https://athlonsports.com/nfl/nfc-wild-card-prediction-picks-seattle-seahawks-vs-dallas-cowboys-2019

NFC Wild Card: Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys

The NFC Wild Card Round of the 2019 NFL playoffs will get underway Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys meet for the second time this season. Seattle won the first meeting back in Week 3 by a score of 24-13 at CenturyLink Field.

The Seahawks won their 10th game of the season last week as they stumbled and bumbled their way to an ugly 27-24 victory over Arizona. Sebastian Janikowski’s 33-yard field goal on the final play of the game gave Seattle its second walk-off win over the Cardinals on the season. Defensively, the Seahawks were strong, limiting Arizona to 191 yards and constantly pressuring Josh Rosen. Special teams as a whole was a debacle as rookie Michael Dickson had two punts blocked for the first time in his career and it set the Cardinals up with great field position, which kept them in the game. Instability on the offensive line due to injuries held back the offense as Russell Wilson was under duress all afternoon long.

Dallas (10-6) survived an uneven performance against the New York Giants but still found a way to win (36-35) a game in which nothing but pride was at stake. Dak Prescott completed 27 of 44 passes for 387 yards and threw four touchdown passes. These numbers could have been even better if he and Amari Cooper (5 rec. for 31 yards on 11 targets) were able to connect a few more times. The defense was a bit lackluster, surrendering 441 yards as Eli Manning (301 passing yards, 2 TDs) and Saquon Barkley (109 rushing yards, TD) did some damage. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch did suffer a minor shin bruise but the standout rookie should be ready to go on Saturday night.

In Week 3, Seattle beat Dallas at home as the Cowboys turned it over three times, including two interceptions thrown by Prescott. Earl Thomas was responsible for both of the picks but he's now on injured reserve while Dallas has since added Cooper. Ezekiel Elliott and Chris Carson both ran for more than 100 yards in that game, which also featured a total of 17 penalties (10 by Seattle).

NFC Wild Card Playoff: Seattle at Dallas

Kickoff: Saturday, Jan 5 at 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Spread: Cowboys -2.5

Three Things to Watch

1. Russell Wilson vs. Dak Prescott

Wilson (8-4 in the playoffs) has the postseason experience advantage in this matchup against Prescott (0-1) without question. There were a couple of milestones set by Wilson last Sunday as he has thrown for 35 touchdown passes to set a new franchise record and also picked up his 75th career regular-season win in his 112th consecutive start.

Prescott duplicated his touchdown total from last season (22 passing, 6 rushing) while cutting his interceptions from 13 to eight. His completion rate and passer rating both went up as well as he and Amari Cooper have formed a nice tandem. Cooper should help against a Seattle secondary that is without All-Pro Earl Thomas and has other injury issues, but it will be up to Prescott to make the right reads and decisions when he drops back to pass.

Wilson will need to do what he has done so well all season, which is play quarterback like a point guard and distribute the ball to Tyler Lockett, Doug Baldwin, his running backs and tight ends to take advantage of a Dallas defense that has just nine interceptions (vs. 22 TD passes allowed) on the season.

2. Which defense is going to step up?

A big reason why both teams are in the playoffs is the performance of their defensive units, especially over the course of the second half of the season. The Seahawks have been a bit of a bend-but-don’t-break unit as they rank 16th in the NFL in total defense at 353.3 yards per game. The Cowboys rank seventh in that respect (329.2) and have been particularly tough against the run (94.6 ypg, fifth).

For Seattle, Bobby Wagner, Frank Clark, K.J. Wright and Jarran Reed are going to be critical in this game as they will need to cause havoc in the backfield and force Prescott to beat them along limiting huge plays on the ground from Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas is going to try and use its pass rush to at least keep Wilson in the pocket so the Cowboys don't have to worry about him beating them with his legs. In the first meeting in Week 3, Chris Carson's 102 rushing yards were the bulk of Seattle's running game as Wilson finished with minus-one yards on two carries (and was sacked twice). Dallas will need big efforts from DeMarcus Lawrence, Leighton Vander Esch, and Jaylon Smith as well as Sean Lee, who is questionable because of a lingering hamstring injury that has wrecked his season.

3. Special teams

This is one area where the Cowboys could punish the Seahawks if they can bust a couple of field position-altering returns in the kicking game. Brett Maher and Sebastian Janikowski have had their issues on field goals this season with the latter (three missed PATs) a little less reliable on extra point attempts. In a game like this, it will be critical for both special teams’ units to execute on their kicks.

Punt protection also is going to be an issue that has to be addressed for Seattle, who can ill afford to have any kicks blocked on Saturday night. Thus, if the Seahawks can protect punter Michael Dickson and let him go to work and pin the Cowboys deep it will be a potential game-changer as that will shift more of the pressure on Prescott and company to find a way to put together long drives to create scoring opportunities.

Final Analysis

This game should go down to the wire as neither offense is going to be good enough to blow out the other. Taking care of the football is going to be vital in this contest as the Seahawks have the best turnover differential (+15) in the NFL thanks to a league-low 11 giveaways while the Cowboys are only at plus-three because they are a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of creating takeaways (20, tied for 16th). In the end, look for Seattle to get one more key play from Russell Wilson in the passing game as the Seahawks find a way to get the job done ion the road and advance on to the NFC Divisional Round.

Prediction: Seahawks 23, Cowboys 20

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/afc-wi...cks-indianapolis-colts-vs-houston-texans-2019

AFC Wild Card: Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans

The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans had similar regular seasons. Both teams had rocky starts to the year — Colts (1-5) and Texans (0-3) — before going on impressive winning streaks.

Before it was all said and done, the divisional foes from the AFC South each finished with 10 or more wins. The Texans (11-5) did manage to edge out the Colts (10-6) by one game, but the two regular-season matchups between them were split 1-1.

What’s makes things more interesting is that both teams won on the road by exactly three points. Does that mean that Indianapolis actually has the advantage in this game despite having to travel to NRG Stadium in Houston?

While these two teams have faced each other 34 times because they are division rivals, this will be their postseason encounter.

Indianapolis at Houston

Kickoff: Saturday, Jan. 5 at 4:35 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN/ABC
Spread: Houston -1.5

1. Andrew Luck vs. Deshaun Watson, Part III

The flow of the regular season isn’t the only thing the Colts and Texans have in common. As opposed to the other two teams in the AFC South, the two making an appearance in the playoffs have a consistent, franchise quarterback in place.

In other words, the most important position on the field is already taken care of, which makes a path to the postseason a lot easier.

The statistical success that each of these quarterbacks has seen against the other’s defense is fairly significant. Luck has thrown for 863 yards and six touchdowns while only tossing one interception in the first two meetings. Watson hasn’t been quite that impressive, but he’s still put up 719 total yards (642 passing, 77 rushing) and four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). The Clemson product has also completed 70 percent of his passes over those two performances.

If either team’s quarterback struggles, that could cause a lopsided victory in the other’s favor.

2. Which team's offensive line can hold up the best?

If there’s one stark difference between the Colts and the Texans, it’s been the performance of the offensive lines. Indianapolis made a commitment in the offseason to get more protection for Luck, while the Texans – for the most part – continued to neglect the issue after missing out on left tackle Nate Solder in free agency.

The results have been significant, especially in the two matchups that these teams have already had. Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith have contributed to a unit that went on a five-game streak without giving up a sack. Against Houston, the Colts yielded did four sacks in the first game, but only surrendered two in the second.

Houston’s offensive line has been the polar opposite. On the season, this group has given up 62 sacks, which is the most in the NFL. Included in those were 12 courtesy of Indianapolis in just two games with Denico Autry (four), Darius Leonard and Margus Hunt (two each) particularly involved. Some of those fall on Watson holding onto the ball for too long, but there’s no doubt this unit is one of – if not – the worst in the league.

3. Colts have been hotter down the stretch

Houston and Indianapolis went toe-to-toe for the second time back in Week 14. It was a hard-fought battle, but the Colts left NRG Stadium with a 27-24 win.

Since then, they’ve outscored their opponents by an average score of 28-15. Included in that stretch was a 23-0 home shutout of NFC East champion Dallas. And Indianapolis punched its playoff ticket with a 16-point road win in Tennessee in Week 17 that pushed Luck’s record to 11-0 against the Titans during his career.

With four straight wins, the Colts and the Chicago Bears have the longest current winning streaks in the NFL, so Indianapolis could be viewed as one of the most dangerous teams in the AFC bracket. Houston’s success shouldn’t be ignored, however. Despite losing 32-20 in Philadelphia in Week 16, the Texans went 10-2 after starting the season 0-4. They closed out the regular season with a convincing 20-3 victory over the Jaguars.

It’s going to be interesting to see which team continues to carry its momentum into this game.

Final Analysis

This game should be one of the better ones during Wild Card Weekend. It features a pair of division rivals, led by two high-profile quarterbacks going head-to-head to determine whose team gets to keep its Super Bowl hopes alive.

Can J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and the rest of Houston’s defensive front seven be the difference-maker in this game? Forcing Indianapolis’ offense to being one-dimensional hasn’t exactly put a strain on Andrew Luck this season, but the playoffs are a different style of football.

At the end of the day, the Colts do a better job of protecting their franchise signal-caller and give him enough time to make plays. The over/under has steadily increased to 48.5, which seems to be a hair too much, especially since I think the road team ends up winning.

Prediction: Colts 27, Texans 21

RB Saquan Barkley had a helluva year. He is probably is more talented at the running back position than Baker Mayfield is at the quarterback position. Yet, if we look at which one affected the team more, it has to be Mayfield. I really can't remember a Brown's QB that I have thought was good enough to lift that joke of a franchise to respectability. I actually think Gregg Williams did a great job as an interim HC this year, but probably won't get the HC gig next year in Cleveland. So Baker will get a new set of positional coaches and HC, which one will be an offensive guru.

I definitely think this franchise has turned a corner and will compete for the division next year, due in large part as to what Mayfield can do. So the big question is, is the OROY figured on the MVP format, or is it all about individual performance?

Courtesy of https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/team-stats/


OFFENSE
Points Per Game: 32.9 (2nd)
Redzone (TD): 57.5% (18th)
Third Down Conversion: 45.03% (5th)
Passer Rating: 100.7 (7th… Note: 115.8 at home, 82.8 away)
Yards Per Pass Attempt: 7.9 (4th)
QB Sacked Percentage: 5.49% (9th)
First Down Pass Percentage: 58.85% (Nice balance… Note: 65.71% at home)
Yards Per Rush Attempt: 4.9 (3rd… Note: 4.2 at home, 5.5 away)

DEFENSE
Points Per Game: 24.0 (20th)
Redzone (TD): 57.69% (14th)
Third Down Conversion: 37.23% (12th)
Passer Rating: 93.8 (17th)
Yards Per Pass Attempt: 7.1 (21st)
QB Sack Percentage: 7.14% (12th)
First Down Pass Percentage: 57.45%
Yards Per Rush Attempt: 5.1 (31st)

NOTES

-Redzone offense is a concern. My take on explaining it is we utilize the pass to get us back ahead of the chains and when going gets tough, and of course it’s harder to throw in the redzone. But going back to the Skins this seems to be a weakness of McVay offenses, and yes I'll take the bad with the good.

-Home offensive passer rating disparity is very interesting. While the home matchups had shootout effect, I think it’s safe to say that our young QB is more comfortable and performs better in the Coliseum.

-Passer rating allowed and yards per attempt are not what you want for a playoff team but on the plus side they are skewed by how poorly our secondary performed without Talib. EDIT: you can probably shave 2 or 3 points, somewhere in there I think, off our points allowed per game total due to Talib being out. IMO our defense is effectively a middle of the pack points allowed unit.

-Run defense is downright horrific, and should be no surprise to anyone who has watched the games and witnessed the gap integrity issues all season long. I do think there has been improvement down the stretch, but the consistency snap to snap is not there.

OVERALL

-Run defense looms as an enormous concern going into the playoffs. With the loss of Kupp our offense isn’t the same unit and a ball control approach will be necessary, but how well can we do that when we can’t stop the run? Still been a great season and I look forward to the playoffs, but just keepin it real here.

In the 8 games in which Talib played the Rams allowed 15.4 ppg.

In 8 games without Talib the Rams
allowed 30.7 ppg.

15.4 ppg would be #1 in the NFL.The Bears #1 defense allowed 17.7 ppg

With Talib:
Raiders 13
Cardinals 0
Chargers 23
Lions 16
Bears 15
Eagles 30
Cardinals 9
*49ers 17 (Talib and starters left game with 08:00 left in 4th quarter with Rams up 48-17 before Niners scored two junk time TD’s on Rams backups)

Offenses faced without Talib:
Vikings
Seattle
Broncos
Niners
Packers
Saints
Seahawks
Chiefs

Admittedly, the offenses faced without Talib were much better, but the Rams
offense also turned the ball over in Rams
territory a lot in a three game stretch in which Talib played, the defense overcame these turnovers time
after time by stiffening and stopping the opposing offense.

Talib in the passing game has made numerous plays but he has also been lights out vs the run, which explains the Rams defense Elite Numbers with Talib.

PPF reported that Talib and Johnson each ended the season with a 51 straight tackles or assists streak without missing the tackle, which is tops in the NFL among defensive backs.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-stats-to-know-for-all-32-nfl-teams-after-week-17

http://www.footballzebras.com/2018/...blakeman-and-corrente-are-wild-card-referees/

Football Zebras has confirmed the referees for the Wild Card weekend. Officials are listed with their uniform number, years of NFL experience (including this season), the crew each official worked with in the regular season (by the referee’s name), college, and outside occupation.

All times are Eastern.

Three alternates are assigned to each game: generally, one is designated for the offensive backfield (a referee or umpire), one is on the line of scrimmage (down judge or line judge), and one is a deep position (side judge, field judge, or back judge). When alternates are listed, their position during the regular season is also given. The prior playoff experience that is listed for the crew chief includes his service as an NFL official, including as referee and any other crew position (excluding alternate assignments).

Saturday, Jan. 5
AFC Wild Card: Colts at Texans, 4:35 p.m. ESPN ABC
Bill Vinovich is the referee, who is in his 13th season and 10th as referee. This is his 11th postseason assignment, including 3 Wild Card Playoffs, 4 Divisional Playoffs, 3 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl XLIX.

Yrs 2018 crew College Occupation
R 52 Bill Vinovich 13 San Diego certified public accountant
U 102 Bruce Stritesky 13 Vinovich Embry Riddle airline pilot
DJ 16 Kevin Codey 4 Hussey Western New England middle school physical education teacher
LJ 59 Rusty Baynes 9 Boger Auburn-Montgomery general manager, safety services*
FJ 86 Jimmy Buchanan 10 Torbert South Carolina State insurance agent
SJ 88 Brad Freeman 5 Martin Mississippi State sports park director*
BJ 12 Greg Steed 16 Hussey Howard computer systems analyst*
*indicates full-time official

• Replay official: Mark Butterworth
• Replay assistant: Alton James
• Alternates: Craig Wrolstad (R), Phil McKinnely (DJ), Rick Patterson (SJ)

NFC Wild Card: Seahawks at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. FOX
Walt Anderson is the referee, who is in his 23rd season and 16th as referee. This is Anderson’s 17th postseason assignment, including 8 Wild Card Playoffs, 2 Divisional Playoffs, 5 Conference Championships, and Super Bowls XXXV and XLV.

Yrs 2018 crew College Occupation
R 66 Walt Anderson 23 Texas former college officiating coordinator, retired dentist*
U 124 Carl Paganelli 19 Anderson Michigan State retired federal probation officer*
DJ 24 David Oliver 2 Parry Baker information systems manager
LJ 108 Gary Arthur 22 Cheffers Wright State president, commercial printing company
FJ 43 Terry Brown 13 Anderson Tennessee probation supervisor
SJ 29 Adrian Hill 9 Wrolstad Buffalo software engineer
BJ 93 Scott Helverson 16 Wrolstad Iowa sales, printing and promotions
*indicates full-time official

• Replay official: Jimmy Oldham
• Replay assistant: Roddy Ames
• Alternates: Carl Cheffers (R), Bart Longson (LJ), Mearl Robinson (FJ)

Sunday, Jan. 6
AFC Wild Card: Chargers at Ravens, 1:05 p.m. CBS
Clete Blakeman is the referee, who is in his 11th season and 9th as referee. This is Blakeman’s 8th postseason assignment, including 4 Wild Card Playoffs, 2 Divisional Playoffs, 1 Conference Championship, and Super Bowl 50.

Yrs 2018 crew College Occupation
R 34 Clete Blakeman 11 Nebraska attorney
U 92 Bryan Neale 5 Smith Indiana sales consultant
DJ 13 Patrick Turner 5 Corrente Cal State-Long Beach plant manager
LJ 18 Byron Boston 24 Anderson Austin tax consultant
FJ 97 Tom Hill 20 Hochuli Carson Newman teacher*
SJ 60 Gary Cavaletto 16 Vinovich Hancock general manager, agricultural operations
BJ 78 Greg Meyer 17 Cheffers Texas Christian banker*
*indicates full-time official

• Replay official: Paul Weidner
• Replay assistant: Willie Vizoso
• Alternates: John Hussey (R), Danny Short (DJ), Greg Wilson (BJ)

NFC Wild Card: Eagles at Bears, 4:40 p.m. NBC
Tony Corrente is the referee, who is in his 24th season and 21st as referee. This is Corrente’s 18th postseason assignment, including 7 Wild Card Playoffs, 5 Divisional Playoffs, 5 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl XLI.

Yrs 2018 crew College Occupation
R 99 Tony Corrente 24 Cal State-Fullerton retired educator
U 128 Ramon George 3 Blakeman Lenoir-Rhyne vice president, operations
DJ 6 Jerod Phillips 3 Wrolstad Northeastern State elementary school teacher
LJ 79 Kent Payne 15 Martin Nebraska Wesleyan teacher
FJ 116 Mike Weatherford 17 swing Oklahoma State energy trader
SJ 56 Allen Baynes 11 Hussey Auburn realtor
BJ 30 Todd Prukop 10 Corrente Cal State-Fullerton medical sales representative

• Replay official: John McGrath
• Replay assistant: Eugene Cunningham
• Alternates: Jerome Boger (R), Carl Johnson (LJ), Keith Ferguson (BJ)

OK, it is disturbing that Vinovich is anywhere close to a playoff game but I don't have any real problems with the other guys. And it seems that they have gone to the formula for the Rams v Chiefs game in that there are bits and pieces from all the crews in each game this week. I thought Hussey and Wrolstad would pick up games but maybe they have been earmarked for bigger things.

The good news is that if Vinovich does this week, he can't do a game next week. The bad news is that he can do a Championship game so the earliest we can see him is when we play the Eagles for the right to play in the SB.

Hey guys,

So, I’m looking on StubHub to purchase tailgate parking for the upcoming playoff game. The cheapest ticket I can find is $200 in Lot 6, which according to the Rams website allows tailgating. However, as I scroll down, I see that the price for Lot 6 goes up and notice a “tailgating permitted” footnote when I click on the more expensive tickets. My concern is that certain sections within these lots allow tailgating while others don’t. Do any of you know if this is the case, or should I be ok to get my drink and eat on anywhere in Lot 6?

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So it was my birthday in December .. and it being my 40th my brothers absolutely nailed the present this arrived today and I was quite shocked as it’s normally socks and undies

This right here is some funny stuff. I would like to know if only Bears fans were allowed to vote. No way Mack is DPoY over Donald. No freaking way!

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https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/01/03/nfl-playoff-predictions-2019-super-bowl-champion-picks

NFL Playoff Predictions: Picking Round-by-Round Winners and Super Bowl LIII Champion

The NFL playoffs are set, and while there are plenty of expected teams playing for a spot in Super Bowl LIII (Saints, Rams, Chiefs and Patriots to name a few) a few teams missed out (Vikings, Steelers), letting some teams sneak unexpectedly (Colts!) into January. But will any of these dark horses take down the teams that dominated 2018? And who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Atlanta on Feb. 3?

The NFL wild-card games kick off on Saturday, with the Colts heading to Houston to take on the AFC South champion Texans on Saturday afternoon. The MMQB writers and editors make complete playoff predictions, and pick their Super Bowl LIII champions.

ALBERT BREER

This is as wide-open a field as I can remember—I believe the four teams who are playing on Sunday (Chargers at Ravens, Eagles at Bears) all have a shot to make it to Atlanta. So, of course, I’m going with two No. 1 seeds in the Super Bowl, My logic?

The Saints are the most well-rounded team, and the AFC is inherently flawed—no one is going to beat the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in the divisional round, and the Chiefs will have just enough to knock off the proud but outmanned old champion to make it through that side of the bracket.

JENNY VRENTAS

This year’s field feels more wide-open than in recent years, at least in part because the Patriots haven’t looked quite as dominant in the past. The last month of the season was a roller coaster ride, with each week a different team looking like the best team in the NFL.

This is all great news, because it should all make for plenty of postseason intrigue. It also means I’m less sure about this pick, but I’ll go with the Saints, who have a strong home-field advantage at the Superdome and have been probably the most consistent and most well-rounded team this season.

ROBERT KLEMKO

I picked the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season and I’m sticking with them, though the loss of Kareem Hunt will hurt this team down the stretch, especially in an AFC championship game against a team like the Texans.

I can see the Rams riding Todd Gurley a long way, and I like their chances after a confidence-building trouncing of the 49ers to close the season. The one team I could see making a surprise run is the Texans, who have the kind of tremendous veteran leadership you need to win on the road in the playoffs.

JONATHAN JONES

It’s all chalk in the AFC for me. The Chiefs and Patriots are at the top of the class, and I just don’t think the Ravens have enough offense to truly compete. In the rematch at Arrowhead, I’m taking the veteran quarterback over the soon-to-be NFL MVP. The Cowboys have lost their last three against the Seahawks, and I rarely bet against Russell Wilson once the weather gets cold.

I think Nick Foles has enough magic to get the Eagles back to the divisional round. But no one is touching the Saints—there’s too much offense and the defense is good enough to get the job done. And soon enough we’re going to be talking about Tom Brady, winner of five Super Bowls and loser of four.

CONOR ORR

While it’s wholly unoriginal to pick the Saints to win it all this year, there isn’t a more complete team in the NFL. They are the Patriots of this season, in that there are an array of fascinating picks to make, but only one possesses the ability to win a game three or four different ways. The Saints have hit their stride with a sea of young talent all on the affordable part of their contracts. This is what happens when you draft well.

ANDY BENOIT

The Saints still have as much offensive firepower as any team and are more dangerous now that they have someone to threaten defenses deep (a healthy-again Ted Ginn). But in December, when the offense stumbled for a few weeks, New Orleans’s defense showed it can carry the heavier load. The Saints can get the one or two stops against the Rams and the one or two stops against the Chiefs to be on the right side of a 38–35-type shootout.

KALYN KAHLER

The Bears are the only team in the NFL whose defense ranks in the top 10 in every major statistical category—total yards allowed, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed, sacks and interceptions. The last team to do that for an season was the 2013 Seahawks, who... won the Super Bowl.

Chicago has the best defense of any team it will face in the postseason, and second-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky has rebounded from his worst game of the season in Week 14, and hasn't thrown an interception since throwing three that game. He's been making timely throws on third down and stringing together long drives.

As long as Trubisky maintains this level of play and continues to protect the football, this young Bears defense will carry the team to it's first Super Bowl title since those untouchable '85 Bears won it all. Head coach Matt Nagy has created an infectiously fun culture, and players completely have bought into his message. This team is peaking at just the right time.

BEN BASKIN

Drew Brees will likely come up just short of earning the first regular season MVP award of his career, but I believe the season will end with him earning his second Super Bowl MVP award. Of the three teams with explosive offenses this season—Saints, Chiefs, Rams—New Orleans has had the most consistent effort on the defensive side of the ball all year and that is what separates them.

Also, unlike Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes and Los Angeles with Jared Goff, the Saints have a quarterback in Brees who knows what it takes to make a long run in the playoffs, and postseason experience is often crucial.

As for the AFC, despite the Patriots being a clearly inferior team than the Chiefs and Mahomes playing otherworldly this season, I will believe a quarterback making his first career playoff start can beat a Bill Belichick-defense when I see it. As the two legendary QBs wind down their Hall of Fame careers, we will finally be gifted with a Brees-Brady showdown on the grandest of stages.

ANDREW BRANDT

While I do think the teams no one wants to face in the playoffs are the Eagles and the Ravens, and I do see them upsetting at least one opponent in the playoffs, I believe the Super Bowl will come down to the chalk picks. The Chiefs and Saints have to win two home games, in buildings where they have historically decided home-field advantage, to advance to the Super Bowl.

And while I do worry about the Kansas City defense, I think they are less likely to ever be stopped offensively than New Orleans, who have had some subpar offensive performances over the last month or so. The Chiefs may be one of those teams that is truly never out of a game, and while defense will always be discussed by football purists, offense will rule the day in this postseason.

MARK MRAVIC

I had the Chargers and Rams at the outset of the season, and I’m sticking with it. While the Saints and Chiefs have been impressive, both have looked a little vulnerable over the last month of the season (not to say that the L.A. teams haven’t had their weaknesses). In the AFC, the Colts are on a roll at the right time and I see them pulling off a couple upsets on their way to the conference title game—in the Chargers’ soccer-stadium bandbox.

In the NFC, I like the Rams to have learned from their experience last year and winning the rematch of their Week 9 shootout with the Saints in the Superdome. But in the end, the Chargers will show that they’re the most well-rounded team in this year’s playoffs.

GARY GRAMLING

I went creative preseason and midseason, but January football is meant to be taken seriously, so I'll just tell you that the Patriots will beat the Saints in Atlanta. As for the wild-card round, both AFC games are pick-ems while the Seahawks don't beat anyone good on the road and the Bears don't lose to anyone at home.

After that, the Saints make it eight in a row (in meaningful games) at the Superdome—where only Ryan Fitzpatrick can come in and win—and the Chiefs end up allowing 180 rushing yards to Sony Michel in the AFC title game and losing 31-30. In Super Bowl LIII, Stephon Gilmore gets the better of Michael Thomas and the Patriots send a parade of defenders to smother Alvin Kamara, winning a surprisingly low-scoring game 20-17.

BETTE MARSTON

Back in the preseason, Ben Baskin wrote that as long as Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are with the Patriots, then New England will be playing in the Super Bowl—and that’s stuck with me all season. As much as I want to see Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs play in Atlanta, after the year they have had, I think the Patriots’ mix of experience and personnel will get them to the final game, but they’ll hit a roadblock against perfectly oiled machines that is the New Orleans Saints this season.

Also, I picked New Orleans to beat New England in Super Bowl LIII back in the preseason, so here’s to sticking with my original prediction.

MITCH GOLDICH

Sometimes playoff predictions set up a sort of ethical quandary. Are you supposed to pick what you think is most likely to happen (this is the social contract we have with our readers, right?) or are we supposed to pick what will make us look smartest if it comes true so we can brag on Twitter (this is how I enjoy spending my time).

I love predictions, but sometimes I hate being put in the position to make new predictions when I already have old ones on record. Are you required to double-down? Are you a coward if you flip-flop? Can you take credit for your preseason predictions if you abandoned them somewhere along the way?

Anyway, I took Chiefs over Saints in the preseason, took them again at midseason and then watched them both win No. 1 seeds. So now I’m now tripling down.

I'm curious to see what the Uniforms will be for our home playoff game(s). Wonder if the NFL will let us continue wearing the Royal/Yellows? Anyone heard anything??

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...hed-the-passer-better-than-any-other-defense/

Rams rushed the passer better than any other defense
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 3, 2019

Aaron Donald led the NFL in sacks and is the consensus choice for defensive player of the year, but even when Donald didn’t actually bring down the quarterback, he affected opposing passers in other ways.

Donald led the league in pressures as well as sacks, and he led a defense that pressured opposing quarterbacks more frequently than any other defense in football.

According to Chris Trapasso of the Buffalo News, using data compiled by Pro Football Focus, the Rams got pressure on 40.1 percent of the dropbacks they faced, the best of any defense in the NFL in the 2018 season.

As is often the case, however, when a team succeeds at rushing the passer, it can struggle to stop the run. Draw plays often work well against a team that’s focused on getting to the quarterback, and in the case of the Rams they allowed opposing runners to gain an average of 5.1 yards per carry. That’s dead last in the NFL.

So whether it’s the Bears, the Seahawks or the Cowboys the Rams face in their first playoff game, expect them to get to the quarterback often. But don’t be surprised if any one of those teams is able to run effectively in Los Angeles next weekend.
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Click link below and scroll down to see chart for all teams.

https://buffalonews.com/2019/01/03/...ular-season-sixth-in-defensive-pressure-rate/

I will try to keep up on these. It may not be daily and I will also probably be posting some trivia from the NFL as a whole. Good luck and have fun.

Note: These questions may change almost daily. I will lock them as soon as I post the answer and then unsticky them a day or so later.

OK so here is the deal. Years ago I found an LA Rams Trivia Game in a Goodwill. I pretty much bought it as a piece of memorabilia. Now with the Rams moving back, I thought it might make for a fun game for some of us old timers. Odd thing is that about 70% of the questions have nothing to do with the Rams.

So here is what I will do. I will post the questions that are Rams related and let you guys answer. I will then post the answers the next day. These are not easy questions as far as I can tell but maybe the memory function of my brain has been compromised.
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There is only basically one rule. No search engines or internet sites to look up answers that you will post later. I realize some will still look up the answers. I know I would if I didn't have the cards. But I want to see how many out there actually know the answers. So if you do feel like looking them up on the internet, feel free.

And if you know the answer, don't post it. Comment all you want.

Now - keep in mind. I said the internet is off limits. But if you have books, magazines, football cards, etc... feel free to use them. That may seem hypocritical but it's about time some of us got some use out of all that stuff we've bought over the years.

Cheers.

Is new turf being installed in the Coliseum? Will it be ready for the playoff game?

To all -

This morning we pushed $20,000 ROD credits to all users.

This is a fresh chunk of $ to use for the Playoffs in Sportsbook;

https://ramsondemand.com/sportsbook/

The bookies will build events all playoffs long! Get in there!

Cheers!

I haven't done one of these in awhile and thought it would be fun during some recent down time.

Well here goes.

Notable Re-signings / tenders
Rodger Saffold
Dante Fowler
Corey Littleton (1st Round RFA Tender)
Malcolm Brown (Tender)
Khadarel Hodge (ERFA Tender)

Notable Release
Mark Barron

NOTE: If Suh can be had for $7-$9 million max per year AND/OR Brockers is willing to take a pay cut down to $6 million max next year, I say bring one or both back. Otherwise, I'd say the Rams should move on, pick up a cheaper veteran and some try hard, high motor, lunch pail types to be used more in a rotation next to Donald.

Notable Free Agent Pickups
Robert Griffin III - Simply put. Jared Goff's new backup.

Benson Mayowa DE/LB, Cardinals - Here's a sleeper who has impressed me in games vs. the Rams. I believe has been miscast as a 4-3 defensive end and could really excel in Wade's defense as an OLB.

Zach Brown ILB, Redskins - From what I've read, he's could be a cap cut after a down season playing with a torn oblique. Brown offers the speed of Barron with more size.

Potential Pickups (One) Dependent upon Brockers OR Suh
Derrick Wolfe, Malik Jackson, or Marcell Dareus
- All are expected to be salary cap cuts or free agents this off season with a deep DT draft looming to lower their potential dollar value.

Position Switch
Samson Ebukam from OLB to ILB

2019 MOCK DRAFT 1.0
This mock draft assumes (hopes upon hope) that the Rams get at least one 3rd round compensatory selection which would go to Jacksonville (Dante Fowler trade) so that the team can keep their orginal 3rd rounder (and an additional 4th at least) despite the injury filled seasons of former Rams Sammy Watkins and Trumaine Johnson.

1st Round
Nasir Adderly, DB, Delaware
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This kids studies and could be the next Earl Thomas, Eric Berry, or maybe even Ed Reed in the NFL. I've never been much of a fan of drafting a safety in the first round, but a physical safety with speed and instincts, who is capable of playing CB and can potentially lock down some of the better receving TEs in the league could do wonders for any defense.

3rd Round
Porter Gustin, LB, USC
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Injury plagued final two college seasons could lower his stock enough for the Rams to take a chance upon picking up a potential steal with this freak of nature (That's if he checks out medically). Gustin had 7 1/2 Sacks in his 6 games pre-injury this season.

4th Round
Corey Ballentine, CB, Wasburn
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Wade Phillip defense works best with corners capable of playing press man coverage. Here's a small school developmental size/speed talent who has the potential to replace Talib or Peters in 2020 brings much needed speed to the secondary. Rams should get a good look at him during Senior Bowl.

4th Round (Projected Comp Pick)
Khalen Saunders/DT/Western Illinois
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Somebody on the DLine has to be able to win one on one matchups when Aaron Donald is double & triple teamed. I nominate a player called the Aaron Donald of the FCS. Saunders could spell Donald and play next to him on passing downs.

5th Round
Donnie Lewis Jr, CB, Tulane
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Yep. Going back to the secondary well once again just like Snead did with the OLine last year as both Talib and Peters shoud be gone in 2020.

Lewis was often asked to cover an island in man, and he excelled there. That tells you what his coaches thought of him. He has the ideal body type to run downfield with speedsters and mirror quick wideouts in the short-to-intermediate ranges of the field. Lewis is a "stays in the hip pocket of the receiver" type corner; his interception and pass-breakup figures indicate that.[i\]
by Chris Trapasso CBS.com

6th Round
Albert Huggins, DT, Clemson
Talented backup DLineman who could have started elsewhere, but the Tigers are loaded at the position. Playing for the suspended Dexter Lawrence in Championship.

Undrafted FA
Pete Swenson, OLB, Western Illinios
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Look at the video of Todd Gurley in the 1st half of the season. There are reports that he suffered some knee soreness even during the 1st half of the season, but the rest of his body was fresh. It will be similar in the divisional round and will not have been hit by opposing defensive players for almost a full month. Add to that treatment which should make the knee better (hopefully) than in the beginning of the season.

I believe Todd will have another gear in this game, and will be a monster in the receiving game. With C.J. Anderson, the team has an embarrassment of riches at the RB position. Anderson himself has not endured the wear and tear of a full season of play, although he did play hard in the last two games, he will get a weeks rest. McVay should create a game plan that wears out the opposing defense which has not gotten a break with our two sledgehammer RB's, for 60 minutes...

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https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2019/01/02/nfl-referees-set-record-most-penalties-called-season/

NFL Referees Set Record for Most Penalties Called in a Season
By Dylan Gwinn

Alex Brandon, Associated Press

One of the constant conversation topics among fans and media this season, has been how NFL officials have impacted the game more than ever.

Now, we have solid statistical proof for why that was such a prevalent topic: NFL officials set a record in 2018, for most penalties called in a season.

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Those numbers are nothing less than staggering. If Hochuli’s crew worked 17 games this year, that means they assessed nearly 15 penalties per game. If they worked only 16, the math comes out to nearly 16 penalties per game.

Either way, that’s horrendous.

What will also stick in the memories of fans is not just the number of penalties, but the complete insanity of some of many of the calls that were made.

Most notably, the roughing the passer calls on Clay Matthews, one of which cost the Packers a game. The no-calls of a helmet-to-helmet hit and a pass interference penalty, that might have cost the Redskins two games. Not to mention the time the refs missed a blatant facemask penalty by Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney.

So, the problems are not just with the calls the officials are making, but also with the calls they’re not making.

If the players are committing legitimate rules violations, than the calls have to be made. However, as has been noticed by fans and media alike, too often the calls are completely inconsistent and nonsensical. This is definitely something the league has to address in the offseason.

RIP to the greatest interviewer wrestling has ever seen. Terrible start to 2019.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/...backs-salary-cap-kirk-cousins-patrick-mahomes

The Curse of a Salary Cap–Eating Quarterback
Big-money quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, and Aaron Rodgers are sitting at home during the playoffs, while the Rams, Chiefs, and Texans have built contenders around young starters still on their rookie deals. The lesson is obvious if NFL teams pay attention.
By Kevin Clark


Getty Images/Ringer illustration

In 1966, San Francisco 49ers star quarterback John Brodie received a contract pitch from the Houston Oilers: “We can set things up so that if you want to, all you’ll ever have to do is play golf and drink beer and gamble,” Oilers general manager Don Klosterman told him, according to the book America’s Game. A better offer has not been made to a quarterback in the five decades since, though teams have tried.

In the era of the booming salary cap, quarterbacks are being paid a disproportionately high percentage of their team’s available dollars. They account for the 14 largest salary cap hits in 2018—in 2011, there were six QBs in the top 14.

Denver quarterback Case Keenum has the same cap hit in 2018 as Houston defensive end J.J. Watt. San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s guaranteed salary this season is higher than the entire salary cap for a team in 1996. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers is making $66.9 million this year as part of his new deal, which is $4 million more than a team’s entire salary cap in 2000.

The problem with teams committing so much of their cap space to quarterbacks is that it is clearly an unsuccessful strategy. None of the five highest-paid quarterbacks in 2018 by average salary—Rodgers, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins, Garoppolo, and Detroit’s Matthew Stafford—made the playoffs. Only Cousins came close.

It’s overly simplistic to say that paying a quarterback a lot of money prohibits a team from being successful. New Orleans’s Drew Brees, Indianapolis’s Andrew Luck, and Seattle’s Russell Wilson each make over $20 million a year. We’re dealing with a small sample size, but what is clear from the 2018 season is that there are too many quarterbacks being paid like superstars. And it’s very bad for team-building if your highly paid quarterback doesn’t play like a superstar.

The problem is simple: The more you give to a quarterback, the less you give to everyone else. This is fine as long as the quarterback plays to the value of his contract, or as long as a handful of cheap rookies come through to fill the gaps, as is the case in New Orleans and Indianapolis.

When those things don’t happen, teams usually fail. Quarterbacks have been given huge extensions because teams deemed it risky not to, but it turns out going all in on a cap-eating quarterback is one of the riskiest propositions in the sport.

Rising league revenues have pushed the salary cap from $123 million in 2013 to $177 million this season, giving teams more freedom. “There’s just a lot more flexibility,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told me. This era of salary growth came after changes to the value of rookie contracts. In 2010, no. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford received about $50 million guaranteed. A year later, after the new collective bargaining agreement, no. 1 pick Cam Newton signed for $22 million guaranteed.

These changes have created unprecedented bargains. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes II, this season’s presumptive MVP, is earning $3.7 million this year, making him the 400th-highest-paid player in the league. He gets about $800,000 less than Falcons backup Matt Schaub and is under contract until 2021.

A consequence of these salary fluctuations is that NFL teams dump all but the top veterans once their rookie contracts are up. (This has had the added effect of lowering the average age of NFL players.) Just as there are more bargains to be found in the draft, there is also more money to spend, and a salary floor that requires teams to spend it.

A lot of this money has gone to quarterbacks, and not always to good ones, which has created a disjointed, stunningly bad market for the position. Washington star cornerback Josh Norman told me this year that quarterback pay should be capped because not enough money goes to defensive players. (The real answer is for owners to pay every NFL player more money, but that’s a different issue.)

It’s easier than ever to play the position in the NFL, and innovative offenses are getting better at maximizing the value of young quarterbacks. Teams like the Rams, Bears, and Chiefs are in enviable situations with young quarterbacks who are under contract for multiple years. Making the wrong decision about paying a quarterback can have disastrous consequences.

“Teams act out of fear with quarterbacks,” Zack Moore, a salary cap expert and author of Caponomics: Building Super Bowl Champions, told me. “Once you decide a guy can’t win a Super Bowl, you should figure out how to get off that path with him. You cannot pay a middling starter like an elite guy.”

Contracts for NFL quarterbacks are generally thought to fall into two categories: less lucrative rookie deals and expensive veteran deals. This is not necessarily true. “There’s a third category,” said Jason Fitzgerald, the founder of Over the Cap, who has consulted for NFL teams. This category includes star players who have outperformed their deals as the cap has risen.

Fitzgerald explained that players like Wilson and Luck, who signed new deals in 2015 and 2016, respectively, have become relative bargains as their deals age. Wilson and Luck are far better players than Oakland’s Derek Carr and Stafford, yet they make less. Stafford’s cap hit this year is $2 million more than Luck’s, $3 million more than Wilson’s, and $4.5 million more than Philip Rivers’s, who signed his deal with the Chargers in 2015.

“There was stagnation, and the quarterback market wasn’t moving, and then that thing jumped like crazy,” salary cap expert and former agent Joel Corry said. “Everyone became king for a day. Carr was the highest paid for 15 minutes, then Stafford, then Ryan, then Rodgers.”

Fitzgerald thinks the chaos started around 2013, when Rodgers signed a five-year, $110 million contract. Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and could have demanded much more, but his deal came at a time when essentially all veteran quarterbacks were paid within the same range. For instance, Rodgers had the same cap hit in 2017 ($20 million) as Miami’s Ryan Tannehill.

“Ryan Tannehill is the perfect example of it. He was paid as a top quarterback only because he was a starter,” Fitzgerald said of that wave of extensions. “There was nothing in his body of work that showed he should be a $19 million quarterback. Those teams put themselves at a disadvantage and you won’t find too many of them in the playoffs.”

Joe Flacco’s contract extension in 2013, which paid him $52 million in guarantees despite his mediocrity, didn’t help matters. According to Corry, the deal that came to epitomize the NFL’s stupidity in awarding quarterback contracts was Jay Cutler’s seven-year, $127 million deal, with $54 million in guarantees, in 2014. “Jay Cutler was the quintessential ‘fear of the unknown’ quarterback,” Corry said. “I think as the cap continues to go up, the new Jay Cutlers of the world will benefit.”

The reason we know that fear of the unknown is still motivating decision-making in NFL front offices is clear: No team in recent memory has willingly given up on a healthy starting quarterback without spending a high draft pick on the position or bringing in a high-priced replacement.

When Cousins left the Redskins last year to sign a three-year, $84 million fully guaranteed deal with the Vikings, Washington didn’t replace him with a low-cost option. It traded a third-round pick to the Chiefs for Alex Smith and signed him to an extension worth nearly as much as Cousins’s contract.

Teams can surely win with a high-priced quarterback. The Saints are not going to ask for their money back on Brees, nor will the Colts or Seahawks on their respective passers. What is important is how teams operate without the salary cap flexibility provided by a starting quarterback on a rookie deal. Moore, who studies how Super Bowl teams are built, said rookie contracts provide so much value that it’s changing the nature of how to build a team. It is not news to say that you need to hit on draft picks, but it’s arguably more important than ever. Get it right, and you can stack many more expensive players.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft told Sports Illustrated in 2013 that if Tom Brady made “elite” quarterback money, the team wouldn’t have been able to build a contender. His comments came before the great quarterback pay boom. Brady has taken less than his market value at basically every turn. A team can pay a quarterback a lot of money and win at a high level, but it becomes harder to build the rest of the roster.

The only team to win the Super Bowl while having its two highest-paid players make more than 21.6 percent of the salary cap is the 49ers in 1994 with Steve Young and Jerry Rice. Teams that spread the money around usually benefit. The two highest-paid players on the Eagles’ Super Bowl–winning team last year combined for 11.6 percent of the cap. The New York Giants paid Eli Manning and Olivier Vernon 22 percent of the cap this season.

Moore points out that the 2017 Falcons came close to winning the Super Bowl with Ryan and Julio Jones accounting for nearly 25 percent of the cap, but Atlanta had a heavy concentration of talented rookie defenders on cheap contracts. The Saints pay Brees and Cameron Jordan slightly over 21.6 percent, meaning they could follow the example set by the 1994 49ers. That, of course, is made possible by the fact Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, and Marshon Lattimore, among many others, are playing at superstar levels on rookie deals.

No team has a higher percentage of its cap tied up in rookie contracts than the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts are third. The Chargers are fourth. The Saints are seventh. It is undoubtedly a smart team-building strategy. However, before you assume it’s the only team-building strategy, note that the Patriots, one of the smartest teams in football, are … 32nd.

The lesson is obvious: Don’t overpay. There are new, different ways to win in the NFL. The lesson of Mitch Trubisky’s success in Chicago is that his contract allows the Bears to pay Khalil Mack. Jared Goff’s deal allows Aaron Donald and many other Rams players to get paid. It doesn’t mean that when the time comes, those teams should spend exorbitant amounts of money on Trubisky and Goff. Maybe teams will get smarter. There might be a test soon: Tannehill and Flacco could be hitting the market.