No surprises this year folks. I know we have three weeks left still in the regular season but outside of the Packers somehow winning the NFC North by running the table with Aaron Rodgers back everything seems pretty much in place. I see all 6 teams in each conference that are currently play off eligible making it after week 17.
(Sorry Dallas and Cardinals fans).
That being said the only things that really need to be figured out these next three weeks is where will San Francisco land in the playoff seeding and can they avoid the #6 seed so they don't have to face the Seahawks in Seattle in the divisional round? To do that 49ers have to run the table and finish 12-4 (certainly possible) as I see Carolina losing one more game this year to New Orleans at home. This will cause the Panthers to finish 11-5 and be that dreaded #6 seed.
Now both the #5 and the #6 seeds in the NFC will win their wild card games as Detroit and Dallas and or Philadelphia are not better than San Francisco nor Carolina. Any way you slice those wild card match ups the #5 and #6 seeds will win them.
So its very very important for the 49ers to run the table now and beat Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Arizona at Arizona to secure a #5 seed and avoid playing the Seahawks till the NFC title game. If they do this....I believe they beat Philadelphia in round 1 and New Orleans in New Orleans in round 2. Seahawks will murder Carolina at Seattle so that sets up today's match up again....only back in Seattle this time.
As far as the AFC goes, well we all thought Indianapolis could be giant killers this year and make things interesting like Baltimore did last year. But no Reggie Wayne means not happening. Colts passing game is not effective and their running game a bust with Trent Richardson. Baltimore as a #6 seed will be interesting but their defense is not as good as it was last year. KC will beat Indianapolis in round 1 at Indy and may even beat New England at New England in round 2. Again No Gronk....means no team is really left to stop Peyton Manning and the Colts on their way to the Super Bowl in the AFC. And we know Cincinatti can put up points, but can they really out gun sling the Colts? I doubt it. If those two teams lock up it'll be a 55 -41 type win for the Broncos. So that leaves KC as your only hope. But we saw what Denver at home did to KC....nothing to stop that from happening again.
So as long as both Seattle and Denver have home field advantage throughout.....and now New England has no more Gronk....there really isn't left much out there to stop Denver and Seattle from meeting. Again the two #5 seeds can possibly change that....but it's unlikely.
(Sorry Dallas and Cardinals fans).
That being said the only things that really need to be figured out these next three weeks is where will San Francisco land in the playoff seeding and can they avoid the #6 seed so they don't have to face the Seahawks in Seattle in the divisional round? To do that 49ers have to run the table and finish 12-4 (certainly possible) as I see Carolina losing one more game this year to New Orleans at home. This will cause the Panthers to finish 11-5 and be that dreaded #6 seed.
Now both the #5 and the #6 seeds in the NFC will win their wild card games as Detroit and Dallas and or Philadelphia are not better than San Francisco nor Carolina. Any way you slice those wild card match ups the #5 and #6 seeds will win them.
So its very very important for the 49ers to run the table now and beat Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Arizona at Arizona to secure a #5 seed and avoid playing the Seahawks till the NFC title game. If they do this....I believe they beat Philadelphia in round 1 and New Orleans in New Orleans in round 2. Seahawks will murder Carolina at Seattle so that sets up today's match up again....only back in Seattle this time.
As far as the AFC goes, well we all thought Indianapolis could be giant killers this year and make things interesting like Baltimore did last year. But no Reggie Wayne means not happening. Colts passing game is not effective and their running game a bust with Trent Richardson. Baltimore as a #6 seed will be interesting but their defense is not as good as it was last year. KC will beat Indianapolis in round 1 at Indy and may even beat New England at New England in round 2. Again No Gronk....means no team is really left to stop Peyton Manning and the Colts on their way to the Super Bowl in the AFC. And we know Cincinatti can put up points, but can they really out gun sling the Colts? I doubt it. If those two teams lock up it'll be a 55 -41 type win for the Broncos. So that leaves KC as your only hope. But we saw what Denver at home did to KC....nothing to stop that from happening again.
So as long as both Seattle and Denver have home field advantage throughout.....and now New England has no more Gronk....there really isn't left much out there to stop Denver and Seattle from meeting. Again the two #5 seeds can possibly change that....but it's unlikely.
