Playoff Predictions

[TheNinerMind]

Ummm... Well I did guarantee I was wrong.

 

[Jikkle]

In general I do think people (not just the poster here but experts etc) are overrating the Seahawks and underestimating the Redskins in this match up.

That's not to say Seattle isn't a legitimately good team but I think they are looking better then they are because they've played the last 3 out of 4 at home with the sole road game being against the Bills who were sorta on the road themselves and Seattle wasn't exactly the first team to blow them out.

I think the X factor is going to be the running game because the Redskins are 2nd in YDS/A in rushing and Seattle's defense is 23rd in YDS/A at 4.5

Not to mention the Redskins are at home with a crowd that hasn't seen a Redskins playoff game since 06.

I think it will be close but I do actually see the Redskins winning this game.

 

[yossarian]

In general I do think people (not just the poster here but experts etc) are overrating the Seahawks and underestimating the Redskins in this match up.

That's not to say Seattle isn't a legitimately good team but I think they are looking better then they are because they've played the last 3 out of 4 at home with the sole road game being against the Bills who were sorta on the road themselves and Seattle wasn't exactly the first team to blow them out.

The Seahawks are actually tough to judge in some ways -- yes, they have played much better and have really opened up their offense from where it was in the first half of the season, however, their defense has slipped. Their blowout victories were over pretty bad teams, with the exception of the 49ers, and I think that the fact that the 49ers played 1 1/2 games on defense across country the week before had something to do with that (and the blocked Akers kick for a td that would have made it more interesting). Also their one true victory was over Chicago on the road when the Bears started their slide.

 

[Bemular]

In general I do think people (not just the poster here but experts etc) are overrating the Seahawks and underestimating the Redskins in this match up.

That's not to say Seattle isn't a legitimately good team but I think they are looking better then they are because they've played the last 3 out of 4 at home with the sole road game being against the Bills who were sorta on the road themselves and Seattle wasn't exactly the first team to blow them out.

I think the X factor is going to be the running game because the Redskins are 2nd in YDS/A in rushing and Seattle's defense is 23rd in YDS/A at 4.5

Not to mention the Redskins are at home with a crowd that hasn't seen a Redskins playoff game since 06.

I think it will be close but I do actually see the Redskins winning this game.

I'm pulling for Washington, but the thing that scares me about Seattle is the level of confidence they're playing with right now. Over the past 8 games Seattle has been arguably the most dominate if not the best team in the NFC.

Tangibles do not win in the playoffs - intangibles win in the playoffs and right now Seattle is playing with what I like to call "a lot of intangibles".

 

[SRPnVA]

Ill go

Texans over Bengals
Ravens over Colts

Packers over Minney
Redskins over Seattle

Pats over Texans
Broncos over Ravens

Redskins over Falcons
9ers over Pack

Broncos over Pats

9ers over Skins

SB 9ers over Broncos

 

[MHSL82]

I'm pulling for Washington, but the thing that scares me about Seattle is the level of confidence they're playing with right now. Over the past 8 games Seattle has been arguably the most dominate if not the best team in the NFC.

Tangibles do not win in the playoffs - intangibles win in the playoffs and right now Seattle is playing with what I like to call "a lot of intangibles".

Hasn't rmilia taught you anything? You get to pick and choose intangibles and depending on the time of day, it either means everything or nothing. Duh.

 

[MHSL82]

I went to USC and am a Utah fan, so the best playoff outcome for me would be:

Wildcard Weekend
Texans over Bengals (Don't care, just think this will happen)
Ravens over Colts (Don't care, just think this will happen)
Pack over Vikings (I'd rather beat the Pack)
Hawks over 'Skins (Pete Carroll was from USC)

Divisional Round
Pats over Texans (Don't care, just think this will happen)
Broncos over Ravens (Mike McCoy is from Utah)
Niners over Pack (I'd rather beat the Pack)
Seaawks over Falcons (Carroll is from USC)

NFC Championship
Niners over Hawks (Niners over everybody)

AFC Championship
Broncos over Pats (Mike McCoy is from Utah)

Super Bowl
Niners over Broncos (Niners over everybody)

 

[Bemular]

Hasn't rmilia taught you anything? You get to pick and choose intangibles and depending on the time of day, it either means everything or nothing. Duh.

Yeah, I know. This is only my third week watching football so I'm still learning the ropes.

 

[Jikkle]

I'm pulling for Washington, but the thing that scares me about Seattle is the level of confidence they're playing with right now. Over the past 8 games Seattle has been arguably the most dominate if not the best team in the NFC.

Tangibles do not win in the playoffs - intangibles win in the playoffs and right now Seattle is playing with what I like to call "a lot of intangibles".

Only 3 of their last 8 games have been on the road and the only hard fought victory they've had that I consider impressive was the Chicago game where I thought each team gave each other their best punch.

Confidence is good but it's far better when it's built on hard fought grind it out victories and not beating a bunch of creampuffs with one of sports biggest homefield advantages behind you.

And that's where I think Seattle might struggle because there is no more home field for them (unless the unlikely happens and they play the Vikings in the NFC championship game). They aren't getting the Cardinals and Bills but other teams that are going to push them far harder then what they've seen the past 8 weeks.

 

[Bemular]

Only 3 of their last 8 games have been on the road and the only hard fought victory they've had that I consider impressive was the Chicago game where I thought each team gave each other their best punch.

Confidence is good but it's far better when it's built on hard fought grind it out victories and not beating a bunch of cream-puffs with one of sports biggest home-field advantages behind you.

And that's where I think Seattle might struggle because there is no more home field for them (unless the unlikely happens and they play the Vikings in the NFC championship game). They aren't getting the Cardinals and Bills but other teams that are going to push them far harder then what they've seen the past 8 weeks.

There is a reality, or at least a valid perspective in those words that I think you (and others) are overlooking - Keep in mind we were one of those "not so hard fought victories".

And while I fully understand Seattle's HFA - You would have to get me pretty damn intoxicated to convince me the Seahawks are 29 points better than we are - in any stadium.

Not saying they will get past the 1st round, but Washington would be rather foolish to look past Seattle - imo.

 

[Toolrulzz]

My predictive abilities are going to determine whether I go to the game next Saturday or not. I'm going to be forced to root for some teams I'd rather not root for.

 

[Jikkle]

There is a reality, or at least a valid perspective in those words that I think you (and others) are overlooking - Keep in mind we were one of those "not so hard fought victories".

And while I fully understand Seattle's HFA - You would have to get me pretty damn intoxicated to convince me the Seahawks are 29 points better than we are - in any stadium.

Not saying they will get past the 1st round, but Washington would be rather foolish to look past Seattle - imo.

I don't see Washington overlooking Seattle especially when most are picking them to lose the game.

I would've been more impressed (and concerned) with Seattle's win over us if I thought we gave it our best shot. But it was obvious we were drained emotionally and physically from the New England game and we just came out completely flat against a team completely fired up to play that game.

I do think Seattle is legitimately good team and could are capable of beating any team in the playoffs I just don't think they are as good as their recent games suggest they are.

My ultimate point in all of this was basically to say a lot of people are underestimated the Redskins who have a 7 game win streak and overvaluing Seattle.

 

[Bemular]

I don't see Washington overlooking Seattle especially when most are picking them to lose the game.

I would've been more impressed (and concerned) with Seattle's win over us if I thought we gave it our best shot. But it was obvious we were drained emotionally and physically from the New England game and we just came out completely flat against a team completely fired up to play that game.

I do think Seattle is legitimately good team and could are capable of beating any team in the playoffs I just don't think they are as good as their recent games suggest they are.

My ultimate point in all of this was basically to say a lot of people are underestimated the Redskins who have a 7 game win streak and overvaluing Seattle.

I'm usually not one for excuses when it comes to losing; however, I do accept the excuse of 16 def drives, 92 def plays and East Coast travel to have had a lingering impact vs. Seattle.

That said, however, I won't afford that excuse 39 points, especially not if you break down that excuse into increments of plays, yards and points.

The bottom line on the Seattle game is this - They beat the shit out of us! Now, had Seattle allowed us to "hang around" then I would question their strength as a team. But they didn't allow us to hang around - they did precisely what a good team should do to an inferior opponent.

As for Seattle not being as good as their final 8 games, neither Seattle nor Washington are as good as their win streaks nor as bad as their worst losses - both teams - all teams - fall somewhere in the middle.

 

[MHSL82]

I'm usually not one for excuses when it comes to losing; however, I do accept the excuse of 16 def drives, 92 def plays and East Coast travel to have had a lingering impact vs. Seattle.

That said, however, I won't afford that excuse 39 points, especially not if you break down that excuse into increments of plays, yards and points.

The bottom line on the Seattle game is this - They beat the shit out of us! Now, had Seattle allowed us to "hang around" then I would question their strength as a team. But they didn't allow us to hang around - they did precisely what a good team should do to an inferior opponent.

As for Seattle not being as good as their final 8 games, neither Seattle nor Washington are as good as their win streaks nor as bad as their worst losses - both teams - all teams - fall somewhere in the middle.

Yeah, I think if we had lost 32-25 or something, I would place more blame of the loss on the NE game. But the loss is there, solidly for me. Now all I can rationalize is the way we lost could be because of the NE game, the extent. But even then, the extent goes beyond just being drained, IMO. But either way, the playoffs are a different animal, both teams deserve to be there and either team could win. I think we're better, but if we weren't and all things were equal, being at home gives us the edge.

We should thank the Rams receiver for being off the line or the kicker for missing in the first Rams game, otherwise, we'd have been tied with Seattle in record instead of having a tie on our record. We beat them once and they beat us once, but we'd have lost the tie because of having a worse conference record, right?

 

[Bemular]

Yeah, I think if we had lost 32-25 or something, I would place more blame of the loss on the NE game. But the loss is there, solidly for me. Now all I can rationalize is the way we lost could be because of the NE game, the extent. But even then, the extent goes beyond just being drained, IMO. But either way, the playoffs are a different animal, both teams deserve to be there and either team could win. I think we're better, but if we weren't and all things were equal, being at home gives us the edge.

We should thank the Rams receiver for being off the line or the kicker for missing in the first Rams game, otherwise, we'd have been tied with Seattle in record instead of having a tie on our record. We beat them once and they beat us once, but we'd have lost the tie because of having a worse conference record, right?

I mentioned this in another thread but it applies in this conversation as well - tangibles do not win playoff games or championships - intangibles win playoff games & championships.

It is my understanding that 'common opponent' comes before 'conference record' in the divisional tie-breaker hierarchy. Thus, if we had lost the first StL game, then, all other things being the same, we would won the division on the common opponent tie-breaker 10-4 vs 9-5. (But yes we would have had a worse conference record)

 

[NinerSickness]

My prediction: Houston takes care of Cinci' handliy. Houston sputtered into the playoffs, but they got beat by some great teams. The Bengals are not a great team. They're in the playoffs because the AFC is not deep at all.

 

[TobyTyler]

One for one so far.

 

[TobyTyler]

One for one so far.

Make that two for two.

 

[tomikcon1971]

2-0 for me as well. I hope tomorrow's games are better.

 

[Bemular]

2-0 for me as well