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1. NEW ENGLAND  13-3        I do not like having the Patriots number one in my playoff power rankings for the NFL. However they are looking just as great as last year. They fizzled a little in the beginning of the season. However, the mastermind Bill Belichek was able to tinker. Able to fix the defense. Then the Patriot death star was like a well oiled machine as they sizzled the rest of the way with only one hiccup against Cutler’s Dolphins. They have caught some major breaks along the way. Brady’s offense is ready to roll like a sports car flying down the highway. Ponch and John are unable to draw their guns as Patriots are mentally scoring touch downs as we speak at the speed of light.

                    PATRIOTS HAVE BEEN PRACTICING ALL WEEK IN THE SNOW

 

#2.NEW ORLEANS 11-5          New Orleans has only gone 11-5. It took them until the final game to win their division. They do not have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. However they play this weekend at home. I think they can play on the road with any NFC team. They are able to win on the road this year. Not like years before where they were not Road Warriors. I think this team is the best in the NFC. They have the quarterback in Brees. They have so many weapons on offense to beat you. That two headed running back monster could put a big hurt into the opposing defense. Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara are the first teammates in NFL history to record 1500 scrimmage yards in the same season. Kamara 1554. Ingram 1500. Plus New Orleans defense is no longer a turn style for the opposing offenses.

#3.PITTSBURGH 13-3           The Steelers are the only team in the AFC that has a chance to beat the Patriots.  Coach Tomlin has his team running precise routes all week.

My biggest question: If Tomlin gets the Patriot Death Star plans, will he be able to pull it off?

The man had problems getting his guys to figure out what they wanted to do for the national anthem. They bumble that and then allowed the Bears to beat them. Then against the Patriots he did not call a time out on that controversy play with Jesse James that should have been a touchdown play . He allowed his team to rush and make a stupid play to cost them the game and home field advantage throughout. Hopefully they send him to coaching school on the bye week.

#4.MINNESOTA 13-3         A very impressive record. However they played a lot of bad teams in their own division. You can only play who is on the schedule. I love their defense. Their offense is full of guys that bring their lunch bucket to work. The Offensive Coordinator, Pat Shurmur, will probably get a head coaching job next year just because of what he did for this offense. Theilen is like a Wes Welker that can kill you with slants up the middle with speed. Diggs is known for big games. Rudolph is quietly one of the better tight ends in the league. Where the double hockey sticks did quarterback Keenum come from?  The Vikings are that team you want to bet on, but something in back of your mind says bet against. Then they bite you. This team is like a bunch of ninjas. They will sneak up on you and slit your throat.

They have a bye the first week. Next weekend whoever they play will be a game that will come down to final seconds. Recently a guy from Minnesota told me, “If a Viking fan tells you he bet on the Vikings, he is lying to you.” In other words the Vikings will probably do the opposite on any bet you make that involves them.

#5. LA RAMS 11-5   One guy on the Rams coaching staff will bring the heat to Matt Ryan this weekend. Wade Phillips has been here and done that. The Rams defense can create some turnovers and turn them into points. They will need to play great defense against the Falcons who are not as elite as they were last year, however they can still bring you trouble. Rams offense has been awesome. Goff might be one of the rising stars in the league. Todd Gurley could light you up as well. The Falcons have their hands full this first game. The Rams have the least amount of playoff experience out of all the teams that are in it.  That can possibly doom them, especially if Matt Ryan plays out of his head like. I see the Rams shooting down the dirty birds.

#6.ATLANTA 10-6    I think Atlanta is better than half the teams in these playoffs. They have gotten to the Superbowl last season. They should have won the Superbowl last year. However they find themselves squared off against a very tough opponent in wild card weekend. If they can win this first game, they do have a shot at getting back to the Super Bowl. Eagles are not like they were with Wentz as their starter. They have played the Saints and Panthers twice this season so they know them.

The Falcons still have an offense that can score points. If their defense can stop Goff a few times or rattle a guy that has never played in the playoffs, they can get by the Rams and beyond.

#7.CAROLINA 11-5  It’s the same story for the Panthers. They have a great defense which will help in any big game. They can run the ball. But I’m going to say the Fig Newton is the one that will crash this boat into the iceberg. Obviously if he has his super powers he can guide the Panthers over many teams in this league. They have NO big names at receiver. Olsen is one of the better tight ends in the league. Cam is a running threat. It is very easy to rattle Superman’s cage. If you get a few licks on Newton, he will crumble up in the fetal position and call it a year.

If you have no crying in baseball, definitely no crying on the gridiron.

#8.KANSAS CITY 10-6  This team has been on a roller coaster all season. Started out of the gates red hot. Then lost a ton of games in the middle of the season. Then beat the right teams at the right time. The Chiefs are like a box of chocolates, you do not know what you will get. I think Alex Smith can get the team past the first round. I love rookie Hunt and his electric style of play. I know Wally the Walrus will have the Chiefs looking good this weekend.

I do not see the Chiefs getting out of the second round. They have talent, but I still think they are missing a few key pieces to be able to go up against teams like Pittsburgh and New England. They made the playoffs playing in a crappy division, and you can say a crappy conference.

#9.PHILADELPHIA 13-3  At one point this season I thought the Eagles had a great shot to make it to the Superbowl. They had everything clicking. The season ending injury to Wentz has made this slide down the stripper pole and not in a good way. Suddenly their defense has been playing poorly. Then back up quarterback Nick Foles looked pretty good. He has some seasoning as he has played in this league for a few years as a starter. However then his play got poor and that’s how he became a back up in this league. Yes they have 13 wins. Yes they have some time to fix a few things. I see them one and done next weekend. However if a bus crash happens and they get to the championship, they will feel the punch that knocked Rocky out by Clubber Lang.

#10.JACKSONVILLE 10-6  It’s great The Jags made the playoffs for the first in a very long time. As they were the doormat of the league for years. They were a team rumored to be moving out of their city of Jacksonville to Death Valley or London, England. Seemed like no one wanted them. However they find themselves with a great defense and Doug Marone has done a nice job. But they play in a bad division. Except they can not beat the Titans. Bortles is their quarterback and he has had some decent games. But overall he has been their problem. They were held to ten points last weekend by a division opponent. They had many chances to score another touchdown. Then San Francisco put 44 points on your defense, not too long ago. A depleted Arizona team beat you with their back up quarterback and used to be your starting quarterback. Too many up’s and down’s on this team and lots of it has happened in the last six weeks.

#11. BUFFALO 9-7   The Bills are thanking Andy Dalton making a nice pass on 4th and 12 to get his bumbles in the end zone for the go ahead touchdown and eventually the game winner. Love that lots of Buffalo fans had paid money to Dalton’s foundation as well. If Bengals did not beat the Ravens, then Buffalo’s drought of not making the playoffs would have continued. Bengals I believe were playing for their coach as well. Which is a win win in Buffalo. Bills have been playing pretty well of late. They have won some games. Only losses coming from the Evil Empire in the last so many weeks. They played tough against New England both times. Buffalo I think could win in Jacksonville. They need Shady running the ball for which he is a game time decision. One thing Buffalo is very good at, is getting turnovers. That will need to be a big key especially against a type like Bortles who makes mistakes. If Taylor can get an early lead on the Jags, they have a chance of going in and upsetting them. Hopefully no wide right field goals. Hopefully no Music City miracles and the Bills can exercise some of the demons from the past.

#12.TENNESSEE 9-7  The Titans finally won a game last week to get into the playoffs. This team was on a long losing streak and manged to pull out a victory over the division rival. They play in a crappy division, minus Luck and Watson. They were 5-1 in their division. They were 4-8 against everyone else. They do say if you can beat the teams in your division you can usually find a way to win the division. But they got in as a wild card. This team looked good in the beginning of the season. But Mariota got hurt. Then he came back and has not really been the same. He has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns. I like their defense. But even though they won last week it seems to be they backed into the playoffs. I think the Chiefs is my lock down winner of the Wild Card weekend over the Titans.