This is it. The last piece of the NFL preseason puzzle and I’m delivering it to you right under the wire. If you’ve been following my preseason predictions, then you should already know the seeding. In the AFC, the Indianapolis Colts will nab home field advantage with a 13-3 record and in the NFC the Green Bay Packers will get home field at 14-2. That’s a lot of wins between two teams and a Colts vs Packers Super Bowl pick is pretty solid.
But that’s not how I do things.
The top seeds in the NFL have only met in the Super Bowl a few times, and two of those times have been in the last two seasons. There’s no way it happens again. So how will it all go down? Luckily I have this bejeweled turban and crystal ball and I’ve got it all figured out.
Wildcard Round
AFC
Baltimore Ravens (11-5) at San Diego Chargers (11-5)
I like the Chargers, but I don’t like this draw for them. The Ravens in the playoffs and on the road are as tough an opponent as anyone can face. It’ll be too much for San Diegao. Ravens win.
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New England Patriots (10-6) at Buffalo Bills (12-4)
These two teams will likely split in the regular season, but Rex Ryan has a way of flummoxing Tom Brady like no other coach when it comes to the playoffs. The Pats get in at 10-6, but go right out. Bills win.
NFC
St. Louis Rams (11-5) at Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
In NFL history I can’t think of a single time the Rams and Falcons have both been good at the same time. The Falcons are headed in the right direction, but the Rams are built to win on the road. Rams win.
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New York Giants (11-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (12-4)
The Eagles are suddenly a very exciting and trendy Super Bowl pick. I like Sam Bradford probably more than anybody, but against Eli Manning in the playoffs? No. Giants win.
Divisional Round
AFC
Baltimore Ravens (12-5) at Indianapolis Colts (13-3)
This is supposed to be the Colts’ year and that’s a pretty safe bet. But with Joe Flacco in the playoffs, all bets are off. Ravens win.
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Buffalo Bills (13-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
The Cinderella season for the Bills comes to an end against the Steelers. Pittsburgh has a season to get its defense decent and its offense is already primed to score 40 points per game. The Bills are good, but not good enough. Steelers win.
NFC
New York Giants (12-5) at Seattle Seahawks (12-4)
The Seahawks effort to make it to their third straight Super Bowl will fall short against one of the two greatest postseason quarterbacks currently playing. Eli Manning gets it done, earning his team a trip to the NFC Championship. Giants win.
St. Louis Rams (12-5) at Green Bay Packers (14-2)
The Rams’s first playoff season in a decade comes to an end on the icy Hellscape of Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers looks too sharp and too good this year to not make another Super Bowl run. Packers win.
AFC Championship
Baltimore Ravens (13-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4)
These two teams hate each other and it won’t get any cuddlier after this one. The Ravens seem to own the Steelers in the postseason and that will continue. Ravens win.
NFC Championship
New York Giants (13-5) at Green Bay Packers (15-2)
Eli Manning versus Joe Flacco in the Super Bowl would be almost too good to be true, but I don’t believe it happens. Manning takes this Giants team as far as he can, but this is Aaron Rodgers’ league and everyone else is just along for the ride. Packers win.
Super Bowl 50
The odd thing about being the only writer to pick a wild card team to make the Super Bowl is exactly how weird it is to do. Wildcard teams have made the big game plenty of times. In fact, three of the last five Super Bowls had Wildcard teams and two of those teams (the Ravens and the Giants) won. In fact, if you want to go back a few more years and it’s six out of nine Super Bowls. So this isn’t weird. It’s normal. Joe Flacco is the Raylen Givens of the NFL and he’ll make it tough, but it’s time for Aaron Rodgers to get that belt back. The Green Bay Packers will be your 2015-16 NFL Champions.
