Unbelievably, I had a few minutes in between writing and heading out
to cover some events, so I took the time, as I have the past several
years, to pore through the NFL Schedule. I have come away with my
conclusions and predictions on how the season will shake out.
I am never right.
For example, let's take a look at how I predicted last season:
Round 1:
NFC
Arizona (WC) at Green Bay
Carolina (WC) at Seattle
AFC
Cincinnati (WC) at Pittsburgh
Kansas City (WC) at Tennessee
Divisional Round:
AFC
KC at New England
Pittsburgh at Oakland
NFC
Carolina at Atlanta
Green Bay at Dallas
Conference Championships:
NFC
Green Bay at Atlanta
AFC
Oakland at New England
Super Bowl:
New England vs. Green Bay
Champ: New England
Ouch.
The only positive take away from this is that I picked the Patriots to
go to the big game. However, an untrained monkey could have seen that
coming. I picked GB to be playing them, and perhaps had Aaron Rodgers
not been crushed by Anthony Barr, they may have. I chose the 8-8
cardinals to make the playoffs, as well as the 7-9 Bengals. However, the
worst was picking the 6-10 Raiders to have a first round bye.
In
total, I had only 2-of-6 NFC teams correct in the playoffs, but didn't
get a single game right. Over in the AFC, picks were much more pleasant,
as I had four of the six playoff teams correct. I even had a first
round match-up between KC and Tennessee correct. Unfortunately, the only
games I got right were the ones that NE won.
This
was probably one of the best years I have ever had. A 50 percent rate
of picking playoff teams. One of the Super Bowl teams correct. Dang!
Maybe I have gotten the hang of this.
So, with that confidence surging through my body, here are my picks for 2018:
Round 1:
NFC
Green Bay(WC) at New Orleans
Carolina (WC) at Philadelphia
AFC
Baltimore (WC) at Houston
Jacksonville (WC) at LA Chargers
Divisional Round:
AFC
Baltimore at New England
LA Chargers at Pittsburgh
NFC
Carolina at LA Rams
Green Bay at Minnesota
Conference Championships:
NFC
Carolina at Minnesota
AFC
Pittsburgh at New England
Super Bowl:
Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota
Champ: Minnesota (34-18) MVP: Kirk Cousins
There
you have it! The Vikings win the Super Bowl! My life is complete. I can
die a happy man. I mean, the way that this team has been put together, I
don't know how this plan could fail. Sure, last year they went 13-3
after I chose them to be 7-9, but there is no stopping them. I did not
just jinx the Vikings. Don't you dare talk to me like that. Come at me,
bro!
Sorry. I kind of went ballistic there.
Thanks for reading, and hopefully I AM really getting better at this,
and the Vikings do in fact win the Super Bowl.
