The NBA bubble is soon to come to an end, and what a success it has been, and what a thrilling and unexpected Finals we are set to have. A Miami Heat team that is the third team in NBA history to be a 5-seed or lower to make an NBA Finals, against a Los Angeles Lakers team led by former Heat player, LeBron James, who is star-studded and back in their first NBA Finals since 2010. So much is at stake for both franchises, with Miami able to get their 4th ring and have this team be the greatest underdog story in NBA history, and LeBron James on his quest for being the Greatest of All-Time and winning his 4th ring. Here are our predictions for who wins this highly-anticipated NBA Finals:
Saransh’s Prediction
NBA Finals: (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Miami Heat
As a Heat fan myself, this is beyond my wildest expectations for this season. Early in the regular season, Miami was the 2-seed, but then post-All Star Game hit, and the team started reeling, and I had lost my hope of anything crazy, like an NBA Finals appearance, happening. But then the bubble came around and they unlocked a potential the basketball world was not ready for. An excellent run to end the regular season, and then a sweep of the overhyped ‘MJ Warren’ and the Pacers led us to Milwaukee, whom all season I said Miami would beat, and I did not miss on that one. That being said, I thought our series against Milwaukee would be longer and more physical, resulting in Boston beating us there, but that was not the case at all, and Miami was able to tough it out against Boston in 6 games. Anyways, enough about my internal happiness and joy over us making the NBA Finals, now to the series.
So Miami started off the season hot, but in the end, got themselves to a position even better than that. This next test against the Lakers is a beast like no other. As amazing as Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson have been, as well as veterans Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, this is something they have not experienced, but they will have a former Finals MVP in Andre Iguodala to help them out with that. Him, along with Butler, will have the duties of guarding LeBron James and trying to slow him down, which I do not see happening. The Heat’s zone defense, however, could cause lots of problems and make the Lakers one-dimensional, meaning the support cast of shooters has to knock down their shots, as coach Eric Spoelstra will flex his forward thinking on this one. The backcourt of Miami, with Herro, Robinson, and Dragic, are going to feast offensively, against Alex Caruso and Danny Green, so one of those guys offensively has to be consistent every game in order for the Lakers to take commanding control of this series. The way that Caruso has been playing offensively with running the offense, he just needs to keep being aggressive as a ball-handler and floor general in order to keep the Lakers over the hump of Miami.
Matchup-wise, the Lakers would have preferred Boston. They could have played with a bigger lineup against guys like Daniel Theis and Jayson Tatum, and forced Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker to be the guys that beat them. This Heat squad makes it much more difficult, as despite their lack of size, they rebound much better than Boston (case in point, Bam Adebayo and Jae Crowder), they have so many different players who can take over a game and keep it close, and they are going to cause headaches at times for the Lakers. At the end of the day, Miami has all the matchups and depth they need, and Bam could do just enough to slow down Davis, but there is simply no one who can stop LeBron James. As great as Butler and Iguodala are at defending him, to see a guy at age 37 dropping 30-point triple-doubles casually might be the scariest sight in NBA history. That alone, along with the impact of having another superstar in Anthony Davis will prove too much for this great, young, and electric Heat team. Lucky for them, and lucky for me, there is going to be lots of success to cheer about coming in the future, and even with a more competitive league next year (with teams like the Nets, Wizards, and Warriors getting fully healthy), Miami is in prime position to make another title run next season. As much as I love my Heat, I can never go against LeBron and the better Lakers team (which, while it is a superteam, it is a balanced one, not like the Warriors of years past). This will go down as one of the most unexpected title runs in history for the Heat, but they will fall just short to an opponent that is simply better than them.
Prediction: Lakers Win the NBA Finals in 6 Games
Finals MVP: LeBron James
Anish’s Prediction
NBA Finals: (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Miami Heat
As the Lakers and Heat meet in the NBA Finals I can say I was only surprised about the Heat, very surprised. I confidently had the Lakers and Celtics as my finals prediction but the Heat took the East by surprise and absolutely dominated as a team. Different players would go off different nights, as much as we’d call this “Jimmy Butler’s team” stat wise it was very balanced. The Heat have an incredibly deep roster where guys like Tyler Herro can come off the bench and drop 37! It’ll be exciting to watch this matchup, however I think the Lakers are clearly the favorite to win. It appears to be just another NBA Finals appearance for LeBron James as fans/haters are already getting to pull out LeBron’s finals record at the end of this. The LeBron slander has completely changed as now the West is being appeared as the “weaker” conference compared to the battles in the East. The hate towards LeBron James as a basketball fan is just laughable. I see LeBron dominating in this series, but when necessary he will take a step back to Anthony Davis. Regardless, the Lakers will win this series because they have the star power and are far more experience playoff wise. Miami is a great young team who just had an incredible run, however it’s no match for an experienced LeBron James led Lakers.
Prediction: Lakers Win the NBA Finals in 6 Games
Finals MVP: LeBron James
Nikhil’s Prediction
NBA Finals: (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Miami Heat
As a Wizards fan, it’s somewhat heartwarming to see a comparatively mediocre team like the Miami Heat make the NBA finals. By all means, the Heat are in no way, shape, or form lackluster in any respect, but the fact that they had to earn the respect of the league first, and then had to defy all expectations kind of shows how much of an uphill climb this roster had to make. In this respect, I’ve morphed into a Heat fan ever since the beginning of these weird and extenuating circumstances. The Heat have broken the stereotype of two all-stars per team and have managed to spread the wealth among their entire roster, spearheading this approach with the play of the totally deserving de facto leader of their squad, Jimmy Butler. They’ve used such unique techniques, like a 2-3 zone defense reminiscent of high school ball among other things, to get to this position, and head coach Eric Spoelstra has to be hailed for his forward thinking.
But this is the Lakers we’re talking about. And if history has taught us well, it’s that you bet on LeBron James when the odds seem to be in his favor.
The Lakers are the true embodiment of where the league finds itself today: a double-headed monster in James and Anthony Davis, surrounded by specific skill set journeymen, like Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Alex Caruso. This is the definition of a super-team, but one that seems to be pretty balanced in comparison to the 4 All-Star Golden State Warrior teams from years past. It just seems wrong not to pick this team, especially having beaten all opposition up until this point by 4-1 in each series. The Heat are a very similar threat to the Nuggets in many ways: underdog mentality, a well spaced out roster, a lot of young talent, but we all saw how that went. As much as the fan inside me wants to see Miami make this a series, deep down we all know what’s about to happen, and who’s about to pop off.
Prediction: Lakers Win the NBA Finals in 6 Games
Finals MVP: LeBron James
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By Saransh Sharma, Rohan Krishnan, Pranav Thiriveedhi, and Nikhil Pradeep
The 2020-21 NFL season is just days away from us, as on September 10th, the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Houston Texans to kick off the NFL season, and through everything that has been going on around the world, especially with COVID-19, which has forced some players to miss practices and maybe even season games, and has also kept fans out of stadiums, there is just so much uncertainty around if the NFL can even manage to have an entire season. As we are seeing with the MLB, without a bubble, players and coaching staff members are most likely going to end up getting COVID-19 throughout the season, and with how big NFL rosters are, it could force teams to go deep into their practice squads, put backups in quarantine (Seattle is doing that with Russell Wilson and his backup quarterbacks), or even simply put the NFL on pause until they find a bubble, or even completely cancel the season. With this post, we will try not to get into that, and treat it as if it is just a normal season, and let you know our predictions for the NFL season, based on our post from June with the NFL standings.
Atlanta has so much talent on the offensive side of the ball, and Julio Jones will be a tough cover, even for Richard Sherman. The daunting task of facing the 49ers defense, however, especially the front 7, is too much for Atlanta to handle, paving the way for a 49ers victory.
(3) Dallas Cowboys vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
This is probably a division-winner’s worst nightmare for a Wild Card Game, to play Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks, just ask the Philadelphia Eagles (although had Carson Wentz not been injured in that Wild Card Game last season, this is a whole different conversation). The Cowboys are going to be a good team, but their core is very young outside of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, and that is going to hurt them quite a bit, not to mention their suspect defense. The run-first mindset of the Seahawks, combined with Russell Wilson’s talent and experience, beats Dallas.
(4) Green Bay Packers vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brady vs. Rodgers in the playoffs, could you ask for a better matchup? I mean that alone gives this matchup so much hype and potential. Defenses will be non-existent in this one, as both teams are very offense-first and have high-scoring potential. Brady will outplay Rodgers, but Rodgers will do enough to complement the run-game to beat Brady and the Bucs.
AFC Wild Card Round
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (7) Indianapolis Colts
The last time Lamar Jackson faced Philip Rivers was in the 2019 Wild Card Round, when rookie Lamar entered the game in place of Joe Flacco, down 23-3, and was 50 seconds away from pulling off the upset, but fumbled. Now, Jackson is the reigning league MVP and leads one of the most exciting teams in football and one of the biggest Super Bowl contenders. Rivers and Indianapolis will put up a valiant fight, but Lamar and Baltimore get the win this time.
(3) New England Patriots vs. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
Cam Newton might not be in the MVP form he once was in, but Bill Belichick and the Patriots are going to help him get back to elite-quarterback status this season, and that is going to be hard for anyone to stop, even for a defense as good as Pittsburgh’s. Getting Ben Roethlisberger back will get this offense back to having its high-scoring potential as always, but it might not be enough in this game to stop Cam and Co.
(4) Houston Texans vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
These two teams met last year in the Wild Card Game, and man was it a great one. Down 16-0 most of the game, the Texans battled back to force overtime, and then some costly mistakes by Josh Allen in the overtime period gave Houston an easy field goal to win it. That game will be much different than this in large part to the fact that the Texans do not have DeAndre Hopkins, who had 90 yards on 6 receptions. Not having that nearly-unguardable player is going to be the difference this time around, as an improved Josh Allen and improved Bills team will take this one.
NFC Divisional Round
(1) New Orleans Saints vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
Call me crazy, but the Saints have not exactly been very good in the postseason the last few years. Oh wait, I am not crazy, I am right. That theme unfortunately continues yet again for the Saints, as Russell Wilson and his monstrous receiving core comes up big and denies Drew Brees of a chance at a second Super Bowl ring for perhaps the last time in his NFL career.
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (4) Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is a guy you do not want to mess with, even at this stage of his career, where his team is not the usual, pass-heavy, everything-goes-through-Aaron Rodgers type team, and his numbers might not be as glamorous as it has been, but Aaron Rodgers is still one of the greatest football players and intellectuals of all-time. Not only that, but the Packers defense knows what to expect from the 49ers after last season’s NFC Championship game, where Jimmy Garoppolo only threw 8 passes. The Packers will be much more prepared for the run-game this time around, and make Garoppolo do the thing he hates the most, throw the ball in the clutch. I mean, he is a quarterback and does not make big plays throwing, weird right? His job is to throw the football, especially in the clutch, right? Just ask Emmanuel Sanders why he left San Francisco to go play for Drew Brees instead. All jokes aside, Rodgers and the Packers get their revenge.
AFC Divisional Round
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
Unfortunately for the Bills, there is not much they can do. The Chiefs take this one easily.
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (3) New England Patriots
Lamar Jackson vs. Cam Newton. John Harbaugh vs. Bill Belichick. This matchup is one filled with tons of starpower, both on the field and on the sidelines, and to see Cam Newton revitalize his career and play against a quarterback like Lamar Jackson, whom many compare to a young, MVP Cam Newton, is going to be a great matchup to see and an instant classic. However, Lamar will have learned from his playoff mistakes previously. Baltimore will find a way to outsmart Belichick’s defensive gameplan and lead the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game.
NFC Championship Game
(4) Green Bay Packers vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
Rodgers vs. Wilson yet again in the NFC Championship Game? Yes, please. Last year, Rodgers got revenge for the 2015 NFC Championship Game loss, but this year, in yet another classic matchup between these two, Wilson gets his revenge. Seattle stuns Green Bay in Lambeau and goes to the Super Bowl.
AFC Championship Game
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (2) Baltimore Ravens
Mahomes vs. Jackson, yet another amazing quarterback battle, and one of the MANY we will hope to see this postseason. Kansas City is the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl, but many forget that there has not been a repeat Super Bowl champion since the Patriots did it back in 2003 and 2004. After two years of disappointment, it is only fitting that Jackson comes into a league of his own through this postseason run and takes down the defending champions, showing yet again how hard it is to repeat as Super Bowl champions in the NFL.
Super Bowl LV: Baltimore Ravens vs. Seattle Seahawks
This Super Bowl is going to be a historic one. It will feature one of youngest Super Bowl matchups amongst the two quarterbacks (combined age), the first Super Bowl featuring two Black starting quarterbacks, and just the third time that a 6-seed has made a Super Bowl. Yet again, the quarterback battle does not fail to disappoint anyone, and in a year filled with so many unknowns, a potential playoff bubble, and so much more, I pick an even more unpredictable Super Bowl champion. Russell Wilson and that monstrous receiving core I mentioned earlier (Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, David Moore, Josh Gordon, Philip Dorsett, plus Greg Olsen and Will Dissly at Tight Ends), along with a great running mentality, they will present a challenge that the Ravens simply cannot match, no matter how great the heroics of Jackson are. The Seattle Seahawks are your Super Bowl LV Champions.
Pranav’s Predictions
NFC Wild Card Round
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (7) Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta has been the most iffy team in the last few years, not only on the football side but literally with every other sport in the city. But for the Falcons, a promising offense with star receiver Julio Jones and a reliable Matt Ryan could pose a major threat in the NFC playoff side. On the other hand, the 49ers, have arguably the best defense in the league and were the NFC’s rep for last year’s Super Bowl. Depending on the performance of Atlanta’s offense and how well Todd Gurley fits into Dan Quinn’s scheme, Atlanta has a shot at upsetting San Francisco.
(3) Dallas Cowboys vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
The Dallas Cowboys, once again, are in a position where they have to match up against one of the hardest teams to play, on both sides of the ball. Unlike their path to the playoffs (which was to just win the NFC East) they will have to prove they are the real 3rd seed and show the entire NFL they are the team to be scared of. But let’s be realistic. Other than Elliot, Cooper and Martin, what other talent resides in Dallas that can stand up to Russell Wilson and the dangerous Seattle Seahawks. Seattle will easily step over Dallas and move onto the next round.
(4) Green Bay Packers vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Like Saransh said above, this round will feature Brady vs. Rodgers in the playoffs, something fans have been dying for since forever. Guess what? It’s going to happen and the game will come down to the wire. Brady is probably the most reliable player in the NFL when it comes to the playoffs and with a strong and loaded offense, I think the Packers defense will have too much to handle. Brady and the Bucs take this game. They definitely won’t forget it.
AFC Wild Card Round
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (7) Indianapolis Colts
Lamar Jackson was last year’s MVP. MVP is a regular season award to clarify. When it comes to the playoffs though, Lamar Jackson really drops out of that “MVP Race.” Last time Jackson played Rivers in the playoffs, Lamar got a taste of what really goes on in win-or-go-home games and unless he is healthy and is able to lead the Ravens to start off the game well, this will be a cakewalk for Baltimore. Rivers and the Colts will put up a good fight, but a more experienced Lamar Jackson (at least more than last year) will lead the Ravens to the next round.
(3) New England Patriots vs. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
The New England Patriots were expected to have a losing record after losing the biggest player in franchise history. The Pats had even more bad news with the opting out of almost the entire defense due to the Coronavirus. But, with the addition of former MVP Cam Newton and the more experienced Gilmore, Belichick can definitely prove the doubters wrong once again. New England will end their “rivalry” with the Steelers and move on to the next round.
(4) Houston Texans vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
This matchup is a repeat of last year’s playoffs, where the Texans took the game in what was a very close and competitive matchup. I think the loss of Deandre Hopkins will play a significant part in Houston’s struggle but I still think they have a shot. Houston will beat Buffalo.
NFC Divisional Round
(1) New Orleans Saints vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
The Saints once again will have the opportunity to show the world they are the best team in the NFC. But for the New Orleans Saints, a playoff struggle drought is hard to overcome. Not much changed with the team, but some things are happening as we speak that can alter the future of the Saints organization. Seattle on the other hand looks rock solid and can definitely pull off a “seeding mistake” upset. Seattle takes this game.
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Next up is another great matchup for Tom Brady and his new team. A game against his former apprentice in what will be a thriller for the ages. A booming Tampa offense against San Francisco’s wall defense will definitely be a hard game to predict a winner but I can see Tom Brady’s experience overcoming the 49ers. Bucs move onto the championship game.
AFC Divisional Round
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (4) Houston Texans
Mahomes is too good. Sorry, not sorry. Chiefs will move on.
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (3) New England Patriots
Lamar will definitely win his last game but can he overcome another round of the playoffs in the same year? And against Belichick and Cam? I don’t see this happening for the Ravens. Patriots take this game and move onto the AFC Championship.
NFC Championship Game
(5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
Last time Brady played Russell Wilson and the Seahawks in the playoffs, he needed the luckiest play in the world to win (Malcolm Butler interception). But this time, a stronger Seahawks offense and defense will provide a reckoning for Brady and will show the Bucs they aren’t ready yet. Hopefully the Seahawks run the ball this time. Seattle moves on to the Super Bowl.
AFC Championship Game
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (3) New England Patriots
Two years ago, the Patriots and Chiefs played in what was the craziest AFC championship game in a long time. Brady and Mahomes went back and forth, which caused the game to come down to the wire, where the Patriots got the edge and were able to win. But this time, Brady won’t be there to provide that insurance against the Chiefs. Cam Newton will perform his best, but an already Super Bowl contender in the Chiefs will show the NFL why they belong in the Super Bowl again.
Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Seattle Seahawks
If the Super Bowl comes down to the Seahawks playing the Chiefs, this will surely be a hard one to predict, with an amazing matchup at every position on the field. The most exciting one would obviously be the Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes showdown. Mahomes got the best of the 49ers last year, but the Seahawks are not the same team they were last year. They are stronger and have a real hunger in the team’s heart. I think this game will be a showdown that comes down to the wire, but I definitely see the Seahawks pulling away with the Lombardi Trophy.
Rohan’s predictions:
NFC Wild Card Round
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (7) Atlanta Falcons
I think Atlanta is going to surprise a lot of people this year. Matt Ryan always performs well in even years, and they have weapons like Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Todd Gurley. Despite Atlanta’s electric offense, the 49ers have one of the best defenses in the league. San Fran moves on in a nailbiter.
(3) Dallas Cowboys vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
Dallas and Seattle are going to be a high scoring affair. You got two of the best quarterbacks in the game as Prescott and Wilson will have high passing games. However, I think Wilson will outduel Prescott and the Seahawks defense, with newly acquired backs Jamal Adams and Quinton Dunbar, will make a couple of needed stops for the victory. Seattle advances.
(4) Green Bay Packers vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Here we have another legendary quarterback duel. Aaron Rodgers vs Tom Brady is always a fun one as these two are bound to be in the Hall of Fame. Tampa Bay has a sneaky good defense though and I think the Buccaneers will outduel the Packers in the end. Tampa wins by a touchdown.
AFC Wild Card Round
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (7) Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis is a sleeper team this year. They went 7-9 last year but they arguably got an upgrade at QB and their defense has one of the better linebacker corps with Darius Leonard and Anthony Walker leading the way. But they are playing Lamar Jackson, who is coming off an MVP season and is looking for redemption after a disappointing playoff loss last year. I think the Ravens take this one easily at home in a blowout.
(3) New England Patriots vs. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
I am surprised to see the Patriots at the third seed, but I could see it happening. Cam Newton would have to be playing close to what he was before injury and offensive pieces like N’Keal Harry and Sony Michel have to step up. However I think the Steelers are the better team here. Big Ben is back and JuJu will have a bounce back year because of that. They also have James Conner who has suffered injuries in the past but I think he will be healthy this year. I got the Steelers winning on the road.
(4) Houston Texans vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
Despite the Texans losing Hopkins, they still have a very solid team. I think Will Fuller is massively underrated and can take a step up in his production this year. They also have newly acquired deep threat Brandin Cooks and David Johnson who could have a bounce-back year. The Bills are another team that I really like this year. Josh Allen continues to trend up and now he has Stefon Diggs to help him out. A rematch of last year’s playoff game, I think the Bills get revenge and win this one thanks to their defense.
NFC Divisional Round
(1) New Orleans Saints vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
I am not sure how to feel about the Saints. Every postseason it seems that they choke and lose to an inferior opponent. But in this matchup, Seattle is a very good team and I feel that they are better than the Saints. New Orleans postseason woes continue and Seattle clinches an NFC championship berth.
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The 49ers are looking for redemption after losing a lead and the Super Bowl last season. It is also nice to see Garoppolo go against Tom Brady since Garoppolo was his backup back in New England. In this matchup, we have a firepower offense consisting of Brady, Godwin, and Evans against a defensive juggernaut of Bosa, Sherman, and Armstead. I see the 49ers coming on top in a close one thanks to their elite defense.
AFC Divisional Round
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
Listen, I love Josh Allen and the young Bills, but the Chiefs are going to blow them out period. Kansas City kept the same team from last year and got better. Chiefs move on easily.
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
Man what a game this would be. One of the greatest rivalries in all sports in the AFC Divisional Round. I definitely think this will be a close game despite Baltimore having a much better and deeper team. Lamar will learn from his previous mistakes and have one of the best Ravens playoff performances but the Steelers will give a very good fight. Ravens by a field goal.
NFC Championship Game
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
The 49ers-Seahawks rivalry is one of the best in the NFL. If you want proof, just take a look at their two most recent matchups. In Week 10, the Seahawks grinded out an overtime win but in Week 17, the 49ers got a last second stop and won the NFC West. I think this one will be another one for the rivalry books, as the Niners come out on top in a thriller.
AFC Championship Game
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (2) Baltimore Ravens
This is the matchup many people were expecting in last year’s postseason, but the Ravens flamed out in the divisional round. Mahomes and Lamar are the future of the NFL and this game is going to be a fun scoring affair. Kansas City is the high favorite here, however I think the Ravens will win thanks to Lamar who further cements his place as one of the most dynamic QBs in the league.
Super Bowl LV: Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers
A rematch of the 2013 Super Bowl, this one is definitely going to be a treat. This game will go back and forth, but the swarming 49ers defense will have its ways with Lamar and shut him down. The 49ers get their redemption this year and win the Lombardi Trophy, becoming the third team to win 6 championship wins.
Nikhil’s Predictions
NFC Wild Card Round
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (7) Atlanta Falcons
The 49ers proved a lot of people wrong last year by making it to the super bowl, and for all intents and purposes kept the same team and mentality for this year as well. The ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ mentality applies perfectly fine in my opinion, and this matchup against Atlanta should not be a real threat to their postseason aspirations. With a staunch defense that will pose real problems even for Atlanta’s high-powered offense (headlined by Julio Jones, Todd Gurley, and Matt Ryan), and a decent enough run-central offense, I see the Niners winning this one in a secure manner.
(3) Dallas Cowboys vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks
Somehow, some way, the Seattle Seahawks always manage to make it into the postseason one way or another. The reason behind this has to be Russell Wilson, and his MVP caliber play in recent years. With Tyler Lockett and Chris Carson on offense, and an already solid defense that just got better with the addition of Jamal Adams, there isn’t any real doubt here that they’ll win this game handily. Especially when a team as mired in mediocrity as the Dallas Cowboys steps up to be the opponent, Seattle will keep the ship sailing right through to the next round.
(4) Green Bay Packers vs. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ah yes, the two old men of the league, in a good ol’ fashioned shoot-out. Nothing gets better than this type of matchup. As I sort of alluded to already, this game is all about the high-powered offenses. And with the recent addition of Leanord Fournette, the Bucs seem to take this one. When you have names like Brady, Gronk, Godwin, Evans, and even Ronald Jones and LeSean McCoy as members of a rotating RB committee, there really is only so much Aaron Rodgers can do with his comparatively weaker offense. I do see the Packers making it difficult for the Bucs, but in the end the Bucs take this one.
AFC Wild Card Round
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs. (7) Indianapolis Colts
I think Lamar Jackson is mad. Mad about going out so early in last year’s playoffs, even after completing one of the most jaw-dropping seasons for a QB in recent memory. And if sports has shown us anything in past years, it’s that you should never make a team’s best player angry. This Raven’s team is nuts, and that’s an understatement. Matched up to a rather unproven Colts team with so many new moving parts, and it’s hard to go against the Ravens blowing them out of the water.
(3) New England Patriots vs. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
If Lamar Jackson is mad, Cam Newton is FURIOUS. And again, you never want to make a former MVP mad. Again, there is so much we don’t know about the Patriots right now, and that makes it even harder to predict this matchup; we don’t even know if they’ll put the pieces together to make it into the playoffs. But for arguments’ case, when matched up against a rather uninspiring Steelers team, if they can figure it out I can see the Patriots sneaking by to the next round.
(4) Houston Texans vs. (5) Buffalo Bills
The Texans are a rather interesting case, because many thought they had the potential to contend last year, but they’ve seemingly gone backwards by getting rid of Deandre Hopkins this offseason. Don’t get me wrong, this team is definitely still talented, with Watson, Johnson, Fuller V, and of course JJ Watt, but the way this league has headed in recent seasons, the Texans simply haven’t made the right moves to contend. The Bills on the other hand are on an upward trend, having proved a lot of doubters wrong last season as well. With the addition of Stefon Diggs to a rather underrated offense, I think we see the first upset in my set of predictions, and see the Bills advance to the next round.
NFC Divisional Round
(1) New Orleans Saints vs (6) Seattle Seahawks
The Saints have to break this curse that they are in eventually, and I believe this is the year. Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and of course Drew Brees are in dire need of a NFC Championship appearance, and it feels like, now more than ever, they want it more. The Seahawks will definitely provide a hell of a fight, but in the end I don’t think their defense can contain the offense of the Saints enough to see them through. New Orleans advances.
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Apprentice meets master. Jimmy Garrapollo showed the world that he was no joke last year, carrying the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Even though the Bucs have the one person that Jimmy G learned under in the New England system, I think the 49ers are more adapted to deal with the other team instead of vice versa, and it’s mainly because of their amazing defense. Brady has not been the human highlight reel he has been in previous years, and I think the Niners defense capitalizes on this. Expect the Niners to advance.
AFC Divisional Round
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs (5) Buffalo Bills
Mahomes. Ok cool, glad everyone’s on the same page. Kansas City flies past.
(2) Baltimore Ravens vs (3) New England Patriots
The Patriots are too new of a team to expect the most from in their first year without Tom Brady, and even having them this high up in my prediction is giving them a huge benefit of the doubt. I don’t think their offense can put up enough points to contend with the absolute machine that is the Ravens offense. Thus, the Ravens advance to the next round.
NFC Championship
(1) New Orleans Saints vs (2) San Francisco 49ers
This is where these predictions get interesting. Both of these teams have strengths on different sides of the ball: New Orleans has their offense, the 49ers have their defense. We’ve emphasized those strengths so much, so in my mind it depends on who wins the matchup of their weaker ends of the ball. In my opinion, I think the Saints put it together on defense and are able to shut down the run-heavy Niners offense, and thus, advance to the Super Bowl.
AFC Championship
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs (2) Baltimore Ravens
Again, I think Lamar Jackson has something to prove, and is going to flourish in this matchup. I think he matches Patrick Mahomes in production, which will inevitably result in a complete shootout between the two. What seems to be the deciding factor in this matchup is the defense, and I think the Ravens can muster up enough secondary structure to contend and limit Mahomes’ production. It will be a crazy, hard, but earned win for the Ravens.
Super Bowl LV: (1) New Orleans Saints vs (2) Baltimore Ravens
Throughout these predictions I’ve been on the Ravens bandwagon, stating that Lamar Jackson will play like someone with something to prove, and the Ravens will rally behind his play. I also think the Saints have matured from their previous blunders and have finally moved away from their fragile nature. Thus, both of these teams are teams that have learned from the past, and have in some ways turned the corner. In the end, I think the hunger that the Ravens can tap into, as well as the jaw-dropping talent that their roster has gives them the upper hand. It will definitely be close and a high scoring affair, but I predict the Baltimore Ravens as the next world champions.
sportsthrills 