2016-17 NFL Playoffs
 

Week 1:

Raiders at Texans
Dolphins at Steelers

Giants at Packers
Lions at Seahawks

Who do you have? Who do you like?

Home teams rule the weekend....

Raiders at Texans (TEXANS)
Dolphins at Steelers (STEELERS)
Giants at Packers (PACKERS)
Lions at Seahawks (SEAHAWKS)

Raiders-Texans has all the earmarks of a 6 OT game with a 3-0 final. I'll take Connor over Brock & Tom.

Steelers are the biggest challenge to NE in the AFC.

Giants and Packers are the two best teams in the NFC, the rest of the conference is lucky that only one will be around after this week. My money is on the Giants.

Lions over the Seahawks as something just doesn't feel right to me about Seattle.

The Lions have 1 playoff win in the last 60 years. I'll root for the Lions but it's hard for me to bet against history like that. Then again maybe they're "due".

Texans Giants Seahawks and Dolphins.

Bonus pick of YSU over James Madison in the FCS title.

What I would like is very simple: Patriots winning the AFC and Giants not winning the NFC.

I am going to root for the Raiders, Dolphins, Lions and Packers. But I think the Pack, Seahawks, Raiders, and Steelers win.

Yeah, I 'like' the Lions, but I'm not exactly expecting a win. They were scraping by on the barest margins of grit & luck before Stafford hurt his finger, and that's seemingly been just enough of a hiccup to prevent them from being competitive with anybody anymore, let alone at Seattle in a playoff game.

I will be rooting for your Pats this year to win the AFC and as long as my fiancée's team Dallas doesn't make it to the SB there too. As Brady and Belichik keep going year after year they have earned the respect for sure.

Agreed on the Lions. Seems clearly to be a team going in the wrong direction. I'd like them to improve on that 1-12 playoff record. I'll be rooting hard for it. I'm expecting them to lose by 10. Don't see how they go in with much confidence after losing three in a row. Against good teams, yeah, but still.

538 has Detroit's chances of winning at 29%, slightly higher than Miami's and lower than anyone else's. Seems about right to me. Interestingly they have Green Bay as bigger favorites than I would however.

who I don't want to see in the Super Bowl-New England, Pittsburgh. Dallas, Giants, Seattle. That's not too much to ask for right?

Entirely reasonable. :)

I'm rooting heavily for a New England/Pittsburgh Vs Packers SB for purely betting reasons.

There's really no way the Lions win next week. Seattle is very hard to beat in Seattle. The Lions haven't really beaten any good teams. Their defense has been exposed the last two weeks. Their CB situation is very bad. Stafford's been a bit off. They are down to Zach Zenner as the starting RB for an already pretty bad rushing offense.

They haven't won a road playoff game in over 60 years. This streak will not be broken on Saturday.

This is only their 3rd playoff game since 1999, though, so I'll watch it and hope for the best!

Texans are going to start Osweiler.

Edit: And it looks like the Raiders are going with Connor Cook, who would be making his first career start.

Brock Lobster turns into Eli Manning and meets Eli in the Super Bowl and both try to outdo the other in the "Let's just chuck it and see what happens" department.

Last 2 times Giants have won the Super Bowl, they had to win at Green Bay in the playoffs. Hopefully this hyear is just as fortuitous.

Here's all the numbers in case anyone is curious.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com...l-predictions/

This game has snoozefest written all over it. Had high hopes for Carr and the Raiders this year, but I can't see them winning with Cook at the helm.

I think they're going up against the only playoff team in the past 10 years where's there's a chance though.

Houston's total DVOA was 30th in the NFL this year. One spot below the 49ers. Their weighted DVOA is 27th. One spot ahead of the 49ers.

With Osweiller and Cook starting, I can see a 9-6,12-9 kind of game where it comes down to the kickers. Very disappointed with Houston on how they failed to utilize Hopkins this year, but that's what you get for throwing silly money at Osweiller.

Was just looking ahead to the Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead. Looks like a mix of freezing rain and snow is the forecast for that day. Yikes.

Some analysis on ESPN gave the Lions a 0.2% chance to win the Super Bowl.

Sounds about right.

I'll take the home teams, but this Giants team terrifies me. Eli usually plays well in Lambeau and their D can shut the Pack down. Throw in we may be playing a converted WR from the practice squad at CB and ODB could have a field day. Aaron is going to have to work some magic on Sunday.

Packers, Seahawks, Raiders and Steelers.

So that's an interesting decision inside borderline field goal range. I get the thinking that you want to back up the guy starting his first game, but I'm not sure I'm not trying for the 3 in a game that could be really low on points

Got lucky because of the poor punt and end up taking the FG from almost exactly the same spot. Worked out I guess, but still not sure that's the optimal play

great play by Clowney on the screen.

Giants, Seahawks, Texans, Steelers are my picks for the record.

I know you have a rookie QB but you can't just throw a screen on every play. Not doing themselves any favors so far

Not having their LT is just a big a part of that.

Seems like once they started running the ball it worked out fine, no?

Um...so maybe Detroit should focus on receivers who can catch in the offseason.

1-13! There's always next decade ... Good season for the Lions to get to the playoffs and get all those comeback wins, but they've got too many holes even when they play well. Could have just as easily been 6-10.

Hey! Seattle has an Offensive line! WHO KNEW!
(who-who....who-who...)

Rawls goat!

Gonna need it against Falcons. Need ToP and ball control.

Why is Phil Simms on the lead CBS announce team? Does nobody at the network realize he's an idiot?

Apparently not.

Bell is insane.

Not sure if there is enough of a really good view there to overturn. It was close.

This play is why I hate the "crossed the line" rule. If you want a touchdown actually get into the endzone. Oh, and while they're at it; both heels should be down in bounds for a catch, enough of this toe drag crap.

Been some crappy games this weekend so far. Maybe the Giants/Packers will give us an entertaining game.

So thanks Miami for playing. Here is your complimentary "We made the playoffs!" T-shirts. Not sure why the Miami DC is such a hot coaching prospect based on this game.

I would be fine with the Steelers plane going down with no survivors.

How is that roughing the passer?

How is that roughing?

Crown of the helmet into the chin is going to be roughing.

If this were college he'd be ejected.

Really?

It was a clear helmet to helmet hit.

Huh? He hit him in the head. The NFL should have the college rule so a guy like that is instantly ejected. The only difference is the NFL should review and suspend multiple weeks after something like that.

It's really simple, he dropped the crown of his head and hit the QB in the face mask (which the last time I checked is above the shoulders) That was an EASY call. And a correct one.

Probably something to do with driving the crown of his helmet right into the guys jaw.