Preseason Prediction Results:
On the Week 1 Picks column, I did a prediction area on who would win the division, Super Bowl, various awards, etc. The awards part won't come til later in the playoffs but the rest of it, well did. This is what I had for division winners prior to Week 1:
AFC:
East: Patriots
North: Steelers
South: Texans
West: Raiders
Wild Card: Chiefs, Ravens
NFC:
East: Giants
North: Vikings
South: Saints
West: Rams
Wild Card: Packers, Cowboys
For the AFC I got the Patriots and Texans prediction correct for winning their respective divisions. The rest I either got wrong or that particular team is the division winner. The Ravens won the AFC North. The Chiefs won the AFC West. The Raiders and Steelers didn't even win their divisions. More on the Raiders later.
The NFC was much of the same story. I got the Saints and Rams predictions correct, the rest I got wrong. The Cowboys won the NFC East. The Bears won the NFC North. The Packers didn't even make it to the playoffs.
Now comes the part where I really have to kick myself in the groin for. Like really hard. This was my Super Bowl Prediction:
Super Bowl:
Unbiased: Raiders over Saints
Biased: Packers over Raiders
The Saints could possibly still make it to the big game but the rest will be at home watching it probably. I had stated my case for the Raiders over a while in the season. Let's just say it was a rough year. Here are my predictions for who wins the various awards:
MVP:
Derek Carr, Raiders
Coach of the Year:
Mike Zimmer, Vikings
Rookie of the Year:
Saquon Barkley, Giants
Derek Carr, Raiders
Coach of the Year:
Mike Zimmer, Vikings
Rookie of the Year:
Saquon Barkley, Giants
It is still possible for Saquon Barkley to get Rookie of the Year with the year he had. Hard to say for sure who could win MVP or Coach of The Year but I can't hold my breath for my picks.
Pick 'em Results:
After the final second was sounded, the final ball was packed away, or the last interview was given. There was the fun, bragging rights competition between me and my roommate, Cardinal Viking. The contest was held over the 17 weeks of the regular season. Here are the final results:
Records:
Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 8-8
Week 16: 11-5
Week 17: 12-4
Overall: 156-98-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 10-6
Week 17: 13-3
Overall: 156-98-2
Obviously, as you can see, there is a tie. In the event of a tie, it would possibly come down to who won week by week. Here's who won each week:
Tom: Week 1, Week 3, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 9, Week 11, Week 16
Cardinal Viking: Week 2, Week 5, Week 7, Week 10, Week 12, Week 13, Week 15, Week 17
Tie: Week 14
Not even a breakdown by a week could decide the winner. Perhaps us being tied is meant to be. Perhaps the football gods realized that we're both worthy opponents. Here's a comparison to previous years:
Records:
Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 8-8
Week 16: 11-5
Week 17: 12-4
Overall: 156-98-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 10-6
Week 17: 13-3
Overall: 156-98-2
Obviously, as you can see, there is a tie. In the event of a tie, it would possibly come down to who won week by week. Here's who won each week:
Tom: Week 1, Week 3, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 9, Week 11, Week 16
Cardinal Viking: Week 2, Week 5, Week 7, Week 10, Week 12, Week 13, Week 15, Week 17
Tie: Week 14
Not even a breakdown by a week could decide the winner. Perhaps us being tied is meant to be. Perhaps the football gods realized that we're both worthy opponents. Here's a comparison to previous years:
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
Wild Card Picks:
Wild Card weekend begins at Houston, Texas and ends in Chicago, Illinois. There will be eight teams playing in four games during the two days. The NFL's broadcasting partners will televise a game during the weekend. ESPN will have the Colts-Texans game, FOX will show the Seahawks-Cowboys game, CBS will have the Chargers-Ravens game, and NBC will show the Eagles-Bears game to finish the weekend. I'll be more in-depth with my analysis since there are only four games and I have time on my hands. Let's get to the picks!
Indianapolis (10-6) @ Houston (11-5) (ESPN/ABC): TW: Colts; CV: Texans
The playoff opener showcases a pretty good game. At least on paper. The two games that the two teams played in the regular season were decided by exactly three points. The Texans won the first game 37-34 in OT at Indianapolis. The Colts won the 2nd game at Houston by the result of 24-21. The two teams are mirror images of each other. They love to throw the ball with their franchise quarterbacks, as well as run the ball, all the while playing great defense. I tend to think playoff experience will be a factor in the game as Andrew Luck has been in the playoffs quite a few times in his career. I like the Colts in the game as Andrew Luck could come up clutch in a big moment in the game.
Seattle (10-6) @ Dallas (10-6) (FOX): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
When it comes to toss-up games, this one is definitely worthy of it. This game is a rematch of a Week 3 game where the Seahawks beat the Cowboys 24-13 in Seattle. The two teams are quite different than what they were 15 weeks ago. Both teams have great running backs that can easily get 50+ rushing yards. I feel it will greatly depend on which running back can get it done as both teams will be passing the ball a lot. I could use the playoff experience card on Russell Wilson as he does have a Super Bowl ring in his career. I like the Cowboys in the game as they do have a better defense by rank than the Seahawks do. I just hope I'm not wrong.
LA Chargers (12-4) @ Baltimore (10-6) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Chargers
It is a rematch between the two teams of a Week 16 matchup that the Ravens won 22-10 in Los Angeles. The game will be in Baltimore. I feel the Ravens will still win despite the opportunity that presents to the Chargers. The opportunity to get back at the Ravens again after seeing Lamar Jackson and the running game. The key matchup will be just that, the Ravens rush vs Chargers rush defense. If the other contains or exploits the opponent they have a shot to win. Certainly, playoff experience does play a factor for Philip Rivers but defense is usually the name of the game when it comes to playoffs.
Philadephia (9-7) @ Chicago (12-4) (NBC): TW: Bears; CV: Bears
The last game of the Wild Card weekend features two teams that haven't faced each other this season. The defending champs were underdogs in last year's playoffs and they will be facing tougher odds to get back to the Super Bowl as Vegas has Chicago favored by 6.5 points. I can't really see the Eagles winning the game based on the Eagles running game and their defense. Those two things are what the Bears do well in. If the Eagles have any chance of winning, they must get better production out of their running game and get short defensive stops, especially stuffing Jordan Howard. It's a tough task but I'm going with the safer bet in the Bears. God, I cringe at picking 'Da Bears.
There probably won't be a Wild Card recap but I'll still do a recap in the Divisional round pick 'em because why not. Look out for that later next week before the Divisional round games. Until then, have a great weekend and enjoy the games!
-Tom
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