FMQB Playoff Time
Wild Card Weekend tends to be the best of the playoffs. Unfortunately this year there are enough teams with QB uncertainty that it’s taking a bit of the wind out of my sails. You still have to watch, but I think you could skip both AFC matchups and not miss anything.
Stat of the Week:
Tom Brady was tied for the 7th most TD passes, despite missing a quarter of the season
Stat of the Week:
Matt Ryan had the 5th highest passer rating in a season, ever
Stat of the Week:
Sam Bradford had the highest completion percentage in a season, ever
Stat of the Week:
TY Hilton led the league in receiving yards, and LaGarrett Blount led with 18 rushing TD’s.
Stat of the Week:
There were 12 1000 yard rushers this year, vs. only 7 last year
Stat of the Week:
There have been 9 seasons where a QB has thrown for 5000+ yards, and Drew Brees has 5 of them
Stat of the Week:
Brady with 28 TD’s and 2 INT’s
For the Record:
- There is legitimately no clear cut MVP this year. You can pick Brady, Ryan, Rodgers, Elliot, Carr or Brees and be ok but also have a lot of upset fans
- The Browns very nearly ended the season with a 2 game winning streak
- The Titans and Buccaneers, with 2 young QB’s, will be teams to watch next year
- Both Super Bowl teams did indeed miss the playoffs
- I don’t think Chip Kelly got a fair shake in SF. He inherited a terrible team, and they cut him after a year
- Still think the Vikings made a mistake in trying to save their season. A 1st and a 4th is too high a price for an 8-8 season and a QB controversy next year
- Au Revior Steve Smith, Robert Mathis, and Chris Berman. Football won’t be the same on Sunday’s
Wild Card Preview:
Raiders at Texans:
Brock Osweiler vs. Connor Cook, no thanks! Technically it’s backup QB vs 3rd string QB, yuck. I braved the worst game of the season, watching the Bengals and Texans duke it out. For the first time in a long time, I have zero desire to watch a playoff game. Now watch, since I said that it’s going to be an awesome back and forth contest with a Hail Mary to win it. Either way, I might stick to the highlights on this one. Raiders 10, Texans 12.
Dolphins at Steelers:
Was a good matchup earlier in the season. The Dolphins’ 6 game win streak started with their win over the Steelers, a game where Ajayi ran 204 yards. I could be overlooking Matt Moore, who’s led the team to a 2-1 record since Tannehill went down. But I think this could be a tough game to watch too, with no way the Dolphins run game keeps up with the Steelers offense. Steelers 38, Dolphins 10
Lions at Seahawks:
People are overlooking this game, but I think it could be the best one of the weekend. It really depends on which Seattle team shows up. Is it the one that lost to the Rams/Cardinals, or the one who beat the Patriots? The other thing we learned is that the Lions are NEVER out of a game. This is my upset pick of the weekend, with the Lions winning (with a missed Haushka field goal) 24-21.
Giants at Packers:
Both Giants Super Bowl wins involved wins at Lambeau Field, but the Packers may be hot enough to melt the frozen tundra. Despite not being as cold as the infamous NFC Championship game, this will still be a Football lovers football game. The Giants are another team that is very hit and miss. They took down the infallible Cowboys twice, but that Eagles loss was killer and they barely beat the Rams, Bengals, and Bears. I think Green Bay stays hot and win it 35-17.
Playoff Fact:
The Patriots are essentially guaranteed to make the AFC Championship this year. They can only play the Dolphins, Texans, or Raiders (none with their starting QB) in the Divisional Round.
Playoff Fact #2:
The Steelers and Packers are entering the playoffs with 6 and 7 game win streaks respectively. This is the first time in NFL history that 2 teams with that long of a winning streak have entered the tournament.
Defense Wins Championships:
The top 2 defenses in regards to points allowed are….Giants and Patriots
photo credit nfl.com
FMQB 