NFL Week 16 Predictions: Christmas Eve Edition

The NFL Season is winding down, and there are two completely different situations in each conference. In the NFC, four decided division winners sit atop the conference while three teams fight for two wild card spots. In the AFC, just two teams, including the undefeated Colts, have set spots in the playoffs, while wild 10-team pool fight for the last two division winner spots and the two wild-card spots, 6 of those teams all at 7-7. Un-predictable situations in each divisions leave everyone asking, how will this mess play out?

BOLD – PLAYOFF TEAM

NFC

WEST

1. ARIZONA CARDINALS – CURRENT RECORD 9-5, PREDICTED RECORD 10-6

2. San Fransisco 49ers – 6-8, 7-9

3. Seattle Seahawks – 5-9, 6-10

4. St. Louis Rams – 1-13, 1-15

NORTH

1. MINNESOTA VIKINGS – 11-3, 12-4

2. Green Bay Packers – 9-5, 9-7

3. Chicago Bears – 5-9, 7-9

4. Detroit Lions – 2-12, 2-14

EAST

1. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – 10-4, 11-5

2. NEW YORK GIANTS – 8-6, 10-6

3. DALLAS COWBOYS – 9-5, 9-7

4. Washington Redskins – 4-10, 6-10

SOUTH

1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – 13-1, 13-3

2. Atlanta Falcons – 7-7, 8-8

3. Carolina Panthers – 6-8, 7-9

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2-12, 3-13

AFC

WEST

1. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS – 11-3, 12-4

2. DENVER BRONCOS – 8-6, 10-6

3. Oakland Raiders – 5-9, 6-10

4. Kansas City Chiefs – 3-11, 3-13

NORTH

1. CINCINNATI BENGALS – 9-5, 11-5

2. Baltimore Ravens – 8-6, 8-8

3. Pittsburgh Steelers – 7-7, 8-8

4. Cleveland Browns – 3-11, 4-12

EAST

1. MIAMI DOLPHINS – 7-7, 9-7

2. New England Patriots – 9-5, 9-7

3. New York Jets – 7-7, 7-9

4. Buffalo Bills – 5-9, 6-10

SOUTH

1. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – 14-0, 16-0

2. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – 7-7, 9-7

3. Tennessee Titans – 7-7, 8-8

4. Houston Texans – 7-7, 7-9

Playoffs – Wild Card

NFC

3. Philadelphia Eagles over 6. Dallas Cowboys – The David to New Orleans’s Goliath is slayed by the NFC EAST winners, McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles, in a battle that will be open until the very last play. 

5. New York Giants over 4. Arizona Cardinals – Although the Giants took much longer than the Cards to secure a playoff spot, Eli and the G-men have the fire power to take them down in this close game of a QB’s intelligence rather than a linemen’s strength. 

AFC

3. Cincinnati Bengals over 6. Jacksonville Jaguars – David Garrard has faced a lot of adversity in the past but always performed, but in this, possibly the biggest game of his career, he throws more interceptions than TDs, opening the door for Ochocinco and the Bengals offense to take the game by storm (and they do).

5. Denver Broncos over 4. Miami Dolphins – After making the playoffs in a Cinderella story, the Phins don’t quite have their wildcat working on this day, and their defense alone won’t be enough to hold Marshall and the explosive Bronco offense. 

Playoffs – Divisional Round

NFC

1. New Orleans Saints over 5. New York Giants – A tired out Saints team that dropped their last three games in the regular season breaks that streak when it matters most in a beating that resembles their early season match up.

2. Minnesota Vikings over 3. Philadelphia Eagles – A re-match of last year’s Wild-card matchup isn’t quite the same game, as Brett Favre airs it out for a 300+ yards. game that continues his quest for another Super Bowl. 

AFC

1. Indianapolis Colts over 5. Denver Broncos – As the Broncos try to re-find their fire from early in the season, the Colts catch them off guard and deliver a beating just a little too early for the mile-high team to handle. 

3. Cincinnati Bengals over 2. San Diego Chargers – After the emotional loss to the Bolts after Henry’s death, the Stripes are hungry for revenge and come after them full-on in the playoffs, no holding back. No blow-out in this game, but Cincy gets the job done none-the-less. 

Playoffs – Conference Championship Round

NFC

2. Minnesota Vikings over 1. New Orleans Saints – In this year’s dream match up for the NFC’s title, AP and the Vikes take down the dominant Saints, keeping Favre’s dream alive still. 

AFC

1. Indianapolis Colts over 3. Cincinnati Bengals – Ochocinco’s promise of the playoffs came true this year despite everyone’s doubts, but a Super Bowl will have to wait until a beast like Indy is out of the way. 

Super Bowl XLIV

2N. Minnesota Vikings over 1A. Indianapolis Colts – In another Super Bowl that unbelievably tops the last, Favre steals the trophy from Manning and gets the defining career-end that he always wanted. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll retire for REAL this time (doubtful, though). 

Super Bowl MVP – QB 4 Brett Favre

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NFL Playoff Predictions After Week 11

The playoff picture in the NFL has always been a wild one. With sudden upsets and rising/falling teams, no one seems to be able to zero in on who will and won’t make the playoffs. With the Steelers falling rapidly in the AFC and having lots of injury troubles, the door is opening for the Jags and Texans to speed up ahead of them in the Wild Card picture. In the NFC, the race in the East looks like it will be down to the wire, but will there be a wild—card team coming out of that division? Here are my predictions for the NFL after 11 weeks of play. 

*=playoff team

NFC

North

1. Minnesota Vikings: Current record 9-1, Predicted record 14—2*

2. Green Bay Packers: 6—4, 9—7

3. Chicago Bears: 4—6, 7—9

4. Detroit Lions: 2—8, 4—12

South

1. New Orleans Saints: 10—0, 15—1*

2. Atlanta Falcons: 5—5, 10—6*

3. Carolina Panthers: 4—6, 8—8

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1—9, 2—14

West

1. Arizona Cardinals: 7—3, 11—5*

2. Seattle Seahawks: 3—7, 6—10

3. San Francisco 49ers: 4—6, 6—10

4. St. Louis Rams: 1—9, 1—15

East

1. New York Giants: 6—4, 11—5*

2. Philidelphia Eagles: 6—4, 10—6*

3. Dallas Cowboys: 7—3, 9—7

4. Washington Redskins: 3—7, 5—11

AFC

North

1. Cincinnatti Bengals: 7—3, 11—5*

2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 6—4, 9—7

3. Baltimore Ravens: 5—5, 8—8

4. Cleveland Browns: 1—9, 3—13

South

1. Indianapolis Colts: 10—0, 15—1*

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 6—4, 10—6*

3. Houston Texans: 6—4, 8—8

4. Tennessee Titans: 3—7, 6—10

West

1. San Diego Chargers: 7—3, 10—6*

2. Denver Broncos: 6—4, 10—6*

3. Oakland Raiders: 3—7, 4—12

4. Kansas City Chiefs: 3—7, 3—13

East

1. New England Patriots: 7—3, 11—5*

2. Miami Dolphins: 5—5, 9—7

3. New York Jets: 4—6, 7—9

4. Buffalo Bills: 3—7, 5—11

Playoffs

Wild Card

NFC: 3. New York Giants over 6. Atlanta Falcons—A rematch of week 11′s OT showdown has the same outcome, and the G—men survive to play another round.

NFC: 5. Philadelphia Eagles over 4. Arizona Cardinals—The Eagles complete the wild card NFC EAST shut—out, getting some payback against the defending NFC Champs. 

AFC: 3. Cincinnati Bengals over 6. Denver Broncos—The Broncos get it back together enough to make it to the playoffs, but they can’t regroup enough to take down the mighty stripes. 

AFC: 5. Jacksonville Jaguars over 4. San Diego Chargers—After stealing away the Steelers’ playoff spot, MoJo and the Jags shock LT and the Chargers, jump—starting a Cinderella playoff run. 

Divisional Round

NFC: 1. New Orleans Saints over 5. Philadelphia Eagles—The mighty Saints won’t be taken down in their first playoff game since ’06, especially not against a much less explosive Eagles offense. 

NFC: 2. Minnesota Vikings over 3. New York Giants—Favre and the high-powered Viking offense take control of the weakening Giant D in the process of rolling over their first opponent with ease. 

AFC: 5. Jacksonville Jaguars over 1. Indianapolis Colts—In a death match between two heated AFC SOUTH rivals, the Jags defense takes Clark, Wayne, and Addai out of the equation, leaving MoJo and Sims—Walker to put the game away, which they do in a shocking upset. 

AFC: 3. Cincinnatti Bengals over 2. New England Patriots—The Bengals, although tripped up a few times in the regular season, have enough star—power to outshine the Pats in a game that Ochocinco is sure to be fined in.

Conference Championship Round

NFC: 1. New Orleans Saints over 2. Minnesota Vikings—Sure, Favre wants another title bad, but will—power has been proved to be not enough against the Saints in ’09, and the Vikes just don’t have enough to eek past Brees and the Saints. 

AFC: 5. Jacksonville Jaguars over 3. Cincinnati Bengals—Coming out of nowhere, the Jags demolish the Bengals after two huge upsets, in a game that will be remembered by Jacksonville Fans for ages and ages to come. 

Super Bowl XLIV

1. New Orleans Saints over 5. Jacksonville Jaguars —Brees is named MVP of a back—and—forth battle to the death that will leave murmurs of “That Close!” coming from the mouths of Jags fans and players. 

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