Wild Card weekend (and season review)

The regular season has ended and the usual suspects (on both ends of the spectrum) have revealed themselves:

1. Losers are losers and find a way to lose: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Jets, Dolphins, Giants, Redskins, 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers

2. Hip Hip Hooray, we're middle of the pack (at-best): Falcons*, Lions, Packers, Seahawks, Cowboys, Titans*, Ravens, Chargers, Bills* (* notates playoff team)

3. And here we go again, teams and their normal winning ways: Steelers, Patriots******, Chiefs, Saints, Panthers

4. Holy shit, where did you come from: Eagles, Rams, Vikings, Jaguars


So now we have the wild card weekend ahead of us with the following schedule:
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2018-nfl-playoff-odds-picks-bills-shock-jags-rams-roll-falcons-in-wild-card-round/

Saturday, January 6th
4:35pm - Titans @ Chiefs (-7.5)

Quote :

-Kansas City against the spread: 10-6
-Kansas City against the spread as the favorite: 8-5
-Tennessee against the spread: 8-7-1
-Tennessee against the spread as the underdog: 2-1

8:15pm - Falcons @ Rams (-5.5)

Quote :

-Atlanta against the spread: 7-9
-Atlanta against the spread as the underdog: 0-2
-Los Angeles against the spread: 9-7
-Los Angeles against the spread as the favorite: 7-5

Sunday, January 7th
1:05pm - Bills @ Jaguars (-7.5)

Quote :

-Buffalo against the spread: 9-6-1
-Buffalo against the spread as the underdog: 4-5
-Jacksonville against the spread: 9-7
-Jacksonville against the spread as the favorite: 6-5

4:40pm - Panthers @ Saints (-6)

Quote :

-Carolina against the spread: 9-7
-Carolina against the spread as the underdog: 5-2
-New Orleans against the spread: 9-7
-New Orleans against the spread as the favorite: 8-3

What makes this weekend so great, is the fact the Steelers have the BYE and I'll be able to watch the games without biting my nails past the nail bed.

So here's my take on the games:
Titans @ Chiefs:
Chiefs take this one going away from the start

Falcons @ Rams:
Rams at home as Matty Ice doesn't regain last year's playoff form.

Bills @ Jags:
Bills give the Jags all they can handle, but the Jags run away with it in the end.

Panthers @ Saints:
This will probably be the most exciting game of the weekend. Unlike the other games, the home team doesn't win this one. Panthers pull it out late in the 4th.

Divisional Round matchups:
Chiefs @ Patriots*
Jags @ Steelers
Panthers @ Eagles
Rams @ Vikings

Chiefs and Titans. Should be a good game. I think Titans keep it close, but Chiefs pull away in the 3rd and win.

I'll be surprised by anything other than a chiefs dominant victory.

Yeah. Chiefs look pretty good. This may be a blowout.

So....Has Marcus Mariota regressed? That was a terrible read on that INT.

Wow, horrible call on the Mariota fumble. Ruled not a fumble because his progress had been stopped? He wasn't even moving ... he was standing in the pocket.

Ok now I don’t know what a fumble is anymore either

— swirvan36 (@swirvan36) January 6, 2018

Officiating is really bad in this game.

And the Titans are shooting themselves in the foot.

Looks like we have a football game.

Wallace108 wrote:

I'll be surprised by anything other than a chiefs dominant victory.

Surprised?

Is it too late to change my prediction?

Wow epic choke by KC.

The former VP of officiating has this to say about today's officiating...

Horrible way to start the playoffs. I hate to say it but this was not a good performance by the crew. Teams and fans deserve better.

— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) January 7, 2018

I didn't think there was any way Titans won this game. Easy for the cheats next week although maybe LeBeau can draw up some defenses to smack brady around a little.

Forget Mariota's pass to himself. The play(s) of the day came from the booth. Al Michaels was continually ripping the refs and reviews. Here's just one example...

https://mobile.twitter.com/LacesOutShow/status/949817794551525376/video/1

here's to a Bills win Sunday.

effyou515 wrote:

here's to a Bills win Sunday.

I was sure last week the Chiefs and Jags would move on this weekend. After the Titans game yesterday it wouldn't seem that much of a surprise if the Bills win today. It would seem weird for a Titans-Steelers and Bills-NE Divisional round. 1 and 2 seeds vs. 5 and 6 seeds. I can hear the media now making stories about how the Titans will own the Steelers because LeBeau knows them so well...

We have a baseball score between the Jags and Bills.

How is it that whenever the Steelers have an injury to a key player prior to (Bell), or during the playoffs (AB a couple years ago) they are never ready to go? McCoy was carted off the field with an ankle injury last week and is playing like he's not missing a step.

Bills really need a touchdown from the Bengals here

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 7, 2018

So now a ball with the nose touching the ground and moving in the receivers hands is a catch. In this case, the CB.

jak341 wrote:

So now a ball with the nose touching the ground and moving in the receivers hands is a catch. In this case, the CB.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, unbelievable. In the CB's case it was one diving motion, in JJ's case he caught it and lunged.

Ben wanted redemption vs. the Jags. He'll get his shot now.

Wallace108 wrote:

Bills really need a touchdown from the Bengals here

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 7, 2018

Hard to believe how bad Bills and Jags offenses were in that game. Bortles had a Kordell Stewart day with more rushing than passing yards. Bills held Fournette to 57 yds and a 2.7 avg.

LambertWardSteel wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

Bills really need a touchdown from the Bengals here

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 7, 2018

Hard to believe how bad Bills and Jags offenses were in that game. Bortles had a Kordell Stewart day with more rushing than passing yards. Bills held Fournette to 57 yds and a 2.7 avg.

I think the Browns could have beaten the Bills or Jags today.