I know Wade has been coaching for four decades but what in the world are we doing giving up such soft cushions to the receivers? I went back and watched the long pass to Gallup again - the one that took the ball down to the one yard line. It was first and twenty and, at the snap, we are giving the outside receivers a ten yard cushion. Johnson, playing safety in the deep, middle third is at the sticks, 20 yards deep. Gallup, on the top of the screen, runs a 12 yard out route (he's covered, not very good though, by Joyner). Peters, who is playing Cover 3 and has the deep third at the top of the screen, leaves his zone to cover Cooper who is wide open in the middle for a 12 yard completion. Johnson, who has the deep, middle third, has already backpedalled to the 17 yard line, 15 yards from Cooper and covering absolutely nobody. As Aikman pointed out on the replay, Peters should have stayed in his deep zone but watching it over, I understand what he saw. He thought Gallup was hooking up in the flats and was covered by Joyner so he left his zone to cover the wide-open Cooper (who I'm guessing was perceived to be the bigger threat). What Johnson is doing so far back is what has me puzzled. I understand not wanting to give up the big play over the top but that was ridiculous.

I'm glad that we figured out a way to finally stuff the run. I honestly think this was part of our problem: Donald was so intent on getting the sack record throughout the season that he was in pass-rush mode more often than he should have been. That opened up gaps to run through. Now that the regular season is over and the record is a thing of the past, he can focus on just doing his job which includes stopping the run and pass. I might be crazy thinking this, but it has crossed my mind.

As for our next opponent, I'd much rather play Philly as I think the Saints offense presents more of a challenge. I still don't trust our secondary. It seems like we can't go a game without a huge blown coverage or two and that could end up costing us the game. Still, I'm glad we are in position to have that to worry about;-)

Ever since Gurley's injury and the emergence of CJ Anderson, this Rams team has went from a pass-first mentality to a run-first mentality. As you'll all remember, McVay had a habit of throwing too much on occasion and abandoning the run too early. There was only one time last night where I felt McVay drifted back into his old habits - the one series that we punted on. Late in the third, Dallas had just scored to make it 15-23 and we had moved the ball to their 47 yard line after Gurley ran for eight yards on first down. We had been piss-pounding them on the ground all night long but McVay chose to throw the ball twice. On second down, Goff missed Woods on a crosser and on third we had two penalties and ended up punting. I have no doubt had McVay kept the ball on the ground we would have picked up a first down and kept the ball moving. We've seen that kind of play-calling earlier this year but they way we had been pounding it down their throats last night should have left those play calls as no-brainers. Still, we survived.

Back to Anderson. He's has had three straight 100 yard games after signing with the team a week before his first start. That's crazy. Goff's slump has forced McVay to look at things differently and it's been to the team's benefit. If you look at the losses vs the Saints and the Eagles, Jared was hit multiple times and turned the ball over as it seemed we were passing on dang nearly every play. McVay has taken some of that pressure off of Jared by running the football more often. Whoever we see next week, whether it's the Saints of the Eagles, will see a different football team than the last time.

I'm rooting for you guys to win the Super Bowl. I rooted hard for ya in 99, 01 and again this year. God bless and loved that game last night. I hope we can be back in the playoffs someday.

The late season acquisitions of Fowler and Anderson looks like it may have put this team over the top. They were having trouble getting pressure from the outside and what do they do they pick up Fowler who has played very well, he is a huge upgrade at the OLBer position. Then Gurley is banged up and they go out and pick up CJ who is playing lights out. I mean really what can you say about what he has come in and done for this offense. I bet Malcom is sitting on his couch saying OH Shit.

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/nfc-di...hiladelphia-eagles-vs-new-orleans-saints-2019

NFC Divisional Playoff: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New Orleans Saints

The Philadelphia Eagles' quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions brings them to New Orleans for a second time as the top-seeded Saints await in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. The Eagles are coming off of a hard-fought, 16-15 win in Chicago while the Saints had the benefit of getting a week off.

Philadelphia needed a three-game winning streak and, ironically, some help from Chicago in Week 17 to surpass Minnesota for the final wild-card berth in the NFC. The Eagles then promptly thanked the Bears by beating the on their turf in gut-wrenching fashion no less.

New Orleans rested most of its starters in an ugly Week 17 home loss to Carolina, but that's because this team has a much bigger prize in its sights. The last and only time the Saints were the top seed in the playoffs was in 2009. That also was the season they went on to win the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia leads the all-time series between the two teams, with New Orleans holding a 10-8 advantage at home. This is the fourth postseason matchup with the Saints under Asshole Face winning each of the last two (2006, '13 seasons). Both of those games were at home, which was the site of the teams' most recent encounter.

In Week 11, the Saints blasted the Eagles 48-7 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. At the time, the loss dropped Philadelphia to 4-6 and seemingly out of the postseason conversation, but a 5-1 finish followed by a gritty win during Wild Card Weekend has the defending Super Bowl champions still fighting. But will anything be different this time around against a New Orleans team that utterly dominated the Eagles in Round 1?

NFC Divisional Playoff: Philadelphia at New Orleans

Kickoff: Sunday, Jan. 13 at 4:40 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Spread: Saints -8

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Nick Foles make enough of a difference?

Carson Wentz started the Week 11 meeting back on Nov. 18. It didn't go well for him, completing 19 of 33 passes for 156 yards and three interceptions. He also was sacked three times as Philadelphia was outgained 546 to 196 that afternoon.

With Wentz sidelined due to a back injury, Foles is back at the helm and trying to replicate his late-season heroics once again. He's 5-1 as the starter, including improving his playoff record to 4-1. He's completing 71 percent of his passes for an average of 280 yards per game with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He has been sacked 10 times, but the Bears' vaunted defense got him down just once last week.

New Orleans' defense has been susceptible through the air. The Saints enter this game having allowed 269 passing yards per game, which is the fourth most in the league. They also have yielded 30 touchdown passes and have recorded 12 interceptions. The pass rush (49 sacks, tied for fifth) has helped out what has been at times a vulnerable secondary.

New Orleans made Wentz feel very unwelcome in the Superdome. Will it be any different with Foles under center? He has shown himself to be capable of making things happen from the pocket, but his offensive line will have to give him enough time to do so or we could see a repeat of Wentz' numbers.

2. Will the Saints’ rushing defense return to dominating form?

Entering Week 17, New Orleans was ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing defense at 78.1 yards per game allowed. Then Carolina put up 111, which is just one yard shy of the Saints' season high, and they had to settle for finishing a close second (80.2 ypg vs. 80.0 for Chicago) in that category.

Conversely, Philadelphia had minimal success running the ball against New Orleans in the first meeting. The Eagles finished with 58 rushing yards on 12 carries with their lone touchdown coming on the ground as well. Falling behind 17-0 did impact the game plan for Philadelphia but that wasn't the only factor behind the output either.

So the question becomes which run defense will we see from the Saints on Sunday? The one that struggled against the Panthers or the one that really clamped down on opponents throughout the regular season? New Orleans has only given up 100 or more rushing yards in a game four times this season. It lost two of those, although to be fair, many starters didn't play in the regular-season finale against Carolina.

It also should be pointed out that while the Eagles did pile up the rushing yards, their yards per carry average of 4.8 is very respectable. Most of that came from Josh Adams' 28-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Take out that play and that average is cut nearly in half (2.7).

Either way, a one-dimensional offense that relies on Foles to throw the ball all over the field to pull off the upset in one of the toughest home environments in the league will play right into the Saints' hands. Philadelphia has to find a way to get something out of its ground game or it will be another rough outing in the Superdome.

3. Can the Eagles’ defensive backs avoid being torched again?

Philadelphia focused on shutting down All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas in the first meeting. In response, Drew Brees spread the wealth around, completing passes to seven different players. Rookie Tre’Quan Smith put up his biggest numbers of the season — 10 receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown with Brees throwing scoring strikes to three other guys. Even with all of the extra attention, Thomas caught all four of his targets for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Injuries have hit the Eagles' secondary hard throughout the regular season and the situation has not improved much. Cornerbacks Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby missed the first game and won't play in this one either. Reserve corner Sidney Jones is questionable to play on Sunday after missing the last four games, putting even more pressure on safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Corey Graham when it comes to coverage responsibilities. That could leave linebackers alone in space trying to stay with running back Alvin Kamara, the Saints' second-leading receiver.

And outside of Thomas and Kamara, Brees has even more weapons to throw to compared to the first game against Philadelphia. Tedd Ginn Jr. is back from a knee injury that had sidelined him since Week 4. In his first game back (Week 16), Brees targeted Ginn eight times, as he finished with five catches for 74 yards. He sat out the following week but he is expected to play. All told, 10 different Saints have recorded at least nine catches this season. All 10 are available for Sunday's game, ready to take advantage of a patchwork Eagles secondary.

Final Analysis

Philadelphia went on an incredible streak just to return to the playoffs. The Eagles won five of their six final games and should be feared considering their championship pedigree. They went into Chicago and escaped with a win, which is no easy task considering how good the Bears' defense was this season.

But as impressive a season Chicago had, New Orleans is the team that seemed headed for the Super Bowl after rattling off 10 straight wins during the regular season. The offense cooled down over the last six weeks of the regular season, but the defense continued to do its job. How will the Saints look coming off of a first-round bye?

Philadelphia has been a different team since Nick Foles replaced Carson Wentz (again) at quarterback. But New Orleans has been good, if not great, on both sides of the ball for just about the entirety of the regular season. This one may not be a rout like the first meeting, but the Saints simply have too much firepower on both sides of the ball for the Eagles to overcome.

Prediction: Saints 34, Eagles 17

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/afc-divisional-playoff-prediction-picks-los-angeles-chargers-vs-new-england-patriots-2019

AFC Divisional Playoff Prediction and Preview: Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots

It’s been more than a decade since the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots met in a postseason game. But the quarterbacks of both franchises are still the same as Philip Rivers looks to enact revenge on now 41-year-old Tom Brady.

It was a shaky Brady who bested the Chargers 11 years ago, a 21-12 win in the AFC Championship Game that took the Pats to the precipice of a perfect season. (They lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl, wiping out an 18-0 start). Brady was far from his average self, throwing three interceptions for the only time during a year he was named NFL MVP.

That offered Rivers an opportunity. But he was hurt, playing with a torn ACL and virtually without future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The end result wasn’t pretty; two picks, failing to lead his team into the end zone and no signs of life in the fourth quarter.

It was a wasted opportunity for an inconsistent franchise that hasn’t made it back to the conference title game since. And the Chargers' quarterback, one of the league’s best you never hear about, was left to deal with a brokenhearted city and a move while Brady earned Super Bowls and accolades.

Can Rivers, who had his best season in five years at age 37, finally come full circle and vanquish those playoff demons? The Chargers, despite being the wild-card team, come in with the better record and more momentum. But the Patriots, an aging team, are rested from a bye week that provided opportunities for Brady and banged-up tight end Rob Gronkowski to heal up. A crisp, cold day at Foxborough (the forecast calls for 29 degrees) should also put the Chargers to the test in cold weather.

Eleven years later, these two teams are set up for another postseason classic.

AFC Divisional Playoff: Los Angeles at New England

Kickoff: Sunday, Jan. 13 at 1:05 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Spread: Patriots -4

Three Things To Watch

1. Which Tom Brady will show up on Sunday?

There’s no doubt Brady, at age 41, took a step back a year after winning NFL MVP. How much of that is his fault and how much is due to injuries or suspensions for top weapons like Rob Gronkowski, Josh Gordon, and Julian Edelman? The answer, as with most things in life, lies somewhere in the middle. A step back for Brady is like earning a 95 instead of a 100 on your history test. But history tells us it’s this quarterback that needs to be on top of his game for the Patriots to stay successful in the playoffs.

Brady did have his best game of the season with little to play for in the Week 17 finale against the Jets. His first four-touchdown performance of the year though came against a team who fired its head coach right after the final whistle.

Overall, Brady’s stats declined across the board. His 11 interceptions were the most for him since 2013; the QB rating (97.7) dipped below 100 for the first time since '14. His five losses (albeit one on a bizarre game-ending lateral vs. Miami) were the most for him as a starter since 2009.

But a look at the game film shows Brady also is simply missing throws. Some have speculated his left knee is hurt; the quarterback has shown up on the injury report with a “knee ailment” at times this season. Sacked just 21 times this season instead of 35 a year ago (during an MVP season), it’s clear Brady is trying to avoid taking hard hits to his body.

So which Brady will show up against the Chargers? The guy who threw for eight touchdowns and no interceptions in a masterful playoff performance just last year? The guy whose legend is built on that 27-10 playoff record and five Super Bowl rings? Or will we see the guy who was 13-for-24 for 126 yards, a touchdown and two picks against the lowly Buffalo Bills just three weeks ago?

We’re about to find out if Brady was treading lightly all season, from his missed offseason workouts to conservative play and saving the best for last. Or is 41 finally the age Father Time starts catching up?

2. Charging back up the L.A. offense

The Chargers faced the NFL’s best defense (at least in total yards allowed) last week against the Ravens. To a degree, it was understandable they struggled. But the success of new field goal kicker Mike Badgley, 15-for-16 during the regular season and 5-for-6 on Sunday, bailed them out. The team reached the end zone just once, a Melvin Gordon one-yard touchdown while Rivers threw for only 160 yards, a season low.

The problem is it’s not just a one-week aberration. After going the first 14 games with at least 200 passing yards, Rivers has fallen short of that mark three straight games. His numbers during that stretch have been anemic: just one touchdown, four picks and just 5.7 yards per attempt.

He’ll have an opportunity to get on track against a Patriots defense who ended the year just 22nd against the pass. But Rivers needs to create opportunities for an offense whose main back, Melvin Gordon III, has struggled. Since returning from a knee injury, he has yet to reach 50 yards in any game and averaged just 2.2 yards per carry against the Ravens.

Stepping back up to a level on par with Brady is crucial for Rivers, prone to turnovers. The Patriots have created more takeaways (28) than any team left in the AFC playoffs and know how to turn them into points. But more importantly, this game may be Rivers’ last best chance, armed with a 12-4 team that has beaten top seed Kansas City at home.

Frank Schwab from Yahoo! had a great article this week about Rivers’ legacy and how a Hall of Fame candidacy may be dependent on the Super Bowl. Just five of the 26 quarterbacks enshrined in Canton have gotten there without a title and all of them have arguably better resumes than Rivers.

3. Health

For the Chargers, Gordon hasn’t looked the same since a knee injury kept him out for nearly a month and jeopardized several fantasy football championships. He’s still being limited in practice and will rely on Austin Ekeler to split time in the backfield.

But it’s the Patriots who needed the extra time. Gronkowski isn’t even on the injury report although any bone in his body looks capable of breaking in a moment’s notice. He’s been creaky most of the year, posting just 47 catches in 13 games and just two 100-yard performances.

Overall, the Patriots have just four players listed on the injury report, entering the weekend the healthiest they’ve been most of the season. It’s also an extra week for Brady to rest up and the offense to readjust without Gordon, suspended by the NFL for substance abuse. Cordarrelle Patterson is still nursing a knee injury but practiced in full this week and is expected to play.

X-Factor: Patriots at Home

The Patriots, earning a bye week for the 10th straight year have been phenomenal in Foxborough. They’re the only team to go undefeated at home this season and haven’t lost at Gillette Stadium to the Chargers since 2005.

Final Analysis
This game will be billed as all about the quarterbacks, for good reason. But New England running back Sony Michel has had a respectable rookie season overshadowed by the greatness of Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield. With Melvin Gordon still on the mend, Michel's running should do enough to set up Tom Brady and pressure the Chargers' offense to keep pace.

Typically, that’s when Philip Rivers throws the ball to the other team in the postseason. It’s up to him to change the narrative and perhaps his future legacy with the Chargers.

Prediction: Patriots 28, Chargers 17

Skip Speechless.

Lol

Tomorrow I will be rooting the Eagles on to win in NO. I live in the Philly area and rarely root for the Birds but in this case I have to! If you think it’s beacuse the Rams could host the NFC Championship, that’s only a small part. The Big Reason is that, like Kurt Warner, Nick Foles is writing NFL lore and if he takes the Eagles to the NFC Championship his story will be played forever on the NFL Network!! Until now the biggest hero in Philly is a fictitious boxer (yes Rocky) but now it’s Nick Foles!! So here is my real reason, I want Goff and the Rams to end the Eagles run so every time my Eagles friends want to watch the “Nick Foles” story it will end with Jared Goff and the LA Rams riding into the sunset as Foles and the Eagles fade into the credits!!!

Please oh please sweet baby Jesus deliver the Eagles to us!!!

Now we have something to give the defenses major problems. Best back in football and a bowling ball backup.
If we would have lost this game it was on McVays hands. Getting sick of seeing a 8 yard run on 1st down then two incomplete passes and punt. It happened in this game and could have cost us.
This is the playoffs, don't overthink yourself McVay. Run it again, twice if you need to and just get the first down. If the Rams just did it on that series the boys have no chance at the end. We get two more minutes of possession, probably points. Game over.
Especially the way our O line was blowing the boys d line back. We actually could have lost the game with over 250 yards rushing. That would have been on the coach.IMO. Can't help things like the "almost" int that would have sealed it. But getting "cute" in the playoffs is a choice by a very smart man. Make the right one.
Don't get me wrong, McVay is the best thing to happen to the Rams, maybe ever. Just don'y out think yourself. Its a simple game sometimes. If you are blowing them off the ball lean on the thing that gives you the best chance of success, run it on 2nd and short. Just get the damn first down.

So why did Ezekiel run into a brick wall most of the night?

Let's hope we match this effort next week!

:mrburnsevil: :boxing: :yay:

I know the Rams can beat the Saints in New Orleans but I still prefer to see them play the Eagles in L.A.!!!

Mine goes to Gurley, CJ, and the OL. Looking forward to seeing others.. I know the DL played damn good and stopped Zeke..

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/UeU8LOHc8CE


one of my more inspirational Rams videos.... the fight that this team had was amazing....


Let's go Rams!!!!

Long time lurker here, love this site! Been a Rams fan for over 40 years. I received a Playstation 4 from my kids for Christmas 2017. I've been playing a lot of Gran Turismo Sport since then, (pretty sure I've played every edition since the series first came out). Played a bunch of racing games through the years.

So, Gran Turismo Sport has some cool features outside of the racing. You can upload custom decals, design your own custom paint jobs (the game calls them liveries), save race replays, landscape picture mode,etc...
Anyways, here's what I'm getting at:







I tried to make it look like the Rams and the NFL sponsored actual race cars in different sports car and touring car series...IMSA, Blancpain etc...
I did a bunch more Rams stuff, also some Game of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica (my two favorite shows), and some manufacturer specific ones. I like to use them for computer and phone home screens and screen savers.

Thought some of you might like them.

GO RAMS!

Heard that the Bengals are going to go hard after Zac Taylor once our season ends. Seems that would be hard on a young QB like Goff.

Would you like to take the ball to start the game or get it starting the 2nd half? I'm not a big fan of deferring to the 2nd half if we win the coin toss. I would much rather take the ball. Let our high power "O" go down and hopefully grab some points off the 1st drive. Thoughts?

I've been doing some lerpin chili and hot wings tonight. They will be marinaded and awesome come game time. Beside that, doing lil smokies in my secret sauce, and some kick butt cheese dip. It's going to be a good evening. RAM IT! lol

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https://athlonsports.com/nfl/afc-di...indianapolis-colts-vs-kansas-city-chiefs-2019

AFC Divisional Playoff: Indianapolis Colts vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Indianapolis Colts in Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday to kick off the AFC Divisional Round of the 2019 NFL Playoffs. These teams last met in the postseason in 2014, resulting in one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history.

The slightly favored Colts managed to erase a 28-point second-half deficit in that game to score a dramatic 45-44 victory over the visiting Chiefs. Saturday’s matchup is setting up to be another high-scoring affair with two high-powered offenses poised to put plenty of points on the scoreboard. Only this time around, the Chiefs are the favored home team, and the expectation is a closely contested shootout for four quarters.

The Chiefs (12-4) capped off a dominant regular season in similar fashion with a 35-3 victory over the Raiders to secure the AFC West title and No. 1 seed in the playoffs. They also earned the luxury of sitting out last week’s Wild Card Round with a bye. That should pay dividends for the well-rested home team. It also bodes well that Andy Reid is 20-4 all-time as a head coach when coming off a bye week. What doesn’t bode well is Reid’s 11-13 record all-time in the postseason, including a 1-4 with the Chiefs.

After a 1-5 start, the resurgent Colts enter Saturday’s game with a record of 11-6. Under first-year head coach Frank Reich, Indianapolis has won five in a row and 10 of its last 11, including a 21-7 road victory over AFC South rival (and champion) Houston in the wild-card game. The Colts now look to carry that momentum against Kansas City, who is 7-1 at home this season. Indianapolis is just 5-4 on the road, although the Colts have won their past three such contests, beating the Texans (twice) and Titans. More importantly, the Colts are 4-0 against the Chiefs in the postseason and Kansas City's is in the midst of a six-game home losing streak in the playoffs, a stretch that goes back to 1996.

AFC Divisional Playoff: Indianapolis at Kansas City

Kickoff: Saturday, Jan. 12 at 4:35 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Chiefs -5.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City's explosive passing game

It’s no secret why the Chiefs led the NFL in total yards (425.6 ypg) and scoring (35.3 ppg) during the regular season. Mahomes has been a force to be reckoned with, and in 2018 no NFL player has been more fun to watch. In addition to Mahomes’ 5,097 passing yards, the MVP front-runner and first-team All-Pro selection became just the third player in NFL history to throw for 50 touchdowns. And he's doing this in his just second season, first as the starter, in the NFL. Of course, it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of a standout receiving corps, led by fellow first-team All-Pro selections Travis Kelce (103 rec., 1,336 yds., 10 TDs) and Tyreek Hill (87, 1,479 yds., 12).

On Saturday, Mahomes and company will be paired against a young Indianapolis defense that has come a long way since the beginning of the season, thanks in large part to the emergence of All-Pro rookie linebacker Darius Leonard (league-leading 163 tackles). Leonard and the Colts limited a dangerous Houston offense to just seven points and 322 yards last week. But they have a much bigger challenge in front of them — trying to slow down Mahomes and the Chiefs’ high-octane passing attack.

Indianapolis finished the regular season in the middle of the pick in pass defense, allowing 237.8 yards per game. The Colts also gave up more yards (1,194) to opposing tight ends than any other defense in the league. And they have not faced a tight end better than Kelce all season. In addition to the already daunting task of keeping tabs on Kelce and Hill, Indianapolis' secondary may also have to contend with the return of speedy wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who has missed the last six games because of a foot injury. That’s a tall order.

2. Indianapolis' running game

Most of the hype surrounding the Colts' offense heading into Saturday’s playoff game centers around Andrew Luck and a potent passing game. And for good reason as Indianapolis boasts the seventh-ranked passing attack in the league (278.8 ypg), and Luck's 39 touchdown passes in the regular season were good for second behind only Mahomes' 50. However, it could be the running game that pays the biggest dividends against Kansas City.

Despite ranking just 20th at 107.4 rushing yards per game, the Colts' ground game has been hitting on all cylinders of late. Last week, they ran for 200 yards against Houston's third-ranked rushing defense, led by a franchise playoff-record 148 rushing yards from running back Marlon Mack. It marked Mack’s third 100-yard game in the last four weeks, two of which came against the aforementioned Texans and the Cowboys (fifth in the NFL in rushing defense).

The Chiefs finished 27th in that department, giving up 132.1 yards and an NFL-worst five yards per carry. This certainly bodes well for Indianapolis. Another reason the Colts need to have success running the ball is that it would them to control the clock and limit the number of possessions for Mahomes and Kansas City’s quick-strike offense.

3. Kansas City's pass rush vs. Indianapolis' offensive line

No one can argue that the Chiefs' defense is good. However, they have shined in one area on that side of the ball. No other defense in the NFL had more sacks during the regular season than Kansas City's 52. That effort was spearheaded by defensive end Chris Jones' 15.5 sacks, with Pro Bowl linebacker Dee Ford (13), and Justin Houston (9 in 12 games) also getting in on the action.

Meanwhile, no offensive line has fared better in pass protection than the Colts', which is a welcome sight after this being a persistent issue throughout Luck's time in Indianapolis. A standout line led by All-Pro rookie guard Quenton Nelson has surrendered a league-low 18 sacks in 17 games. That includes last week's dominant effort in shutting out J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and the rest of the Texans last week.

There are plenty of intriguing matchups worth paying close attention to in Saturday’s playoff showdown, but none are more compelling than the matchup between the Chiefs’ pass rush and the Colts’ offensive line. One of these groups will have to come out on top, and It could be a major factor in determining the outcome.

Final Analysis

There are a few reasons to like the underdog Colts on Saturday. For starters, history is not exactly on the Chiefs’ side in this matchup. They are 0-4 all-time in playoff games against the Colts, they are an abysmal 0-6 in home playoff games over the last 25 years, and their head coach has a long history of coming up short in the postseason. We also can take into consideration that the Chiefs are just 3-2 since releasing star running back Kareem Hunt, and that two of those wins came against the lowly Raiders. And last, but certainly not least, is Kansas City’s much-maligned defense, whose only saving grace is a stellar pass rush that might just meet its match in the form of an equally talented Indianapolis offensive line.

But this will mark the Colts' third straight road game while the Chiefs are coming off of a bye. Arrowhead Stadium is one of the top home-field advantages in the NFL, and Kansas City took full advantage of that, going 7-1 in the regular season. And despite Kansas City’s (and Andy Reid's) past struggles in the postseason, the Chiefs now have something, or should we say someone, they didn’t previously — Patrick Mahomes as a starting quarterback.

Indianapolis should keep it interesting with Andrew Luck leading a well-balanced offensive attack to go along with a much-improved defense. However, the Colts' offense will be hard-pressed to keep pace with Mahomes and company. Andy Reid and the Chiefs should finally get over the playoff hump at home to advance to the AFC Championship Game courtesy of a close, hard-fought, victory.

Prediction: Chiefs 34, Colts 31

It's been a good week; Todd Gurley started following me on IG, Rams play tomorrow night (duh), and this happened tonight .I live in Gilbert, AZ. 1 in a million odds might not mean much to the normal person who has no clue but to me WOW!
[GALLERY=media, 325]Screenshot_20190111-201240 by BatteringRambo posted Jan 11, 2019 at 10:11 PM[/GALLERY]
[GALLERY=media, 326]IMG_20190111_193510045 by BatteringRambo posted Jan 11, 2019 at 10:11 PM[/GALLERY]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.spin.com/2019/01/mike-patton-nfl-national-anthem?amp=1

- Fans of metal gods, football, and patriotism will be delighted to learn that Mike Patton has agreed to sing the National Anthem before the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys’s NFC divisional round playoff matchup tomorrow. The game starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on FOX.

It’s anyone’s guess how the impressively piped Patton will approach the song, but it will likely be more interesting than the Rams blowout to follow.

Patton has of late devoted his energy to the supergroup Dead Cross, formed in 2017 with Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and others. The band released a self-titled EP last May. Faith No More’s latest LP Sol Invictus was released in 2015.

Patton also announced this week that he will perform at Chris Cornell’s tribute concert on January 16 in Los Angeles, where members of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave are slated to play music from the late singer’s storied catalogue. Metallica, Foo Fighters, and others will also perform.
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My favorite singer!!