01-05-2018, 09:28 AM
Even though the Regular season ended last weekend, life goes on the the AFC South. The 2017 AFC South Champion Jacksonville Jaguars made the post season for the first time since the 2007 season, and will host our first playoff game since 1999. The loathsome and detestable second place tacks made the postseason for the first time since 2008. In Houston, it appears circumstances have dictated the winner in the dysfunctional power struggle between Texans' coach Bill O'Brien and GM Rick Smith. Smith is taking a leave of absence to take care of his wife, who was diagnosed with cancer. It remains to be seen who will take his place, but maintain that Texans fans have vastly underrated Smith as a GM. Finally in Indy, the search continues for the replacement for former head coach Chuck Pagano. Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel is among the names linked to that position.
Prediction wise, I made zero progress from last year, as my record was identical to last year's pace. But I can stomach that if it means my Jaguars have made progress.
Here are my picks:
tacks (9-7) at Chiefs (10-6)-The tacks survived another late season collapse to sneak into the playoffs as the 5th seed to face the Chiefs, who had a weird season. They started off like a Super Bowl contender, thumping the AFC's#1 seed Patriots in New England and the NFC's #1 seed Eagles and won their first five games, then lost sex out of their next seven before finally righting the ship in time to win their last four and win the AFC West. At face value, this would seem like a KC walk. Chiefs QB Alex Smith had his best season from a yardage and TD-INT perspective. They traditionally have one of the strongest home field advantages in football at Arrowhead stadium. They have a balanced and diverse offensive attack with leading rusher and rookie Hunt, a good TE in Travis Kelce, and speed to burn with Tyreek Hill. It makes you wonder if Tennessee's pedestrian offense can keep up. tacks QB Marcus Mariota has taken a step back in production this year, and people are questioning whether he can be a franchise signal caller. But this is a game that Tennessee can keep close. Tennessee can win if they can pound the ball with Derrick Henry, and KC isn't that good defending the run or defensively overall. If the game comes down to coaching, it's a huge edge to the Chiefs, with the accomplished Andy Reid on their sidelines. To put Tennessee's coaching in perspective, rumors circulated that if they lost last week, Mularkey would be out. The rumors persist that a loss to KC would mean the end of Mularkey's tenure in Tennessee. Furthermore, Titans TE Delanie Walker said that Mariota has to "overcome coaching." Maybe that was a matter of awkward phrasing, but at face value, that does not sound good. I think KC jumps out to an early lead and wins 27-17.
Bills (9-7) at Jaguars (10-6)-Buffalo had all of the teams lost they needed to lose to get into the playoffs, breaking their 17 year playoff drought. Ya gotta hand it to the Bills and their fans. In appreciation for the Bengals last minute heroics, they poured thousands of dollars into a charity associated with Bengals QB Andy Dalton, a pop warner league associated with Bengals WR Tyler Boyd, and the team supposedly sent some 1500 wings from one of Buffalo's top wing restaurants to the Bengals. All of that good will notwithstanding, I don't think their stay in the post season will be long. Buffalo's one shot to win is forcing Bortles into INTs with a ball hawking secondary. But this game doesn't seem like it will play out that way. Pressure creates turnovers, and the Bills don't get many sacks, and the Jaguars haven't given up many sacks. Jacksonville loves to pound the football down other teams throats. Buffalo is one of the league's worst at stopping the run, especially since trading DT Marcell Dareus to the Jaguars. If these things hold true, then Bortles should not be in a position where he has to perform the heroic to win. Jacksonville has one of the league's best defenses, especially against the pass. They were 2nd in the league in sacks with 55 after leading the league most of the year and has two of the best CBs in football in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Their run defense improved considerably when Dareus came into the fold. Dareus is now starting at DT. Bills fans-and coach McDermott, for that matter-were dissatisfied with QB Tyrod Taylor, and he faces that defense with a gimpy Shady McCoy at RB and little to no speed at WR. Jaguars win 20-10. DISCLAIMER: I assert I did NOT see this article when making my prediction for the game, nor did I use it as a basis for my prediction. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000...k-off-rams"
Last Week: 1-1
Overall: 32-20
Imported from last week's thread...
Handsome Rob predicts "Well if a new official thread isn't up, I am going Jags and Chiefs."
Kodiak Jag and UNF Nashvillian have Bills and Chiefs
Prediction wise, I made zero progress from last year, as my record was identical to last year's pace. But I can stomach that if it means my Jaguars have made progress.
Here are my picks:
tacks (9-7) at Chiefs (10-6)-The tacks survived another late season collapse to sneak into the playoffs as the 5th seed to face the Chiefs, who had a weird season. They started off like a Super Bowl contender, thumping the AFC's#1 seed Patriots in New England and the NFC's #1 seed Eagles and won their first five games, then lost sex out of their next seven before finally righting the ship in time to win their last four and win the AFC West. At face value, this would seem like a KC walk. Chiefs QB Alex Smith had his best season from a yardage and TD-INT perspective. They traditionally have one of the strongest home field advantages in football at Arrowhead stadium. They have a balanced and diverse offensive attack with leading rusher and rookie Hunt, a good TE in Travis Kelce, and speed to burn with Tyreek Hill. It makes you wonder if Tennessee's pedestrian offense can keep up. tacks QB Marcus Mariota has taken a step back in production this year, and people are questioning whether he can be a franchise signal caller. But this is a game that Tennessee can keep close. Tennessee can win if they can pound the ball with Derrick Henry, and KC isn't that good defending the run or defensively overall. If the game comes down to coaching, it's a huge edge to the Chiefs, with the accomplished Andy Reid on their sidelines. To put Tennessee's coaching in perspective, rumors circulated that if they lost last week, Mularkey would be out. The rumors persist that a loss to KC would mean the end of Mularkey's tenure in Tennessee. Furthermore, Titans TE Delanie Walker said that Mariota has to "overcome coaching." Maybe that was a matter of awkward phrasing, but at face value, that does not sound good. I think KC jumps out to an early lead and wins 27-17.
Bills (9-7) at Jaguars (10-6)-Buffalo had all of the teams lost they needed to lose to get into the playoffs, breaking their 17 year playoff drought. Ya gotta hand it to the Bills and their fans. In appreciation for the Bengals last minute heroics, they poured thousands of dollars into a charity associated with Bengals QB Andy Dalton, a pop warner league associated with Bengals WR Tyler Boyd, and the team supposedly sent some 1500 wings from one of Buffalo's top wing restaurants to the Bengals. All of that good will notwithstanding, I don't think their stay in the post season will be long. Buffalo's one shot to win is forcing Bortles into INTs with a ball hawking secondary. But this game doesn't seem like it will play out that way. Pressure creates turnovers, and the Bills don't get many sacks, and the Jaguars haven't given up many sacks. Jacksonville loves to pound the football down other teams throats. Buffalo is one of the league's worst at stopping the run, especially since trading DT Marcell Dareus to the Jaguars. If these things hold true, then Bortles should not be in a position where he has to perform the heroic to win. Jacksonville has one of the league's best defenses, especially against the pass. They were 2nd in the league in sacks with 55 after leading the league most of the year and has two of the best CBs in football in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Their run defense improved considerably when Dareus came into the fold. Dareus is now starting at DT. Bills fans-and coach McDermott, for that matter-were dissatisfied with QB Tyrod Taylor, and he faces that defense with a gimpy Shady McCoy at RB and little to no speed at WR. Jaguars win 20-10. DISCLAIMER: I assert I did NOT see this article when making my prediction for the game, nor did I use it as a basis for my prediction. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000...k-off-rams"
Last Week: 1-1
Overall: 32-20
Imported from last week's thread...
Handsome Rob predicts "Well if a new official thread isn't up, I am going Jags and Chiefs."
Kodiak Jag and UNF Nashvillian have Bills and Chiefs