I am trying out another community, or better say returning to the community Sports Talk as I had posted in there quite a long time ago. This time I won’t share any photos of mine, so I will redirect myself to totally different topic, which is my great passion and yes you guessed correctly that is sport.
What is the biggest sports event today? For some it will be Chelsea's game, for others Rockets goes to work in NBA, the third will support their home nation at Alpine Skiing and some are thrilling to see next round of NFL Playoffs and that will be my focus today.
Only eight teams left in the competition for Lombardy's Trophy, but that is seven too much as only one will win it. Who is your favorite? Well my favorite team lost last week (hi Seahawks fans...), but I am still cheering for a team or two. I know many will dislike for who I cheer, but hey they are the best! I am speaking about the Chiefs of course. But are they really the best? Time will tell.
I will start my prediction with first match on schedule.
Is that the clearest game of the week? Some will say KC's, but I will still stand by that active rosters by Packers and Rams have the biggest strength difference. Why? American football is game where one position has far bigger role than every other and that is well known quarterback position. And here comes the difference. Come on, A. Rod is playing just perfect this year. He is too experience to blow this up, especially playing at his living room - Lambeau Field. Something is true, I thought Wilson will play through Rams as well and we all know how that ended. I value Wilson just as much as Rodgers, so everything can happen playing against the tank named Aaron Donald. But not only he, whole group of defense is awesome by the Rams and they will need to play for their offence as well. Still I don’t find this game ending any different than with Green Bay’s win.
Score: 14 Los Angeles Rams - Green Bay Packers 34
MVP: A. Rodgers with 352 passing yards and 3 touchdowns
Bold prediction: R. Tonyan will score all three receiving TDs!
Buffalo is playing right? Who would think so couple of years ago? Definitely not me. I have to admit I still treat them as old Buffalo Bills sometimes. I just don’t give enough credit to Josh Allen. He is too good to be overlooked, but there is something which doesn’t allow me to name him and rank him the same with Rodgers, Wilson, Mahomes, etc. If he will come to division finals, I will simply have to accept that he is one of those top guys playing the ball. But winning Baltimore will be tough. I don’t like Ravens team very much, as I don’t like the franchise as a whole. Don’t ask me why? Being from Europe, you simply have to take some teams more likeable (probably wrong expression) and some less to keep this game entertaining. Just as much as I don’t trust Allen, I don’t trust Jackson either. Probably I lost all my credibility with last sentence as they are both an amazing players, but it is just how I feel and see things. At least for the playoffs, I don’t trust neither, maybe in couple of years, but one of them will be on the edge of paradise after the game. Hard to predict who, but I would say Baltimore. Their run game is better than Bills and no way can the Bills D show another performance as last week stopping Henry to what? Less than 50 yards? No way. But as I said, I am anticipating a close game which will be won in 4th quarter, maybe even overtime…
Score: 27 Baltimore Ravens – Buffalo Bills 24
MVP: J. Tucker with successful 57 yard long winning field goal
Bold prediction: All three Ravens RB (Lamar included) will rush for over 50 yards this time and all three will have a rush TD!
As mentioned in the intro, from all eight teams left I cheer for the Chiefs. They simply play best or better say most attractive football in my opinion. If it happen that Browns upset the Chiefs, they will be the team I will be cheering for. I really like how Browns get their team together in a couple of years. Finally we could all say. For years now, I always skipped Browns games no matter which team were on the other side. Things change and this changed as well in the past two seasons. They are really fun to watch and have a complete team on each position. We can not underestimate their D. They would love the same start as they get from the Stealers last week on the opening drive. Everything would be easier than, especially knowing how good players they are operating with from the backfield. Hunt and Chubb duo is the best RB duo by far from the teams which are still in play. Sorry Saints… So receipt for the Browns would be run, run, run if you ask me and be careful with turning the ball. On the other side defense will have to make some stops. Easier say that than do it when you are playing against Mahomes. What else to add? I will focus on KC more next week in divisional finals as I am positive they will get there.
Score: 27 Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs 38
MVP: T. Hill with 233 receiving yards and two scores
Bold Prediction: MVP prediction was bold enough, but I will say that he will achieve entire yardage with only 5 catches on max 7 targets!
That one is tough again to predict. I would say let the better titan wins it. Again small personal input… I am not a Brady fan. Similar situation as with Baltimore above. I simply didn’t like Pats and I still don’t, actually they are probably my least favorite team in the whole league. I even like Jags more ;) But with Brady coming to Tampa, he warmed my heart a bit. With other titan, Brees, is a bit different story. I liked him when he was throwing for 500 yards and I was watching game scores of combined nearly 100 points against Matt Ryan’s Falcons. Lately Brees got old and probably that is the reason why there is no more numbers like that. But hey, he is winning right? That is the only important stat at the end. But he won’t have this luck on Sunday. I would rather tell Brady will have opportunity to close his career in style with winning Super Bowl in front of his home (if we can really call Tampa his home after all these years in Boston) crowd. But OK, now I get carried away a bit and I skipped few stairs right? Let’s finish with Tampa simply having too many amazing skill players so they will win this one, but after a great combat of two of the greatest players of our time.
Score: 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - New Orleans Saints 14
MVP: A Brown with 111 receiving yards and a go ahead score late in the fourth quarter
Bold Prediction: Saints will go up 14 – 0 early in the fourth and keep this lead till the fourth quarter when things will change!
