Scribbler's Predictions: 2015 NFL Divisional Playoff Games

So I nearly went a perfect four for four with my picks no thanks to the home team.  (No, Captain Kirk...I in fact did not like that.)  Outside of history being made as all four road teams won the Wild Card round for the first time ever and all of the "better" quarterbacks winning their games, allow me to sum up each game in one sentence a piece.  Any quarterback that has ever played for the Browns automatically brings bad ju-ju, so although Brian Hoyer did a decent job this year as the starter, the Texans should've expected that outcome in his first playoff start and need a franchise quarterback ASAPington.  Jeremy Hill, Vontaze Burfict, Adam Jones and the Cincinnati Bungles might just get Marvin Lewis aka  "Blarty Schottenheimer" (a term coined by the big homie James F. Hines, Jr.) fired.  Ray Finkle taught us about the life-and-death significance of laces out, so hopefully there is no Lois Einhorn in Blair Walsh's future--or Jeff Locke's for that matter.  Finally, I am about 99.52 percent sure that DeSean Jackson's jersey number actually represents his football IQ score as he continues his personal crusade against planes and pylons, while slugs, snails and pond water could probably score against the Skins' run defense.  Okay, rant over...time for the teams who still count...

Scribbler's Predictions: 2015 NFL Wild Card Weekend

Kinda quick recap...or as quick as I am known to attempt, but usually unsuccessful at doing...the Indianapolis Colts and their 0.000000001% chance of winning the AFC South and remaining in playoff contention have been settled.  The New York Jets not only blew their shot at the last playoff spot, but their collapse fittingly came courtesy of Rex Ryan--the same man who was relieved of his duties there the year before.  (Apparently, Ryan also made NFL history by doing so because no head coach in professional football had ever eliminated his former team from playoff contention on the final weekend of the regular season after being fired the previous season. One word: salty.)  So much for the pretenders.  As for the contenders, the defending champion New England Patriots had already secured a first-round bye and were playing for home-field advantage, but wet the bed against the Meh-ami Dolphins as their future first-ballot HOF QB injured his ankle and gave up the #1 seed to the Denver Broncos. Finally, the Arizona Cardinals needed to win against the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers to lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but DangeRuss & The Legion of Boom had a blowout as a late Christmas present in mind while the soon-to-be MVP Cam Newton convincingly got his Sir Dab-a-Lot on in Charlotte.  Now that I've covered what you already knew by now unless you follow my blog more than the NFL--which is flattering if you do--it's time to preview the beginning of the most bittersweet time of the year: NFL Wild Card Weekend, which features three rematches from the regular season this year, and the official road to knocking off the guys above.

Scribbler's Predictions: Super Bowl XLIX

So after having a bad case of the Bee Gees--and I don't mean Barry, Robin or Maurice--my planned summary of the AFC and NFC championship games couldn't get turned in on time last week.  Besides, there was only one game worth mentioning anyway in the improbable overtime thriller between the Packers and the Seahawks.  I usually don't watch non-Super Bowl games more than once, but being the largest comeback in any conference championship game and one of the greatest comebacks in NFL playoff history, I had to watch it again.  Conversely, I lost two-and-a-half hours of my life watching that debacle of a game now infamously known as "Deflategate" between the Patriots and some high school team from Indianapolis.  As far as I'm concerned, deflated footballs didn't matter since the Pats could've beaten the Colts with cement blocks tied to their ankles.  Anyway, we now have the two teams set to duke it out in Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX, and there are many compelling smaller battles to explore within the bigger war.  Let's get at it, ladies and gents--well, it's probably more gents than ladies, but that's neither here nor there...

Scribbler's Wrap-Up: NFL Playoffs, Divisional Round

What if I told you that you may have just watched the last best weekend of NFL playoff football until the 2015 season begins?  Coming into this weekend, there were so many compelling storylines with each game.  The Ravens always seem to have the Patriots' number in Foxboro.  It's always a defensive dogfight between the Panthers and Seahawks.  An injured Mr. Discount Double Check might appear mortal after all in the "Ice Bowl II".  Peyton faces his replacement for the first time in the playoffs.  Some things turned out as expected while there were a few surprises and controversies along the way.  Nevertheless, if you're a true fan of the sport like I am, none of these games disappointed.  Instead of regurgitating statistics, I'll give you my biggest takeaways from this weekend.