LAST WEEK’S RECORD IN WILD CARD WEEKEND IN STRAIGHT PLAYOFF PIC-EM (2-2)

YESTERDAY RECORD (1-1)

OVERALL PLAYOFF RECORD (3-3)

MORE ROUND TWO DIVISIONAL GAMES

HAPPY SUNDAY FUNDAY!!!!

WE MAY NEED ANOTHER ONE WHEN WE FINISH THAT ONE, HOLY COW!!!

SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020

AFC GAME

TEXANS(11-6) AT CHIEFS(12-4)

Andy Reid will be coaching in his 27th post season game. Only three coaches have coached in more. They are Tom Landry, Don Shula, and the devil himself, Bill Belichick. The Chiefs were on a first round bye which will rest up their players. Last time the Chiefs played the Texans, Kansas City had many injuries. Meanwhile the Texans came from behind in the wild card weekend down 16 at one point to the Buffalo Bills and came away with an over time victory. Texans welcomed back JJ Watt back in that contest who was out several weeks of regular season & made his presence known last week with a few plays. Overall the Bills shot themselves in the foot in my opinion, rather than the Texans outright winning that contest.

HISTORY

ALL-TIME RECORD BETWEEN THESE TWO TEAMS

CHIEFS LEAD THE SERIES 6-5

PLAYOFFS THESE TEAMS MET ONCE: CHIEFS PREVAILED.

Deshaun Watson versus Patrick Mahomes, I know are two great quarterbacks the Chicago Bears passed up on. These two quarterbacks drafted in the same year could be the new Brady versus Manning rival in the AFC for years to come. Texans and Chiefs met during regular season and the Texans prevailed on the road in Arrowhead. Lots has changed since. Chiefs are back to full strength. They had 5 players out in that first meeting. Patrick Mahomes played on a gimpy leg. The Chiefs defense has stepped up their game and is playing solid. The Texans welcomed back JJ Watt.  Deshaun Watson has a playoff victory under his belt. Will the Texans’ playoff woes come back to haunt them? Will the Chiefs get to their second consecutive AFC championship?

The Texans need a fast start. Last week they were down 16-0 at halftime which should have been more. Bills settled for field goals instead of putting the ball in the end zone. The Texans playoff history even when they advance to the next round they are always starting off slow. The Texans will welcome back one of their deep threats in Will Fuller. The Chiefs defense will have to contain Deshaun Watson. Watson escaped last week being hit and not put to the ground by the Bills. His escapes create big plays for the Texans. The Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu is a guy that can create some big plays in the secondary. He could force a turnover or help keep the Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins in check. The X-factor for the Chiefs is Terrell Suggs, former Raven. Can he show up like he does when it comes to playoff football? I can see him making an impact. Especially because the Texans have a shaky offensive line. Texans will need to do a better job of pass protection as well.

The Texans defense is better with JJ Watt’s presence on the field. He showed some play making abilities coming off his injury last weekend. Patrick Mahomes can not turn over the ball like he did versus this Texans defense earlier in the season. Chiefs need to establish some kind of running game with Shady McCoy and Damien Williams to keep giving the Chiefs a balanced attack. It will be harder to cover Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill if the Chiefs are able to run the ball on the Texans defense.  Texans defense will have to stop Patrick Mahomes from extending plays and coming up with a big play with his feet as well.

I think the Chiefs will get off to a very fast start versus a slow starting Texans team. The Chiefs being healthy, the Texans will be unable to take advantage of the Chiefs weaknesses like they did in that first game earlier in the season. Texans will make a comeback in the second half to get this game closer than it looks. The Texans offensive line will eventually cave in at the critical junction of the game and the Texans playoff woes will resurface. I like how Andy Reid prepares his team on bye weeks. He is right up there with Bill Belichick when it comes to taking advantage of free time and building up the ultimate game plan.

OUR PICK:

OUR PREDICTION:CHIEFS 37-28 TEXANS

NFC GAME

SEAHAWKS(12-5) AT PACKERS(13-3)

Seahawks could have had a first round bye but lost the very last game of the season to San Francisco which sent the birds to Wild card weekend. Matt LaFleur took over the Packers as head coach and the team responded with a complete turn around. The Packers won the NFC Central. They got a first round bye going 13-3 in their head coach’s rookie year. Seahawks last Sunday and ended any Eagle magic they like to pull out of their hats with a victory on the road.

HISTORY

ALL-TIME RECORD WHEN THESE TWO TEAMS MEET

PACKERS LEAD THE SERIES 13-9

PLAYOFFS PACKERS ALSO LEAD THAT SERIES 2-1

Packers are at home and have the weather. Seattle once upon a time ago could not win on the road. Seattle now has become Road Warriors as they don’t flinch at all when they come to your stadium. We know Green Bay as the great Aaron Rodgers. It’s been the other Aaron who has made more noise then the State Farm pitchman. Aaron Jones and the running game have been the biggest reason why the Packers are 13-3 this season. Seattle on defense have moved on from their days with the Legion of Boom. The Seahawks defense can get after the quarterback. Jadeveon Clowney and company beat up on the Eagles quarterbacks last weekend knocking one out of the game. The other had to play with a torn hamstring. Seattle will have to stop the run. By putting constant pressure on Rodgers he will have a hard time delivering the ball to his favorite target, Davante Adams. If Adams has a big game the Seahawks will be in trouble. If Aaron Rodgers gets hit multiple times you will be able to force turnovers on him and stop his magic moments like at the end of halves.

Green Bay defense has improved over this season compared to 2018 when they were horrible. I think the Packers defense is a tad overrated though. A pretty good unit but not a top five unit. It is a unit that can give up the big play. Russell Wilson and the Seahawk offense can deliver. Big play guys like Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf suddenly appear and deliver with a crazy catch or broken down coverage they are wide open and Wilson finds them. Russell Wilson can play a few different ways. He can escape the pocket throw on the run or just take off. He can settle down in the pocket all day if he can and pick your defense clean. Packers’ Kevin King, a corner back, needs to deliver what he is capable of. He could shut down one of Seattle’s targets to limit the field for Russell Wilson.

This is a game that should go all the way down to the final whistle. It could be won in overtime as well. Green Bay you think Aaron Rodgers in snow at home is invincible and no team can waltz in there and win. Seahawks are 8-1 on the road this year which includes last week versus the Eagles in a very tough environment in Philadelphia. This is a great match up between two elite quarterbacks, Rodgers versus Wilson. Both can pull out a lucky horseshoe and win. I hate head coach Pete Carol but he’s been here before. He knows what the NFL playoffs are all about. He’s a guy that can out coach the best in the league. The one edge I think Seattle has is the coaching. Matt LaFleur has done a great job. I can see Pete Carol making the one call that will benefit his team. My X-factor is Marshawn Lynch. He’s back and he was bulldozing through the Eagles last week.

OUR PICK:

OUR PREDICTION:SEAHAWKS 24-21 PACKERS