NFL 2021 Predictions + Playoff/Awards Picks

 Hello readers! The season we're all waiting for is just only a few days away as the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers square off on Thursday night to open the National Football League's 102nd season. In This post I will predict how well each of the 32 teams will do this season, who will win the division, who will place where, etc. I will also predict the playoffs including the Super Bowl and who will win the yearly awards. Unfortunately before making this post I was planning on doing something about the preseason but lost track of time. Let's get to the predictions! 

Season Predictions

I did the AFC first last year so let's do the NFC...

NFC

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys (1st in NFC East): You had one of your more uglier seasons in a long time as Dak Prescott went down and the offensive wheels fell off. Another ugly season and Mike McCarthy's hot seat might get a lot warmer. I still think they'll pull off a division championship if they stay healthy. 

Washington Football Team (2nd in NFC East): The defending division champs look to be riding high but with the arrival of Ryan Fitzpatrick and an inept offense it will look like its going to have to rely on the defense to get them far. 

New York Giants (3rd in NFC East): New York along with most of the division had the chance to be in the playoffs as well as a top-10 pick. With Saquon Barkley missing most of last season 2021 will be a big year for him to stay healthy. Daniel Jones will also have a lot to prove to be the franchise quarterback that this team desperately needs. If the Gints want to go far they'll need their improved defense to take them to that next level.

Philadelphia Eagles (4th in NFC East): Carson Wentz is gone and Doug Pederson is gone. Jalen Hurts seems to be quite the talent at quarterback but with a weak receiving corp and running game I feel this year will be a lost one for Hurts. It'll be a long road for new Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. 

The NFC East proved that last year was no fluke, this division is pretty bad. The division might've been the gold standard in the NFL 30 years ago but this division makes the NFC West in the early 2010's look like a competitive division. If Dallas stays healthy, this will be their division, if they don't then it'll be wide open. 

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (1st in NFC North): Green Bay had an interesting offseason as it gave Packers fans PTSD from 2008 when Brett Favre wanted to come back to play for the Green & Gold. With Aaron Rodgers back and a possibly better receiving corp and a shored up defense, the Packers look to get back to the playoffs with a Super Bowl or Bust mindset.

Minnesota Vikings (2nd in NFC North): The Vikings are a dark horse in the division as the attention seems to be given to the Packers. The season will be a big one for head coach Mike Zimmer and quarterback Kirk Cousins. The defense will need to step up big for the Vikes. Worst case scenario: you'll win seven games. Best case scenario: you might make the playoffs.

Chicago Bears (3rd in NFC North): Chicago confuses me, you drafted a quarterback and then you bring in a new quarterback in Andy Dalton. Matt Nagy's seat is already warm and the season hasn't started yet. The Bears running attack and defensive front will have to win the day if they want to have success. 

Detroit Lions (4th in NFC North): Matthew Stafford out, Jared Goff out as Detroit's newest head coach Dan Campbell will have a lot of growing pains in his first year. Sorry Lions fans, this years iteration of the Detroit Lions will likely be that of a punching bag. Still it might mean that you guys win the 1st overall pick next spring. 

NFC North stock will drop a bit this year as I think the best case scenario is that two teams will represent the division in January. Worst case scenario is that the Packers will runaway with the division and maybe a team will eke out a wild-card berth.

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1st in NFC South): The defending champs look to have everything in place to make another title run. I honestly don't really find anything wrong with them on offense or defense, perhaps the running game might be weaker but when you have Tom Brady playing for you on offense, you just need to run for three yards every once in a while.

New Orleans Saints (2nd in NFC South): Drew Brees retired and in comes Jameis Winston. I don't necessarily doubt Winston but his play in Tampa Bay hasn't really convinced me that he is the worthy successor to the future hall-of-famer Brees. Sure it might be a guarantee that Winston will throw 30 touchdowns but hecan possibly throw 28 interceptions as well. 

Carolina Panthers (3rd in NFC South): Christian McCaffrey will be key for the Panthers to have any shot of having the elusive 2nd place in the division. Their ceiling is a winning record but it is a high ceiling. You got Sam Darnold out of that awful situation in New York though this situation isn't much better, at least he has some help. 

Atlanta Falcons (4th in NFC South): Arthur Smith is the new head coach for the Falcons as he hopes to bring his Tennessee Titans offensive magic to a team that is decent to good on offense but horrendous on defense. Atlanta will need to hold onto leads to even have a shot to be better than Carolina or New Orleans. The loss of Julio Jones could be a factor into Atlanta's season. Overall, I think it's a basement season for the dirty birds.

The South will be a weaker division as expected as its only really the Buccaneers that will take it. Only team I think that will make noise is the Saints. It'll be a battle for 2nd place among the Panthers, Falcons and Saints. 

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers (1st in NFC West): Jimmy Garoppolo will be the starter as Trey Lance will take the role of the backup. It is the wiser decision to start the more experienced man as Lance only played over a year at North Dakota State. The talent that the 49ers have is quite remarkable on offense and defense. 

Seattle Seahawks (2nd in NFC West): The defending division champs will have a tougher NFC West to deal with. With Russell Wilson still at quarterback the Seahawks will still make the playoffs but I just feel that the Seahawks will have a setback this year. 

Los Angeles Rams (3rd in NFC West): Jared Goff out, Matthew Stafford in as Sean McVay will have an experienced veteran at quarterback. With a stingy defense that will keep them in games, I'm not sure how well the offense will do. A playoff berth could be in their future. 

Arizona Cardinals (4th in NFC West): The Cardinals seem to be the offseason champions as they acquired JJ Watt and AJ Green. The talent of the team could be in just name only as both players haven't been able to stay healthy for an entire season for a while. The Cards will likely have a winning season or at worst a 8-9 record. 

The West will be the toughest division in pro football as the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams could very well be playing football into January. Could very well see all four teams with winning records. This division is just that good. 

AFC

AFC East

Buffalo Bills (1st in AFC East): Winning the battle in the trenches is the name of the game and the Bills look to be much improved on both sides of the ball. Josh Allen has proven to be a quarterback that can win you ballgames. The defense can be very physical and torment opponents. This team could very well be the gold standard in the division.

New England Patriots (2nd in AFC East): Cam Newton is out and the Mac Jones era begins in earnest in New England. Bill Belichick has improved the defense a lot and could be a thorn at the side of the Buffalo Bills. Could see Mac Jones struggling a bit but a lot of trust is put on him. 

Miami Dolphins (3rd in AFC East): Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has done a remarkable job and looks to make some noise in the division. Miami could cause havoc on both the Bills and Patriots playoff hopes as they have the pieces together to make a playoff berth. Just how well can the Dolphins be depends on how mature will the Dolphins have built do. 

New York Jets (4th in AFC East): Sam Darnold is out and Zach Wilson is in. Wilson is yet another quarterback to try and rejuvenate this team which has lacked talent for years. With little help on offense and a defense that isn't that much better. Robert Saleh will have a rough one on the sidelines for the Jets as the rebuild will continue on. 

This division intrigues me for some reason. It's not nearly as bad as it has been and the emergence of the Dolphins as a division title contender makes it even better. I still think the Bills will be the division winner when it's all said and done but a 2nd team could very well represent this division as well, whether it'll be the Patriots or Dolphins.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (1st in AFC North): Last season was a tough one to swallow as the Steelers went from 11-0 to 12-4 and then a one-and-done team. Pittsburgh will still have a successful season but with the emergence of the Browns will keep them on their toes. The defense will be there but it could be possible that the offense will slip a bit. 

Cleveland Browns (2nd in AFC North): At this time last year I felt a winning season would've been a successful one for this team but to actually make the playoffs and win a playoff game was something that I didn't see. A lot will hinge on how well Kevin Stefanski will keep this group hungry for more and keeping them focused as this team has found success just not sustained success. 

Baltimore Ravens (3rd in AFC North): The Ravens remain a team that can devastate opponents in the regular season but act like a chicken with its head off in the playoffs. It is a trend that needs to change if Baltimore wants to win a championship with this group. The window is still there but the loss of JK Dobbins will play havoc with those plans. It'll be a battle for 2nd place against the Browns. 

Cincinnati Bengals (4th in AFC North): Joe Burrow will be back from injury but the Bengals success will hinge on him staying upright. The Bengals have done their part to give him help in Ja'Marr Chase out of LSU and Jackson Carman out of Clemson. With a defense that needs to do its part, the ceiling is unfortunately another basement season in the North.

AFC North will be the toughest division in the AFC just like the NFC West in the NFC. The Steelers, Ravens and Browns have what it takes to win the division but they will just beat up on the Bengals. Practically those three teams could win the division. 

AFC South

Tennessee Titans (1st in AFC South): With the addition of Julio Jones into the offense, this team has what it takes to be a contender. With injury issues in Indianapolis the Titans look like to be the favorite to win the division. As far as them winning the Super Bowl, that remains in doubt. 

Indianapolis Colts (2nd in AFC South): The losses of Quenton Nelson and Carson Wentz will put this teams playoff hopes in doubt. They will still have talent on defense and rely on the running game but I feel the Colts will play catch up with the Titans. They surely will finish better than the Jaguars and Texans in the division. 

Jacksonville Jaguars (3rd in AFC South): Trevor Lawrence will be a bright spot for the team in a team that lacks a lot of bright spots. Urban Meyer will have his work cut out for him as this team will be fighting for 3rd place against the Texans. 

Houston Texans (4th in AFC South): The Bill O'Brien era is over. The team is just not that great on offense or defense. DeShaun Watson's situation is just getting worser. The team is just a mess and won't likely even sniff a winning season. 

The AFC South looked like a good division at first but injury problems with the Colts put any hopes of that to rest. Tennessee looks like the team to beat in the division while the Texans and Jaguars will fight for who wants the basement cellar the most. Just not a thrilling division to watch.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (1st in AFC West): Despite the loss in the Super Bowl the Chiefs look like the team that will win the division as long as Patrick Mahomes stays healthy. The Chiefs defense laxed a lot last year and will need to play better if they want to hoist a Lombardi trophy in February. 

Los Angeles Chargers (2nd in AFC West): Justin Herbert had a good rookie season and with an improved offense and a defense that will be just as good. As long as the sophomore slump doesn't sting him the Chargers could very well play for a playoff berth. 

Las Vegas Raiders (3rd in AFC West): Make or break season for the Raiders as Derek Carr could be on the way out if the Raiders don't make the playoffs. With the Broncos and Chargers playing improved ball, the Raiders could be the odd man out. 

Denver Broncos (4th in AFC West): The quarterback carousel continues as Teddy Bridgewater becomes the next one on the merry-go-round. He will have help on offense as the Broncos will have a good receiving corp. The question is how well the defense can do to keep them in games. 

The Chiefs seem to be the team that will take the division while the rest of the division will try to beat up on each other to get a possible playoff berth. It'll be a toss-up to who will win the elusive 2nd place in the division. I like the Chargers to do it but the Raiders and Broncos look to put that to change that. 

Playoff + Super Bowl Prediction

NFC

1st seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2nd seed: Green Bay Packers
3rd seed: San Francisco 49ers
4th seed: Dallas Cowboys
5th seed: Seattle Seahawks
6th seed: Los Angeles Rams
7th seed: Minnesota Vikings

Wild Card:

Packers over Vikings
49ers over Rams
Seahawks over Cowboys

Divisional:

Packers over 49ers
Buccaneers over Seahawks

Championship:

Buccaneers over Packers

AFC

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs
2nd seed: Tennessee Titans
3rd seed: Buffalo Bills
4th seed: Pittsburgh Steelers
5th seed: New England Patriots
6th seed: Cleveland Browns
7th seed: Baltimore Ravens

Wild Card:

Ravens over Titans
Bills over Browns
Steelers over Patriots

Divisional:

Chiefs over Ravens
Bills over Steelers

Championship:

Bills over Chiefs

Super Bowl:

Buccaneers over Bills

Award Predictions

MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Offensive Player of the Year: Nick Chubb
Defensive Player of the Year: TJ Watt
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Najee Harris
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Micah Parsons
Comeback Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey
Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan

With the Opening Night game on Thursday, expect the Week 1 picks post to be posted sometime on Tuesday or Wednesday night. Until then enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend! 

-Tom

NFL 2021 Offseason Thoughts

 Hello readers! The NFL offseason is past us and 32 teams will start their training camps this week as the prepare for the upcoming 2021 season. For the first time since 2019 there will be a preseason to be had as there will be a Hall-Of-Fame Game and then four weeks of preseason. In this post, I'll give my thoughts on the Aaron Rodgers drama in Green Bay, Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, and a QB trade in Detroit and Los Angeles. Let's get to work!

Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay and public relations haven't been known to gel well together. This isn't new for the Packers as another quarterback has been the cause of drama. In the summer of 2008, Brett Favre announced that he was unretiring and wanting to come back to the Packers. The result would cause the Packers to trade their future hall-of-fame quarterback to the New York Jets. Thirteen years later, Green Bay finds themselves in the middle of a firestorm. 

Aaron Rodgers is inarguably a future hall-of-fame quarterback onto himself. His case for it helped when he lead his team in a Super Bowl win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Ever since then, Rodgers has been looking for that 2nd ring. What would happen next would be 11 seasons of failure, in those 11 seasons, the Packers made the playoffs in nine of them, and making to the NFC Championship Game in four. Green Bay hasn't made past them. 

Aaron Rodgers realizes that his window is closing on both the team winning a championship and in his career. Green Bay hasn't made it made it clear that they're building a winner. In the drafts, the Packers would draft players to back up their struggling defense, never to their receiving corp. Especially in the 1st round. 

The recent offseason has been the ultimate will he, won't he situation for Rodgers. There was a time where he contemplated retirement, wanted a trade, and then wanted to go back to Green Bay for another season. Recently, Aaron Rodgers has chosen the route of going back to Green Bay. Whether the Packers will allow him to go back will be up to them. 

My overall thoughts are that: he certainly has the right to be angry with the Packers in not giving him offensive help and drafting a quarterback in the 1st round in the 2020 NFL Draft. I get that he has been frustrated with not getting back to the Super Bowl after so many seasons back in the playoffs. What I have an issue is that he seems to be acting like a prima donna which is something that he isn't. I just hope that it is something that both the Packers and Aaron Rodgers will resolve quickly as it could lead to becoming a distraction. 

Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville

With not much surprise, the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the 1st overall pick back in May. Jacksonville expects Lawrence to be their franchise's savior and franchise quarterback. 

Trevor Lawrence has never known losing in his football career. Dating back to his high school days, he never lost a game, once he graduated high school and attended Clemson University, it would be much more of the same success. The chances of him going undefeated in Jacksonville in the NFL level is very unlikely. Everyone will be watching him to see how well he does though. 

Jacksonville will likely have a cornerstone of the franchise and something for the team to build on. He will have some help with Tim Tebow as tight end but not as much help on the offensive line. Do not let his career waste away. 

Goff in the Motor City, Stafford in Hollywood

In a surprising move for the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, both teams traded their star quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff. Whether the trade will benefit both teams or not, we will have to see. 

Matthew Stafford has been an enigma in the NFL since getting drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 Draft. Stafford has had great seasons and then he has had bad seasons. Playing for the Detroit Lions where Stafford has played for many head coaches, offensive coordinators, and quarterbacks coaches has to take a toll on the veteran. With only a few playoff appearances under his belt, Stafford hopes the trade to the Rams will revitalize his waning career. 

Jared Goff, like Stafford, was a former 1st overall pick from the 2016 NFL Draft. He would play fairly alright with his first few seasons in Los Angeles. Everything would change in 2018 as Goff would help lead the Rams to a great offense and an appearance in Super Bowl LIII. The Rams would be held to 3 points as the New England Patriots would beat them 13-3. After the appearance, Goff has been lackluster as he has either been playing like a Pop Warner quarterback or a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback. Perhaps new scenery will get Jared Goff some new life in the Motor City.

My thoughts on the trade are mixed. On one hand the Rams are getting a veteran that could possibly have a few years left in the tank. He certainly has a coach in Sean McVay that he can count on to help him. Detroit will get a quarterback that is younger and has had a few seasons of quality quarterback play that can help a team win games. I feel the Rams won the trade but anything can happen.

What's Next

Well with this post in the books, I would expect possibly another post on more thoughts prior to the start of the season and then my season predictions. Until then, see you all soon.

-Tom

NFL 2020 Super Bowl LV Recap

 Hello readers! The 32 teams that started this season back in September has reached to one champion as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl Champions for the first time since 2002. In this post I'll do a recap of the big game, my thoughts on the halftime show, and my favorite ad from the big game. Let's get to work!

Super Bowl LV Recap

Kansas City 9, Tampa Bay 31: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The winning team wasn't a surprise but the margin of victory was one. There was questions on how well Patrick Mahomes could move around and how well his toe was. He moved around a lot sure but he looked off on his throws. Mahomes finished the game with 270 yards passing with two interceptions. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 64 yards on nine carries but most of those runs were during the early quarters. Patrick Mahomes rushed for 33 yards. It would be the first time since 2017 that the Chiefs would go a whole game without scoring a touchdown. 

The keys for the Buccaneers were to take advantage of turnovers, pressure Patrick Mahomes and play smart football. Tom Brady was spectacular in the game as he threw for 201 yards with three touchdowns. Leonard Fournette made his case for MVP as he rushed for 89 yards with a touchdown. The Super Bowl MVP went to Tom Brady instead.

Halftime Show Thoughts

So The Weeknd was this year's halftime act. I had listened to some of their songs prior to the show and I liked them. The first part of it where they were up in the stands was kind of off. Especially when the singer was in the sort of light-up funhouse. It sort of got better when the show took it to the field. Overall, I still think Prince's performance in Super Bowl XLI is the best. 

Favorite Super Bowl Ad

In my honest opinion, I thought the commercials this year weren't that great compared to last year. My favorite from this year was the Flat Matthew McConaughey commercial from Doritos. It kind of reminded me of the Jason Momoa commercial where he was taking off his six-pack and muscular arms after a long day.  

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

In terms of NFL posts, I won't be posting those for probably until July unless something comes up. Thanks again for reading these posts, its been a fun season doing these. 

-Tom

NFL 2020 Super Bowl LV Pick Post

Hello readers! The big game is almost a week away (writing this on a Sunday and possibly part of Monday) and the anticipation of it is intense. In a week's time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs will be set to do battle for the Lombardi Trophy. In this post i'll talk about: a recap of both team's seasons, who'll be the Super Bowl broadcaster on television, an NFL Throwback, my keys to the game and my pick to who will win it all. This post will be probably lengthy so be prepared. Let's get to work!

Team Recaps: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Prior to the 2020 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stuck in a mess. Jameis Winston looked like another quarterback that turned into a bust for a team that made it a career black hole where NFL careers would go to die. All that would change in March 2020. 

For the first 20 years of his career, Tom Brady was a New England Patriot. After 20 years of playing on one of the greatest dynasties in the National Football League history, he became a free agent. It would not take him long to sign with a new team. In an instant, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became a legit contender for the Super Bowl. 

Jameis Winston would get traded to New Orleans. The team then added veteran players like Rob Gronkowski who had been retired for two years as well as Leonard Fournette. To shore up the defense the Buccaneers drafted Antoine Winfield Jr and Tristan Wirfs to help provide some protection to Tom Brady. 

The new collusion of players would need time to gel and with no offseason program to help gel them together, the Buccaneers got off to a rough start. The Bucs would win three of their first five games by close margins. There was no panic mode however. The leadership of Tom Brady would help guide the Buccaneers through the rough patches. 

Tampa Bay would go on to have a three-game winning streak that included blowout wins against Green Bay and Las Vegas. They would win a close game against the Giants on the road. It looked like things were back in order for them until the Saints came to town. 

New Orleans would prove to be a versatile adversary for Tampa. Tampa lost to them on the road in Week 1 by a fair margin. When the experts and America were on the Buccaneers side, the Saints proved to use the underdog card to their advantage. The Saints would win matchup #2 by a 38-3 margin. 

Much was talked about after their blowout loss to the Saints. Such talk was that the Buccaneers were disintegrating from within, Tom Brady and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians at odds with each other. It was a media circus with the team. The team would go on to beat the Panthers in a rebound win but they would lose again. They would lose to the Rams and the Chiefs by close margins but losses matter in this league. Tampa would head into their bye week with a 7-5 record. They would not lose another game for the rest of the regular season. 

The Buccaneers last four games were good wins. They beat the Vikings 26-14 in an effort to keep up with the Saints in the division and stay in the playoffs. Tampa won a close game against the Falcons. Their playoff drought was ended when they blew out the Detroit Lions 47-7 to get their first playoff berth since 2007. They finished the regular season with a win against the Falcons at home with a record of 11-5. 

Their playoff prospects were somewhat rosy. Tampa would have to go on the road for all of their games. In the Wild Card round game, they would rack up 500+ offensive yards against the Washington Football Team in a 31-23 win. That seemed simple for the Bucs but the true test was coming up. 

The Buccaneers had lost to the Saints twice in the regular season. Both games were 10+ point losses and each time it looked like Tom Brady played like he was a rookie still. Tampa's defense would have to step up to the challenge to thwart Drew Brees from him getting another ring. Led by linebacker Devin White who had 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble and an interception as well as two Tom Brady passing touchdowns, the Bucs would exact some measure of revenge in a 30-20 win. The Buccaneers were one game away from a trip back home to the Super Bowl.

Standing in the Buccaneers way of a Super Bowl berth was the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers soundly beaten the Packers 38-10 at home. The conditions were much colder in Green Bay. Tampa's offense was playing stellar in the 1st half and then things turn for the worst when Tom Brady threw three interceptions. Fortunately, the Buccaneers defense would come to the offense's aid as the Packers would not get much points out of the opportunities. In a much closer game, the Buccaneers would hold off Green Bay in a 31-26 win. 

Tampa Bay will make their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in team history in Super Bowl LV. Their first appearance was in Super Bowl XXXVII when they defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 to win their 1st Super Bowl championship. We will have to see if they can win their 2nd this upcoming Sunday. 

Team Recaps: Kansas City Chiefs

On February 2nd, 2020 the Kansas City Chiefs erased five decades worth of championship drought, playoff exits, and losing seasons. They won their first Super Bowl championship since Super Bowl IV. The moment was truly bittersweet but like most champions, the Chiefs were hungry for more. 

The prospects for a Chiefs return to the Super Bowl were pristine as many starters from the 2019 team would return. One of the weaker spots of the team was the lack of a good running game. The answer for the problem came in the draft as the Chiefs drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the 1st round of the 2020 draft. 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire didn't take long to prove that the Chiefs made the right decision as he racked up 138 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the Chiefs Week 1 victory over Houston. He would finish the season with 803 yards rushing with four touchdowns. Safe to say it was a good choice. 

Kansas City would start the season winning their first four games by fairly reasonable margins. Their closest game to a possible loss was an overtime win against the Chargers. That game would feature the debut of Justin Herbert. 

If there was a wakeup call for the Chiefs in 2020 it was when the Las Vegas Raiders came to town. The game was a reminiscent of the old Raiders-Chiefs matchups as both teams traded punches. Ultimately it came down to a failed Chiefs comeback to give the Chiefs their first loss since November 10th, 2019 to the Titans. The Chiefs would not lose another game until Week 17. 

After a 4-1 start they would win their next four games before their bye week. Such wins against the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers. They would reach their bye week with a 8-1 record. 

The rematch against the Las Vegas Raiders provided some exciting drama as the Chiefs would score a touchdown with less than a minute to go. Las Vegas had scored a touchdown prior to that. It seemed that the Raiders left too much time for the Chiefs to go down and score a touchdown to win the game. 

The next game would provide some additional drama as the Chiefs traveled to Tampa Bay. The game was a no contest in the 1st half as Tyreek Hill ran over the Buccaneers defense. Kansas City was up 20-7 by halftime. Tampa Bay would comeback in the 2nd half but the Chiefs would hold on to beat them 27-24. 

The rest of the regular season didn't provide a lot of drama for the Chiefs. Kansas City would win a 1st round bye in the playoffs, their 5th consecutive division title, and a 14-1 record into Week 17. Head coach Andy Reid decided to rest his starters against the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert exacted some revenge over the Chiefs as he helped beat the Chiefs 38-21. Granted he was facing off against Chad Henne. 

With a 1st round bye the Chiefs would not play in the Wild Card round. They would need the extra rest as the challenge of repeating a Super Bowl title is tough enough. The Road to the AFC playoffs would go through Kansas City as they were the #1 seed. 

Their opponent in the Divisional round would be the Cleveland Browns, a team that had beaten rival Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round. Kansas City would jump out to a 16-3 lead heading into halftime. Virtually the Chiefs offense was unstoppable as Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce would provide the power. These Cleveland Browns were not your father's Cleveland Browns though as they came back to a 5-point lead heading into the late 4th quarter. They would get to Patrick Mahomes and injure him with a concussion (it would be later be diagnosed as a pinched nerve). Chad Henne would come in and help get the needed first downs for the Chiefs to win. Kansas City would survive with a 22-17 victory. 

The Chiefs last opponent from a Super Bowl berth was the Buffalo Bills. Both teams had meet earlier in the regular season as the Chiefs would beat the Bills 26-17 on the road in Orchard Park. The game was reminiscent of some of the playoff games that the 2019 Chiefs had dealt with as the Bills would go up 9-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. Kansas City would answer back with 21 points scored in the 2nd quarter. Instead of touchdowns, the Bills would resort to field goals. They couldn't stop the Chiefs machine. Kansas City would not let Buffalo back in the game as they would win 38-24 enroute to their 2nd straight Super Bowl. 

Super Bowl LV will be the Kansas City Chiefs' 4th Super Bowl Appearance in their history. The Chiefs would lose in Super Bowl I to the Green Bay Packers. They would win their 1st Super Bowl in Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings. Their championship drought would end as they would beat the San Francisco 49ers to win their 2nd Super Bowl in Super Bowl LIV. 

Super Bowl LV Broadcaster

The television broadcaster for Super Bowl LV will be CBS. This will be CBS's 22nd Super Bowl (including Super Bowls: I (with NBC), II, IV, VI, VII, X, XII, XIV, XVI XVIII, XXI, XXIV, XXVI, XXXV, XXXVIII, XLI, XLIV, XLVII, 50, and LIII). Doing the play-by-play commentary will be Jim Nantz who will be calling his 6th Super Bowl for CBS. His color commentator will be Tony Romo who will be calling his 2nd Super Bowl for the network. 

NFL Throwback

When I had to dig through the annals of NFL history between the matchups of the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they weren't great. For most of their history, both teams had either been terrible or just had plain bad luck. However, one matchup in 1979 seemed to be just about as interesting as any. 

This 1979 meeting between both teams was held in Week 16 of the regular season. The setting was in Tampa Stadium. One team looked like it was going in a positive direction and the other was just trying to look for a direction.

Kansas City was looking for its first non-losing season since 1973. Marv Levy was in his 2nd year at the helm for KC. This season would mark an improvement for the Chiefs as they had went 4-12 in 1978. Unlike the Chiefs of today, the 1979 Chiefs had one of the most inept passing games in the NFL that season with a droopy 103.8 passing yards/game. 

Tampa Bay was in the midst of a playoff berth, a winning season, and a division title. It would be a season of firsts for the franchise that had just won only seven games from 1976 to 1978. You have to remember that this team started 0-26 in 1976 and well into 1977. The team was coached by former USC head coach John McKay who was entering his fourth season at Tampa. 

Both teams would be greeted but not just each other but mother nature herself. During the duration of the game the weather would be drenching as rain fell like cats and dogs on both teams. The play on the field was pitiful as the Buccaneers gave up seven turnovers. The Chiefs would not capitalize on them. If you stepped on the field it felt like slosh all over. 

To add to the conditions, the scoring would be at a premium as the only score was a Neil Donoughue field goal that would give the Buccaneers a 3-0 victory. It would be the Buccaneers first shutout in their history. The game helped clinched Tampa Bay's first NFC Central division title. 

In the end, the Chiefs would rebound in 1980 to post their first non-losing season since 1973 and would have a 9-7 record in 1981. The success would not last as 1982 would be Marv Levy's last season as head coach, finishing with a 3-6 record. The Chiefs would not make it back to the playoffs until 1986.

For the Buccaneers the 1979 season marked a great success. They would go on to win their first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles 24-17. Their run of luck would end in the NFC Championship Game where they were held to 9-0 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Bucs would continue to have some playoff success in 1981 but would lose badly to the Dallas Cowboys 38-0. They would not make it back to the playoffs until 1997.

It seems interesting to me that this game would be held in Tampa. Perhaps it is even more interesting to see how bad these two teams played that day and how their fortunes have changed since then. Such is life in the NFL as you can be bad one year and then great the next. 

Super Bowl LV: Keys to the Game

The Super Bowl is really and truly a game of matchups. A sort of chess match to decide who wins it all. Fortunately both teams had played each other once already this season. The 27-24 win for the Chiefs can be a bit telling. It could be a game where it could play the same result. I would like to beg to differ. It feels like you can benefit from having played a team already to correct what you did wrong. Here's my keys to the game for both teams.

Kansas City:

Get everyone else involved other than Tyreek Hill: The Buccaneers might trying to cover Tyreek Hill who had ran over the Bucs in their regular season matchup. Travis Kelce could be a big factor in this game. 

Pressure Tom Brady often: Tom Brady is only Tom Brady when you give him time in the pocket. Pressuring him will make him break eventually. Just check how the Giants pressured and sacked him in those Super Bowls. 

Keep Patrick Mahomes upright: kind of the same as key #2 except for your side. 

Tampa Bay: 

Protect the Football: Tampa's last game against the Packers was kind of a wakeup call as Tom Brady had thrown the football to the opposition. Green Bay didn't take advantage of the opportunities. Kansas City will not. 

Keep Patrick Mahomes off the field: Your offense will have great luck if they can stay on the field for every second it can. That means running the football and passing the football as well. 

Keep an eye on Tyreek Hill at all times: double team him, triple team him, do whatever you can. Don't let him beat you, make Sammy Watkins beat you.

Super Bowl Pick

Super Bowl LV seems to be a matchup of two great quarterbacks with their supporting casts. Both teams have great offenses that seem to be well rounded. What I question is how good can either team's defense be in this game. Anything can really happen in this game but I feel it will come down to the defense. So my pick for the Super Bowl winner is...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay will be playing at home for a Super Bowl for the first time in the history of the Super Bowl. I feel that they will take advantage of it being at Raymond James Stadium. They possess the offense that can keep the Chiefs off the field. Tom Brady is the only quarterback to have beaten Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. You'd have to remember that Brady beat him in the 2018 AFC Championship Game. I do like the Bucs defense a bit more than the Chiefs. Will they win? hard to say but hopefully it will be a game for the ages. 

Super Bowl Record: 

Super Bowl XXXII: Packers vs Broncos (lost)
Super Bowl XXXIII: Broncos vs Falcons (won)
Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams vs Titans (won)
Super Bowl XXXV: Ravens vs Giants (lost)
Super Bowl XXXVI: Rams vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl XXXVII: Raiders vs Buccaneers (lost)
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Panthers vs Patriots (won)
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots vs Eagles (won)
Super Bowl XL: Steelers vs Seahawks (lost)
Super Bowl XLI: Colts vs Bears (won)
Super Bowl XLII: Giants vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs Cardinals (lost)
Super Bowl XLIV: Saints vs Colts (won)
Super Bowl XLV: Steelers vs Packers (won)
Super Bowl XLVI: Giants vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens vs 49ers (lost)
Super Bowl XLVIII: Seahawks vs Broncos (lost)
Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots vs Seahawks (lost)
Super Bowl 50: Panthers vs Broncos (lost)
Super Bowl LI: Patriots vs Falcons (won)
Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl LIII: Rams vs Patriots (won)
Super Bowl LIV: 49ers vs Chiefs (lost)

All-time record: 9-13

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Tuesday/Wednesday for the Super Bowl LV recap post. Enjoy the game!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Conference Championship Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The final four teams that came into Sunday are now down to two as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs will play for the ultimate in North American team sports: the Super Bowl. In this post, I'll talk about the two games. Let's get to work!

Tampa Bay 31, Green Bay 26: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Well, it wasn't a blowout but it wasn't a win either for the Packers. Tom Brady played well enough to win as he threw for 280 yards with three touchdown passes and had three interceptions that would lead to Packers points. Leonard Fournette ran the ball with efficiency as he rushed for 55 yards with a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers threw for 346 yards with three touchdowns and had an interception in the game. His protection was broken down fairly often as Rodgers was sacked six times. Aaron Jones wouldn't get too much going in the running game as he rushed for 27 yards. Jamaal Williams rushed for 23 yards. One call during the 4th quarter really stuck out to the rest of America: Why didn't Packers head coach Matt LeFleur go for it on 4th down instead of getting the three points? You have one of the greatest quarterbacks in a generation in Aaron Rodgers and you don't give him the task to convert a first down. C'mon man. Maybe his reasoning was that maybe the defense could get a turnover as Tampa had been struggling with turnovers during the 2nd half. Either way, give confidence to your quarterback that he can do it. Doesn't really matter now. For the Packers, its another season without a Super Bowl appearance. The window is starting to close even tighter. It'll be a long year for Packerland. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: vs Kansas City 
Green Bay: eat cheese or something

Buffalo 24, Kansas City 38: TW: Chiefs; CV: Bills
The Chiefs were down 9-0 after the 1st quarter. Kansas City would go on a 38-15 run after the 1st quarter. Josh Allen threw for 287 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the game. Once again the Buffalo Bills would have to rely on the legs of Josh Allen as he rushed for 88 yards in the game. Devin Singletary would get 17 yards in the game. Buffalo would have to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns in this one but Tyler Bass would go 4/4 in field goals but 0/1 in PAT's. Patrick Mahomes was magical once again as he threw for 325 yards with three touchdowns. Kansas City's running game was just as stellar as the team combined for 114 yards rushing. Damien Williams rushed for 52 yards with a touchdown, Mecole Hardman rushed for 50 on one carry, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for seven yards with a touchdown run. For the Bills, it caps off one of their best seasons in two decades. If they can pick up a running back early in the draft, they could be a scary team to watch next season. For the Chiefs, they move on to the Super Bowl to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Next week:
Buffalo: fix broken tables
Kansas City: vs Tampa Bay

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

Will make the Super Bowl LV post sometime late this week or early next week. See you then!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Conference Championship Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us. The NFL's version of the Final Four is set as four teams come into Sunday but only two will remain to play in the biggest game of them all. Only the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, and the Kansas City Chiefs remain. In this post I'll talk about my picks for the Conference Championship games. Let's get to work!

Conference Championship Picks

Tampa Bay (11-5) @ Green Bay (13-3) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers beat the Saints and the Packers beat the Rams last week. Shocker I know. Championship Sunday starts with the NFC game with the Buccaneers and the Packers set to do battle. The Packers come into this game hosting the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2007. It'll be also the first time that Aaron Rodgers will play at home for the event. Both quarterbacks are pretty evenly well matched. What I question is how well the Packers defense can stop the multi-headed monster in the Buccaneers offense. Not just Tom Brady that they'll have to deal with but Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, Antonio Brown and Mike Evans. Green Bay will also have to deal with the underrated Buccaneers defense that can play well when hot. Weather for the game could be interesting as it'll be typical cold temperatures and possible snow. Do I see it being a factor? Perhaps but Tom Brady has been in cold weather games as well. I hate to say it but I think not having a great defense and another clutch wide receiver will hurt the Packers in the long run. 

Buffalo (13-3) @ Kansas City (14-2) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Bills
The Bills beat the Ravens and the Chiefs beat the Browns last week. On the AFC side we got two of the future star quarterbacks in Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. The defending champs come into this game with some luck on their side. What was originally a concussion on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, would turn out to be a pinched nerve. In other words, Mahomes is active for the game with Chad Henne ready at the wings if the need arises. For Buffalo, they're in the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 1993. The Bills come into the game with a pretty good feeling. They don't have the pressure to get back to a Super Bowl, they can play loose and play their game. I think what will be key for both teams is how well the Chiefs defense can handle Josh Allen. Can Josh Allen find some running back help? Hard to pick against the defending champs but I caution in that they need to protect Patrick Mahomes. I'll go Chiefs. 

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

NFL 2020 Divisional Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The best weekend in the NFL slate is over and the eight teams that started this weekend is now down to the Final Four, NFL style. Only the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain after this weekend. We'll recap the four games in this post, let's get to work!

Divisional Recap

LA Rams 18, Green Bay 32: TW: Packers; CV: Rams
There were at least 9,000 fans in Lambeau Field but it certainly felt there was at least 90,000 in it. Jared Goff would start again as John Wolford was still out with a neck injury. Goff played well enough despite all the injuries that were inflicted on him. He threw for 174 yards with a touchdown pass. You could question his ability but you can't question his heart. Cam Akers was good in this game as he rushed for 90 yards on 18 carries. Aaron Rodgers proved to be dominant in this game as he threw for 296 yards with two touchdown passes. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams were masterful in the ground attack as both rushed for 99 and 65 yards respectively. Jones rushed for a touchdown. For the Rams, it was an end to a remarkable season that you could certainly build upon. The core is still there for a run but health is a question for this team going into the offseason. Green Bay lives to fight another day. 

Next week:
LA Rams: idk go star in a Hollywood movie or something
Green Bay: vs Tampa Bay

Baltimore 3, Buffalo 17: TW: Ravens; CV: Bills
Well this turned into a bruiser than a shootout. Lamar Jackson threw for 162 yards in the game with an interception. He would leave the game with an injury that would send Tyler Huntley into the fray. He finished the game with 60 yards. Baltimore's running game was modest as JK Dobbins rushed for 42 yards, Gus Edwards rushed for 42 yards, and Lamar Jackson rushed for 34 yards. Josh Allen threw for 206 yards with a touchdown pass. Devin Singletary rushed for 25 yards in the game. The star of the show was cornerback Taron Johnson who intercepted a Lamar Jackson pass in the redzone that went for a 101-yard touchdown. It was a game-changing play. For the Ravens, it ends a hopeful season that Ravens had hoped meant them hoisting a Lombardi trophy. Lamar Jackson has the playoff win but now comes his biggest challenge, reaching a Super Bowl. Buffalo fights on and goes to Kansas City.

Next week:
Baltimore: put Lamar Jackson in a bubble
Buffalo: @ Kansas City

Cleveland 17, Kansas City 22: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
It looked bleak for the Browns but an injury to Mahomes and a near failed 4th down conversion almost made it a Cleveland-Buffalo AFC Championship game. Baker Mayfield threw for 204 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw an interception. Nick Chubb rushed for 69 yards and Kareem Hunt rushed for 32 yards with a touchdown run. Patrick Mahomes started for the Chiefs and threw for 255 yards with a touchdown pass. He would leave the game in the 3rd quarter due to a possible concussion or nerve injury. Chad Henne would come into his stead and throw for 66 yards with an interception in the game. He would also run for a near first down and then throw on an agressive 4th down and inches pass play that sealed the deal for the Chiefs. Cleveland shouldn't need to hang their heads on low after this season. This Browns team is not the "Same Old Browns" that I grew up. Next season will tell how well they can build off what they learn. That no-call on the helmet-to-helmet hit towards the end of the 1st half though. 

Next week:
Cleveland: live at FirstEnergy Stadium like Baker Mayfield
Kansas City: vs Buffalo

Tampa Bay 30, New Orleans 20: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Third time's the charm. Tom Brady threw for 199 yards with two touchdowns in the game. He also showcased his running ability as he rushed for a touchdown as well. Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones rushed for 63 and 62 yards respectively. Drew Brees started for the Saints and had 134 yards passing with a touchdown but also threw three interceptions in the game. He would leave the game to let backup Jameis Winston play in the game. Winston threw a pass for a 56-yard touchdown. Alvin Kamara was good in the game as he rushed for 85 yards in the game. A lot of questions surround the Saints after another season not reaching a Super Bowl. Will Drew Brees retire? Time will tell. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers move on to play in their first NFC Championship game since 2002. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: @ Green Bay
New Orleans: idk eat gumbo or something.

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys for the Conference Championship picks post on Thursday/Friday.

-Tom

NFL 2020 Divisonal Picks

 Hello readers! Another weekend of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. The Wild Card round is over and the winners of that weekend will take on the big dogs. Such big dogs like the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. In this post, I'll talk about my picks for the Divisional round games. Let's get to work!

Divisional Round Picks

LA Rams (10-6) @ Green Bay (13-3) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Rams
The Rams beat the Seahawks and the Packers were on a bye last week. It feels like the classic powerful offense vs powerful defense game. The Rams should be feeling pretty good against their upset win against Seattle. Their defense carried them to it as well as Cam Akers. Both seem to be devastating for the Packers as Aaron Rodgers is as vulnerable to pass rush as any quarterback. Green Bay's run defense hasn't been stellar. Ultimately, if Green Bay wants to win and make it closer to a possible Super Bowl berth, they will need to keep Aaron Rodgers protected, make Jared Goff beat you by containing the Rams rush offense. If you're as good as you say you are, prove it. I'll take the Packers. 

Baltimore (11-5) @ Buffalo (13-3) (NBC): TW: Ravens; CV: Bills
The Ravens beat the Titans and the Bills beat the Colts last week. Both teams come into this matchup with somewhat of a chip on their shoulder. The Ravens got their first playoff win for Lamar Jackson and Buffalo got their first playoff win since 1995. I've been harping on and on about how Buffalo needs to get some help for Josh Allen as he is currently their leading rusher in the playoffs at this moment. Downside for Baltimore is that Lamar Jackson isn't quite the passer as Josh Allen. I think it'll be a battle but I feel upset win for the Ravens. 

Cleveland (11-5) @ Kansas City (14-2) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Browns beat the Steelers and the Chiefs were on a bye last week. Who would've thought that the Browns would be here? Cleveland comes into this game with some luck on their side and the underdog card to their advantage. To take on the defending champs would be a tall task to have indeed. Cleveland's offense somewhat matches up well against the Chiefs defense. I just question on how emotional will Cleveland will be and if they can control the ball. They can possibly win if they do that. Sorry Cleveland, but I'm taking the defending champs. 

Tampa Bay (11-5) @ New Orleans (12-4) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers beat the Football Team and the Saints beat the Bears last week. Brady-Brees III. What a finish to the weekend as this one should be an entertaining one. At least for a quarter or so. The last time these two met, Tampa got blown out at home. Tampa is going to need to play their best game of football this season and protect Tom Brady as much as possible. New Orleans poses a great defense that has also picked off Tom Brady multiple times in the two games this season. It's the rubber match and I think third time's the charm for the Bucs. 

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Monday for the Divisonal Round recap. Enjoy the games!

NFL 2020 Wild Card Recap

 Hello readers! The first round of the National Football League playoffs is over. Six games were featured this past weekend and there was much drama to be had. Such drama like the Browns and Bills ending long playoff win droughts, the Seahawks losing to a quarterback with a broken thumb, and the Washington Football Team staying with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. All this and more in this recap post! Let's get to work!

Indianapolis 24, Buffalo 27: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Buffalo Bills won a playoff game for the first time since I was a 1st grader. Phillip Rivers threw for 309 yards with two touchdown passes. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 78 yards with a touchdown run. Josh Allen threw for 324 yards with two touchdown passes. Allen also rushed for 54 yards with a touchdown run. It was a pretty entertaining game. We shall see if the Bills can go far with Josh Allen with his arm and his legs. For the Colts, the season ends with a disappointing fashion. Will Phillip Rivers retire? I'd be hard pressed to say no. He's gonna need to find a good job to help pay for his children's living expenses. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: help find Phillip Rivers a new job
Buffalo: vs Baltimore

LA Rams 30, Seattle 20: TW: Seahawaks; CV: Rams
Imagine losing to a backup with a broken thumb. John Wolford started for the Rams and had 29 yards passing before leaving with a neck injury. Jared Goff would come into relief and throw for 155 yards with a touchdown pass. Cam Akers would take on the leading role for the Rams offense with 131 yards witha  touchdown run. Russell Wilson threw for 174 yards with two touchdown passes with an interception. The interception was a pick six that was picked off by Darious Williams. Chris Carson had a good game with running the ball as he had 77 yards rushing. Los Angeles's defense really kept the Seahawks high octane offense by making it one-dimensional. For the Rams, they move on to take on the #1 seed Green Bay. Could be an interesting game if Cam Akers can have a great day running the ball like he can against Seattle. For the Seahawks, the season ends in great disappointment. The fast start by Russell Wilson ends in bad fashion. 

Next week:
LA Rams: @ Green Bay
Seattle: toss around fish in the famous Seattle fish market

Tampa Bay 31, Washington 23: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Taylor Heinicke went toe to toe against the GOAT. Tom Brady threw for 381 yards with two touchdown passes. Leonard Fournette rushed for 93 yards with a rushing touchdown. Taylor Heinicke threw for 306 yards with a touchdown pass with an interception. He would also rush for 46 yards with a touchdown. Antonio Gibson rushed for 31 yards. JD McKissic rushed for five yards with a touchdown. For Washington, it ends a season that most people wasn't expecting them to be there. It could be a good start for Ron Rivera and for something to build on for next season. Tampa moves on to take on the Saints in New Orleans. Enticing matchup as its the rubber match between the two teams. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: @ New Orleans
Washington: search for a decent nickname

Baltimore 20, Tennessee 13: TW: Ravens; CV: Titans
Lamar got his first playoff win. Lamar Jackson threw for 179 yards with an interception as well as rushed for 136 yards with a touchdown. JK Dobbins was good as well in a supporting role as he rushed for 43 yards with a touchdown run. Ryan Tannehill wasn't nearly as effective in this game as he threw for 165 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. Derrick Henry was held for a low 40 yards in the game. Baltimore gets to move on and play in a possible snowy Saturday in Buffalo. Tennessee is set for the future but they need to get more offensive power in wide out. 

Next week:
Baltimore: @ Buffalo
Tennessee: Tend to King Henry's throne

Chicago 9, New Orleans 21: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
No one on the Bears wanted to get slimed until the last drive in the game. Mitchell Trubisky threw for 199 yards with a touchdown pass. David Montgomery rushed for 31 yards for the Bears. Drew Brees was good in this one as he threw for 265 yards with two touchdowns. Alvin Kamara rushed for 99 yards with a touchdown run. Taysom Hill rushed for 15 yards. A lot of questions face Chicago in the offseason. New Orleans gets to host the rubber match against the Buccaneers. Should be a fairly interesting one. 

Next week:
Chicago: idk what they'll do
New Orleans: vs Tampa Bay

Cleveland 48, Pittsburgh 37: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Holy fucking shit. Baker Mayfield threw for 263 yards with three touchdown passes. Nick Chubb rushed for 76 yards. Kareem Hunt rushed for 48 yards with two touchdown runs. Ben Roethlisberger was garbage in the first half but made up for it in the 2nd as well as in garbage time. He threw for 501 yards with four touchdown passes as well as four interceptions. Pittsburgh wouldn't get much from its running game as James Conner rushed for 37 yards with a touchdown. Cleveland had my doubts that they could make it past wild card round but they proved me wrong. As for Pittsburgh, it can be summed up by two records: 11-0 and 1-5. I'll let you figure out the rest. 

Next week:
Cleveland: @ Kansas City
Pittsburgh: pray to god that the Penguins show some gonads and play well

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Thursday/Friday for the Divisional Picks post! 

NFL 2020 Wild Card Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us! The regular season is over and 14 of the 32 teams remain in contention for the Lombardi Trophy to be hoisted come February 7th. It's the first round of the NFL playoffs, also called the Wild Card round. In this post, I'll make my picks for who moves onto the next round. Let's get to work!

Wild Card Picks

Wild Card weekend starts in Orchard Park, New York and finishes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There will be six games shown this round with three games on Saturday and three games on Sunday. Game times will be in three timeslots: 1:05 PM, 4:40 PM, and 8:15 PM (US Eastern time). Each of the NFL's television partners will have at least a game to air. Television networks CBS, FOX, and NBC will have the Saturday games and ESPN, CBS and NBC will have the Sunday games. Let's get to the picks!

Indianapolis (11-5) @ Buffalo (13-3) (CBS): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Both teams won last week as the Colts beat the Jaguars and the Bills beat the Dolphins. Both teams head into this matchup with heads high. They're evenly matched despite that Philip Rivers is not a mobile quarterback compared to Josh Allen. For Rivers' sake, he does have a legit talent in Jonathan Taylor behind him in most snaps. Indy will need to do is to not have any turnovers and no costly penalties. If you give Josh Allen any advantage he will do it via his legs and arm. Buffalo will need to get its running game going and prove to the world that they belong and that their AFC East crown means something. I think the Bills get it done and get their first playoff win since 1995. 

LA Rams (10-6) @ Seattle (12-4) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Rams
Both teams won last week as the Rams beat the Cardinals and the Seahawks beat the 49ers. For the 2nd time in two weeks, these two teams will duke it out. Los Angeles comes into this game with a question at who will start for them at quarterback. Two weeks ago, Jared Goff injured his thumb against these same Seahawks. Or will it be the fairly decent John Wolford? These questions make me hesitant in thinking the Rams have a large chance of winning. They'd have to have a great game against these Seahawks. Seattle will need to get better protection of Russell Wilson and keep him upright. Offensive line issues have been a problem and the last thing you'd want is your quarterback to get injured. 

Tampa Bay (11-5) @ Washington (7-9) (NBC): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Both teams got wins last week as the Buccaneers beat the Falcons and the Football Team beat the Eagles. If you wanted Tom Brady, Chase Young, you're gonna get him. Tampa Bay seems to have the advantage in this game due to better quarterback play and a solid running game to match. The Buccaneers defense isn't that bad as well. I'd like to pick the underdog in this one but Washington could barely beat an Eagles team that benched its young star quarterback in the 4th quarter. Sorry but I'm going with Brady and the Bucs. 

Baltimore (11-5) @ Tennessee (11-5) (ESPN/ABC): TW: Ravens; CV: Titans
Both teams won last week as the Ravens beat the Bengals and the Titans beat the Texans. Round #2 in the Music City. Both teams will make it obvious on where they stand on offense: pounding the rock! Derrick Henry maybe the best running back in the NFL but the Ravens have three legit running backs plus Lamar Jackson to contend with. Both teams defenses will need to step up big in this one if they want any shot to play next week. Better defenses seem to lean towards the Ravens in the game. I'd personally take the Ravens. 

Chicago (8-8) @ New Orleans (12-4) (CBS/Nickelodeon): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
The Bears lost to the Packers and the Saints beat the Panthers last week. Chicago comes into this game lucking their way into the playoffs. Their defense has been pretty good this season and their offense well has been inept in doing what it needs to do. Mitchell Trubisky will need to play out of his mind against one of the better defenses in the NFC in New Orleans. I like the Saints in the game based on what the Bears don't have. Seems pretty simple on who I like. I'll take the Saints.

Cleveland (11-5) @ Pittsburgh (12-4) (NBC): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Browns beat the Steelers and the Steelers lost to the Browns last week. It'll be the 3rd meeting between these two rivals. Both teams really feeling lucky to be in it for the long haul. Cleveland is ending its 18-year playoff drought while the Steelers finished 12-4 when they had a 11-0 start this season. Cleveland had trouble stopping the Steelers backups. Cleveland will need to play error-free football and keep their emotions in check as if you give the Steelers any leg up, they will be in your face all day. I like the Steelers but they need to get their running game going. 

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Monday for the Wild Card Recap post! Enjoy the games!

-Tom 

NFL 2020 Week 17 Recap

 Hello readers! The final week of the regular season has passed us and the National Football League's 2nd season begins next weekend! Week 17 featured some surprises and some not so surprises. Such surprises like: the Browns finally ending the playoff drought, Philly obviously tanking, and Giants fans pissed because of the tanking. In this post, I'll recap the week's games and the final regular season tally of me and Cardinal Viking's weekly pick 'ems. Let's get to work!

Week 17 Recap

Dallas 19, NY Giants 23: TW: Giants; CV: Giants
Very fortunate that both teams didn't make it to play next week. It wasn't a very exciting game. Andy Dalton threw for 243 yards with an interception. Dalton would outrush his teammate and running back Ezekiel Elliot with 48 yards rushing, Elliot had 42 yards. The Cowboys runner did score a rushing touchdown though. Daniel Jones would prove to be the better quarterback in the duel as he threw for 229 yards with two touchdown passes with an interception thrown in there. Wayne Gallman rushed for 65 yards. Sterling Shepard would rush for 24 yards with a rushing touchdown in the game. Close to the end of the game, Wayne Gallman bobbled the ball while running and almost translated into a turnover. Yeah this game was terrible. 

Next week:
Dallas: No one
NY Giants: heckle Eagles fans for not trying to win the game

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Baltimore 38, Cincinnati 3: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Ravens could could've rested starters but ultimately proved to be the wise choice in the end. Lamar Jackson threw for 113 yards with three touchdown passes with an interception in the game. Baltimore's winning formula stuck to them in this game as the Ravens rushed for 404 yards in this one. Out of the 404 yards, 160 of them belonged to JK Dobbins who also rushed for two touchdowns in the game. Brandon Allen of the Bengals threw only six completions for a total of 48 yards with two interceptions in the game. Trayveon Williams rushed for 74 yards in the game. 

Next week:
Baltimore: @ Tennessee
Cincinnati: write a get well soon card for Joe Burrow

TW: 2-0; CV: 2-0

Atlanta 27, Tampa Bay 44: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Atlanta kept it close but they forgot they were also playing against Tom Brady. Matt Ryan could be on the move in the offseason, in the meantime he had business to do on the field. Ryan threw for 265 yards with two touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown as well. Brian Hill had a good day on the ground attack with 94 yards but didn't score a rushing touchdown of his own. Tom Brady was spectacular in this one as he threw for 399 yards with four touchdowns with an interception. Ronald Jones rushed for 78 yards with a touchdown. Antonio Brown had 138 receiving yards with two touchdowns. The potential loss of Mike Evans could be huge for Tampa but the way that the Buccaneers played on Sunday, they should be alright for a while. 

Next week:
Atlanta: Try to not blow a lead in croquet
Tampa Bay: @ Washington

TW: 3-0; CV: 3-0

Miami 26, Buffalo 56: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Miami's playoff hopes hinged on a a lot and Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills closed the door on that hope in the 2nd quarter. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 361 yards with a touchdown but threw three interceptions in the game. Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin both scored rushing touchdowns and garnered 29 and 20 yards respectively from the ground. Josh Allen threw for 224 yards with three touchdowns but also threw an interception. Matt Barkley would see some action as the game was well in Buffalo's hands. Barkley finished with 164 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. Buffalo possibly found a good running back to go with in Antonio Williams, who rushed for 63 yards with two touchdowns. It was a good season Miami, I didn't honestly think you'd be here at this point. 

Next week:
Miami: look forward to 2021
Buffalo: vs Indianapolis

TW: 4-0; CV: 4-0

Minnesota 37, Detroit 35: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Not quite the season that the Vikes had hoped but a win going into the offseason can help a bit in terms of morale. Kirk Cousins was on fire in the Motor City, with 405 yards passing with three touchdowns. Alexander Mattison proved to be a worthy runner in the Vikings rush attack with his 95 yards rushing with a touchdown. Justin Jefferson added 133 receiving yards to finish his season with 1,379 yards receiving, breaking Anquan Boldin's rookie receiving yards record set in 2003. Matthew Stafford threw for 293 yards with three touchdown passes with an interception. Adrian Peterson rushed for 63 yards and scored a rushing touchdown against his former team. Future unknown in Detroit, a lot of questions and few answers. 

Next week:
Detroit: Look forward to the Detroit Red Wings to give you pleasure
Minnesota: sip on hot cocoa 

TW: 5-0; CV: 5-0

Pittsburgh 22, Cleveland 24: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Cleveland has come a long way from the 0-16 finish in 2017. Mason Rudolph would get the start for Ben Roethlisberger who was resting for this game. Rudolph threw for 315 yards with two touchdown passes and had an interception in the game. James Conner had some glimpses of being the tailback that the Steelers want him to be. He finished with 37 yards rushing. Baker Mayfield threw for 196 yards with a touchdown. Nick Chubb rushed for 108 yards with a touchdown. Jarvis Landry rushed for three yards with a touchdown as well. Cleveland is back in the playoffs for the first time since I was a 8th grader. Congrats.

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Cleveland
Cleveland: @ Pittsburgh

TW: 5-1; CV: 5-1

NY Jets 14, New England 28: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
Good news: Adam Gase is gone. Bad news: Your team is in ruins. Sam Darnold threw for 266 yards with a touchdown with two interceptions thrown in the game. Josh Adams provided some help to the meandering Jets offense with 47 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Cam Newton's future is still up in the air in New England but he did prove his worth with a great performance in the season finale. Newton threw for 242 yards with three touchdown passes and rushed for 79 yards. Jakobi Myers threw a perfect, 19-yard pass to Cam Newton for a touchdown. Sony Michel rushed for 76 yards for the Patriots. New England heads into a relative unknown and questionable offseason. Does the front office give more years to Cam Newton? Not sure. 

Next week:
NY Jets: look for the next Adam Gase
New England: eat some clam chowder.

TW: 6-1; CV: 6-1

Tennessee 41, Houston 38: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
Derrick Henry rushed for 2,000 yards this season, how crazy is that? Ryan Tannehill threw for 216 yards with a touchdown pass. He also rushed for a modest 38 yards with two touchdown runs. Derrick Henry was the star of the game as he rushed for 250 yards with two touchdown runs. DeShaun Watson threw for 365 yards with three touchdowns with an interception. David Johnson rushed for 84 yards with a touchdown. This game looked out of reach by halftime but a lot of Colts fans were keeping a close eye on this one. Titans kicker Sam Sloman put to bed any hope of the Colts getting division title. 

Next week: 
Tennessee: vs Baltimore
Houston: Getting DeShaun Watson a wide receiver

TW: 7-1; CV: 7-1

Seattle 26, San Francisco 23: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
It was a somber end to a somber season for the defending NFC champion 49ers. Russell Wilson threw for 181 yards with two touchdown passes as well as 29 yards rushing. Chris Carson rushed for 44 yards and Alex Collins rushed for 29 yards with a touchdown. CJ Beathard started for the 49ers and had 273 yards passing with a touchdown pass in the game. Jeff Wilson rushed for 76 yards with a touchdown run. Seattle might have the #3 seed but they're a scary team when Wilson and Carson are hot. 

Next week: 
Seattle: vs LA Rams
San Francisco: try to get back home to Santa Clara, maybe. 

TW: 8-1; CV: 8-1

Green Bay 35, Chicago 16: TW: Packers; CV: Bears
Only lasted a quarter until Aaron Rodgers and company wrought destruction to a Chicago Bears team. Aaron Rodgers threw for 240 yards with four touchdown passes. Aaron Jones was good in the game as he put up 42 yards with a touchdown. Mitchell Trubisky threw for 252 yards with an interception. David Montgomery rushed for 69 yards with a touchdown. Despite the blowout, the Bears are going into the playoffs. Yay, I guess.

Next week:
Green Bay: Bye week
Chicago: @ New Orleans

TW: 9-1; CV: 8-2

Arizona 7, LA Rams 18: TW: Rams; CV: Cardinals
So Kyler Murray did start, my bad. Murray threw for 87 yards before leaving the game with a leg injury. His backup Chris Streveler came in and threw for 105 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Kenyan Drake wouldn't get much on the ground game as he rushed for 36 yards. John Wolford made his NFL debut and threw for 231 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 56 yards. Cam Akers rushed for 34 yards. No playoffs for Arizona, darn shame. 

Next week: 
Arizona: get a defense for Kyler Murray
LA Rams: @ Seattle

TW: 10-1; CV: 8-3

Jacksonville 14, Indianapolis 28: TW: Colts; CV: Colts
No division title for Indy but they could be scary in playoff time. Mike Glennon threw for 261 yards with two touchdown passes. Dare Ogunbowale rushed for 50 yards. Phillip Rivers threw for 164 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jonathan Taylor ran over the Jaguars defense as he rushed for 253 yards with two touchdown runs. 

Next week: 
Jacksonville: celebrate at winning the #1 draft pick
Indianapolis: @ Buffalo

TW: 11-1; CV: 9-3

LA Chargers 38, Kansas City 21: TW: Chargers; CV: Chiefs
Justin Herbert threw for 302 yards with three touchdown passes. Justin Jackson rushed for 72 yards and Kalen Ballage rushed for 36 yards with a touchdown. Chad Henne threw for 218 yards with two touchdowns. Darwin Thompson rushed for 45 yards with a touchdown. Not a good loss but it was a meaningless game if Patrick Mahomes and company started. 

Next week:
LA Chargers: get a defense for Justin Herbert
Kansas City: Bye week

TW: 12-1; CV: 9-4

New Orleans 33, Carolina 7: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
No first round bye but you get to play against Chicago. Should be a fairly easy game next week. Drew Brees threw for 201 yards with three touchdown passes. Ty Montgomery rushed for 105 yards and Taysom Hill rushed for 41 yards with a touchdown. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 176 yards with two interceptions before getting benched for PJ Walker. Walker threw for 95 yards but threw three interceptions. Rodney Smith rushed for 40 yards with the only touchdown for the Panthers in this game. 

Next week: 
New Orleans: vs Chicago
Carolina: Get Christian McCaffrey a bubble 

TW: 13-1; CV: 10-4

Las Vegas 32, Denver 31: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Both teams won't be playing next week but this game was fairly a good watch. Derek Carr threw for 371 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Josh Jacobs rushed for 89 yards with two touchdowns and Devontae Booker rushed for 16 yards. Drew Lock threw for 339 yards with two touchdown passes. Melvin Gordon rushed for 93 yards with a touchdown run. A lot of questions for both teams in this offseason. Is Derek Carr and Drew Lock the pieces for their teams to build around? I would say yes to Carr, and no to Lock. Just my two cents.

Next week:
Las Vegas: gamble for a defense
Denver: stop pressing the QB button on Draft day

TW: 14-1; CV: 11-4

Washington 20, Philadelphia 14: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
Say what you want about the tanking, the Philadelphia Eagles hate the New York Giants so much that they won't do anything to benefit them. Alex Smith started for Washington and threw for 162 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Antonio Gibson threw for 75 yards in the game. Jalen Hurts would start the game for the Eagles with 72 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 34 yards and the only two touchdown runs for the Eagles. Nate Sudfeld would come into the game for the Eagles with 32 yards and had an interception. Boston Scott rushed for 65 yards in the game. Was it tanking? In a sense, yes. If the Giants were that good, they wouldn't need to have a rival help them in getting into the playoffs. 

Next week:
Washington: vs Tampa Bay
Philadelphia: chow down on some cheesesteaks

TW: 14-2; CV: 11-5

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Thursday for the Wild Card Picks post! 

-Tom