival) jumps you for the QB you so desperately craved to save your franchise! And for what? I understand that this is a professional football team and they’re not just going to go out there and throw a game, but come on. The #2 pick is still a good place to be in with two great QBs atop this draft class, but not having the top selection is definitely going to sting. I don’t see Houston making a play for #1, so they’ll have to roll with whatever their plan B is. And they only have themselves to blame.

30 – Cardinals (4-13) 1

When I got the notification that Kliff Kingsbury had been fired, I audibly cheered. I had been waiting for that for far too long. He had no business being an NFL head coach, and this franchise deserved better. Perhaps his replacement can forge an actual relationship with the franchise QB that they paid $250 million. Regardless of whether that happens, I have a bad feeling that the Cards will continue to be in a tough spot moving forward. This is not a very good roster, and their best players on either side of the ball are going to leave as JJ Watt retires and DeAndre Hopkins wants a trade. Not to mention Kyler Murray likely won’t be ready to start at the beginning of next season. I’m penciling in Arizona as one of the frontrunners for the top pick in 2024.

31 – Colts (4-12-1) 1

By losing to the Texans, the Colts cemented themselves as the worst team in the AFC. That’s a pretty hilarious statement considering this team is now in prime position to jump the Texans to take the #1 pick in the draft and steal whichever QB their division rivals wanted to pick. If/when the Colts get their franchise QB, they should be in a solid spot moving forward. This is a solid roster that was drastically held back by QB play, injuries, and coaching in 2022. With a young star QB that inherits Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., and a great defense, as well as a coach not named Jeff Saturday, they can definitely turn things around next year as long as they keep their key players on the roster.

32 – Bears (3-14)

Congrats to the Bears for somehow falling ass backwards into the #1 pick in the Draft. I’m actually really happy for them, seeing as they can now flip that pick into infinitely more draft capital in a trade with some other team in the top 5-10 that desperately needs a franchise QB. Chicago already has their guy in Justin Fields, all they need to do is trade back, take a defensive lineman/edge rusher, and use their extra picks as well as their league-leading $100 million of cap space to continue building around their young star QB. This is going to be one of the most important offseasons in the history of the franchise, and I don’t say that lightly. If Chicago makes all the right moves, they will be right back in the thick of things in the years to come. If they don’t, they might never return to the glory days.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2023 National Championship Preview and Prediction

After the best College Football Playoff semis of all time, it’s time to crown a national champion. Here’s my preview of the title game and my pick to hoist the trophy in Los Angeles.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

After months of tremendous games, countless storylines, and the best College Football Playoff of all time, it’s time to crown a national champion. Tonight in Los Angeles, the top-seeded Georgia Bulldogs look to become the first back-to-back champs in over a decade as they take on the unlikely underdogs from Fort Worth: the 3rd ranked TCU Horned Frogs.

For UGA, this is just another game. They have only lost one game in the last two years, and despite having to pull off an improbable comeback against Ohio State in a 42-41 Peach Bowl win, there was little to no doubt that they would make it to the title game. Their typically elite defense struggled mightily with the star-studded Buckeyes offense, but QB Stetson Bennett and the Dawgs’ own offense went to work and were scorching hot in the passing game to help get them to this game. But that’s not a position that Georgia wants to be in. They pride themselves on their defensive greatness, and if they bend like that, they might just break. They got away with a lot last Saturday and could have lost the game by all means. Their offense bailed them out, but that’s not guaranteed to repeat itself, especially against a better TCU defense that excels at getting after the passer and forcing turnovers. It’s safe to say that Kirby Smart will have his guys ready to play a much sharper game on Monday night.

TCU, on the other hand, has had one of the more improbable runs to the title game. They weren’t even ranked to begin the season before going 12-0 in the regular season. Despite losing the Big 12 title game, they reached the Playoff and erased any and all doubt about their legitimacy as a contender by outlasting Michigan in an absolutely electrifying 51-48 Fiesta Bowl victory. The defense scored two touchdowns and forced plenty more turnovers to make life easy for Max Duggan and the offense, who did what they had to do as well. The performance helped bring light to the fact that TCU isn’t just any old underdog. They are a real team that can compete with, and perhaps beat, any team in the country on any given day. They have the grit and the identity that every college football program yearns for. The only question that remains is: can that get them on top of the mountain? TCU is still being disrespected by everyone; not many folks are giving them a chance in this game. The 12.5-point spread is the largest I think I’ve ever seen in a title game. This team deserves more respect than that. We’ll see if they can go out and take it.

My Pick

Georgia 38-27 TCU

Monday, 7:30 PM EST, ESPN

Some Davids aren’t meant to slay Goliath. While I think TCU has one of the best shots to become an underdog that wins a title, this feels like too steep of a mountain to climb. However, unlike many, I think they’ll be competitive from start to finish. They have the talent on both sides of the ball to compete with Georgia and their 5-star players. Their offense is operating at an extremely high level with their exquisite run game, and their defense swarms to the ball to force turnover after turnover. The Dawgs looked pretty vulnerable the last time we saw them, and I think Sonny Dykes and the Frogs can exploit a lot of the flaws in their game, especially attacking their defense. It wouldn’t shock me if we saw TCU control this game for a while. But the superior talent and coaching of Georgia will prevail in the end. They’ll likely have a similar 4th quarter to the one they had against Ohio State to pull out a late win. Maybe this is a bit too large of a point differential, but I can see UGA pulling away late to make it look more convincing than it actually was. To me, it’s a matter of attrition with these two defenses. If TCU’s defense can hold throughout the game, they’ll have a great chance to win it. But if they slowly fold like they did against Michigan, Georgia will take advantage. If the Dawgs defense plays like they did on New Year’s Eve, they will be in deep trouble. But if they return to their status quo, then Stetson Bennett and the offense can do their thing. I see the latter being much more likely, and I see Georgia lifting the trophy when it’s all said and done to become the first repeat champions since Alabama ten years ago to continue proving themselves as the new perennial power in college football.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 18 Picks

The final week of the 2022 regular season is upon us with a plethora of different playoff scenarios and postseason-deciding matchups that could allow this great season to end on a high note.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

Last Week: 10-5

Season Total: 161-91-2

Chiefs 27-20 Raiders

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, ESPN/ABC

The only reason that I feel like this game will be remotely close is because of how much the Chiefs have struggled as big favorites this year and throughout Patrick Mahomes’ tenure in KC. As 9.5-point road favorites, a close game feels imminent. The Raiders certainly have the offensive talent to keep up with Kansas City, even if Jarrett Stidham is still the starting QB. Expect another huge game out of Davante Adams, who lit up the Chiefs secondary in primetime early in the season. But I have no doubt that the Chiefs will come away with the win. For starters, Mahomes has still never lost a road divisional game, which is one of the most staggering statistics in league history. He’s probably going to light up the statsheet in another massive performance. Moreover, the Chiefs know that the 1 seed is on the line, and they have to win to ensure homefield advantage for at least one of their playoff games. They will do what they have to do on Saturday evening in Paradise.

Jaguars 20-19 Titans

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN/ABC

I feel like everybody thinks the Titans are going to get whacked in this game. Honestly, I feel that sentiment. But I know more than anything that Mike Vrabel always coaches the Titans to play their best ball in these moments. Even on the road with their 3rd string QB, I know I can expect Tennessee to fight their tail off with the division on the line. But it feels impossible to pick against the Jaguars in this spot. They have a golden opportunity to usher in a new era of football in Jacksonville and finally crown Trevor Lawrence as the savior, taking them to their first division title in his first real year of play. I think it’s going to be a slugfest throughout, and I actually think that Lawrence and the Jaguars offense will largely struggle against the stout Titans front. I feel like it’ll be the Jags’ young defense that steps up and makes a play against Josh Dobbs and the Titans offense to seal it in the end.

Buccaneers 20-10 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game is one of the most irrelevant and meaningless of the week. The Buccaneers are locked into the NFC’s 4 seed no matter what happens here. The Falcons should honestly just throw the game in hopes for a better draft pick. They’re so bad that, even though I’m sure they’re going to try their best, it’s going to look like they’re doing just that.

Bills 31-20 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I find it impossible to talk about this game. It’s so difficult to talk about the Bills in any capacity right now. But as the days pass, we receive more and more great news about Damar Hamlin. On Friday, we received word that he can speak and called his teammates to cheer them on for this game. That is extremely powerful stuff. I think this whole situation has brought the Bills together, and this good news will give them the strength to go out and dominate for their brother. I think they will be uplifted in a way we rarely see in sports. The Patriots are a worthy opponent and could put up a fight as they play for their season, but it’ll be no match for a Buffalo team that is doing more than just playing football. It could truly be one of the greatest sights in sports history.

Vikings 26-16 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game is also pretty irrelevant other than the fact that the Vikings could be the 2 seed by the end of the day. But we all know that’s not going to happen. I don’t think they’ll rest any starters, but even if they do, they’re not going to lose to a Bears team without Justin Fields that looks like they’re ready to have the #1 pick in the draft fall into their lap.

Bengals 26-13 Ravens

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is a bit of a strange circumstance. This game could have been the AFC North-decider. Regardless, I think this would have been a wash for the Bengals in any situation. The Ravens are still starting Tyler Huntley at QB, which means they are guaranteed to do absolutely nothing for sixty minutes on offense. Cincinnati is at home coming off an extremely emotional, difficult situation on Monday night. I think they’ll come out and be prepared to dominate just like I think the Bills will be. It won’t take much on either side of the ball to beat this boring, overrated Ravens team, but I’m very excited to see what they have in store. I hope Joe Burrow and the offense puts on a show as they head into the playoffs, where I will certainly be rooting for them.

Texans 20-10 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

If the Texans are smart, they’ll essentially throw this game. But I don’t see them doing that. Not because I don’t think they’re smart, but the Colts might just be smarter. If you’re Indianapolis, you have nothing to play for. You want to improve your own draft stock while hurting your division rival’s chances at bagging a generational franchise QB in April. I can totally see the Colts being the ones to throw the game and improve their own standing. I also feel like the Texans are just generally the better team, but we’re comparing trash to garbage here. I’m just excited to see this generational tank-off.

Dolphins 20-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Ah, yes. Skylar Thompson vs. Joe Flacco. Just how we want to be spending our Sunday afternoon. Neither of these teams deserve to make the playoffs. However, it feels like the chips are going to fall the Dolphins’ way. I’d have to believe that they can beat the Flacco-led Jets, who haven’t put together a performance worth a damn in months. I don’t trust them with any backup QB, but there is simply no excuse to lose a game in this spot at home. With this win and the Patriots loss, Miami will be in. They better hope Tua can come back in a week’s time.

Saints 17-13 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

With both of these teams being eliminated last week, this game means absolutely nothing. I feel like the Saints are playing slightly better football right now, especially defensively, and they don’t have to worry about winning tanking their draft pick, since the Eagles own it. Their momentum will carry them to a nice home win to close out the season, while the Panthers’ year ends on a whimper rather than a roar.

Steelers 13-10 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The only thing I can guarantee in this game is that it will be a low-scoring, defensive slugfest. I typically like the underdogs in games like this, and should have learned my lesson with the AFC North after both Steelers-Ravens games. But I just feel like the Steelers are the better-coached team. They’re honestly the better team overall. It’s hard to see them losing at home with their season on the line. But I really wanted to flip this pick. The Browns would absolutely love to play spoiler against their bitter rival, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if they’re the ones to come away with the close win. I’m just trusting logic on this one. Because that always gets me so far, right?

Broncos 21-17 Chargers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

The Chargers largely have nothing to play for in this game. By the time it kicks off, they will see that the Ravens will have lost and that they will be locked into the 5 seed for a matchup with the AFC South winner next week. I can see them taking it a bit easy and likely resting their starters for the second half, if not the entire game. That feels like a very Chargers thing to do. The Broncos, meanwhile, have shown a lot of fight since firing Nathaniel Hackett, and I can see them closing out this tumultuous year on a high note going into what will be a very strange offseason.

Eagles 28-16 Giants

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Regardless of any and all other outcomes on Sunday, the Giants are locked into the 6 seed in the NFC, and will likely be going to Minnesota next week. They have absolutely nothing to play for and will likely be resting their starters. Meanwhile, the Eagles are getting Jalen Hurts back as they try to lock up the NFC East and the 1 seed. So, being a 14-point road favorite makes a lot of sense. I don’t know if they cover that, but they should be able to win convincingly against the Giants’ B team as they head into their well-earned bye.

49ers 27-10 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The 49ers are still in play for the 1 seed, and while they likely won’t get it, the 2 seed is a plenty good consolation prize. Regardless of any of that, they are playing one of the worst teams in football in the comfort of their own home. They will end their fantastic regular season on a high note by dismantling a Cardinals team that is starting their 4th string QB yet again. Their defense might put up Wilt numbers as they lock in the 2 seed in the NFC.

Seahawks 23-20 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The Seahawks will be fighting for their lives on Sunday evening. With a win and some help from the Lions, they’ll hold the 7 seed in the NFC and fall backwards into the playoffs. While the second part of that equation is a little less likely, I think Seattle will do what they have to do and get the necessary victory at home against a competitive Rams team. I don’t have much faith in the Seahawks as of late, but I think their coaching and generally superior talent should allow them to prevail in this spot. Whether or not they get the requisite assistance from Detroit in order to make the postseason is a different story.

Cowboys 27-14 Commanders

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

You know, at least the coaching staff has the decency to start Sam Howell at QB in this game. We might as well see what we have in the rookie before the eventual crapshoot of this offseason. It won’t help that he’s playing a great team that has something to fight for in this game. It’s going to be an embarrassing sight to say the least. FedEx will be packed with Cowboy fans and the team will get smacked in what we can only hope and pray is Dan Snyder’s final game as owner of the franchise. And this awful, painful season can finally come to a close… and I can finally rest.

Packers 23-20 Lions

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This was the game the NFL decided to flex into Sunday night to be the final game of the 2022 regular season. And I can’t wrap my head around it. Before this game even kicks off, the Lions will know whether or not they are eliminated depending on the results of the Seahawks game. If Seattle were to lose, then this is a winner-take-all game for the 7 seed. But if they don’t, then the Lions have nothing to play for. Unfortunately for Detroit, the latter seems far more likely. In any case, they can’t overcome the most powerful thing in the entire NFL: the script. The script has been out and about for the last month or so for the NFL’s beloved Buccaneers and Packers, and nothing is stopping both of those teams from making the playoffs. While I doubt either are capable of doing anything worth a damn once they get there, the league will do what they have to in order to ensure that their brands and ratings are thriving. The Lions are a better team than the Packers and should win this game by all means. It’s hard to go into Lambeau in a spot like this and win, but I think they can do it. Their offense can move the ball in the cold, and their defense might just show up against a Packers offense that is finding its stride. But we all know the NFL would much rather have Green Bay in the playoffs than Detroit. So the outcome has already been decided. What a sorry way for this incredible season to come to a close.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 17 Power Rankings

One of the scariest, most devastating weeks in NFL history has shaken the sports world to its core. Out of respect, these Power Rankings are the list of teams and nothing more.

Cover photo taken from The New Yorker.

This has been the most difficult week of sports in my life. The incident with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin shook me to my core, as it did for anyone who watched it or heard about it. It has made me take a step back and reflect on how this is really just a game. And it took me a while to come back and remember that there are still games left to be played. Both out of respect for Hamlin and because of my own personal feelings at the moment, I don’t find it appropriate to be talking about the games when his life is on the line. That’s why this week’s Power Rankings have taken until the end of the week to come out, and why I won’t be writing about any of the teams or games from Week 17. Tomorrow’s Picks will be as normal as they can be, but for now, here’s my Power Rankings in their most bare form as we head into to the final week of the 2022 NFL season.

1 – Bengals (11-4) 1

2 – Chiefs (13-3) 1

3 – 49ers (12-4) 1

4 – Bills (12-3) 1

5 – Eagles (13-3) 4

6 – Cowboys (12-4)

7 – Chargers (10-6)

8 – Jaguars (8-8) 1

9 – Vikings (12-4) 1

10 – Lions (8-8) 2

11 – Giants (9-6-1) 3

12 – Packers (8-8) 5

13 – Dolphins (8-8) 3

14 – Steelers (8-8) 4

15 – Buccaneers (8-8) 5

16 – Ravens (10-6) 5

17 – Seahawks (8-8) 4

18 – Patriots (8-8) 4

19 – Saints (7-9) 5

20 – Raiders (6-10) 1

21 – Jets (7-9) 8

22 – Browns (7-9) 3

23 – Commanders (7-8-1) 8

24 – Panthers (6-10) 8

25 – Titans (7-9) 2

26 – Rams (5-11)

27 – Falcons (6-10)

28 – Broncos (4-12) 2

29 – Cardinals (4-12) 1

30 – Colts (4-11-1) 1

31 – Texans (2-13-1)

32 – Bears (3-13)