NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

1. Carolina Panthers: Running back Jonathan Stewart may have been missing last week, but Cam Newton and the Panthers offense still managed to score 38 points in a win over the Giants. In two of the past three games, the Panthers defense has allowed 35 points or more, where even though Carolina's perfect season is alive and well, there are certain signs of the locomotive slowing down as the playoffs approach.

2. New England Patriots: One by one, Patriots stars are returning from the injuries they sustained earlier in the year, including Rob Gronkowski, Dont'a Hightower, and Jamie Collins. As seen with last week's game when both Chung and McCourty were sidelined, the most important thing for this Pats team is to remain the top seed while staying healthy. The addition of Steven Jackson will certainly help New England's nonexistent run game this season.

3. Arizona Cardinals: The loss of free safety Tyrann Mathieu to a torn ACL will be an incredibly costly injury to one of the best secondaries in football, but with Bruce Arians as the head coach, the Cardinals are still very much in contention. At the age of 35, Carson Palmer is having the best statistical season of his career (4,277 yards, 32 touchdowns, 106.7 passer rating), and he has a shot at amending his horrible playoff record (0-2 with a 66.5 passer rating in the postseason).

4. Seattle Seahawks: In one of the strangest turn of events, the Seattle Seahawks are 5-0 ever since Marshawn Lynch sustained an injury against the Cardinals. Quarterback Russell Wilson has caught fire over the last several weeks, especially when throwing the ball to receiver Doug Baldwin. Seattle has a chance to regain their pride within the NFC West with a win over the Cardinals in Week 17.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers: When quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is healthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a legitimate threat to dethrone the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Receiver Antonio Brown is basically unstoppable, especially with his eye-popping stat line against the top ranked Broncos secondary last week (16 receptions, 189 yards, 2 scores). Many would have expected the MCL injury to Le'Veon Bell would have derailed the Steelers offense, but back up running back DeAngelo Williams has done a great job temporarily replacing the young star.

.@AntonioBrown84 is the 1st player in @NFL history to have 2 games with 15+ catches in a single season. pic.twitter.com/k8ghoOTuLb

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 21, 2015

6. Kansas City Chiefs: The Kansas City Chiefs have won their last 8 games and are likely the hottest team in all of football. With wins against the Steelers and Broncos, the success of Kansas City's football team has not been hindered by the loss of running back Jamaal Charles for the season. Defensively, safety Eric Berry earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time since being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, with two of KC's linebackers making the Pro Bowl as well (Tamba Hall and Justin Houston). The Chiefs could pull off the impossible and make the playoffs after a 1-5 start.

7. Green Bay Packers: After losing four of five games during the middle of the year, the Packers have started to return to their winning ways with a three game win streak. The loss of receiver Jordy Nelson at the start of the year had a larger impact on this team than many people expected, as it shows the lack of depth at the receiver position. With teams focusing most of their efforts on Randall Cobb, and Eddie Lacy struggling to return to last year's form, the Packers offense is just not the same as it once was.

8. Denver Broncos: Brock Osweiler is 3-2 in games when starting this season, but by losing the past two games, the Broncos are currently on track for the third seed in the postseason. Over the past two years, the Broncos are 7-0 when running back CJ Anderson rushes for 85 yards or more, so establishing the run against teams like Cincy will be key for this offense moving forward.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: While AJ McCarron may have been able to win the first start of his career, the entire success of the Bengals hinges upon Andy Dalton's health come playoff time. Cincinnati has a tough game against the Denver Broncos next week, where a win would put Cincy on track for a first round bye in the postseason. Yet with Dalton missing from the lineup, this sort of outcome is unlikely.

10. New York Jets: Now that cornerback Darrelle Revis has returned from the concussion he sustained back in November, the Jets have a legitimate shot at earning a spot in the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Jets do not control their own destiny, as they must win their next two games and hope for at least one loss by the Chiefs, Steelers, or Broncos. This week, the Jets are home against the injury-plagued Patriots, so it would be unwise to count out New York just yet.

The @Patriots are seeking their 6th 13-win season since 2003 (most in NFL). Franchise had none from 1960-2002. Patriots at Jets - 1 ET

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 27, 2015

Drew Brees will start vs Jags despite being questionable with torn plantar fascia. https://t.co/DNVRztDzBd pic.twitter.com/CNmh6ZwKQB

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 27, 2015

Panthers: trying to join 2007 Patriots as only teams to start a season 15-0 in regular season

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 27, 2015

Will the Carolina Panthers Go Undefeated?

While the Carolina Panthers may have been able to defeat the Giants this past weekend to move to 14-0, the win did not come easily. Eli Manning and the Giants led a four-touchdown comeback, with their last score being a pass to Odell Beckham Jr. with 1:46 left in the game. So maybe Carolina's defense was not able to close out the game, but Cam Newton ultimately marched 49 yards in 8 plays to set up Graham Gano's game winning field goal. With two games left in the regular season, the Panthers only need to beat the Falcons on the road next week and then the Buccaneers at home in Week 17 for an undefeated regular season. So let's take a look at these next two games, as well as any potential playoff teams capable of handing the Panthers their first loss of the season.

Falcons: At this point in the season, the Falcons must win their final two games just to have a chance at a spot in the playoffs. Unfortunately for Falcons fans, Atlanta has lost their last five games against the Panthers over the course of three different seasons, where their most recent matchup resulted in a 38-0 loss for the Falcons just two weeks ago. Even though the Panthers defense allowed 38 points to the Saints the week before, and 35 points to the Giants a week later, this defense managed to play to its full potential against the Falcons. Next week's key matchup will be Panthers cornerback Josh Norman versus star wide receiver Julio Jones, where in their last matchup against one another, Julio Jones caught seven passes for 88 yards but no touchdowns. In two of the last three games where teams have been able to score a lot of points against the Panthers, the offenses were able to get over the top of the Panthers secondary for a couple of big plays. The Falcons just don't seem like they have it in them, so I predict another win for the Panthers next week.

Prediction: Panthers over Falcons

Record: 15-0 

Buccaneers: Now that the Bucs have no chance of making the playoffs, Tampa Bay gains nothing from beating the Panthers in the last game of the season other than a sense of pride; in fact, it would be more advantageous for Tampa to intentionally lose this game in an effort to gain a better position in the draft. If Tampa loses another game, it's likely that they would sneak into the top 10 of the 2016 NFL Draft. Had this game taken place several weeks earlier when Jameis Winston became more comfortable in the pocket, Mike Evans had returned to full health, and Doug Martin emerged as Pro Bowl caliber running back once again, the Bucs had a legitimate shot at giving the Panthers their first loss. More importantly, deep threats Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson would give the Panthers secondary fits all game. Yet since this is not the case, the Panthers will become the third team in the Super Bowl era to by undefeated by the end of the regular season.
Prediction: Panthers over Buccaneers
Record: 16-0

Seahawks: With the Seahawks basically locked in as the fifth seed in the playoffs, a weak NFC East team as the fourth seed, and a likely win by the third seeded Packers in the first round of the playoffs, a Seahawks-Panthers matchup is almost inevitable. Sure, there are a lot of assumptions that must be made to get to this point, but the odds are in favor of this rematch from last year's Divisional Round taking place once more. Even with running backs Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls injured, the Seahawks are one of the hottest teams in football, with quarterback Russell Wilson throwing for 19 touchdowns and no picks in his last 5 games. The Seahawks secondary is good enough to slow down the Panthers offense as they did last year in the playoffs, but the Seahawks are also very talented when it comes to throwing the deep ball (Wilson is 13 of 15 with a passer rating of 125.6 when on passes 31 yards or longer). Lastly, Lynch is expected to make his return come playoff time, so don't be shocked when the Seahawks defeat the Panthers in the Divisional Round for the second year in a row.
Prediction: Seahawks over Panthers
Record: 16-1

Midseason NFL Playoff Seeding Predictions

AFC Playoff Seeding

1. New England Patriots (15-1): Injuries to players like Dion Lewis, Julian Edelman, and Nate Solder have been unable to derail this offensive locomotive, but as they continuously stack up, it will be interesting to see if the perfect record remains.

2. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4): The Bengals have always been known to start well in September and October, but with consecutive losses over the past two weeks, the number one overall seed in the AFC seems unlikely.

3. Denver Broncos (11-5): The quarterback situation is difficult to figure out, but I simply don't see the Broncos making it past the first round of the playoffs despite a great defense.

4. Indianapolis Colts (8-8): The AFC South is the softest division in football, and once Andrew Luck is able to return from injury, the Colts will be a solid bet to win the division.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): A healthy Big Ben will make this team dangerous by the end of the season, even though star running back Le'Veon Bell is injured.

6. Buffalo Bills (10-6): The Bills have an easy schedule to end the year, and talent on either side of the ball will make them a solid playoff contender.

NFC Playoff Seeding

1. Carolina Panthers (14-2): The undefeated Panthers are certainly clicking on both sides of the ball, where Luke Kuechly is making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year. Cam Newton is earning MVP buzz, even with Kelvin Benjamin out for the year.

2. Green Bay Packers (12-4): The Packers have cooled off  substantially since their 6-0 start to the season, where the injury to receiver Jordy Nelson is finally starting to catch up with this dynamic offense. Running back Eddie Lacy will need to return to last season's form in order to take some pressure off of the reigning MVP.

3. Arizona Cardinals (11-5): Carson Palmer is sneaking his way into the MVP discussion thanks to his impressive statistics (3,066 yards, 27 TD's, 9 INT's) and 8-2 overall record. The Cardinals must hope that Palmer remains healthy in order to prevent last year's collapse from happening again.

4. New York Giants (10-6): With the Redskins, Cowboys, and Eagles all playing poorly, the Giants are pretty close to locking down an NFC East title. As long as the Giants are in the playoffs, you can never count out Eli Manning and the Giants.

5. Seattle Seahawks (10-6): A rough start to the season and an injured "Beast Mode" has left the Seahawks out of the discussion for a first round bye in the postseason. With the abundance of talent on this roster, expect the Seahawks to turn it around late in the season.

6. Minnesota Vikings (9-7): With Adrian Peterson leading the league in rushing yards (1,006 yards), less pressure is placed on Teddy Bridgewater to make plays, as seen last season. Their schedule is not easy, per se, but they should be able to make the playoffs.

2014-2015 Complete NFL Playoff Predictions

Wild Card Round

Steelers over Ravens: The Pittsburgh Steelers are an underdog to upset either the Broncos or the Patriots to win the AFC Championship Game. Big Ben and the Steelers tend to step up their game when it comes to the postseason, and even if star running back Le'Veon Bell is not healthy for Sunday's game, Antonio Brown and the passing game can carry the weight of this team. The Baltimore Ravens are also sneaky in the postseason, but Joe Flacco and the Ravens have been much too inconsistent this season.

Steelers offense had only 28 three-and-outs this year. Guess who led the league?
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) December 30, 2014

Colts over Bengals: Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is capable of creating solid teams during the regular season, yet he remains winless in five postseason appearances, where his starting quarterback Andy Dalton has 1 touchdown, 6 interceptions, and a passer rating of 56.2 in the playoffs. There is no way that Cincy can march into Indianapolis and stop Andrew Luck in the Colts this postseason.

Cowboys over Lions: Tony Romo has gained a bad rap for his performance in the playoffs, but this Dallas Cowboys team seems much more talented than Dallas teams from the past. DeMarco Murray is well deserving of the league's MVP award (1,845 yards, 13 touchdowns), seeing how he is a major reason behind this year's success. Tony Romo also had a historic month of December, with 12 touchdowns and only 1 interception on his resume. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford is 0-16 when playing winning teams on the road. Dallas will likely move on to play Green Bay in the Divisional Round.

Panthers over Cardinals: Had Carson Palmer remained healthy throughout the duration of the regular season and into the playoffs, the Arizona Cardinals could have locked up home field during the postseason; however, that is not the case, and Ryan Lindley, the third string quarterback, will start against Carolina. While I don't like either team in this situation, Cam Newton and the Panthers seem like the better choice seeing how they are playing in their home stadium.

Divisional Round

Patriots over Colts: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots had a slow start to the year, but eventually went on a hot streak that included a dominant win over Indy on the road. The Pats are 3-0 against Andrew Luck, including another dominant win over the Colts in the Divisional Round. The Patriots could have the most talented New England team in recent memory, and are going to have no problem winning at home against the Colts.

Steelers over Broncos: At this point in time, Bell will be completely healthy, and thus, the Pittsburgh Steelers offense will be more than ready to upset the Denver Broncos in this divisional round game. Come January, Denver will likely be below freezing, which means Peyton Manning's struggles throughout December will continue into the playoffs.

Seahawks over Panthers: Even though the Panthers managed to make it to the second round in the playoffs, there is absolutely no chance that Cam Newton can upset the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks defense has returned to their Super Bowl winning form as of late, and the offense certainly makes this team a favorite to win the Super Bowl.

Packers over Cowboys: Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers managed to win the NFC North title on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, and as the Dallas Cowboys--a team that tends to play indoors--travels into Wisconsin in January, it seems rather unlikely that the Cowboys will be able to upset the Packers on the road.

Championship Round

Patriots over Steelers: If Le'Veon Bell is entirely healthy at this point in time, the Steelers offense will certainly provide problems for the Patriots run defense. On the other hand, Big Ben will have problems finding the open receiver with Antonio Brown and Martavias Bryant being covered by Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner respectively. Plus, the Pittsburgh pass defense ranks 27th in the league, which will allow Tom Brady to consistently put up points on the scoreboard.

Tom Brady finished the season w/ 4,109 passing yards - his 4th straight 4,000-yd season & the 7th of his career. pic.twitter.com/q17HnPEDeC
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 31, 2014

Seahawks over Packers: In the first game of the season, Seattle already trounced Rodgers and the Packers by a score of 36-16, and even though both teams are incredibly talented, it will be extremely difficult for Rodgers to go into Seattle and upset the Seahawks. Had this game been played in Green Bay, a different team would have been named champion of the NFC.

2015 Super Bowl Prediction

In our previous post, we stated that the New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers are the two teams that we think will play in the upcoming Super Bowl. Recently, the two teams have near identical track records in the postseason, where both New England and San Francisco have played in three consecutive AFC and NFC Championship Games, respectively. Both quarterbacks Tom Brady and Colin Kaepernick have played in a Super Bowl before, but while Kaep lost to the Ravens in his first and only appearance, Brady is 3-2 in the Super Bowl throughout his accomplished career. In an effort to provide a complete breakdown of this matchup, we will compare each aspect of the two teams' game, and giving the advantage to the superior team. By the end, we will give a prediction for the score of this game, thus crowning a champion of the 2014-2015 NFL season.

Comparisons

Quarterback: Colin Kaepernick is one of the most talented quarterbacks in all of football, and his incredible running ability adds a whole other dimension to his game; however, Tom Brady is a veteran in the NFL with plenty of experience in the postseason.
Advantage: New England Patriots

Running Back(s): The New England Patriots tend to rotate their young, inexperienced running backs throughout the season, so it is difficult to tell at this point in time who their starting running back will be in the Super Bowl. The 49ers have 31-year old running back Frank Gore behind quarterback Colin Kaepernick, but they also have rookie Carlos Hyde and speedy Oregon-alum LaMichael James who can be used in different situations.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers  

Receiving Corp: Tom Brady struggled to grow accustomed to his relatively young, inexperienced group of receivers last season, a group that was also impacted by injuries. Tight end Rob Gronkowski is an absolute game changer for this Patriots' offense, and receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola are able to catch plenty of short passes throughout any given game. Yet the San Francisco 49ers have a plethora of receivers, with names like Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, Brandon Lloyd, and Anquan Boldin on their depth chart.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers

Offensive Line: New England's recent trade that sent All-Pro guard Logan Mankins left many fans scratching their heads, seeing how Mankins was a veteran blocker who had excellent chemistry with Tom Brady. While there is still other talent on this offensive line, it does not really compare to San Francisco group of O-linemen, quite possibly the best group in all of football.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers

Front Seven: There is no doubt in my mind about which team has a superior front seven on defense. By the time the Super Bowl rolls around, five out of the seven defenders in San Francisco's front seven will have been named to an All-Pro team at some point in their careers. The Patriots can not match that accomplishment.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers

Secondary: The New England Patriots now have one of the best cornerback duos in all of football after signing both Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis during this past offseason. San Francisco's two starting cornerbacks both played in all 16 games last season, but can not match the backfield seen in New England.
Advantage: New England Patriots

Coaching: Jim Harbaugh is 5-3 in the postseason since joining the San Francisco coaching staff three years ago, but his track record is nowhere near the likes of Bill Belichick. Belichick ranks third all time among coaches in both playoff games and playoff wins. There's a reason why the Patriots are always in the Super Bowl. Bill Belichick is that reason.
Advantage: New England Patriots

Prediction

In the end, this game is certainly going to come down to the wire. The recent additions of Revis and Browner for New England leads me to believe that San Francisco's passing game will struggle early on; however, the Patriots have struggled historically to contain mobile quarterbacks, as we saw most recently when the Patriots lost to Cam Newton and the Panthers last year, but also relatively recent losses to Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, as well as Kaepernick and the 49ers two years ago. The running game may chip away at New England's defense over the course of the game. As we have seen before, though, Tom Brady and the Patriots' offense always seem to respond, especially if Rob Gronkowski is healthy. Coach Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have been working together for more than 14 years, and the strong connection that these two men have formed over time is unlike anything else in football. They are now beyond driven to win this franchise its fourth Super Bowl in franchise history, which leads me to believe that New England will beat San Francisco this February in Super Bowl XLIX.
Patriots over 49ers 24-23

Complete 2015 NFL Playoff Predictions

Wild Card Round

(3) Colts over (6) Jets: Andrew Luck, unlike New York's quarterback duo of Geno Smith and Michael Vick, has proven himself as a winner in the postseason with his comeback victory over the Chiefs. The Jets team as a whole is too young to beat Indy and this incredible passing game.

(4) Ravens over (5) Bengals: Just two years ago, Joe Flacco caught fire in the postseason to lead his team over the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Baltimore's passing game may have trouble early against a relatively stingy Bengals defense, but Cincy's horrendous record in the postseason under Marvin Lewis will continue into 2015.

(6) Packers over (3) Bears: Aaron Rodgers, a Super Bowl winning quarterback, has repeatedly proven himself when it comes to clutch situations, as seen when he defeated Chicago in Week 17 of the 2013 regular season. Ironically, we have them playing Chicago once again with the same result.

(5) 49ers over (4) Eagles: The 49ers have made it to three straight NFC Championship Games, and are quite possibly the most talented wild card team of the past 5 years. Philadelphia doesn't stand a chance, even with home field advantage.

Divisional Round

(3) Colts over (2) Broncos: The third year for quarterbacks is almost always a breakout year in the NFL. With Reggie Wayne coming back from injury, and Hakeem Knicks arriving from New York, Luck has the offensive weapons  needed to knock off the Denver Broncos in January.

(1) Patriots over (4) Ravens: The Patriots and Ravens by now are used to playing each other in the postseason, but the Patriots are clearly far more talented than the Ravens, especially with their two new cornerbacks in Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis. Tom Brady is bound for yet another AFC Championship Game.

(1) Seahawks over (6) Packers: In a neutral location, I believe the Green Bay Packers would be capable of beating Seattle during the postseason; however, seeing how the game is in Seattle, it will be extremely difficult for Aaron Rodgers to overpower the Legion of Boom on the road. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense will be able to put up plenty of points against a mediocre Packers defense.

(5) 49ers over (2) Saints: Colin Kaepernick is surrounded by plenty of weapons on offense, including Anquan Boldin, Frank Gore, and Vernon Davis. Jim Harbaugh will find a way to quell the damage done by Drew Brees and New Orleans' passing game, and the 49ers will be playing in their fourth straight NFC Championship Game.

Championship Round

(1) Patriots over (3) Colts: The New England Patriots remain undefeated against Andrew Luck during his time in Indy, yet with Luck bound to improve during the regular season, these games are going to get a whole lot more competitive. With Revis and Browner both on the Patriots' roster, Luck will have more difficulty finding his three most talented targets--Knicks, Hilton, Wayne--but as we've seen, this quarterback can find a way. Tom Brady is becoming more experienced with his young wide receivers, and hopefully, Rob Gronkowski will be healthy for playoffs. The Logan Menkins trade left some people scratching their heads, but the aging offensive lineman was traded for a draft pick and a little-known tight end Tim Wright. Wright had 54 catches as an undrafted rookie, so this could be one of Brady's favorite targets later in the year. In the end, we have Tom Brady advancing to the sixth Super Bowl of his career.

(5) 49ers over (1) Seahawks: These two teams are coming out of the same division, yet clearly, they are the NFC's most talented teams. A rivalry has been born recently between San Francisco and Seattle, seeing how they have two of the league's most stifling defenses and battle within the same division. Luckily, the San Francisco 49ers are expecting to get linebacker NaVorro Bowman by Week 7, so he will be in midseason form just before the postseason. Seattle's offseason losses will have a bigger impact on this team than people seem to think, where receiver Golden Tate has left for Detroit, while Red Bryant and Chris Clemons have left for Jacksonville. Jim Harbaugh will be on the hot seat if San Francisco is unable to make the Super Bowl yet again, but luckily for 49ers fans, we see San Francisco topping their division rivals for a spot in the "Big Game."

Prediction for the Super Bowl will arrive within the next few days

2015 AFC Playoff Predictions

1. New England Patriots (12-4): Now that the Patriots have added cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, New England's pass defense has quickly become one of the most intimidating in all of football. While Chandler Jones and the New England pass rush ranked 5th in sacks, they ranked 22nd overall according to Football Outsiders in pass pressure, which will need to improve in 2014. Quarterback Tom Brady suffered from a dip in productivity last season while adjusting to his new group of receivers, but with injury-prone tight end Rob Gronkowski ready for Week 1, and the recent addition of Brandon LaFell from Carolina, Tom Brady is bound to do much better in 2014 now that he has more experience with this young receiving corp.

2. Denver Broncos (13-3): On paper, the Denver Broncos are the best team in all of football, seeing how they have the best quarterback, a plethora of talented wide receivers, and many big names on defense. While they may have lost receiver Eric Decker and running back Knowshon Moreno during the offseason, the Broncos still have Demaryius Thomas, Juluis Thomas, and Wes Welker to help their star quarterback. Denver also signed Pro-Bowlers Demarcus Ware, TJ Ward, and Aqib Talib to improve an already above-average defense. Expect Denver to be the number one seed in the playoffs for the third straight season.

3. Indianapolis Colts (12-4): Quarterback Andrew Luck may not have thrown for more more touchdowns or passing yards compared to his rookie season, but he certainly became more efficient. Luck's interception total dropped in half from 18 to 9, directly leading to a 10 point increase in his passer rating. Historically speaking, a quarterback's third season is the breakout year, and with the recent addition of Hakeem Knicks, as well as the return of Reggie Wayne, Indy's receiving corp is sure to be strong in 2014.

4. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): The Ravens managed to miss the playoffs by one game after winning the Super Bowl in 2012. Things got even worse for running back Ray Rice this past offseason. While Rice suffered from a severe decrease in productivity last season compared to 2013, he was then caught physically abusing his girlfriend on camera, resulting in a two game suspension. Quarterback Joe Flacco threw for the most interceptions of his career, as well as throw the lowest passer rating since he joined the NFL; however, with with Denis Pitta returning from injury, and receiver Steve Smith joining this already talented receiving corp, Baltimore's passing game is sure to improve from last year.  

5. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Andy Dalton recently signed a 6-year extension with the Bengals, which means despite his lack of success in the postseason, the Bengals are willing to stick with Dalton into the future. Receiver A.J. Green may be the star of this offense, but running back Giovani Bernard emerged as a breakout star in 2013. With the return of tackle Geno Atkins on defense, as will as the addition of cornerback Darqueze Dennard via the draft, the Bengals are still talented enough to earn a spot in the playoffs, but a run to the Super Bowl is very unlikely.

6. New York Jets (9-7): The New York Jets making the playoffs is certainly a gutsy prediction, seeing how the Jets are 14-18 in the past two seasons. While we would like to see Michael Vick as the starter, Geno Smith still led this team to an 8-8 season last year, and he is bound to do even better alongside Chris Johnson and Eric Decker. The defense has plenty of young talent, particularly their defensive line nicknamed the "Sons of Anarchy." Sheldon Richardson managed to win Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013, and the defense as a whole certainly has a shot at propelling this team into the postseason.

NFC Championship Preview: 49ers at Seahawks

      Before the regular season even started, it seemed as though the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks were destined to play each other in the playoffs . The Seahawks-49ers rivalry has quickly transformed into the best rivalry in the league, and this matchup in the NFC Championship Game will only add to the history of this rivalry. Back in 2009, Jim Harbaugh, a coach at Stanford, ran up the score against Pete Carroll's USC team, and the Harbaugh-Carroll rivalry was born. The rivalry has carried over into the NFL now that both Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll work for two NFL teams within the NFC West. This season, the series between these two teams is tied at one game a piece; however, the last two times San Francisco played in Seattle, the Seahawks outscored the 49ers by a total score of 71-16. The 12th Man at CenturyLink Field may be blown out of proportion at times, but there is no disputing that Seattle's fans are capable of influencing a game with their deafening noise.

San Francisco 49ers: The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most streaky teams in all of football; when they're hot, they can go on 5 game winning streaks, where not even the best teams can knock them down. But when they're cold, the 49ers can lose two or three straight by 10 points or more. Luckily for San Francisco fans, the 49ers have won eight straight games, including two playoff wins over the Packers and Panthers. San Francisco's consistency relies heavily on quarterback Colin Kaepernick, where the 49ers are 13-0 when Kaepernick throws for more than 150 yards. Alongside Kaepernick is a talented group of running backs, led by 9-year veteran Frank Gore (1,128 yards and 9 touchdowns), as well as youthful backs like LaMichael James and and Anthony Dixon. Four offensive players from the 49ers were added to the Pro Bowl roster, where two came from the offensive line. Even though the offensive line is considered to be one of the best in the league, they will have their hand's full against Seattle's front-seven. On defense, San Fran's stars like Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, and Ahmad Brooks makeup the best front-seven in all of football. The 49ers ranked third in the league in points allowed, fifth in rushing yards allowed, and fourth in opposing passer rating. Similarly to San Francisco, Seattle has an incredibly well-rounded offense, but as long as they are able to shut down wide receiver Golden Tate, Seattle's passing game will struggle to create any sort of consistency.

Seattle Seahawks: When playing at home, the Seattle Seahawks are clearly the best team in all of football. A trip to New Jersey for the Super Bowl would be a different story, but as long as the Seahawks are in Seattle, they are nearly unstoppable. With just one loss at home since December of 2011, the Seahawks are capable of beating any time in the NFL, which they have proven time and time again. In Seattle's last two meetings against San Francisco at CenturyLink Field, the Seahawks have one both times, one by a score of 29-3, the other by a score of 42-13. On offense, second-year quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 3,357 passing yards 26 touchdowns this season, and a passer rating of 101.2; however, Seattle remains a run-oriented team. This season, running back Marshawn Lynch rushed for 1,2457 yards and 12 touchdowns, where Seattle ranked fourth in the league in rushing yards per game. Seattle will be missing wide receiver Percy Harvin for Sunday's game, but since Harvin caught just one pass during the regular season, the Seahawks' offense should not be too worried. Seattle's front seven does a great job of applying pressure (rank 8th in the league in sacks), but the Hawks are known for their deadly defensive backs. Cornerback Richard Sherman, as well as safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, were all named to the Pro Bowl for their spectacular play in 2013, allowing Seattle to rank first in the league in interceptions. As a whole, the Seahawks rank first in total defense, first in pass defense, and first points allowed per game. This defense is nothing to mess around with, and despite San Francisco's talent on offense, Seattle's defense will best the Niners on Sunday.

Prediction: The San Francisco 49ers have had trouble with Seattle when the game is being played at CenturyLink Field, and with so much on the line, you know Seattle's 12th man will be deafening in the final home game of the season for the Hawks. Thanks to their consistent offense and stifling defense, we predict the Seahawks to win and advance to the Super Bowl.
Seahawks over 49ers 33-23

Jim Harbaugh is first coach in NFL history to take his team to AFC/NFC Championship Game in each of his first 3 seasons, via Elias SB.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 13, 2014

Colin Kaepernick has won first 3 road starts of his playoff career. Only QB to win his first 4 ... Jake Delhomme
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 13, 2014

AFC Championship Preview: Patriots at Broncos

     Nearly two months ago, we wrote about the Tom Brady-Peyton Manning rivalry in preparation for November's matchup between the Broncos and the Patriots. The Patriots went on to overcome a 24 point deficit and beat the Broncos in overtime. Now, Brady and the Patriots will try their luck a second time in order to beat Denver on the road in the AFC Championship Game. If Tom Brady is able to win this game, there will be no disputing his legacy, where a victory over Peyton will put the nail in the coffin regarding the Brady-Manning debate; however, a victory by Peyton will continue the argument, especially if he goes on to win the Super Bowl. The Broncos are the 5-point favorites entering Sunday's game, but it is always dangerous to go against Tom Brady in the playoffs, especially when his Patriots are the underdog.

New England Patriots: Last weekend, the Patriots played the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round, a team that had beaten the 49ers, Broncos, and Seahawks in 2013 (all three of those teams are still in contention). The Patriots led the entire game, and won by a final score of 43-22; however, New England's running game carried the Patriots offense, where all five of New England's touchdowns came from running the ball. New England's running back LeGarrette Blount rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns in Sunday's win, but don't be surprised if New England does not give Blount as many attempts against Denver. The running game will still be important for the Patriots so that they can keep Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos' offense off the field. Historically, Tom Brady has done well statistically when facing a team led by Peyton Manning, but Brady will no longer be the most important factor in order for New England to win on Sunday. Defensively, the Patriots picked off Andrew Luck four times on Sunday, but because of Indy's weak running game, a large amount of pressure was put on Luck to have a great game. Now, the Patriots will face a more well-rounded offense in the Denver Broncos, so it is reasonable to believe that Manning will not throw more than two interceptions. The Pats defense have lost star defenders like Vince Wilfork and Jerard Mayo, yet they have managed to apply reasonable pressure on the quarterback, as well as smother even the best wide receivers in the league thanks to cornerback Aqib Talib.

Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning has posted great numbers in the regular season throughout his entire career, but his legacy as a quarterback will be questioned if he finishes his career with just one Super Bowl ring. Manning's career passer rating of 76.7 in the Championship Round is his worst rating of any playoff round, where his completion percentage in the Championship Round falls to just 57.1%, as well as a TD/INT ratio of 1:1 (contrary to his rating of 5.5:1 during the 2013 regular season). There is also the belief that Peyton can not play in cold weather games, but if this myth is actually true, Peyton does not need to worry seeing that the temperature is expected to be 52 degrees at kickoff. With all the criticism against Peyton, as well as the immense pressure to beat Tom Brady in the playoffs, we expect Manning to have a reasonable game by his standards against the Patriots defense. Manning's ability to read defenses quickly, as well as his talented offensive line, helped Denver rank first in the league in sacks allowed during the regular season with 20. The Patriots defense is mediocre when it comes to applying pressure on the quarterback, but they certainly deserve credit after losing Wilfork and Mayo for the entire season. With Manning surrounded by extraordinary talent at the wide receiver position, including guys like Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Eric Decker, the Patriots will just have to pick their poison regarding who to focus on shutting down. Pats corner Aqib Talib has a reputation of smothering the best wide receivers in the league, but then again, he can only be in one place on the field at a time.

Prediction: With the temperature exceeding 50 degrees on Sunday, the great conditions will allow both quarterbacks to successfully throw the ball, which clearly gives the advantage to Peyton Manning. The Patriots will try and keep Manning off of the field for as long as possible, but in the end, we predict Matt Prater to kick the gaming winning field goal, sending Peyton Manning to his third career Super Bowl.
Broncos over Patriots 23-20

8 of the 14 Manning-Brady matchups have been decided by 7 or fewer points, including 6 of the last 7
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 13, 2014

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have met 3 times career in the postseason. Home team has won each time, AND won the Super Bowl.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 13, 2014

2014 NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Saints @ Seahawks: The last time Seattle played New Orleans, the Seahawks absolutely demolished Drew Brees and the Saints, beating the Saints by a score of 34-7. In that game, Russell Wilson passed for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a passer rating above 135, while Brees passed for 147 yards and a score, both being his lowest totals of the season. The Saints are now trying to plan accordingly for the deafening noise within CenturyLink Field, where the Seahawks have lost only one game at home since December of 2011. Even worse for New Orleans, Brees and the Saints have a history of playing poorly on the road. Not only will the Saints' offense try to beat Seattle's 12 man, but Seattle's stingy defense as well. The Seahawks defensive unit led the league in total defense, passing yards allowed, rushing touchdowns allowed per game, and interceptions. Bottom line: the Saints are in trouble. We predict the Seahawks to roll past new Orleans into the NFC Championship Game.
Seahawks over Saints 30-13

Colts @ Patriots: The Indianapolis Colts were down 28 points to the Kansas City Chiefs in last week's playoff matchup, but thanks to an excellent comeback led by Andrew Luck, as well as a resilient defense, the Colts were able to come from behind and win the game. Last Sunday's win marked Andrew Luck's first career playoff win, and even though he threw 3 interceptions that created the deficit, Luck's five total touchdowns, as well as 443 passing yards, allowed the Colts to advance to the Divisional Round. Now, Indianapolis will travel to Foxboro in order to play Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Ever since the Colts lost Reggie Wayne, Luck's number one target in 2013 has clearly been T.Y. Hilton, who will likely be limited by New England's star cornerback Aqib Talib in Sunday's game. This means Luck will have to rely on his other wide receivers if the Colts wish to win through the air. Even worse for Indy, there is a 100% chance of rain in Foxboro on Sunday, meaning passing the ball will become more difficult. The rainstorm favors New England, whose running back trio of Steven Ridley, Shane Vereen, and LeGarrette Blount have all rushed for more than 100 yards in a single game this season. Lastly, Tom Brady's playoff experience makes New England the favorite to win this game.
Patriots over Colts 23-17

49ers @ Panthers: Colin Kaepernick walked into frozen Lambeau last weekend as the favorite and were able to beat the Packers, even though the temperature reached below zero with the wind. Now, the 49ers are favored to beat the Panthers, just the third time since 1990 that a home playoff team was the underdog in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Everyone expected Cam newton to have a great year statistically, but the main reason why Carolina has been so successful is their punishing defense. Luke Kuechly, a second year linebacker out of Boston College, totaled 156 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 2 sacks in 2013. After winning Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, Kuechly is one of the favorites to win Defensive Player of the Year this season, which would mark the second time a defensive player won Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in their first two seasons (only other player was Lawrence Taylor, who won Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season). The Panthers defense as a whole ranked second in the league in both total defense and run defense, where the 49ers were not too far behind in either category. The two defenses in Sunday's matchup will both play very well, but in the end, we predict San Francisco to win this thanks to their playoff experience.
49ers over Panthers 27-20

Chargers @ Broncos: The San Diego Chargers pulled off the upset over the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend, even though Cincinnati was undefeated at home entering the Wild Card Round. Phillip Rivers has a history of choking in the playoffs, and even though his statistic were not incredible against the Bengas, his numbers are bound to increase now that he is going up against a weaker Broncos' defense. Denver lost star outside linebacker Von miller for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, but this team is 7-0 in games where Miller is not int the starting lineup. Quarterback Peyton Manning finished 2013 with 5,477 passing yards, 55 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 115.1. Because of the first round bye, Wes Welker has had time to recover from his concussion, and he is listed as probable for Sunday's game. Welker, Thomas, and Decker create the best wide receiving corp in the NFL, which is why we predict Denver to beat the Chargers and move on to play Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Broncos over Chargers 27-23

2014 NFL Wild Card Predictions

Chiefs @ Colts: After beating the Buffalo Bills in a Week 9 matchup, the Kansas City Chiefs were 9-0 going into their Week 10 bye; however, since Week 10, the Chiefs are 2-5, putting them at 11-5 on the year. One of those losses came against the Indianapolis Colts, where Andrew Luck and the Colts marched into Kansas City and won by a score of 23-7. In the last six games, Justin Houston, outside linebacker for Kansas City (seen on the right), has been watching from the sidelines, but in the 11 games that he played, he recorded 11.0 sacks with a forced fumble. Houston is expected to return in Saturday's game against Indy, along with outside linebacker Tamba Hali, who sat out last Sunday's game as well. The Colts' offensive line is ranked 6th in the league this season, so Kansas City's defense needs all the help it can get. Offensively, both teams have their key weapons that will need to play well in order for them to advance into the next round of the playoffs. Running back Jamaal Charles of Kansas City acquired 1,287 rushing yards with 19 total touchdowns this year, and the Colts have struggled at times when defending the run. Despite their inconsistency, Andrew Luck and the Colts are my pick to win on Saturday.
Colts over Chiefs 17-13

Saints @ Eagles: When playing at home, the New Orleans Saints as a team can be compared to Superman: indestructible, intimidating, and capable of disrupting any type of opposition. But just like Superman, the Saints have their kryptonite: road games. New Orleans has yet to lose a home game in 2013, which means all 5 of their losses this season came on the road. Saturday's game will be played in Philadelphia, and following a snow storm projected to hit Pennsylvania by Friday, the conditions will be very poor come Saturday. Poor conditions will mean it will be difficult to throw the ball, which clearly gives Philadelphia the advantage seeing that their running back, LeSean McCoy, is superior to any running back on the Saints roster. McCoy won the rushing title in 2013, as he rushed for 1,607 yards on 314 carries. With the temperature close to freezing on Saturday, Chip Kelly will likely avoid throwing the ball and give McCoy at least 25 carries against the Saints. In the event that both teams will be passing the ball a lot, Philly will still be able to keep up with the Saints' high-flying passing attack. In games where Foles had 15 attempts or more, the Eagles are 9-2, and seeing that Foles has a 119.2 passer rating, New Orleans' defense will have their hands full throughout the game.
Eagles over Saints 20-14

Chargers @ Bengals: The San Diego Chargers were able to make the playoffs following an overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, even though the NFL released a statement saying there should have been a penalty against the Chargers during Kansas City's potentially game winning field goal that they missed. Had there been a penalty on the play, Ryan Succop of the Chiefs would have likely made the easier kick, causing the Chargers to miss the playoffs all together; however, this did not happen, and Chargers will go up against the heavily favored Bengals on the road. Cincinnati is undefeated at home this season, where their offense averages 37.3 points per game, and their defense allows just 16.8 per game. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers has improved in every major statistical category compared to his 2012 numbers, as he has thrown for 4,478 yards and 32 touchdowns for a passer rating of 105.5 in 2013. Even Ryan Matthews improved in 2013, where he was finally able to play in all 16 games for the first time in his 4 year career. The Chargers were 4-4 on the road this season, and quarterback Philip Rivers is 3-4 in the postseason. We predict the Bengals to win this one with ease.
Bengals over Chargers 27-10

49ers @ Packers: Sunday afternoon's game between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers will be the best game that the Wild Card Round has to offer. The Green Bay Packers will look for revenge following San Francisco's dominant win over the Pack in in last year's playoffs. Last week, Aaron Rodgers returned to the starting lineup for the first time since November 4th, as he led Green Bay past Chicago in order to earn the fourth seed in the playoffs. Both teams are coming off of emotional victories, and this upcoming game will be a testament of their resilience following their emotionally draining victories in Week 17. The San Francisco 49ers are on a six game winning streak, where three of those wins came on the road. In the past three games, Colin Kaepernick has thrown five touchdown passes with no interceptions and an average of 236 passing yards per game. On the other hand, running back Frank Gore is coming off of his worst game of the season, where on thirteen carries he rushed for 14 yards with no touchdowns against the Cardinals. The Niners have relied heavily on their running game, and even though Gore was limited in the final game of the season, he can not be averaging 1.08 yards per carry in the playoffs. The last time these two teams played, the 49ers beat Green Bay in Week 1. We believe the same thing will happen this Sunday
49ers over Packers 30-23 (OT)

2013 NFL Playoff Predictions (Full)

Wild Card Round:
AFC: 3. Texans over 6. Bengals
AFC: 4. Ravens over 5. Colts
NFC: 3. Packers over 6. Vikings
NFC: 5. Seahawks over 4. Redskins

Divisional Round:
AFC: 2. Patriots over 3. Texans
AFC: 1. Broncos over 4. Ravens
NFC: 3. Packers over 2. 49ers
NFC: 5. Seahawks over 1. Falcons (OT)

Championship Round:
AFC: 1. Broncos over 2. Patriots
NFC: 3. Packers over 5. Seahawks

Super Bowl: Secretly, everyone hopes to see Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl after a serious neck injury kept him from playing in 2011. However, the Packers will have momentum after rolling past the 49ers, and then the Seahawks, as they take home their 5th Super Bowl title.

Packers over Broncos 33-20

2013 Wild Card Round Preview

Bengals @ Texans: The Houston Texans did not finish the season the way they desired, as they lost three out of the four final games of the season. This unfortunate collapse cost them a first round bye, where New England and Denver swooped in for the 1st and 2nd seed. In the last three losses of the year, Houston's offense was unsuccessful in scoring 16 points or more in a single game. Though Arian Foster has been relatively consistent throughout the duration of the season, the most important thing for Houston shall be the passing game, and Matt Schaub's clutch rating in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston's opponent for tomorrow, are 7-1 in the past 8 games, and this amazing streak propelled them into the playoffs. In a rematch of last year's divisional round matchup, Cincinnati is looking for revenge, where this inexperienced team can eventually play for the AFC Championship game. However, the Houston Texans, at home, will likely beat this young Cincinnati squad in tomorrow's game.
Texans over Bengals 20-6
Stand-Out Performance: Arian Foster: 105 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD

Colts @ Ravens: Very similar to Saturday's game, Sunday's game featuring the Colts and the Ravens has two very different teams, one who has struggled before the postseason, where as the other has been thriving. After losing their star quarterback to a neck injury, and then to free agency, the Indianapolis Colts drafted Andrew Luck out of Stanford. Luck's leadership managed to abolish their disappointing 2011 campaign, and now, as they enter the postseason, Indianapolis starts their run at the perfect time. After losing to the New England Patriots, the Colts are 5-1, and are playing a very frail Baltimore Ravens team. Linebacker Ray Lewis announced his retirement earlier this week, which could potentially be used as motivation for this defense, a motivation that is an absolute necessity at the moment. The Ravens are 1-3 within the past four games, and even though the Ravens clobbered Cincinnati in the season opener, things are not looking great for this squad. However, Baltimore's running game will dominate the weaken Colts defense, and Ray Rice will single handedly lead this team into the divisional round.
Ravens over Colts 27-13
Stand-Out Performance: Ray Rice: 140 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 1 receiving TD

Vikings @ Packers: Last week, when Adrian Peterson came within 9 yards of breaking the single season rushing record, Minnesota managed to beat the Green Bay Packers at home. Peterson led this team into the playoffs, but unfortunately, one can not win into today's playoff system relying heavily on a rushing game, even if it is Adrian Peterson at the helm. Truth be told, Aaron Rodgers and his scary offense in Green Bay will slaughter the Vikings at home. With Greg Jennings back and Jordy Nelson ready to play, Christian Ponder doesn't even come close to Rodgers and the mighty Green bay Packers.
Packers over Vikings 38-17
Stand-Out Performance: Aaron Rodgers: 350 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD

Seahawks @ Redskins: Away from home, Seattle is like a fish out of water. Though this team scored 40-plus points in three straight games, it is unlikely they can repeat that amazing statistic. The Redskins were sensational last week, where Alfred Morris showed the Pro Bowl voters that they made a serious mistake. RGIII also proved he can win big games when the team's Super Bowl chances are on the line. As RGIII matches up against the Seahawks defense, it will be interesting to see how he fares against this amazing pass rush. Seattle's quarterback Russell Wilson has been flying below the radar as two other rookie quarterbacks gain all the attention. Dont't be surprised if Seattle rolls against the Washington Redskins.
Seahawks over Redskins 24-17
Stand-Out Performance: Russell Wilson: 250 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD

NFLR Videos: Playoff Commercial

     To go along with the Super Bowl hype, where New Orleans is now less than a month away, The NFL Report created yet another video. Today's video is a homemade commercial involving each team to be competing for the 2013 title. Please be sure to check us out on Youtube, where you can like the video, comment, and subscribe!