Super Bowl Predictions

The Ravens and 49ers both have had their struggles this season, but when January came, both teams turned their game up several notches. This is why both teams are in the Super Bowl this year. It's The Baltimore Ravens vs The San Francisco 49ers for the right to be Super Bowl Champions of the National Football League.

Let me say, it's actually a pleasure to see two fresh teams in the Super Bowl. It was always the whole Patriots, Colts, Steelers vs Random NFC Team, repeat, repeat, etc. So, this will be a treat. I've heard people cry about how the ratings won't be good because there's no big names involved. It's the Super Bowl. The SUPER BOWL. The ratings will be fine. 

Before I get to the Super Bowl, I wanna talk about the Pro Bowl. I don't think the NFL will get rid of it. They should add to it. Right now, the NBA has the best All-Star Weekend lineup out of all the sports. So many events and competitions and it ends with the All-Star Game. The NFL should go back to having different activities. A Field Goal kicking contest, a 40 yard dash race with the fastest stars in the NFL, an accuracy skills challenge for the QBs, and a Celebrity Flag Football game. Just having the Pro Bowl is eh. The stadium is never filled all the time and it's just annoying and boring to watch at times. If they were to include these activities, then the hype and everything would keep people interested and keep them in Hawaii until the Pro Bowl. It's a simple solution to a simple problem. Imagine seeing Adrian Peterson race against Chris Johnson, or Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees in an accuracy challenge, or seeing celebrities show their skills in a flag football game. Food for thought Mr. Goodell.

Let's get to the game. ESPN has said The Ravens have not faced a defense like the Niners yet. The Niners have not faced a defense like the Ravens yet either. The Ravens are not going to let Kapernick run all over them like Green Bay did. Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs have been studying that read option and they're going to be ready. And after this postseason, I've got newfound respect for Joe Flacco. The Denver game was whatever, but he still won. And then he threw 3 TDs on Tom Brady's team. Flacco is playing some damn good Football. The Niners defense isn't exactly elite. They've got power and speed up front and rush the passer, but their secondary isn't exactly shutdown. Their secondary is good, but they've been known to give up the big play here and there. I have faith that Flacco will have a big game with the help of Boldin and Ray Rice. He's got a lot of options to spread the field, but the Niners are rugged players. They will get their hits and they can hurt people. Let's not forget that. 

The 49ers, as much as I am NOT a fan of how they treated Alex Smith this season, they are in the Super Bowl nonetheless with Colin Kapernick. He took over this team and used the read option to perfection leading his team to a blowout win over Green Bay and a comeback win on the road in Atlanta. But the Niners have not faced a defense like this before. Ed Reed is going to be ready, the Ravens' corners are not scrubs either. The Ravens' have some serious power on their defensive line with Kruger and Ngata leading the charge. But Kapernick has really come alive and has found a favorite target in Crabtree and he's got so many other options with Vernon Davis, Randy Moss, and now LeMichael James. This team can come at you and beat you in so many different ways. Kapernick can run and the man has an arm. This has been well documented. But this is a tall task, even for the 49ers. How will Kaepernick play against a defense like this. The man can play, but this defense is primed and ready to stop whatever he's got planned. It's not going to be as easy as people think. 

And we have the Harbaugh Brothers. We're going to find out who the better Coach is. We know these two aren't going to play conservative and play not to lose. These teams are almost mirror images of each other. The defenses hit hard and force turnovers, and their QBs aren't too bad either. 

Time to pick a winner. I've got the Baltimore Ravens. It's funny how this works out. I picked the Niners to get to the Super Bowl and I've picked against them all month and I'm still going against them. I just don't trust Colin Kapernick in this position. I have more faith in Joe Flacco than Colin Kapernick. The Niners have the better team, but the best team doesn't always win the big game. It's about who has the better coaching and gameplan coming into the game. Ray Lewis has been a BIG difference maker for this team all postseason long. It's Ray's last game and Ed Reed's last game. A LOT of people are picking the 49ers, but I've got the Ravens. 

Coming from a personal standpoint, Karma has yet to hit the 49ers for their poor treatment of Alex Smith. Things have gone far TOO perfect for the 49ers. I feel like it's going to be a rude awakening for the Niners. The Ravens will defeat the 49ers and bring them down to earth and back to reality. God help the world if the Niners win. The Colin Kaepernick, Joe Montana, and Steve Young comparisons will be overwhelming for days to follow. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed go out with a ring. Joe Flacco and Ray Rice get their first.

Prediction: Ravens defeat 49ers

Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

WWE Royal Rumble Reaction

The Road to WrestleMania has officially begun with the first WWE major pay-per-view of 2013: The Royal Rumble! To be honest, the only major reasons to order this show is for The Rock and CM Punk and the 30 Man Royal Rumble Match. Let's get down to business.



Preshow: 

WWE United States Championship Match
Antonio Cesaro (c) vs The Miz

The preshow kicks off with the United States Championship Match between The Miz and Antonio Cesaro. First of all, I can't stand The Miz and his face turn. His jokes are corny and everything seems forced. He needs to go back to being a heel. All that aside, it was a pretty basic match. Very technically sound match with a lot of holds. Nothing too fancy. When Miz landed on his ankle, I think he tweaked it a bit. Hope it's not serious. Cesaro gets the win and retains the title. Hoping to see more Cesaro exposure heading into WrestleMania.

Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Championship 
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs Big Show

The Royal Rumble kicks off with the Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Championship and to be honest, this was a GREAT match. I'm always against the idea of having the World Title go on first, but this was a great way to set the tone for the night. I think that this even trumped their match from SmackDown a few weeks ago.

I LOVE Alberto Del Rio as a face. He's played the role well so far. Getting to the match, there was a lot of great action. The match started off slow, but soon after, it picked up and picked up in a BIG way. Del Rio uses the same aggression he had as a heel and fights with the same style. Great spot with Big Show chokeslamming Del Rio off of the light structure at the top of the set through a table! Great spot! And the ending works for me. It furthers Del Rio's character and how much of an asset Ricardo is to him. He tapes Big Show's feet to the ropes so he can't get up and Del Rio retains the World Title. Kinda lame, but how else were they supposed to end it?

Good move here. I didn't expect Del Rio to drop the title to Big Show here. I feel confident that Del Rio is going to walk into WrestleMania with the World Title. I'm really enjoying this face turn he's on. Don't know where Big Show goes from here though.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Team Hell No (c) vs Team Rhodes Scholars

This match is, hopefully, the last installment of this feud. It's been going on for 4 months too long now. I predicted Team Hell No would win this and they did. Their face turn has been going so well. The crowd loves them, they put on entertaining segments, and they're just a great team overall. I don't see them losing the titles until WrestleMania.

It was a great match. Classic tag team wrestling by both teams. Loved it. All four men really put it on the line. Rhodes Scholars really worked well as a team in this match, and Team Hell No simply work better as a team. I like the way they booked this match. Team Hell No gets the win here and I'm not mad about it. Hopefully they move on from this feud and Team Hell No takes on The Shield.

Royal Rumble Match

Ok then, Royal Rumble in the middle of the show. That means something big is going down in The Rock and Punk Main Event.

What can I really say about the Royal Rumble Match? It was Amazing! I thought last year's Rumble was entertaining, but this one was better. I say better by miles. Loved seeing Dolph come out cutting a good promo before facing CHRIS JERICHO! The fans were LOUD for Jericho when he came out. That was the loudest they've been all night and Jericho got a very deserved standing ovation. Great moment with Dolph and Jericho. Shows how far Dolph has really come. He looked  like he hasn't missed a beat as usual. It was great seeing guys Goldust giving some good minutes and The Godfather (even though he lasted two seconds.)

I would've liked to see Dolph in the Final Four. Kind of bland when the final four are all faces. The Rumble always provides some great energy and the crowd always gets into it. This year was no different. Final Four came down to Ryback, Cena, Orton, and Sheamus and the Final two were.....wait for it......John Cena and Ryback. Guess who won? Yup, you guessed it. John Cena. I think everybody in the world saw that coming. It's whatever. I'm not gonna go on some long rant about Cena, but it's whatever. Cena is going to WrestleMania to compete for most likely the WWE Championship.

Overall, I LOVED this Royal Rumble Match. Great energy, great atmosphere, great Rumble match. There was just a certain energy about this Rumble better than last year's. Dolph Ziggler has come a long way, Ryback has come a long way, Jericho coming out was a HUGE surprise and there were better moments. Like Kane and Daniel Bryan's funny moment, Barrett being eliminated by a rookie, and Kofi's little stunt with the chair. I still think John Morrison's spot from 2011 was better, but that's just me.

Still, I think the Royal Rumble should ALWAYS close the show. It's tradition, but I guess WWE these days don't respect tradition anymore.

WWE Championship Match
CM Punk (c) vs The Rock

Main Event Time! A feud that's been developed since the Summertime has culminated in this Royal Rumble showdown for the WWE Championship. Let's get right to it!

I'm gonna go ahead and say The Rock is getting too old for this. Sure he can still sell moves and he made Punk look like GOLD, but Rock doesn't have the same energy and explosiveness like his younger days. There's a big difference between being in shape and being in "wrestling" shape. This is what age does to people. That aside, I think this match was better than Rock/Cena. I'm not blowing smoke up Punk's ass, but he can carry a match better than Cena can. His moves are more fluid and he can make a good match, a great match.

Both men told a great story in the ring. Match started off fast pace and back-and-forth, and then Punk started to take control and dominate a good portion of the match. Rock came back towards the end and the energy in the building went up a few notches. Too bad the table spot didn't work and it collapsed since the weight was too much.

The ending of the match was pretty out of nowhere, but very well done. Rock goes for the people's elbow, the lights go out and The Shield puts the Rock through the table. All of this in the dark. Impressive. Punk capitalizes and get the win. Or does he? Remember when Mr. McMahon said if The Shield interfered, Punk would be stripped of the title? Yeah. Out comes Mr. McMahon to a BIG pop and was about to strip Punk of the title, but Rock refuses and advises the match to be restarted. The match restarts, Rock hits the people's elbow and the match is over! The Rock has become the NEW WWE Champion!

I know there's A LOT of people that have mixed reactions about this. The Punk fanboys are upset that their Champion lost to a part-timer, while others, me included, are glad to see The Rock wear the WWE Championship one more time. I enjoyed CM Punk's reign as WWE Champion, and it was a GREAT ride as the Champion, but it had to end sooner or later. Great moment for us fans to see one of our childhood heroes win the WWE Championship.

Here's my take on the matter. CM Punk's Championship reign had to end sooner or later. Punk is already a star. This year long title reign has boomed Punk's career so much and losing the title isn't a bad thing. What do you want? Punk to hold the title for 20 years? Open your eyes people. Don't drink the Kool-Aid. For those saying Punk should've beaten The Undertaker.....stop....now. Rock winning does a number of things. 1) brings the casual fans back into the WWE seeing a guy they watched as a kid hold the title and 2) gives the WWE great exposure heading into WrestleMania. Losing the title can open up new opportunities for Punk's character to get even better. It's not about nostalgia. It's about putting over the young guys and making them look good. Punk is going to benefit from this. I LOVE CM Punk, but some of you out there need to relax. Who better to end CM Punk's great reign as Champion than The Rock himself. Arguably Top 5 of all time.




Overall, The Rumble was a great show. Not really worth $50 Bucks, but a watchable show. TLC was better. Too predictable, but that's WWE these days. Only entertaining part of the show was The Royal Rumble Match. It SHOULD HAVE closed the show. I know Rock and Punk was a big deal, but it's tradition that The Royal Rumble Match end the show. I think that was the best part of the show. Loved The Rock winning the title. Great moment, but the Rumble should've closed the show. Oh yeah, and there was SUPPOSED to be a Divas Match that was advertised and barely talked about, but I guess they couldn't spare the 2 minutes. Life goes on I guess.

I'll give it a 6.5 out of 10. Great show, but let's not get too crazy.

This opens up possibilities for WrestleMania. It SHOULD be Rock vs Punk vs Cena, but it's gonna be Rock/Cena II. Really don't want to see that match again. Punk and Rock and Cena's paths have been paved  and this a serious money making match.

I would like to see Del Rio face off with Dolph Ziggler for the World Title. Get some fresh faces in the title picture. We've already seen Orton and Sheamus. Let Del Rio ride this face turn into Mania and square off with Ziggler. That'd be a match I'd love to see.

The Road to WrestleMania has begun and there's no telling what could happen and how plans could change.


Feel free to Comment.


By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NFL Championship Sunday

Well, let me start by saying last weekened was a GREAT weekend of Football! Not just the Saturday games, but the Sunday games as well. Well, at least the early Sunday game anyway. Before I dive into Championship Sunday, I'll give my thoughts on the Divisional Round games.



(4) Baltimore Ravens defeat (1) Denver Broncos

Game of the weekend and it's not even close. This game surpassed the greatness that was that Niners/Saints game from last year. Nobody gave the Ravens a shot against this Peyton Manning led team and they proved everybody wrong and beat them in Double Overtime 38-35. I would love to give credit where credit is due, but let's be honest, the Broncos beat themselves. Champ Bailey was burned for two TDs and never recovered, Denver played too conservative for their well being, Von Miller and Co. couldn't get to Flacco all game, and the refs practically gave Baltimore 14 points.

Then, two HUGE blunders reared their ugly heads. Up 35-28 on 3rd and 7, Denver runs the ball rather than throwing for the first to put the game away. And then with 44 seconds left on the clock, the Denver defense allowed a 70 yard TD BOMB to send the game to OT. Rahim Moore makes a Horrible play on the ball and Jacoby Jones sails into the endzone to send the game to OT. That kind of play in that kind of situation is unacceptable. After that play, I think everyone knew the Ravens had the chance to put it away. But then with 30 seconds, 2 timeouts, with Peyton Manning, you take a knee? I believe Manning could've led his team down the field.

So, Peyton Manning falls to 9-11 in the playoffs, but once again, this was NOT his fault. I could go into great detail, but that's a blog for another time. Once again, hats off to the Ravens for making the plays and never giving up, but in my opinion, Denver beat Denver. Bad coaching, bad playcalling, and bad defense.


(2) San Francisco 49ers defeat (3) Green Bay Packers

Coming into this game, I realized something: You should never abandon your pick until the pick is dead. I had the Niners in the Super Bowl, but I thought Green Bay would be the only team left to stop them and they got stomped on. So, that's my fault.

Kaepernick ran WILD on the Green Bay defense. Not much to be said there. He shook off an early Pick Six and just dominated the Packers defense. Well, I didn't see this coming. The game was close until after halftime. San Fran was up 24-21, but after the half, Kapernick and Company just imposed their will on the Packers. There's really not much else to say about this game. Kaep showed us that he's a baller throwing for over 250 yards and running for 181 yards. One hell of a performance if you ask me.


(1) Atlanta Falcons defeat (5) Seattle Seahawks

I knew I had a good feeling about this defense. Atlanta jumped all over the Seahawks and took a 20-0 lead into halftime. I can say I wasn't surprised. I knew Atlanta could do this sort of thing. But what surprised me is after halftime. You know Seattle loves to make those adjustments and come out strong and that's what they did. Russell Wilson came out slinging that ball and, again, I gotta say I love the way this kid plays Football. Such great pocket presence, nice release on the ball resulting in a fluid throw. Love it. Seattle roared back on Atlanta and took a 28-27 lead late in the fourth quarter. But we've seen Matt Ryan do this so many times. Under a minute to go, Ryan makes two clutch passes to set up a Matt Bryant game winning FG to send Atlanta to the NFC Championship Game! The Seahawks played great Football. I firmly expect these guys to be back here next year.


(2) New England Patriots defeat (3) Houston Texans

41-28 was the final score. While Houston put up a valiant effort, things got out of hand in the third quarter. Down 17-13 going into Halftime, Houston had to feel pretty good, and then before you knew it, Brady and his crew had a 38-13 lead. Houston scored a few points to pull it close, but in the end, the Patriots shut them down. But they lost Gronkowski and Julian Edleman. Two BIG losses for them. Brady was Brady and he helped his team get back to the AFC Championship and a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens.

NFC Championship Game - Sunday, 2 p.m.

(1) Atlanta Falcons vs (2) San Francisco 49ers

Since this game is gonna be on first, I'll start with this one. This one is hard to choose for me. I should pick the Niners because I have them in the Super Bowl, but Atlanta playing at home could cause some problems.

Overall, I think The Niners are the better team and if this game was in San Francisco, I would give Atlanta no shot, but I think the Falcons can thrive off their fans and play a spirited game. People are gonna look at how Seattle almost beat the Falcons and how their defense was lit up by Russell Wilson. With Kapernick coming in being faster and having a stronger arm than Russell Wilson and a more elite defense, this could cause some problems for the Falcons. How will Atlanta contain Colin Kaepernick and prevent him from doing what he did to Green Bay to them too. Even if they do attempt to contain Kaepernick's running, they have to worry about his arm and the man has a CANNON for an arm. He can beat you from the pocket and with his arm. Atlanta's defense has to be prepared.

The only way the Falcons can have a chance in this game is to do what they did to Seattle and jump out to an early lead and make Kaepernick play from behind. If they can do that, they could win this one. The Falcons offense have to really put up some points on this defense. The Niners defense isn't perfect and they can get scored on. Ryan has to be mindful of the Niners pass rush and the fact that they are relentless. White and Jones have to be physical with the Niners' corners and work them off line and get open. Tony Gonzalez needs to gave another BIG game. They cannot miss opportunities against this team. They've got to cash in on touchdowns and not score too many FGs. They've got to get physical with the physical 49ers and out physical them.

Here's the deal, Kaepernick can beat the Falcons with his running and his passing ability, and everybody already has them as a 4 point favorite and rising. But at HOME, I think the Falcons can grind out a win against this team. Playing at home has its strengths, and these fans will be LOUD. And we saw how Kapernick struggled with a LOUD atmosphere when he went up to Seattle and got blasted 42-13. I think the Falcons' home crowd will be on their side and Atlanta will rise up against the hate and the critics and punch their ticket to the Super Bowl.

Prediction: Falcons defeat the 49ers

AFC Championship Game - Sunday, 6:30 p.m.

(2) New England Patriots vs (4) Baltimore Ravens

Well, here we go again. Last year, the season ended for Baltimore Ravens in Foxboro, and they have returned to face Tom Brady and the Patriots one more time for the AFC Championship. In that game, Brady had maybe his worst game with 239 yards and 2 interceptions. His defense came to play and lucked out when Lee Evans dropped the game winning TD in the endzone and Billy Cundiff missed the FG that could've sent the game into OT.

The Ravens came off a memorable, 2OT game against Peyton Manning and the Broncos and now they have to face a much faster, up tempo offense in New England. I believe Flacco and the Ravens will score points on this defense, but I will tell you this, Aqib Talib will be a difference maker for the Patriots' Secondary. And the defense will have to play better than they did against Denver which means Suggs, Lewis, and Kruger will have to bring the house on Brady and disrupt his rhythm. All over ESPN, people say Destiny is on the side of the Ravens. Kinda hard not to believe that after the way that game in Denver ended.

BUT, it's Tom Brady, at home, and in the AFC Championship. He's 3-0 at Home in this situation. I would like to say the losses of Woodhead and Gronk would hurt them, but even without them, they put 41 on the Texans. Brady's offense still flowed. Hernandez has really emerged since Gronk's been out, Welker is still the best slot receiver in the game, and they got some serious power in the backfield with Vereen and Ridley. This offense just clicks and moves the ball at will no matter who they have out there.

I would love to give this game to the Ravens and believe they will right the wrong made last season, but beating Tom Brady and the Pats at Home in the AFC Championship is going to be a tall task. A task that I don't think Baltimore can do. At Home, it's gonna be too much of Brady and that offense. I got the Pats taking it in a close game.

Prediction: Patriots defeat Ravens

As much as I would love to see the Harbaugh Bowl in New Orleans, I think their luck has run out. Tom Brady at home and a hostile environment in Atlanta could put a damper on any hopes of the Harbaugh Bowl. I guess I got the Patriots and Falcons in the Super Bowl. Let's see what happens on Championship Sunday!



Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Who cut the better promo on RAW? CM Punk or The Rock?

For those of you looking for a College Football blog, neither of us will be making one. Why? College Football is a joke and the BCS is a joke. Notre Dame shouldn't have been on the field with Alabama. Alabama should've played Oregon and Notre Dame should've played Ohio State in the Rose Bowl or something. The playoff system can't come soon enough.

But anyway, getting to the point of this blog: The Rock and CM Punk. Last night was the start of the build up to their match at the Royal Rumble. So, the question is, who cut the better promo last night? Rock or Punk? I'm gonna dive into the promo exchange and then bring all the Rocky haters and CM Punk fanboys down to earth.

Now, CM Punk cut a great promo BEFORE The Rock came out. He cut a promo on the fans and mentioning most of the WWE superstars on the roster. He says how you do in this business depends on how popular you are, and he brings up R-Truth and Brodus Clay and their ridiculous gimmicks. He went on to say how he became successful in spite of the fans and not because of them. He says he's the greatest WWE Champion of all time and not just the modern era. He talks for a little while, before he gets cut off and we take a commercial break. Some great stuff there by Punk.

After the commercial, The Rock comes out and it's time to see what both men got on the mic. And I'll be honest, this promo exchange lacked any sort of intensity. It was good, not great. When people talk on the mic these days, there's no sense of realism anymore. I really don't know who's to blame there. The only line worth mentioning is when Punk said to the Rock, " you're going to realize that your arms are too short to box with God." That was his only good line, the rest of the promo was enjoyable. Rock had some great catchphrases and pretty much said "Time's Up." Punk talked and Rock had his jokes, which kinda made me chuckle, and afterwards he gave Punk a Rock Bottom.

If I were to choose and say who did better, I would say it would be The Rock. Simply cause he had the fans in the palm of his hands like he always does. This what The Rock does. I enjoyed him and other than Punk's "Box with God" line he didn't really OWN like everybody is saying. Rock made the promo enjoyable and made Punk step his game up.

People are probably gonna say Punk did better cause he didn't have cheesy jokes right? Let me let people in on something, The Rock has been making jokes for YEARS now. That's been his thing since the Attitude Era. You people ate it up as kids and now that you've "grown up" his jokes are cheesy, boring, and repetitive? You ask for The Rock to come back, but you bitch and moan when he does. You people complain when The Rock comes back to wrestle, but don't make a peep when it's Triple H, Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar, Stone Cold, or The Undertaker. You say he comes back for the money, but he makes A LOT more money making movies. Just because he found something else he's good at, you people wanna crucify him for it. Stop drinking the John Cena Kool-Aid and come back to reality please. Maybe we'll forgive you.

And by the way, since when did CM Punk become the gold standard when it comes to talking on the microphone? You guys really need to relax.

Bottom line, this was a great start to the first of many Punk/Rock confrontations. I already think this feud can be better than Rock/Cena. But I'll save that blog for after the payoff match at the Rumble.

But who am I right?

Watch the promo and you be the judge.

Feel free to Comment.

Playoffs? Well Let's Hope So

      By Phillip Stats Rodney 

           The playoffs have started and the buzz and excitement  that was Saturday morning began to rise slowly. However as soon as the excitement came, it left for many fans. This wildcard weekend possibly was the worst I've ever seen. Most of the games lacked any form of excitement. We saw a lot of bad quarterback play, and a lot of conservative play calling. So let's quickly review wildcard weekend and discuss my observations, then move on to the real playoffs or "Big Boy Football" as my SEC fans like to say.

          Andy "Red Rocket" Dalton played like, well.... Andy Dalton. A second year player with room to grow. There are times when Dalton shows flashes of being a stellar QB but he seems to fade as the season goes along and at times lack confidence so he hesitates and settles for the check down way too often. Dalton also seems to lack pocket presence in crucial situations, I find myself screaming for Dalton to step up in the pocket to not  have the ball swiped out his hand from behind way too often. The Bengals will need another wide out beside AJ Green to upgrade this team for next year.  The next on my list will be the Vikings and Joe Webb and how he was just down right awful, but then again he hasn't played all year. The Minnesota Vikings really were out of this game once Ponder was listed as inactive which I cant believe I'm saying. The Vikings will need a true elite wide receiver to help this team take the next step.

         Time to talk about the snooze-fest that was Sunday's Wildcard games . The crowd in Baltimore was electric, as the players started to come out  and the lights flashed as we waited for one of the all time greats to come out. I found myself glued to the T.V because we all wanted to see Ray-Ray do his intro one last time and he didn't disappoint setting the tone from the gate. The Colts were a great story for the season but this game was full of conservative play calling  and unfortunately the Colts lack of talent finally caught up to them. The Colts will need to fix that line-backing core, and safety position to help further this teams development.  

         Now wrapping up the week of dreadful games we had, the Redskins vs Seahawks. the game started out like a bat out of hell, with the Redskins moving the ball at will, and scoring two touchdowns. Seattle showed resilience and battled back but the game was really over after halftime, once we realized RG3 was immobile the Seahawks did too and the punt fest began. As RG3 earned his Philip Rivers play with no leg Pokemon badge or achievement, the rest of the Redskins offense was terrible and wont be praised. Most of the blame goes on coaching using ineffective formations, and not putting the team in a position to win, why use the pistol if the quarterback is not a threat to run. Washington still needs upgrades on defense to take the next step  such as defensive-backs, safety or another pass rusher.

      This wildcard weekend  reminded me of a song with too many features, when the song starts off and the beat drops you are hype. But the more you listen, or watch, the more it becomes just a drag and you cant wait to skip to the next track or week: inserts A$AP Rocky 1 train: so lets skip to the next week and what's shaping up to be ratings heaven for the NFL.

Your Uncle Phil's predictions its like I'm giving out free money, the Vegas lines will be provided in the link below.    

NFL Lines

Stats  Preview and Picks 

Ravens at Broncos (W)

Peyton Manning and his offense will be too much for the ravens, like last time they played this one might get ugly but we have seen Peyton Manning teams come out flat many seasons so you never know, however who you going to trust Joe Flacco and Tory Smith or Peyton Manning and the goonsquad.

Final score-  28-21

(Broncos)

Seattle at Falcons (W)

I'm going Dirty Birds(Falcons) because that dome will be rocking. If I told you Matt Ryan has a better home winning percentage at home than Tom Brady, you wouldn't believe me right? Well he does and after no MVP love or league respect, look for him and his crew Julio and Roddy White to ball out against a rusty Browner and an overhyped Sherman.

Final score - 30-21

(Falcons)

 (W) Green Bay at 49ers

This one is a tough one most likely game of the weekend, but when in doubt got to go with the best QB in the league. Even though the 49ers defense rank among the best, they are running into a red hot Packers team, and not having a healthy Justin Smith has swayed my vote to the Packers. This is strictly just a upset-special call, also knowing that the 49ers passed up a chance to draft Mr. Rodgers he will try to put on a show. This game will be decided by the kickers also who both have been horrible all season.

Final score  - 27-24

(Packers)

Texans at Patriots (W)

Let's get straight to the point people have already looked past the Texans giving them no shot to beat Brady's Bunch. The Texans have an elite wide receiver, elite running back and, what was once a top three defense, however injuries have slowed this team down. The Patriots will still win the game, but I believe a team playing inspired will come out to play and the game will be a lot closer than many think. However I'm riding with the G.O.A.T Tom Brady.

Final Score - 24-21

(Patriots- aka Tom Brady & them)

 

NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Ok, I didn't do so good on my Wild Card Weekend Predictions and I'll get into those games in just a little bit. I only got one game right, but the rest could've gone either way. The Divisional Round has been decided, but before I get into those games, I'm gonna give my thoughts on each of the Wild Card games.

Be Warned, this blog post will be a little long.


(3) Houston Texans defeat (6) Cincinnati Bengals

I'll make this one quick. I said in my last blog post that the Bengals have a habit of missing opportunities and they did. Dalton missed Green deep for a TD that could've given them a 20-19 lead. I also said their defense would give them chances and they came to play only allowing ONE offensive TD. But the Bengals couldn't capitalize on those opportunities. Other than that, their offense didn't convert one third down, the offensive line couldn't block all game and Foster and Watt helped carry Houston to victory. Too many dropped passes, and too many missed opportunities that could've put Cincy over. Dalton was just inaccurate all game and loses to Houston the second year in a row. For now, they're out of the playoffs and Houston moves on to play New England.

(3) Green Bay Packers defeat (6) Minnesota Vikings

The news of Ponder not playing was definitely big for the Vikes cause although Ponder isn't great, he does help that offense flow along with Peterson. Didn't have a lot of faith in Joe Webb. Green Bay took care of business big time holding AD under 100 yards, and giving Webb a hard time. Green Bay was up 24-3 at one point and you knew it was game. Most people said it was game when they heard Ponder wasn't starting, but I knew Green Bay was going to win regardless. This was the only game I got right. Green Bay moves on to play San Francisco.

(4) Baltimore Ravens defeat (5) Indianapolis Colts

Other than a couple big plays, the Ravens didn't really play that well. Rice fumbled twice, and it took a bad matchup on Boldin for Flacco to get going. As far as the Colts are concerned, Luck played well, but there were WAY too many dropped passes, the line couldn't block most of the time, and too many field goals and not enough TDs when they got in the RedZone. Last home game for Ray Lewis and the Ravens got the job done. The game was close until late in the third and into the fourth. Indy could've won, but again, too many missed opportunities. Colts will be good for years to come. The Ravens now have a date with Peyton Manning and the #1 seed Denver Broncos.

(5) Seattle Seahawks defeat (4) Washington Redskins

The X-Factor going into this game was RG3's health. Early on, he seemed fine as they jumped on Seattle 14-0. But I saw that before they scored the second TD, RG3 looked like he re-injured his leg. Ever since then, his mechanics were all messed up. He couldn't run, plant his feet to pass, or even escape pressure. He ran with a limp on one play in the first quarter. I think after that, he should've been out. With RG3 unable to produce, Russell Wilson led his team back and scored 24 unanswered in Washington to get the win. I knew the Seahawks were legit, but I thought RG3 would be healthy enough to lead them to victory, but that was not the case and Seattle moves on to Atlanta. I'm not making any excuses, but a healthy RG3 wins that game. Once RG3 went down, it was inevitable. Cowboys fans need to relax too saying the Cowboys would've beaten Seattle. No, they wouldn't have. Seattle would've blown them out.....again.



Ok, now that I'm done with that recap, it's time to get to the NFL Divisional Round. And we have some GOOD games lined up. Well, hopefully.

(4) Baltimore Ravens vs (1) Denver Broncos

You remember the last time these two teams played each other? The Broncos beat them 34-17. Ray Lewis coming back gives this defense a new fire and they'll play better this time around. And if anybody can match Peyton Manning's Football IQ and study just as hard as he does, it's Ray Lewis. Joe Flacco struggled against a Colts secondary that wasn't that great and now they're going up to Mile High to play the #2 ranked defense overall and the #3 ranked defense against the run. And more importantly, they're playing Peyton Manning.

Peyton Manning FINALLY has a defense that can get off the field on third down, can stop the run and can for sure create turnovers. They also have a damn good running back in Knowshon Moreno. Ever since their offense got their chemistry going, they've been unstoppable. The reason they've been so good is that they like to jump on their opponents early. If Denver goes up by double digits, they can unleash Von Miller and Company on Joe Flacco and that defense is relentless with their pass rush. The Broncos are no longer the team that spots the opponent 20 points and plays from behind. Now, they can go up by 20 and make their opponent play from behind, and you don't want to play from behind against Denver. It's a battle most teams didn't win.

Peyton Manning knows the Baltimore Ravens inside and out. He's played them time and time again, and knows when to throw on this team and take chances. I don't think the Ravens are going to get blown out again, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Joe Flacco needs to protect the football. So that means no wild throws or trying to make a play when there's nothing there. When all else fails, dump it off to Rice, or Pierce and they'll set up the passing game for Flacco to open up better opportunities. If the Ravens play like they did yesterday against Denver, they will get blown out again because Peyton Manning will cash in on touchdowns when he has the opportunity. At the end of the day, I think it's too much Manning and too much Von Miller.

Prediction: Broncos defeat Ravens

(3) Green Bay Packers vs (2) San Francisco 49ers

This one is tough. Back in Week 1, the Niners beat Green Bay 30-22. They even led the game 23-7 heading into the fourth quarter. But now, things are different. The Packers have found their groove since then and the Niners benched Alex Smith for Colin Kaepernick. While I do like Colin Kaepernick, I don't like how they treated Alex Smith. That's neither here nor there, so let's get to the game.

While we're on him, let's start with Colin Kaepernick. He doesn't have the accuracy throwing the football or Football IQ that Alex Smith has, but what he lacks in that, he makes up for in arm strength, the ability to throw the ball down field and extend the play with his legs. Unlike last year, the Niners offense won't have to go through Vernon Davis because now they've got Randy Moss and Michael Crabtree has played well for this team. The Packers secondary is good, but they do give up the big play occasionally and with Kaepernick, they love to throw the ball deep. The only thing is that Kaepernick turns the ball over. He has three interceptions with nine fumbles. He can make the big play, but he's gotta protect the ball.

On the other hand, the San Francisco 49ers are vulnerable on defense. It showed with New England and when Seattle put 40 on them. Green Bay has the receiving core to stretch the field and Rodgers loves to stand back in the pocket and pick apart the defense. The defensive line has missed Justin Smith. If he returns on Saturday, that team gets a much needed boost on the defensive line and can pressure Aaron Rodgers. The Niners defense is so physical and will get their hits and cause pressure. That's what they'll have to do to beat Green Bay. Same way they beat New Orleans last year. That defense really needs to show up cause Rodgers and his weapons will wreak havoc if they have the chance.

All that said, I got Green Bay. My Super Bowl pick was Denver vs San Francisco, but I gotta pick against the Niners here. Just don't trust Colin Kaepernick. Even though Green Bay is on the road, it doesn't matter. I think Aaron Rodgers is going to be too much for the Niners to handle. Niners defense is elite, but if any team can go into San Fran and win, it's Green Bay. People forget how good Aaron Rodgers really is.

(5) Seattle Seahawks vs (1) Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons under Matt Ryan and Mike Smith are 0-3 in the playoffs. The last time they were the #1 seed in the NFC, Green Bay blew them out by 27 points. Nobody is giving them a chance, but I'm going to give them a chance. They have to get over the hump sometime. Here's why I believe in them. You can talk about their explosive, quick strike offense, but the reason they could get the job done is their defense. Mike Nolan has done a masterful job in changing the identity of this defense. They do a great job of confusing the quarterback and changing their defensive schemes, moving around on the line, stack 8 players in the box and drop 4 into coverage, and other things. Also, the pickup of Asante Samuel was HUGE for this team as well. Him and DeCoud are a great cornerback combination on the outside.

Everybody is already giving the win to the Seahawks and they are a dangerous team. Like I said before, their defense is extremely athletic, speed off the edge and versatile and powerful corners that can get aggressive with receivers. Sherman and Browner are gonna have a tall task covering Roddy White and Julio Jones. Russell Wilson played great against Washington and he can spread the ball around to different receivers. He's a pass first, run second quarterback and he can also extend the play. The Seahawks love to eat the clock and get huge chunks of yardage and control the game. They're gonna score their points, but can they stop Matt Ryan? With Jones and White being defended, it leaves the middle of the field open for Tony Gonzalez and open up other opportunities.

I have faith in the Falcons that they can finally get the job done. The Falcons offense can score the points, but the way the defense has been playing, I think they can finally get over the hump. They can't give the Seahawks any chances to allow big plays over the middle. I got the Falcons getting over hump and winning this game and hosting the NFC Championship game. Let's find out if they can silence their critics once and for all.

Prediction: Falcons defeat Seahawks

(3) Houston Texans vs (2) New England Patriots

Ok, in their last meeting, Houston got BEAT DOWN 42-14 and this was against a Patriots team that didn't even have Gronkowski. Gronk is back and Houston is in danger of getting blown out again. To avoid getting blown out again, Houston needs to control the clock with the running game and set up the play action pass. If they can run the ball and control the game, they may stand a chance. Schaub has to play better than he did in that last meeting. On the defensive side of the ball, they have to put pressure and get to Tom Brady. In their last game, Brady had his way with the Texans defense all night long and only got sacked once. With Gronk back in the lineup, that just gives him one more weapon to his arsenal.

Playing the Patriots at home in the playoffs is always a challenge, and I don't know if Houston has enough firepower and defense to stop New England. Their defense isn't spectacular, but when they come to play, they show up and make some big plays. They had Watt on lockdown in their last meeting. It's really tough to make a case for Houston to go up and beat the Patriots because their offense is so explosive and their receivers are good at getting themselves open. Their defense has to show up. They can't give up so many big plays like they did last time. They need to jam receivers at the line and disrupt Brady's progression throwing the ball. If they can't do that, Brady will have his way.

I got the Patriots in this one. I stated in earlier blogs that if Houston ran into Denver, or New England, they would get eliminated. Here is Houston's chance to prove everybody wrong and pull off the upset. I'm not picking them though. Tom Brady and New England advance to face Peyton Manning in Denver for the AFC Championship.

Prediction: Patriots defeat Texans


There you have it. Hopefully, my picks for the Divisional Round are better than my Wild Card picks. If these picks go the way I think, it sets up a great Championship Sunday.

Once again, your opinion and feedback is welcome. Feel free to Comment.

NFL Wild Card Weekend Predictions

Let me start off by saying Happy New Year from all of us at Sports Monarchy and we hope you had a safe and enjoyable New Year. But it's time for the NFL Playoffs! The single greatest sports postseason time and it's not even close. The Road to New Orleans starts NOW!

(6) Cincinnati Bengals @ (3) Houston Texans - Saturday 4:30 p.m.

Here we go again. The Bengals face Houston for the second straight year in the playoffs, but this time things are a bit different. The Bengals are a different team, and so is Houston. I'm gonna go out and say I don't like the chances of this Texans team. Losing 3 out of their last 4 games, dropping from #1 to #3, and just having no momentum at all rolling in the playoffs. I knew Houston was overrated, but I never knew they would lose the #1 seed.

What Houston should be worried about is themselves. Over the last few weeks, they've shown that they can't stop the run and Cincy knows how to run that football. This Bengals pass rush is relentless, they lead the league in sacks and  we've seen that Schaub doesn't perform well under pressure. Their defense will create stops and give Dalton plenty of opportunities to score. But the Bengals aren't exactly perfect. They have a habit of leaving points on the board and missing opportunities. Houston is gonna put up points and Bengals can't beat them by scoring Field Goals. They're going to need to take advantage of the opportunities their defense will no doubt give them.

The X-Factor in this game is Matt Schaub. If Houston falls behind, can Schaub bring them back? Arian Foster can only do so much. I don't trust Schaub. Houston is a good team, but if Cincy goes up by 10-14 points and the game is put in Schaub's hands, I don't think he can get the job done and bring them back. The Bengals are rolling into the playoffs with momentum and Houston is not.

Last season, Houston had all the emotion and momentum for their first playoff game in front of their hometown and the young Cincy team coming in didn't know what to expect. This season, the Bengals know what they're doing out there. Dalton's not gonna throw 3 picks again. The Dalton/Green combination are gonna get over the hump.

Prediction: Bengals defeat Texans

(5) Indianapolis Colts @ (4) Baltimore Ravens

Who would've thought that after winning 2 games last season, The Colts would make the playoffs and be this good on top of that? They're playing without a lot of emotion and fire which makes a young team like this very dangerous. And let's not forget how good Andrew Luck has been playing. Sure he leads the league in interceptions, but the man produces results and has 7 game winning drives. If people think the Colts will be easy to beat, they might want to think again. The Ravens often give up many big plays due to their defense not being as good as they were earlier on in the season. And even if the Colts fall behind, you know Luck has that comeback factor. Ravens can't defend the pass like they used and stop the run like they use to. Also, Joe Flacco is inconsistent. He hasn't exactly been perfect his last few games and Freeney and Mathis will make sure to put on the pressure. The Colts pass defense has a very underrated gem in Vontae Davis. The pick up from Miami boosted the Colts Pass D and he's shown up in the last few games.

BUT, here is where The Colts may falter. For starters, it's been well documented that Indy can't stop the run. They gave up how many yards on the ground against Kansas City? And also, the Colts offensive line still needs work. They can't seem to protect Andrew Luck as good as they would like to and the Ravens pass rush are a bunch on Monsters and with Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs coming back, the job got a little harder. Don't think they won't get to Luck. And don't forget you got Ed Reed lurking back there. You CAN throw on this Colts team. They give up just as many big plays and don't get off the field on 3rd down as often. Luck is going into a hostile environment in Baltimore and it's gonna be hard to play in that building especially considering the fact that he's a rookie QB.

The Colts are 2-0 against The Ravens in the playoffs. Baltimore is a different team come playoff time, but this Colts team will not go quietly. The Colts are getting a bum rap heading into the playoffs and I'm calling for the upset. The Ravens aren't as good as people think they are. They're lucky Cincy didn't steal the division from them. Flacco is an average QB, their secondary is suspect, Luck is the real deal, and if this Colts team played with the same fire like they did against Houston, it'll be over. Indy is not to be taken lightly, Baltimore is in trouble.

Prediction: Colts defeat Ravens

(6) Minnesota Vikings @ (3) Green Bay Packers

Adrian Peterson has had an AMAZING season. He almost broke Eric Dickerson's record and could very well be the MVP when all is said and done. But, it all ends here. The Vikings have played so hard down the stretch and fought so hard to get to the playoffs, but Green Bay isn't not going to let Minnesota come into Lambeau and get a win. Granted, playing in Lambeau isn't as intimidating as years past, but Aaron Rodgers is no scrub. It's a playoff game against a divisional opponent and you know you have to be ready.

In the Packers case, they have to be ready for Adrian Peterson. He ran for 200 on them in Lambeau and this past Sunday in Minnesota. If they can't contain him, they won't win. And how could I forget Christian Ponder? If The Vikings fall behind, can Ponder make the plays to bring them back? I don't think he can. Not in the playoffs. Not in Lambeau Field against Green Bay. Ponder is gonna put up the points. He's not a total scrub now. The Vikings are gonna put up the points, but if they have to play from behind, it won't work out too well no matter how well Peterson plays.

The Vikings defense has played well. I'll give them credit for that. But I don't think they can play well enough to defeat Rodgers at home. Their passing attack is still deadly, and the Vikings aren't the best at covering sometimes. Even when they led 20-7 on Green Bay, they still gave up 34 points. Rodgers will get his points and spread the field with his weapons. They can't run the ball that well and that could come back to haunt them because in the playoffs, you have to run the ball to milk the clock.

I have a feeling this is gonna be a shootout Saturday Night. Both teams will put up the points. It's going to come down to the last possession like this past Sunday and I trust Rodgers with the ball in his own homefield than Ponder. After being one and done after a 15-1 season last season must still hurt and they're not about to get one and done again. The Vikings have had a great season led by A.D. but it all comes to an end this Saturday Night.

Prediction: Packers defeat Vikings

(5) Seattle Seahawks @ (4) Washington Redskins

This is most difficult game to choose out of the four. Two GREAT Rookie QBs facing each other in Washington's first home playoff game since 1992 (?) The last time the Redskins were in the playoffs, they faced the Seattle Seahawks in 2007.

It's really tough to call this one. Redskins have the edge because they're at home and the crowd was rabid Sunday Night. The Seahawks were only 3-5 on the road this season and you really don't know what you're gonna get from them. I like the way the Seahawks play defense, LOVE the way Wilson plays, protects the ball and doesn't make mistakes and the overall performance of this team and how they seem to get better each week. The one staple I like about Seattle is that they love to score early and often. They want to set the tone of the game in their own way. If they can take the crowd out of the game and go up by double digits early, they may have a chance to get the win here. Their front 7 can cause pressure, bring the heat, their corners are athletic, versatile and have great coverage schemes.And I forget to include Marshawn Lynch and how big of a role he's gonna play.

BUT, I really don't know if I can give them the win here. The Redskins are at home with the #1 rushing attack in the NFL thanks to RG3 and Alfred Morris. They're the most exciting team to watch. And what people haven't noticed is during the Redskins 9 game winning streak, they got Pierre Garcon back. People don't realize how HUGE that was for the Redskins offense. Garcon gives the offense a bigger body in the passing game allowing them to stretch the field a little more and be more creative. Another X-Factor is RG3's health. The Cowboys contained RG3's running for the most part, but got shredded by Alfred Morris. The Seahawks defense is better and will be prepared.

I know that the playoffs are a new season, but the Seahawks remind me of the Saints. BEASTS at home, but fall flat on the road. The Seahawks are legit, but this isn't gonna be easy. Seattle is already favored to win this game, but the Redskins are better than most people give them credit for. If this game was in Seattle, then it'd be no contest, but I don't like Seattle's chances of getting the W in RG3's house.

Prediction: Redskins defeat Seahawks


Four great games, four difficult predictions. In short, I have the Bengals, Colts, Packers and Redskins. Should be a GREAT weekend of Football.

Your input is always welcome. Feel free to Comment.


By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete