New England at Denver
Peyton Manning and the Broncos will be ready for the Patriots, who are a far weaker team when playing on the road where it is much harder for Bill Belichick to steal opponents plays. Without inside information, the weaknesses in the Patriots game emerge. They are weak in particular in the defensive backfield and Peyton Manning will exploit those holes. I see this game as a runaway win for the Broncos.
Denver 35
New England 17
SF 49ers at Seattle
In what should be one of the best games of the season, two evenly matched teams will fight it out. Both sport fantastic defenses and have offenses led by mobile quarterbacks. Seattle should focus on establishing a passing game in order to open up the run. Seattle was not able to pass very well against the Saints and a result the score was closer than it should have been. The Seahawks must establish the air game against the 49ers if they're to have any chance of moving the ball on the ground. Look for Russell Wilson to step up with a Pro Bowl caliber performance and Seattle will win by a thin margin
Seattle 24
SF 49ers 20
The BL were 2-2 last week and now have a 5-3 record in this season's NFL Playoff predictions.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
BL Predicts: NFL Playoffs - Week 2
The BL got off to a decent start last week, correctly predicting 3 out of 4 matches. Only Andy Dalton and the Bengals let us down. On to week 2 of sensational NFL playoff games!
New Orleans at Seattle
Home field advantage and Seattle's incredibly fast defense will make life hard on Drew Brees. Russell Wilson proved last year that he knows how to step it up in big games. Unless something unforeseen like a key injury takes place, Seattle has this game going away.
Seattle 27
New Orleans 17
Indianapolis Colts at New England
The X factor in this game may well be the Colts signing this week of former Patriots WR, Deion Branch, who played 89 games for the Patriots in his career. Branch may not be completely up to speed with the cheating methods that Bill Belichick is employing this season but he should be able to give some insights to the Colts into how to avoid being victimized by Belichick's illegal schemes. Leave no stone unturned is what the Colts were saying when they signed Branch and I like that. The Pats are actually not a very talented team. Their receivers are mediocre and their defense is horrendous but Tom Brady is a good QB and Bill Belichick knows how to find advantages for his team, be they legal or not.
Plain and simple, the Colts are a better team than the Pats and I see them overcoming all obstacles in their way on the road this weekend.
Colts 30
Pats 20
San Francisco at Carolina
Many pundits are picking San Fran this weekend because they refuse to accept that Cam Newton is the most gifted QB in the entire NFL. Why they have that viewpoint is baffling to me because all you have to do is watch to guy to see an arm like no other in the game together with leadership that is world class. And he can run too, which in the NFL playoffs of 2014 is proving to be a necessary skill. I love Harbaugh too, he's the best coach in the game but I think Cam will carry the Panthers on his back to the Conference finals.
Carolina 24
SF 49ers 23
San Diego at Denver
I was in the stands for the Bengals vs Chargers game last Sunday. The Chargers didn't really beat the Bengals, I think the Bengals killed themselves. Without Andy Dalton's turnovers the Chargers would have been in a battle for their lives. Peyton Manning is "not" Andy Dalton and the Denver Broncos are not the Cincinnati Bengals. San Diego is nothing more than a small obstacle in Peyton Manning's march to the Super Bowl. Forget it SD, you're going home.
Denver 42
San Diego 17
New Orleans at Seattle
Home field advantage and Seattle's incredibly fast defense will make life hard on Drew Brees. Russell Wilson proved last year that he knows how to step it up in big games. Unless something unforeseen like a key injury takes place, Seattle has this game going away.
Seattle 27
New Orleans 17
Indianapolis Colts at New England
The X factor in this game may well be the Colts signing this week of former Patriots WR, Deion Branch, who played 89 games for the Patriots in his career. Branch may not be completely up to speed with the cheating methods that Bill Belichick is employing this season but he should be able to give some insights to the Colts into how to avoid being victimized by Belichick's illegal schemes. Leave no stone unturned is what the Colts were saying when they signed Branch and I like that. The Pats are actually not a very talented team. Their receivers are mediocre and their defense is horrendous but Tom Brady is a good QB and Bill Belichick knows how to find advantages for his team, be they legal or not.
Plain and simple, the Colts are a better team than the Pats and I see them overcoming all obstacles in their way on the road this weekend.
Colts 30
Pats 20
San Francisco at Carolina
Many pundits are picking San Fran this weekend because they refuse to accept that Cam Newton is the most gifted QB in the entire NFL. Why they have that viewpoint is baffling to me because all you have to do is watch to guy to see an arm like no other in the game together with leadership that is world class. And he can run too, which in the NFL playoffs of 2014 is proving to be a necessary skill. I love Harbaugh too, he's the best coach in the game but I think Cam will carry the Panthers on his back to the Conference finals.
Carolina 24
SF 49ers 23
San Diego at Denver
I was in the stands for the Bengals vs Chargers game last Sunday. The Chargers didn't really beat the Bengals, I think the Bengals killed themselves. Without Andy Dalton's turnovers the Chargers would have been in a battle for their lives. Peyton Manning is "not" Andy Dalton and the Denver Broncos are not the Cincinnati Bengals. San Diego is nothing more than a small obstacle in Peyton Manning's march to the Super Bowl. Forget it SD, you're going home.
Denver 42
San Diego 17
Saturday, January 4, 2014
BL Predicts: NFL Playoffs - Week 1
As is now tradition, the BL will take aim at predicting the winners in the NFL playoffs each week.
This weeks games include:
KC Chiefs vs Indianapolis Colts: The Chiefs, under Andy Reid, dramatically improved their team this year and one key was playing Marty Schottenheimer football. Control possession by running and short high percent passes. Eat clock, don't turn the ball over and play rock solid D. This is a proven winning formula but Marty proved that in the playoffs you have to be ready to roll the dice, or you risk losing. I'm going with Andrew Luck and the Colts at home.
Colts 27
Chiefs 17
New Orleans at Philadelphia: In one year, Chip Kelly proved the naysayers wrong and turned the Eagles around with his innovative offensive schemes and his focus on factors such as nutrition and conditioning. His players responded with a division title. The emergence of Nick Foles is also a major feather in Kelly's cap. New Orleans however are a more talented and experienced team. Playoff experience at QB is the major factor in favor of the Saints. The Eagles fans will make it hard on Brees but I think Drew Brees and his crew will be more than ready. I'm going with the road team here
Saints 33
Eagles 27
San Diego at Cincinnati: San Diego is the weakest team in the playoffs going against a very balanced Cincinnati team that hasn't lost at home all year. I see the Bengals getting past San Diego in the cold harsh weather at home.
Bengals 20
Chargers 10
San Francisco at Green Bay: I see this game as by far the hardest to predict. First and foremast the forecast is for the "HIGH" temperature tomorrow to be -4 degrees. The brutal cold makes it unlikely that we see a lot of offense so we're probably going to see a close game in which turnovers may be a key. On paper, Green Bay barely snuck into the playoffs while SF were one of the strongest teams in the league, but Green Bay is a different team with Aaron Rodgers at QB. The return of Rodgers at full strength is a major consideration. On the other hand, I like San Fran's running game including the ability of their QB Colin Kaepernick to run the ball, and I think the Niners have the best coach in the NFL. Flip a coin here but I'm going to bet that Kaepernick will avoid mistakes and make a few big plays on the ground and the 49ers are going to squeak by the Pack.
49ers 13
Packers 10
This weeks games include:
KC Chiefs vs Indianapolis Colts: The Chiefs, under Andy Reid, dramatically improved their team this year and one key was playing Marty Schottenheimer football. Control possession by running and short high percent passes. Eat clock, don't turn the ball over and play rock solid D. This is a proven winning formula but Marty proved that in the playoffs you have to be ready to roll the dice, or you risk losing. I'm going with Andrew Luck and the Colts at home.
Colts 27
Chiefs 17
New Orleans at Philadelphia: In one year, Chip Kelly proved the naysayers wrong and turned the Eagles around with his innovative offensive schemes and his focus on factors such as nutrition and conditioning. His players responded with a division title. The emergence of Nick Foles is also a major feather in Kelly's cap. New Orleans however are a more talented and experienced team. Playoff experience at QB is the major factor in favor of the Saints. The Eagles fans will make it hard on Brees but I think Drew Brees and his crew will be more than ready. I'm going with the road team here
Saints 33
Eagles 27
San Diego at Cincinnati: San Diego is the weakest team in the playoffs going against a very balanced Cincinnati team that hasn't lost at home all year. I see the Bengals getting past San Diego in the cold harsh weather at home.
Bengals 20
Chargers 10
San Francisco at Green Bay: I see this game as by far the hardest to predict. First and foremast the forecast is for the "HIGH" temperature tomorrow to be -4 degrees. The brutal cold makes it unlikely that we see a lot of offense so we're probably going to see a close game in which turnovers may be a key. On paper, Green Bay barely snuck into the playoffs while SF were one of the strongest teams in the league, but Green Bay is a different team with Aaron Rodgers at QB. The return of Rodgers at full strength is a major consideration. On the other hand, I like San Fran's running game including the ability of their QB Colin Kaepernick to run the ball, and I think the Niners have the best coach in the NFL. Flip a coin here but I'm going to bet that Kaepernick will avoid mistakes and make a few big plays on the ground and the 49ers are going to squeak by the Pack.
49ers 13
Packers 10
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