NFL ROUND ONE STRAIGHT UP PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

SATURDAY GAMES

NFC

#7.SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (9-8) AT #2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (13-4)

HEAD TO HEAD REGULAR SEASON RECORD: SF (2-0) SEA

PLAYOFF HISTORY: 2013 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: SEATTLE WON

Seattle made the post-season play in the last game of regular season. The 49ers, using their third quarterback of the season, won the NFC West. The Seahawks were not supposed to make the post-season after trading away their franchise quarterback. It’s the 10th time in 13 seasons that Seattle’s Head Coach has gotten his team into the post-season. Nobody ever heard of Brock Purdy and like changing a light bulb, the 49ers are still running like a well-oiled machine. This game has rain in the forecast. Both teams have strong running games. The 49ers two-headed monster that features Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell, will carry the heavy load. The Seahawks counter with rookie running back Kenneth Walker III. I like how Geno Smith finally found his game behind center for the Seahawks as he has had his best year of his career. Smith will make a boo-boo as he does in many games. The 49ers defense is one of the best units in the game & should be able to take Walker out of the game. The rain may limit the passing game between the two teams. Which favors the Purdy cat’s game as the 49ers will control the clock’s long drives without making the costly mistakes. The Seattle defense is the weakest link in this match up & gives the 49ers the edge and something very hard to do: beat the same team three times in one season. The 49ers are clearly the better team on both sides of the football.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

AFC

#5. LA CHARGERS (10-7) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (9-8)

HEAD TO HEAD REGULAR SEASON RECORD: JAX (1-0) LAC

PLAYOFF HISTORY: FIRST EVER MEETING

The Jaguars blew out the Chargers in their only meeting of the year. This game features two of the youngest gunslingers in the AFC. Justin Herbert brought the Chargers to the post-season in his third season. In Trevor Lawrence’s second year with a new head coach, a long haired surfer, has gotten the Jaguars back to the post-season. The Jaguars needed to win last week versus the Titans to clinch the AFC South. The Chargers played a meaningless game in the last week versus Denver in a loss. Brandon Staley has been criticized all week playing his some key players in that game versus Denver which resulted in injuries. No wide receiver, as Mike Williams for the Chargers, was carted off the field. The Chargers, who just got defensive end Joey Bosa back, pulled a groin and is questionable in this Saturday night game.

The Jaguars have been one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season winning 6 out of their last 7 contests. Former Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson has turned around this sorry arse Jacksonville franchise against an average Chargers defense. I love the Jaguars defense led by the other Josh Allen of the AFC.

This game I’m deciding by old school coaching beating new school. Brandon Staley at times takes stupid risks like instead of taking the points on a field goal, he’ll go for the touchdown. It’s like he does not believe in the kicking aspect of the game, even punting. Doug Pederson’s track record is much better and the Jaguars are at home which is why the Chargers have to travel across the country to play this game.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS

THE SUNDAY GAMES

AFC

#7.MIAMI DOLPHINS(9-8) AT #2.BUFFALO BILLS (13-3)

HEAD TO HEAD REGULAR SEASON: MIA (1-1) BUF

PLAYOFF HISTORY: Bills are 3-1 versus Dolphins in post-season which includes beating Miami in the 1992 AFC Championship.

The Dolphins squeaked by the Jets last week with Skylar Thompson behind center to get Miami into the back door of post-season. The Bills prevented the Patriots from getting into post-season. The Dolphins will be without their number one quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, who makes this Dolphins offense click. The Dolphins are down to their third string quarterback, Thompson.

Bills will shut down Skynet with their defense, forcing the 7th round draft pick into mistakes.

The Dolphins offense is just a shell casing without TUA TIME. Skylar Thompson will be terminated by the end of this game in a very cold Buffalo stadium. The Dolphins defense has played well, but Josh Allen and the Bills offense will score points.

The X-factor Bills are playing with high emotions for their fallen teammate, Damar Hamilin. The Bills will get that extra juice being at home in front of the Bills mafia.

OUR PICK: BILLS

NFC

#6.NEW YORK GIANTS (9-7-1) AT #3.MINNESOTA VIKINGS (13-4)

HEAD TO HEAD REGULAR SEASON: No meetings

PLAYOFF HISTORY: Giants are 2-1 versus the Vikings in post-season history. Last meeting, at the 2001 NFC championship game Giants won 41-0 Vikings.

This is a battle between two rookie head coaches. Brian Daboll turned around the Giants while Kevin O’Connell turned around the Vikings. These two teams are kings of winning games by one score games. Vikings won 11 of them. While the Giants have gone 8-4-1 in one score games. Vikings with Captain Kirk Cousins can generate points as Minnesota can score quickly and can come back on many teams like the Indianapolis Colts. The Giants like to grind it out in very close games and win it at the end of regulation. When the Vikings lose, they lose bad. Many, including myself, thought both these teams would fizzle away but here we are talking about them in the post-season. This is a very even match up between these two teams. The Giants defense probably has the edge over the Vikings. The Vikings offense is better than anything the Giants have. I like the home field advantage for the Vikings in this one as Captain Kirk takes care of business in a big game but not in prime time under the lights.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

NFC

#6.BALTIMORE RAVENS(10-7) AT #3.CINCINNATI BENGALS(12-4)

HEAD TO HEAD REGULAR SEASON: BAL (1-1) CIN

PLAYOFF HISTORY: First ever meeting.

Yes, we just saw this game in the last week of regular season as the Bengals won and clinched the AFC North. Historically, the Ravens and Bengals has been one of the best rivals in the league. The Ravens once again will be without their starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson.

Can Roquan Smith, a former Bear who got a contract extension with the Ravens, and that Baltimore defense, win this game? The Ravens defense is the key if Ravens want the upset. The Ravens back up quarterback, Tyler Huntley, is banged up. The Bengals have a scary offense. The Bengals feel slighted by the league in their playoff adjustments when the game versus Buffalo got cancelled due to Damar Hamilin going down.

The Bengals believe they should have been the number one seed in the NFL with a win over the Chiefs and were beating the Bills at the time the game was stopped with Damar laying on the turf. Without the Ravens able to generate enough offense and the motivation behind this Bengal team, I have to go Cincinnati.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

NFC

#5.DALLAS COWBOYS(12-5) AT #4.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS(8-9)

HEAD TO HEAD REGULAR SEASON: TB (1-0) DAL

PLAYOFF HISTORY: Cowboys are (2-0) all-time versus the Buccaneers in post-season. Last meeting goes back to 1983 when Cowboys beat the Buccaneers 30-17 in NFC wild card game.

The Buccaneers backed into the playoffs and Tom Brady was very lucky he is not at home today watching the post-season on his couch. The Cowboys have not won a road playoff game since the early 1990’s. The Buccaneers have the home game in this one because they won the NFC South, the worst division in football, and make it to the post-season with a losing record. The post-season is a clean slate: a new season and we all know Tampa Tom thrives in the post-season.

The Cowboys on paper look like the superior team. The Cowboys have a defense that can kill the opposing team’s quarterback. The Cowboys have weapons on offense. The Buccaneers have an aging defense and play makers on offense, you might call them has-beens. The key for Dallas is what are we going to see out of Dak Prescott?

The Cowboys have struggled the last few weeks where Dak has thrown a pick in almost every game. The Cowboys coming off a bad loss to the Commanders where Washington’s defense made the Cowboys look like a bad team that’s home for the post-season. The Cowboys had to eek out a game against Houston in overtime, not too long ago. I hate both of these teams. I’m going with history in this one. It’s hard to knock out Tom Brady’s teams in round one of the playoffs. Dallas has problems on the road and Dak is not playing well right now. I see the Buccaneers stealing one at home. Then adding more bad history to the Cowboys’ post-season woes.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS