Breaking Down the NFL Divisional Round

With 2014 off and running, here’s a few thoughts before leading up to this weekend’s game picks…

Last Sunday night’s San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers game drew a 27.7 rating/44 share, meaning it was watched by an average of 47.1 million viewers. That was higher than this year’s Oscars and every NFL game last season except the Super Bowl and the AFC Championship. AND IT’S ONLY A WILD CARD GAME!!! On Saturday, NBC drew 30.8 million viewers for their two games, the most ever for a Wild Card Saturday. And on Sunday afternoon 30.1 million viewers tuned in to watch Andy Dalton gift wrap the San Diego Chargers’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Three of the four games almost not selling out gives a small hint that fans enjoy their warm couches and high-def TVs more than fighting frigid temperatures.

Thanks to Florida State and Auburn for not only playing an exciting and competitive National Championship Game, but for introducing the world to this guy:

I think we can all agree with J.J. Watt’s tweet and that Red Lightning should be invited to the NFL combine.

But in all seriousness, this game marked the end of the often infuriating and ridiculed B.C.S. system. As much as it did for college football and the whole bowl series, I have to say good riddance. A playoff format comparable to March Madness is long overdue. I’m already giddy.

So Dennis Rodman led a team of ex-NBA players, including a three time All-Star Weekend Three Point Champion from the early nineties, to North Korea for an exhibition basketball game? Are these guys that strapped for cash? Are they really there to pull off some Nicholas Brody style coo? Can we just leave Dennis Rodman there? The whole thing is just way too bizarre.

Congratulations to Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas for being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I can’t think of three more deserving players, who all exceeded in an era where performance enhancers were running rampant in professional baseball. Out of 571 ballots, Maddux received 555 votes, Glavine 525 and Thomas 478. My only question is which 16 voters did not cast a vote for Maddux? Where they too busy voting for Moses Alou and Hideo Nomo? (Each received six votes. I’m not joking about this.)

Without going into too much detail, here are some quick predictions on this Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, where winners can miss their award because they’re stuck in the bathroom. Bring on Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

Movies:

Best Motion Picture, Drama – “12 Years A Slave”

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical – “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Actress, Drama – Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”

Best Actor, Drama – Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Actress, Comedy or Musical – Amy Adams, “American Hustle”

Best Actor, Comedy or Musical – Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Best Supporting Actress – Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”

Best Supporting Actor – Michael Fassbender, “12 Years A Slave”

Best Director – Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”

Television:

Best Series, Drama – “Breaking Bad”

Best Series, Comedy or Musical – “Modern Family”

Best Actor, Drama – Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”

Best Actress, Drama – Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”

Best Actor, Comedy or Musical – Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

Best Actress, Comedy or Musical – Julia Louis Dreyfus, “Veep”

Best Supporting Actor – Jon Voight, “Ray Donovan”

Best Supporting Actress – Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”

Now that we’re on a roll, let’s make some picks on this weekend’s football matchups. Hopefully they’ll be as entertaining as last week’s games.

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-8) over New Orleans Saints

Last week I bet against the Saints because the odds were stacked against them: dome team playing in cold weather, never winning a road playoff game, and a poor regular season road record. I was wrong and they ended up winning a close game against a sub-par Philly defense. This week they’re going back to where they were already trounced in Week 13 against a Seahawks defense that is number one against the pass as well as leading the league in PED suspensions. Their defense was made to slow down Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense. Throw in the twelfth man and a hostile environment and it doesn’t bode well for the Saints. I don’t think they overcome the odds this week.

NEW ENGLAND PARIOTS (-7) over Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck was impressive last week, showing that he can rally his teammates and make plays when it counts. And he’s going up against a severely banged up Patriots defense. As a Pats fan, the thought of Luck leading a drive in the fourth quarter trailing by three points terrifies me. But Bill Belichick will find a way to stifle Colts leading receiver and Luck’s favorite target T.Y Hilton. That’s just what he does. Plus the elements of heavy rain and wind are going to make the passing game difficult for both teams. I envision a lot of LeGarrette Blount, Steven Ridley, and Shane Vereen moving the ball against a lackluster Colts defense. Are the Colts going to turn to Trent Richardson, who averaged 2.9 yards per carry during the regular season and lost a fumble on his only hand off last week? Not likely. In the end this is Foxboro in January, where Belichick and Tom Brady are 11-3. This isn’t the same rivalry as it used to be, but the result will be the same. The Pats move on.

San Francisco 49ers (-1) over CAROLINA PANTHERS

When these two teams met in San Francisco in Week 10, the final score was 10-9. Not much of an offensive juggernaut. On Sunday you will probably see the same formula of both offenses struggling to move the ball against two strong defenses. Ultimately I have to give the advantage to the 49ers. They might be playing the best football out of any of the teams still alive, and they have more offensive weapons than Carolina. The 49ers win their second straight close game on a Phil Dawson field goal and spoil Cam Newton’s first playoff start.

San Diego Chargers (-9.5) over DENVER BRONCOS

Don’t get me wrong. The Broncos win this game, but I don’t think it’s going to be a blowout like many Denver wins are. San Diego handed the Broncos their only home loss this year in Week 15, and Philip Rivers is 6-2 in his career at Mile High Stadium. Let’s also not forget about Denver’s loss in the divisional round last year, as well as Peyton Manning being one and done eight times in the playoffs. Both teams have the ability to move the football and put points on the board, and this has the makings of an entertaining and high scoring game. But Manning and the Broncos can’t afford to be the best team in the conference and be bounced out at home for the second straight season. Plus the Broncos have to win. How else are we going to have a Brady versus Manning AFC Championship?