The offseason got off to a big start for the Broncos this week. There are plenty of opportunities to share your thoughts in some of the other blogs and many of you have already done that.
As for me, I’m going to focus on the playoffs over the next few weeks. I’ll break down the upcoming games, make my predictions and hopefully get yours as well.
AFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS
NEW YORK JETS 23, INDIANAPOLIS 20
The Colts are not what they used to be. Certainly injuries have played a part in that. And those injuries have put a serious dent into Indianapolis’ high-octane offense. Tight end Dallas Clark: out. Wide receiver Austin Collie: done. Running back Joseph Addai: Just coming back after missing half the season.
And the Colts expect to win a playoff game against the Jets? Come on. It won’t happen.
I’m not a huge fan of the Jets’ offense. Mark Sanchez hasn’t shown the ability to put the team on his back. And now his shoulder is, at least, sore.
But the Jets can run the ball, to the tune of 148.4 yards per game, fourth-highest in the NFL during the regular season. That will be a great match-up against the Colts’ porous run defense, which ranks 25th by surrendering 127 yards per game.
It just doesn’t add up for Indy. The Jets win on the road and move on.
BALTIMORE 17, KANSAS CITY 13
The Chiefs’ turnaround this year has been admirable. In fact, it has been down right impressive. But hold the phone just a minute. The Ravens are darn good. You don’t win 12 games by mistake.
While the Ravens’ defense has slipped some, it is still really good. They allow an average of 16.9 points per game (third-best in the NFL), 93.9 rushing yards per game (5th) and 318.9 yards of total offense per game (10th).
One can spin stats many different ways but no matter how you look at it, those are indicative of a top-notch defense. In my opinion, it is a defense that will be able to do enough to at least slow down the NFL’s best rushing attack. Kansas City averages 164.2 yards per game on the ground.
As tough as it is to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, the Ravens won’t be intimidated. This is their type of game. The Ravens get it done but it won’t be a work of art.
NFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS
NEW ORLEANS 37, SEATTLE 6
Really, is there any analysis needed of this game? For a road team, the Saints get the best playoff draw in the history of the NFL. We’ll hear the Saints offer up their best Lou Holtz speech about how dangerous the Seahawks are.
Don’t believe a word of it.
The Seahawks are bad. They have a bad record in a horrendous division. 7-9 in the NFL West? For that, the Seahawks get to host a playoff game. Enjoy it while it lasts, because it won’t be for long.
One and done for the Seabirds. The Saints march on. Expect it to get ugly. Really ugly.
GREEN BAY 30, PHILADELPHIA 24
This is an intriguing first round match-up. Green Bay won the regular season meeting, 27-20, at Lincoln Financial Field. I know, that was way back on September 12, the first game of the year.
I go back and forth on this one. On the one hand, I love the Packers’ offense. With quarterback Aaron Rodgers back, the Packers are a threat to go deep into the postseason, even though the running game is somewhat suspect.
On the other hand, I like the playmaking ability of Eagles’ quarterback Michael Vick, even though he is coming off a game against the Vikings in week 16 in which he lost two fumbles, threw an interception and was sacked six times.
Defensively, both teams have been at least solid, with moments of great play and moments to forget.
In a close match-up such as this, I’ll take the better quarterback. That would be Aaron Rodgers of the Packers. The Pack Attack is back, at least for the first round of the playoffs.
I know, I’m going out on a limb by taking all four road teams to win this week. I think, however, the road teams are the better teams. And the better team usually wins in the playoffs.
What are your predictions? I’d love to have you share them. Thanks for reading and enjoy the games this weekend.
Best,
Mike
Tags: 2011, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Mike Rice, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, NFL playoffs, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Wild Card Weekend
The Chiefs are the SEC of the NFL,they have 19 players from the SEC.No wonder they got good,LOL.
I want a no no-sense coach who will put players in their place. I want a team first attitude with all the players and coaches. If Tebow is not panning out, dump him or convert him to a RB that can throw. Just an example, I actually think very highly of Tebow.
Chiefs D has been pretty dominant. Ray Lewis rallying his D though and as along as they keep it up they’ll secure the W. Fingers crossed.
B&R,I never want a HC to comes here for the money or the power,I want a HC that loves to be here,and loves our fans,and Dennison is that man!
Imagine this: champ, Asomugha, doom, dj, Fairley and dawkins. That to me, is a defense that no one wants to mess with.
Again goes to show that DEFENSE wins games. Especially in the playoffs!!!!
With Dennison here,Tebow will definitely have a lot better chance to pan out.IMO.
BroncWild: agreed. It would be amazing.
Asomugha would come with probably a 13-15 mil a year contract.
So what pay him. At least you know exactly what your going to get. Then just focus on the the D line and a LB and were in business.
Plus if we keep champ he can play safety if needed.
Good afternoon Bronco Country!!
Looks like the chefs are having a rough time. They are still hanging in the game but are losing momentum fast… LOVE IT!!! Not a Ravens fan at all, they destroy us every time we play them but today is my one exception. Cannot stand the thought of KC winning this game and going deeper into the playoffs.
And Sharpe was named a finalist for the HOF again. I hope he makes it this time. He definitely deserves to be in Canton. Too bad they keep cutting TD… I know his injury is what’s holding him out since it cut his career short. No justice there.
C’mon Ravens… knock those chefs out!!!
I love it how we don’t bother to blog on the cheerleader written pages. Hahahaha
Not to put down those lovely ladies, but come on.
If Elway wants to turn this organization around quickly, that would be the move to make. plus, asomugha is a proven cornerback. so why not pay him? I want champ to retire with a superbowl ring with us. So Mr. Elway, make this happen!!!!
KC is choking!
wow! namndi is enticing…recent history says we rarely get the best available player in FAs..IMO..maybe things will change w/ Elway.
If Asomugah by some mircale become a Bronco, then I rest my case w/ Peterson..
but at that price, we’re looking at a lot of players being moved around…
True he is expensive, but we have to build around pro bowl players.
But this is the Denver Broncos, with a front office that has said recently that this team needs to be re-built using the draft so I don’t expect to see and big FA moves this offseason, especially one like Asomugah!
Mandiego, I think you and the Bronco Nation will agree with me. Would you want to win right away or wait 2 to 3 years for the draft pick to develop? The time is now! We the Broncos must restore order in the nfl and take what is rightfully ours….the title as champs!
No way nnamdi becomes a bronco so lets put that to rest. the man is a career raider. he might however change teams but change teams to a team he believes gives him the best chance to win…and that aint us. Not to mention we are splurging. We will be fine without Asomugha…maybe asomugha if champ leaves but thats about it…but i doubt even that.
KC sucks…I considered them the 2nd worst team in the playoffs with the exception of seattle. But seattle has an explosive offense and special teams at times so they might be better. actually. they are exactly the same… young with potential.
Hell yeah, Beast! Dennison is that man! And he could design some great stuff for Tebow like you said. Personally I believe Tebow can will learn to be a good pocket passer – faster than Steve Young did, but for the time being he’d be able to utilize Tebow’s abilities NOW.
The Chiefs are choking hardcore. Ravens have all the momentum in the world right now.
We are NOT splurging
Agreed. I want to win NOW! If Tom Cable comes as the DC we could get Asomugha if we were willing to pay him
I think a big part of Bronco Country including I would think exactly opposite of how you are, the time has come to think of the future and rebuild the proper way for long term growth through the draft and stop this non sense belief that we can band aid things into a winner now through FA.
How has that worked for you so far?
So I could not POSSIBLY disagree with you more BroncWild.
I just read the bio’s of the 4 head coaching candidates listed on this website. Rick Dennison certainly seems the most qualified. Smart , successful and more well rounded than the others. Hard to believe he wouldn’t fit the bill as far as what Elway stated the Broncos were looking for in a head coach. Hope they post the bio’s of the rest of the candidates.
Sure was good to here Elway getting support today, made me feel good all over. It is great having him back leaing the Broncos.
I agreed we need to build a team for the future, but I guess it’s my blind Bronco faith, but I think this team has plenty of talent. We just need some good coaching with good personal management and to add a few pieces (ostly on defense) and a quality TE
KC are giving it all they can but the Ravens’ relentlessness is taking it’s toll.
BTW, who are the great cover Corners who are “essential”" to a team on the Ravens’ roster?
MANDIEGO, the majority of the fans have been going on Blind Bronco Faith for two years now, don’t you think it’s time we all smarten up and look further than the tip of our noses? Just saying.
I’m with Bay. It’s time to rebuild. We may have a pretty okay season this year but priority number one is building a foundation. McDaniels wanted to win now and look at us: 4-12 with half our draft picks squandered away.
GOODNIGHT CHIEFS!
The Ravens have a great defense, but if they fall behind by more than one possession their offense can not bring them back. For that reason I don’t think they will beat the steelers next week
And here goes the dagger, Ravens feasting on dead Chiefs.
“Half our draft picks squandered away?” So your saying that Tebow is a bust!
How would anyone want to argue with that? He just said HALF the draft picks….
No, I mean a lot of our 2011 draft picks are with other teams this year. I wasn’t saying anything about the guys we drafted in 2010.
Anyway on a more constructive note best game of the weekend on paper coming up, mucho fun!
You think we sign Champ and Asomugha? man that would be around 20-25 mil per year for both salaries,no way we can pay that kinda money out,and like Bay said,the Ravens don’t have elite CBs,it starts up front,we build thru the draft,I’m tired of FA players!
I inferred that the statement was related to trading up to get him.
The point was we traded picks in favor of bringing guys in who were supposed to get the job done now ie. Maroney = 4th round pick gone with nothing to show for it.
No, I’m glad we have Tebow. We believed someone else would take him in the second round so I have no problem with how we got him. What matters is we do have him and I’m grateful for it.
Agreed. We have a lot of left over garbage to deal with.
With Tebow and the making of the best WR corps in the AFC (maybe NFL) he is the least of my worries.
While Shannon has been named as a HOF finalist for the third time, it’s, at best, a 50-50 chance that he’ll make it in the HOF this time.
Here’s the 15 finalists:
Shoe ins:
Marshall Falk
Jerome Bettis
Dionne Sanders:
That leavers 3 spots for the remaiuning 12 finalists
Very strong candidates:
Ed Sabol
Cris Cater
Willie Roaf
Richard Dent
Shannon Sharpe
Dermontti Dawson
Andree Reed
Not as strong:
Chris Doleman
Charles Haley
Cortez Kennedy
Curtis Martin
Tim Brown
Of the 6 strong candidates Cris Catrer most certainly should get in as he’s 2nd behind Jerry Rice in every passing statistic.
Ed Sabol is a very, very strong candidate because of all that’s happened in filming, etc because of him.
That leaves one spot for the other 4 strong candidates.
It should be Shannon, but there’s still the East Coast bias to overcome.
Wow, Shannon Sharpe the only Bronco player to make it this far in the HOF list. Figures.
Bay, thanks for talking some sense into me. I was just too blind to see that. I just absolutely hate watching our team struggle so bad, thats why I jumped on the whole asomugha ordeal so quickly. Thanks Bronco Country for being my voice of reasoning…lol
Not to be rude, but Asomugha will get to pick from the cream of the crop. I don`t see him being a Bronco.
That KC stadium was nearly empty by the middle of the fourth, utter decimation in the second half, and so should rightfully end this sorry 2010 season of the AFC West. R.I.P.
Shannon Sarpe will probably get snubbed again,you would think an 8 time pro-bowler and a 4 time all pro would be a shoe-in!
In a perfect world We`d sign Both Champ and Asomugha. But they both want a Championship ring. They`ll be very expensive and want to go to a team who has a better chance at going to the SB in the next few years.
Glad I could help, at my age it’s become much easier to look at things without being blinded by the heat of the moment, it kind of comes naturally, every bone in my body moves slower than it used to and so do my emotions, LOL.
I think we’re gonna see one of the best games of the Playoffs next week: Steelers-Ravens, baby!
Excitedfor Eagles-Packers tonight but alas I’ll miss have of it when i leave for work.