TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 8

We are now at the halfway point of the 2018 NFL season.  We have a great idea which teams are looking like Super Bowl contenders, and which ones are pretenders competing for the first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.

My Texans are now in first place in the AFC South after stomping the Jaguars.  They are playing  playing a home game unde the Thursday Night lights against the Miami Dolphins and Brock Osweiler.   This should be fun.   Keep reading to see who I picked in that game.

I had an excellent NFL Week 7, and can't wait to get at it and continue the positive momentum.

Y'all know the drill.  Teams I'm picking to win in bold print, HOME team in CAPS with Mike's picks here.   Only 14 games to pick because the Chargers, Cowboys, Falcons and Traitors Titans are on their bye week 

Also have another game in London's Wembley Stadium on the schedule.

Week 7 Results                                                2018 NFL Season Results
TransGriot  12-2                                               TransGriot  67-38-2
Mike           11-3                                               Mike           63-42-2

Thursday Night Game
TEXANS over Dolphins

London Game
Eagles over JAGUARS

Sunday Early Games
PANTHERS over Ravens
BEARS over Jets
BENGALS over Buccaneers
LIONS over Seahawks
CHIEFS over Broncos
Washington over GIANTS
STEELERS over Browns

Sunday Afternoon Games
Colts over RAIDERS
CARDINALS over 49ers
RAMS over Packers

Sunday Night Game
Saints over VIKINGS

Monday Night Game
Patriots over BILLS

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks -Week 7

We're almost at the halfway point of the 2018 NFL regular season, and I have the lead in my season long prognostication contest with Mr. Watts.   

Had another great week, but didn't expand my lead on the defending champion.  Didn't lose any ground either due to us both ending NFL Week 6 with identical 10-5 records.

With the Chiefs loss to the Cheatriots Patriots, the Rams are the only unbeaten team left.  Can they stay that way or will the '72 Miami Dolphins be popping champagne per their tradition when the last NFL unbeaten squad finally loses a game?

After starting in an 0-3 hole, the Texans now have an chance to get on the plus side of .500 if they can beat the Jacksonville Jaguars.   JJ Watt is back, and has some help with Jadeveon Clowney

 As for who I'm picking in that game?   Keep reading.   

We also have another international game at London's Wembley Stadium this week on the schedule featuring the Tennessee Titans Traitors and Los Angeles Chargers 

Four teams on on their bye week in the Packers, Raiders, Steelers and Seahawks  That means we have only 13 games to pick. 

Let's do this.   My picks are in bold print with home team in CAPS.   Mike's picks are available at this link    Speaking of picks, hope you are doing the same at the voting booth for our future governmental leaders if you can early vote or on November 6.

Week 5 Results                                            2018 NFL Season Results   

TransGriot  10-5                                            TransGriot 55-36-2
Mike           10-5                                             Mike         52-39-2

Thursday Night Game
Broncos over CARDINALS

London Game
CHARGERS over Titans

Sunday Early Games
Texans over JAGUARS
Panthers over EAGLES
Vikings over JETS
Patriots over BEARS
COLTS over Bills 

BUCCANEERS over Browns 

DOLPHINS over Lions

Sunday Afternoon Games
Saints over RAVENS
COWBOYS over Washington
Rams over 49ERS

Sunday Night Game

CHIEFS over Bengals

Monday Night Game
FALCONS over Giants

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks -Week 6

I had a doubleplusgood Week 5.    I not only got to see my NFL ballers beat the hated Cowboys and earn bragging rights over them for the next four years, I regained the lead in the season long prognostication contest with a stellar 11-4 week.

It's time to build on that success and not fritter it away like I did after I seized an initial three game lead.

Only 15 games to pick since the Lions and Saints are on their bye week.  It's a well earned one for the Saints after Drew Brees became the all time NFL passing yardage leader when they beat down Washington in the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

As usual, my picks will be in bold print with the home team in CAPS.   Mike's picks will be at this link.

Week 5 Results                                                    2018 NFL Season Results 
TransGriot  11-4                                                   TransGriot  45-31-2
Mike             8-7                                                   Mike           42-34-2

Thursday Night Game
Eagles over GIANTS

Sunday Early Games
TEXANS over Bills
Buccaneers over FALCONS
Panthers over WASHINGTON
Seahawks over RAIDERS
Colts over JETS
VIKINGS over Cardinals
Steelers over BENGALS
Chargers over BROWNS
Bears over DOLPHINS

Sunday Afternoon Games
Rams over BRONCOS
Ravens over TITANS
Jaguars over COWBOYS

Sunday Night Game
PATRIOTS over Chiefs

Monday Night Game
PACKERS over 49ers

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 5

It's the part of the 2018 NFL that Texans fans have been waiting for since that 20-17 overtime loss at Jerry World in 2014.   

The Texans vs the Arlington Cowchips.   They are probably next to the Tennessee Traitors our most despised NFL rival.  Because we aren't in the same conference, we only get to play them in the regular season every four years. 

The Texans are only 1-3 versus the Cowboys, but the one win we have in the series was the most memorable one.   It was in 2002, during the Texans inaugural NFL season, and they kicked off NFL play versus the Cowboys in a nationally televised game at Reliant (now NRG) Stadium. 

The expansion Texans stunned the Emmitt Smith led Cowboys by beating them 19-10 in front of a raucous sellout crowd.

Now it's the QB's for both teams in Deshaun Watson vs Dak Prescott.   Who's going to win this prime time  Governor's Cup showdown?   Keep reading to find out who I picked to do so.

Week 4 in our season long prognostication contest ended in Mike's second consecutive weekly win, which has us tied going into the Week 5 games.

I have got to get busy.    It's another 15 games that the Bears and the Buccaneers will get to watch because it's their bye week.  My picks will be in bold print with the home team in CAPS.   Mike's Week 5 picks are here.  

Week 4 Results                                                  2018 NFL Season Results
TransGriot  9-6                                                     TransGriot  34-27-2
Mike           10-5                                                    Mike          34-27-2

Thursday Night Game
PATRIOTS over Colts

Sunday Early Games
Titans over BILLS
PANTHERS over Giants
BENGALS over Dolphins
Ravens over BROWNS
Packers over LIONS
CHIEFS over Jaguars
Broncos over JETS
STEELERS over Falcons

Sunday Afternoon Games
CHARGERS over Raiders
Vikings over EAGLES
Cardinals over 49ERS
Rams over SEAHAWKS

Sunday Night Game
TEXANS over Cowboys

Monday Night Game
SAINTS over Washington

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks Week 4

We are now a quarter of the way through the 2018 NFL season, and we now starting to get an idea what teams are looking like Super Bowl contenders, what teams are not living up to the hype, and what teams are playing for the number one pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Week 3 had a lot of upsets, and I muddled through it with a sub .500 record. 

So are my Texans, who need to bust a move to save their season after slumping to a 0-3 record and now since the Browns won, have the longest losing streak in the NFL at 9 games. 

I'm ready to put this behind me and get to Week 4.  Only 15 games to pick this week since the Panthers and Washington are on their bye week.   Team I'm picking to win is in bold print with HOME team in caps.  Mike's picks are here. 

Week 3 Results                                           2018 NFL Season Record 
TransGriot  7-9                                            TransGriot   25-21-2
Mike           9-7                                            Mike            24-22-2

Thursday Night Game
RAMS over Vikings

Sunday Early Games
Texans over COLTS
Patriots over DOLPHINS
Eagles over TITANS
Falcons over BENGALS
BEARS over Buccaneers
Lions over COWBOYS
Bills over PACKERS
JAGUARS over Jets

Sunday Afternoon Games
Seahawks over CARDINALS
BROWNS over Raiders
CHARGERS over 49ers
Saints over GIANTS

Sunday Night Game
STEELERS over Ravens

Monday Night Games
Chiefs over BRONCOS

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks -Week 3

It's Week 3 of the 2018 NFL season, and managed to win my second week in a row.    The key to winning these season long prognostication contests is to stay above .500 and avoid multiple losing weeks.

Unfortunately, my hometown NFL squad is not doing that.   They are in an 0-2 hole after losing to the Tennessee Traitors, and if they want to be playing football in January, they better bust a move now and actually start playing football in the first and second quarters instead of waiting until the second half to handle their NFL business.

And surprise surprise, we've had our second tie in this young NFL season between the Packers and the Vikings.  The Jaguars beating down the Cheatriots Patriots was also an enjoyable surprise.

So let's get to Week 3 of this competition.between me and Mr Watts.   Another 16 games in which I can build on my early lead.   My picks in bold print with HOME team in caps.  Mike's picks are here at this link.

Week 2 Results                                                     2018 NFl Season Record
TransGriot  8-7-1                                                   TransGriot  18-12-2
Mike           7-8-1                                                   Mike           15-15-2

Thursday Night Game
Jets over BROWNS

Sunday Early Games
TEXANS over Giants
VIKINGS over Bills
Packers over WASHINGTON
CHIEFS over 49ers
DOLPHINS over Raiders
Colts over EAGLES
JAGUARS over Titans
Bengals over PANTHERS
RAVENS over Broncos
FALCONS over Saints

Sunday Afternoon Games
RAMS over Chargers
Bears over CARDINALS
SEAHAWKS over Cowboys

Sunday Night Game
Patriots over LIONS

Monday Night Game
Steelers over BUCCANEERS

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 2

Week 1 of the NFL season can be a crapshoot in terms of NFL prognostication.    While you have some idea of how they might play because of the previous season's body of work, that was still a year ago.

Teams have changed because players have moved to new teams either via trade or free agency.  Others have been cut and are still looking to be signed, have retired,  are on suspension for various reasons, on IR  or are out because of training camp or preseason game injuries.

There there are also the drafted rookies who did make the team, and fans are eagerly watching to see what impact they make on their 2018 squad.

While I had a great week to start the 2018 NFL prognostication contest , my fave NFL team didn't.  They started slow and fell behind the New England Cheatriots Patriots 21-6  before waking up in the second half to lose 27-20 amd fall to 0-7 in Foxborough. 

Sooner or later they will beat New England up there, and I'd much rather have it happen during the playoffs.

I also found it interesting at all seven of the new coaches making their season debuts lost their Week 1 games.   Like all the 0-1 teams (or 0-0-1 in Pittsburgh and Cleveland's cases) they are going to have some work to do to ensure they don't go into an 0-2 hole.

So let's get to the Week 2 picks.   Mike's will be at this link.   Mine will be in bold print with the home team in CAPS. 


Week 1 Results                                                                 2018 NFL Season Record
TransGriot  10-5-1                                                              TransGriot  10-5-1
Mike             8-7-1                                                              Mike             8-7-1

Thursday Night Game
BENGALS over Ravens

Sunday Early Games
Texans over TITANS
FALCONS over Panthers
WASHINGTON over Colts
Eagles over BUCCANEERS
Chiefs over STEELERS
JETS over Dolphins
Chargers over BILLS
PACKERS over Vikings
SAINTS over Browns

Sunday Afternoon Games 
49ERS over Lions
RAMS over Cardinals
Patriots over JAGUARS
BRONCOS over Raiders

Sunday Night Game
Giants over COWBOYS

Monday Night Game
Seahawks over BEARS

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks -Week 1

I have had eight months to think about how I screwed up my chance to be the three time TransGriot NFL prognostication champion and how I would have been working on a fourpeat if not for missing the posting deadline for TWO Thursday night games and going 7-9 in the last week of the season.

Instead, I lost my threepeat by one game

I was also thinking about NOT participating this year in protest of all the NFL owner shadiness towards the players and their continued collusion efforts aimed at Colin Kaepernick and now Eric Reed.

But while doing the hard solid thinking in the offseason about not participating this year, I also remembered that 70% of the NFL's players are African American.  I also remembered how sick I am of them being racistly attacked by Trump and his ignorant MAGA hat wearing minions and blamed for the drop in NFL ratings. 

I am also tired of many of the NFL at the behest of Jones owners co signing that BS and the NFL leadership being mealy mouthed about it  .  .

So let's do this, Mr Watts.   Besides, I want my title back.

For those of you who aren't familiar with how the TransGriot NFL Prognostication contest works, Mike and I pick the winners of that week's regular season NFL games with no spread.

Picks for the week must be posted no later than 10 minutes before kickoff of the Thursday night game (or Saturday Sunday games in December and January).  Any game not picked or erroneously left off is considered a loss.    NFL games that end tied will be recorded as a tie.

Person with the best record at the end of the season is crowned the TransGriot NFL prognostication Champion   My picks for the week will be in bold print, with the home team in CAPS.

Mike's picks will be at this link.

So let's get this 2018 contest started.  Everybody's playing, no bye weeks yet.

Final 2017 Season Results                                                   2018 NFL Record         
TransGriot    162-93                                                                TransGriot  0-0
*Mike           163-92                                                                Mike          0-0


Thursday Night Game 
EAGLES over Falcons

Sunday Early Games
PATRIOTS over Texans
Titans over DOLPHINS
VIKINGS over 49ers
SAINTS over Buccaneers
Jaguars over GIANTS
Bengals over COLTS
Steelers over BROWNS
RAVENS over Bills

Sunday Afternoon Games 
Chiefs over CHARGERS
CARDINALS over Washington
PANTHERS over Cowboys
Seahawks over BRONCOS

Sunday Night Game 
PACKERS over Bears

Monday Night Games 
LIONS over Jets
Rams over RAIDERS

No Justice, No 2018 NFL Prognostication

You longtime TransGriot readers know I am such a huge NFL football fan that since 2010 on this blog I have been doing NFL prognostication posts that morphed into a season long competition with Michael Watts as to who is the best at doing so. 

Mr Watts after me winning back to back titles, finally won the 2017 season prognostication title and I was looking forward to the kickoff of this 2018 NFL season to take it back. 

But after the NFL owners went full idiot and caved to Trump and their white supremacist fanbase by creating an unconstitutional rule that threatens to fine and penalize NFL players and team personnel for not standing for the national anthem, I have no choice but to take a stand on that.

Prognostication is something I enjoy.  But last season was a slog for me in large part because I was conflicted about doing the prognostication while the NFL owners showed their white supremacist azzes, especially Bob McNair, the owner of my hometown NFL franchise,

Far from explaining to your fans that NFL players are protesting injustice against American Americans and they are exercising their free speech rights, you are cowardly peddling the right wing lie that they are attacking veterans, the flag and whatever conservalie of the week you come up.

Why?  Because you wish to avoid having the uncomfortable conversation, and acknowledge that by you NFL owners dropping obscene amounts of money into Republican campaigns, you are accomplices in the persecution of Black people your players are protesting.

If you don't rescind this obviously unconstitutuional rule designed to do nothing but muzzle the abilities of your players to express their constitutional right to protest, I'll have no choice but to sit out the 2018 NFL season in solidarity with the players you're racistly attempting to muzzle.

And I wouldn't be surprised to see a lawsuit hitting the courts soon on what is now a First Amendment free speech issue.

Even people who cover the league see this for what it is.   A straight up admission that you NFLowners don't care about the Black players who make up the members of your teams or are truly listening to what these players to say about this social justice issue.






#NoJusticeNoNFLPrognostication   #NFLRacism   #NoCoercedPatriotism

Patriotism should be a genuine expression of pride in your country and never forced on people.

That's a sign that you have a great country and a critical lesson you conservafools fail to understand. 

You also fail to understand that dissent is the highest form of patriotism.  Criticizing the ills of your country so it can correct problems is the duty of all who consider themselves patriots     

Let's be real, far too often in my life my patriotism is conditional based on current events affecting my people and the answers to two questions: 

How do I feel about my country?   How does my country feel about me?

And far too often I'm quite aware of the fact when I or any African American asks those questions, that a large percentage of my fellow Americans hate me and my people simply for existing, or daring to say why Black people feel the way we do about the USA.

No justice, no NFL prognostication..

2017-18 NFL Playoffs- Super Bowl LII

After the games of Championship Sunday were contested, I split the picks, getting the AFC one right (boo hiss) and getting the NFC one wrong to stay underwater record wise at 4-6 for these playoffs

Now the big game is upon us at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, and we now have the team everyone loves to hate in the Trump loving New England Cheatriots Patriots taking on a Philadelphia Eagles team playing for their first NFL championship since 1960.

The NFC champion Eagles are probably playing the theme from the Rocky movie in their locker room because they are underdogs in this game but thy are used to it.   

They have been the underdog in both their NFC playoff games despite their 13-3 record and their number one seed because they lost their staring QB Carson Wentz in Week 14. 

And yes, the other thing I love about the Eagles is they are 'woke'.   They have been taking part in the 'Take A Knee' protests, and have led efforts in Pennsylvania to push criminal justice reform along with other charitable and community social justice issues.

They are facing a Patriots team that is not only seeking their sixth NFL title, they haven't lost since the Miami Dolphins upset them 27-20 at Hard Rock Stadium in Week 14

And as we know, they are 45's and white supremacists favorite NFL team.

So let me get to my Super Bowl pick.   While I am rooting for the Eagles to win their first title since 1960, my NFL prognosticator head says I'll unfortunately have to watch the disgusting spectacle of Tom Brady hoisting the Lombardi trophy again

Patriots to win Super Bowl LII

2017-18 NFL Playoffs - Championship Sunday

Upsets played havoc with my Divisional Round picks to the point where the only game I got right was the Tennessee- New England one to go 3-5 picking games in these 2017-18 NFL playoffs. 

Then again if Maurice Williams had tackled Stefon Diggs I would have gotten the Minnesota-New Orleans game right, too 

So it's onward to Championship Sunday.   Only two games that will determine which one of these final four teams gets to play at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII.

So let's get to it.

AFC Championship Game
#3 Jacksonville Jaguars at  #1 New England Patriots on CBS

The Jags shocked the world by racing out to a 21-0 lead on the Steelers in their Divisional Round clash before the Steelers woke up, narrowed the deficit to 28-14 at halftime, and putting up a fight in the second half that had the Jags hanging on for dear life to preserve the 45-42  upset win.

The Jaguars qualified for their first AFC title game since 1999 as a result.

Meanwhile New England was methodically punching their ticket to their seventh consecutive AFC title game by beating down the Tennessee Traitors Titans 35-14 in Foxborough.

But the Jags ain't 'scurred' of the Patriots, and Jalen Ramsey is actually trash talking them online.  Also sitting in their football operations room is Tom Coughlin, who engineered two Super Bowl upsets of the Patriots, one of which ruined their bid for a perfect season. 

So if the Jags pull off the upset, you'll know one reason why including their defense which has been doubleplusgood in forcing turnovers all season. 

But unfortunately for the Jags, Blake Bortles is their quarterback and the Pats have future Hall of Famer Tom Brady. It's been a nice ride for Jacksonville, but NFL football reality is about to pimp slap them in the face.

I can't go against the Cheatriots Patriots at home where they are 18-3 in the playoffs after last week's win.   Patriots (boo hiss) to hoist the Lamar Hunt Trophy after the game .

.NFC Championship Game
#2Minnesota Vikings at  #1 Philadelphia Eagles on FOX

The Vikings needed a miracle play for the ages at home as time expired to get past the New Orleans Saints 29-24, advance to their first NFC Championship game since 2009 and keep their bid to become the first NFL squad ever to play in a Super Bowl in their home stadium alive.

The Eagles needed a dramatic goal line stand to preserve a 15-10 win over the Falcons at home to advance to their first NFC championship game since 2008. 

Now these two teams who have had more than their share of playoff frustration over the years battle each other for NFC supremacy at Lincoln Financial Field with a trip to Super Bowl LII on the line. 

The Vikings and Eagles have been the two best teams in the NFC all season.  The Eagles lost QB Carson Wentz fo the season in Week 14, and are having to ask Nick Foles and their defense to get them through another high stakes playoff game at home in their bid to win their first NFC crown since 2004 and their first NFL championship since 1960.

Meanwhile Case Keenum (Go Coogs!) and the Vikings are coming off the high of stunning the Saints at home and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.   Can they beat the Eagles on the road, earn their first NFC title since 1976  and make history by becoming the first NFL team to play in a Super Bowl in their home stadium?

Yes they can.  I made the mistake of misunderestimating Case Keenum and should've know better after seeing him play at UH.   I won't make that mistake again

Skol Vikings!.   Vikings to hoist the George Halas trophy for the first time since 1976 after the game 

2017-18 NFL Playoffs - Divisional Round

The NFL playoffs move into the divisional rounds as the survivors from Wild Card Weekend play the highers seeded teams that got to chill and watch them play last weekend.

Went 2-2 last weeknd.   Got the Sunday wild card games rights but the Saturday ones I didn't.

Let's see If I can do a better job on this this weekend's playoff games.

Saturday Games

#6 Atlanta Falcons at  #1 Philadelphia Eagles on NBC

The opening Saturday game has the Falcons traveling to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection to take on the NFC East champion Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

And the Eagles will be trying to get through this game with their backup QB Nick Foles after Carson Wentz went down with a torn ACL in Week 15.   The Falcons sant the Rams packing with a 26-13 win in LA, and they'll send the Eagles packing as well

Falcons to move on to the NFC Championship game

#5 Tennessee Titans at #1 New England Patriots on CBS

The Saturday nightcap game has the Traitors  Titans taking on the Cheatriots Patriots at Gillette Stadium    The question going into this game is will the Titans be able to run the ball down New England's throat or will the Patriots do unto them what they do to a lot of teams and take away what that team likes to do best?     I'm betting they will.

And after reading that story about their dynasty may be over, the Patriots are going to be in an angry mood.

Patriots to advact to the AFC Championship game

Sunday Games

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars at #2 Pittsburgh Steelers on CBS

This is a rematch of a Week 5 october 8 game in which the Jags marched into Heinz Field and walked out with a 30-9 win that served notice to the rest of the league these aren't the Jags that sucked through much of the last decade.

However, this isn't the same Steelers team they faced in October either.   Since that game the AFC North champs have gone 10-1 with the only loss being a questionable officated one to the Patriots. You can also bet that Ben Roethlisberger won't be throwing five interceptions like he did in that October game

It's playoff time and the Steelers will be itching for payback.    And oh yeah, temp is forecast to be 18 degrees at kickoff.

And they'll get it too.    Steelers to advance to the  AFC Championship game.

#4 New Orleans Saints vs  #2 Minnesota Vikings on FOX

This Sunday night game is also a rematch of a regular season game.   The Saints traveled to US Bank Stadium in the opening week of the season to play the Vikings in a game that wa s 26-16 win for the Vikings. 

Sam Bradford was the Vikings quarterback at the time,  now it's Case Keenum (Go Coogs!) 

The Vikings under Keenum have been 11-3.   But the Saints have also evolved since that Week 1 loss.   Their secondary went from being a mess to one of the strengths of the team,.   Their rushing attack with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram is one of the most potent in the league

Case is also making his first playoff start.

So who is going to win this game?   As much as I'd love to see Case in the NFC title game and the Super Bowl that's being played in their home stadium, I'm going with the playoff experience of Drew Brees 
 
Saints to march all the way to the NFC Championship

2017-2018 NFL Playoffs - Wild Card Weekend

I lost my shot at a 2017 TransGriot NFL prognostication threepeat title due to some unforced efforts and a disastrous sub. 500 last week of the regular season that added up to me losing by one game after the regular season was completed, but that's over now. 

Mr. Watts earned it.   Here are his picks for Wild Card Weekend.

It's NFL playoff time, and specifically NFL Wild Card Weekend   So time to get some practice in for when the 2018 regular season resumes and I go for three titles in the last four years starting in September.

NFL Wild Card Weekend 

NFL Saturday Playoff Games

#5 Tennessee (9-7) at #4 Kansas City (10-6)  on ABC/ESPN 

Ugh.  It was bad enough my hometown  team not only failed to make the playoffs, but the Tennessee Traitors did for the first time since 2008   This early Saturday game is one in which I see the team formerly known as the Oilers travel to Arrowhead Stadium to play the Chiefs

The Titans have lost three of the last four games down the stretch, but the one game they won was the divisional one against AFC South champ Jacksonville in the last week of the season that punched their playoff ticket. 

The Titans are a throwback team in that they love to run the ball, and stopping the run is the Chiefs Achilles heel.  The Traitors Titans finished the season with the number 13 ranked defense in the NFL, but has a secondary ranked a pathetic 31st out of 32 teams. 

That Titans secondary will have to confront a Chiefs squad that boasts the number 5 offense in the league even though they don't throw the ball deep that much.

However, AFC West champ Kansas City is on a roll again.   They started the season 5-0, went through a midseason 1-6 slump, and won their last four games going into this playoff game.
And yes, one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL will live up to its rep

Let's just call this one now,  Kansas City to win this game to my delight and move on to the divisional round. 

Yeah, never gonna forgive Bud Adams for moving them to Nashville.

#6 Atlanta (10-6)  at #3 Los Angeles Rams on NBC

The Saturday night game features the defending NFC champion Falcons taking on the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams/   They are hosting their first playoff game at the Coliseum in nearly 40 years and in only its second season back in LA after spending 22 years in St. Louis.

The Rams are gunning for their first playoff win since 2004, when they called St Louis home 

While the Rams were only 2-2 in their last four contests, they were 6-3 after their bye week   They are also a 2017 season worst to first story.  They were 4-12 last year but are a playoff club thanks to first year head coach Sean McVay's offense and their rapidly improving defense under Wade Phillips

Meanwhile the Falcons struggled through several must win games in the competitive NFC South just to qualify for this game,  going 3-1.   But they haven't looked like that offense juggernaut that was 11 minutes from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at NRG Stadium last year and their defense is still questionable.

The biggest question going into this game is more about the LA fans. Will they show up to fill the cavernous Coliseum for this playoff game, and if they do, how loud will it get?

They definitely have plenty to cheer about with a high flying offense ranked sixth in the league that averaged a league best 29.9 points per game . 
But the Rams were a pedestrian 4-4 at home vs 7-1 on the road.

This is going to be a close one, but I'm going to go with the Rams in this one.

NFL Sunday Playoff Games

#6 Buffalo Bills (9-7) at #3 Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6) on CBS

This is an intriguing matchup of two squads that haven't seen any parts of the NFL playoffs for a while.  The Bills last made the playoffs in 1999, only to be ousted by the Music City Miracle vs Tennessee that propelled the Titans to the Super Bowl.

The AFC South champion Jaguars aftes sucking for the entire Obama Administration, captured their first playoff berth since 2007 and their first division title since 1999 when they topped the AFC Central Division.  They get to reward their fans for their patience with a playoff game at EverBank Stadium

Jacksonville and their defense has annoyed and pissed people off in the NFL all season.  Their defense trailed only Pittsburgh in terms of sacking the quarterback, excels at creating turnovers, is the number one ranked pass defense in the league and goading opposing players into fights.

They are legit. I witnessed them beat down my Texans twice and clinch the AFC South title with a 45-7 blowout win in Jacksonville over my fave NFL squad.

Their big question mark in terms of whether they will make a long playoff run of bow out is how will Blake Bortles play?   Will we see good Blake Bortles or bad Blake Bortles?  The other problem with the Jage is them loving to play on the edge to the point they go over it and take stupid personal foul penalties.

Buffalo is only in the postseason because Andy Dalton connected on a 4th and 12 pass play for a TD to stun the Ravens.   They have the number 29th ranked run defense in the NFL, which probably is making  Leonard Fournette salivate just thinking about it 

And after Lesean McCoy sprained his ankle in their game against the Dolphins, if he can't play Sunday, their chances of pulling an upset on the Jags are as likely as me walking the Victoria's Secret fashion show   The  Bills love to run the ball, and stopping the run has been the one thing the Jags defense hasn't done well for much of the season

The Bills also have a -57 point differential they are carrying into this game, and 'Saxonville' is poised to have a wonderful day making Tyrod Taylor's playoff debut and the Bills first playoff game in the 21st Century a miserable one.

On paper, this looks like it's going to be a lopsided game, and we'll see if that plays out after the whistle blows.  I think it will     The Jaguars to move on to the divisional round   

 #5 Carolina Panthers (11-5)  at #4 New Orleans Saints (11-5) on FOX 

This is the only Wild Card weekend game that is a rematch of a regular season game, and it features two NFC South teams playing each other for the third time. 

The NFC South champion Saints have already beaten their NFC South division rivals twice in the 2017 season, smacking them in Charlotte in Week 3 of the season 34-13 and beating the Panthers in the Mercedes Benz Superdome 31-21 back on December 3.

The Saints even with a future Hall of Fame QB in Drew Brees at the helm, have reinvented themselves and developed a devastating rushing attack with tow versatile backs in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram to complement their passing attack. 

The Saints defense has also stepped it up big time and become adept at taking the ball away.  They forced six turnovers in the two NFC South games against the Panthers alone.

The Panthers are also feeling salty because they are 6.5 point underdogs going into this game and have been an afterthought in the playoff conversation despite being two years removed from their Super Bowl 50 appearance. .  Carolina's inconsistency has also factored into why many pundits think their season will be over on Monday.

Yes, it is hard to beat an NFL team, and especially your divisional rival  three times.  This game is being played in NOLA and the Saints have a team that is quite capable of going all the way to Minneapolis for Super Bowl LI.   Carolina will put up some resistance, but the Saints will definitely want to prove it to themselves, their home crowd and a national TV audience they are a Super Bowl caliber team. ..

Saints to beat Carolina for the third time and move on to the Divisional round.