Divisional Round

It was an exciting but strange 2011 wildcard round, that featured the Jets beating the Colts, the Seahawks knocking off the world champs, and the road teams going 3-1.  There were three upsets (which explains why I went 1-3), but last weeks games set up an interesting divisional round.

Baltimore Ravens (13-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
This might best game of the weekend, everytime these two teams meet it is interesting, and this latest installment of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry will be no different.  In the end however, I just the Steelers have more experience, a better quarterback, and a much better defense than the Ravens.  There is no doubt Flacco has a good track record in the playoffs (4-2), but on the other side Roethlisberger has won 2 Super Bowls, and has an 8-2 playoff record.  I take the Steelers in a close game. Pittsburgh 21-16

Seattle Seahawks (8-9) @ Chicago Bears (11-5)
The Seahawks had a big win last week, but they're away from the friendly confines of Qwest Field and in Soldiers Field, another stadium that is a road team's worst nightmare.  The Seahawks beat a banged up Saints team last week, but this week they face a healthy Bears defense.  Jay Cutler isn't the world's greatest QB, but Lovie Smith has won in the playoffs with worse.  Bears 24-6

NY Jets (11-6) @ New England Patriots (14-2)
Jets have done alot of talking this week, but the Pats do their talking on the field.  Trash talk doesn't shake that Pats, it just motivates them.  Just ask Bill Cowher and the Steelers.  Patriots 34-20

Green Bay Packers (11-6) @ Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
Packers were able to hold off the Eagles last week, and I feel they still have all the momentum, one of many things that make them the best in the playoffs.  Packers also nearly won in the Georgia Dome in late November, I think they feel confident they can come in and win this time in the Dome, a place where not many road teams have won over the Matt Ryan/Mike Smith era that began in 2008.  All that aside, I take the Packers in an upset win.  Green Bay 17-14

Wildcard Weekend Picks and Postseason Accolades

New York Jets (10-6) @ Indianapolis Colts (10-6)- The Jets backed into the playoffs for a second year in a row, and haven't looked the same since the 45-3 beating in Foxboro.  The Colts haven't looked much better, just barely beating the Titans last week, but I'll take a team with Peyton Manning at QB against a team with Mark Sanchez at QB any day of the week. Colts 27-17

Baltimore Ravens (12-4) @ Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)- A game where the Ravens are heavily favored, I feel the Chiefs have a big advantage in this game.  I think they'll be able to put up some yards on the Ravens defense, which is not as strong as it has been in past years, and the Chiefs NFL-leading running game won't help that cause.  I feel the Chiefs have the advantage at the QB position as well, and Flacco is more turnover-prone for Baltimore than Cassel is for Kansas City.  And if thats not enough, the Chiefs are 7-1 at Arrowhead this year.  Chiefs 16-13

New Orleans Saints (11-5) @ Seattle (7-9)- I don't think this will be the blowout everyone says it will be, Seattle has been long known as a place that is hard to go into and play as a visiting team, plus the Saints are hurting a bit, with their top 2 running backs on the IR, and TE Jimmy Graham is most likely out.  All that being said, however, I still feel Drew Brees and the defending champs will be too much for the Seahawks.  Saints 28-14

Green Bay (10-6) @ Philadelphia (10-6)- The Packers are a team that reminds me a whole lot of the 2007 NY Giants that won Super Bowl 42, with that front 7 that puts tremendous pressure on the QB, and Aaron Rodgers has played the last 2 years the same way Eli Manning did in the 2007 playoffs.  The Eagles, on the other hand, are limping into the postseason, having looked very suspect over the last 3 weeks of the season, and is a 4th quarter comeback away from being out of the playoffs.  I see the Green Bay front seven really getting to Michael Vick, which will lead to multiple turnovers.  This game is going to be what most see the New Orleans-Seattle game being.  Packers 41-10

AFC Championship- New England over Pittsburgh
NFC Championship- Green Bay over Chicago
Super Bowl 45- New England over Green Bay

Postseason Award Picks

MVP- Tom Brady, Nobody in the NFL has had a season like this guy.  Some say his performance was a result of how the team performed, I say the team's performance is a result of how Brady performed

Offensive Player of the Year- Tom Brady, do I have to explain any more?

Defensive Player of the Year- Clay Matthews, Leader of the NFC's best defense in Green Bay, and one of the scariest front sevens in past years.

Offensive Rookie of the Year- Sam Bradford, Defied many odds going into the season, and the Rams don't go 7-9 and play meaningful football in week 17 without him.  This team has a promising future with him as the QB.

Defensive Rookie of the Year- Devon McCourty, You can also make a strong case for Nadakomung Suh, but McCourty made the biggest impact, completely changing the way teams approached that Patriots defense.

Coach of the Year- Bill Belichick, Played a huge role in this team going 14-2, virtually built the team from the bottom, and could very well be building a second dynasty that features names like Wilfork, McCourty, and Gronkowski just like the first that featured names like Bruschi, McGinnest, and Vinatieri
 

The year 2010 in Review and looking forward to 2011

2010 was a year that didnt disappoint.  It was the year of the pitcher, the year of who dat?, the year of 90 straight, and much more.  At the end of the day, its pretty easy to say the year 2010 is one that will be hard to forget.  Here are my top 10 stories of the year:

10- The loss of a legend, George Steinbrenner, 1930-2010
9- Bruins beat the Flyers in Winter classic overtime thriller
8- 6 no-hitters thrown in 2010 MLB season, making it the year of the pitcher
7- LA Lakers win their second straight NBA Championship
6- San Francisco Giants win first World Series since moving to San Francisco in 1958
5- Chicago Blackhawks win first Stanley Cup since 1961
4- New Orleans Saints win first ever Super Bowl
3- US Olympic hockey team upsets Canada in 5-3 win
2- UCONN Womens basketball team breaks record 88 game winning streak held by John Wooden's UCLA Mens basketball team
1- The demise of Tiger Woods

Best Baseball Player- Josh Hamilton
Best Football Player- Tom Brady
Best Hockey Player- Sidney Crosby
Best Basketball Player- Kobe Bryant

2011 Predictions
Super Bowl- New England Patriots over New Orleans Saints
NBA Championship- Boston Celtics over LA Lakers
Stanley Cup- Pittsburgh Penguins over LA Kings
World Series- Boston Red Sox over Milwaukee Brewers