HONDO
Raiders-Texans: Here’s a matchup made in QB hell: Brock Lossweiler against Connor Cooked, which amounts to second rate against third string. The Texans’ top-rated defense (in yards allowed, that is) will keep the heat on high against Cook and again shut down Latavius Murray, whom they held to 33 yards when they played in November.
Houston will get enough people in space and have no problem prevailing in a sure-fire field-goal festival.
Texans 22-15
Lions-Seahawks: The mediocre-and-getting-worse Lions lug a three-game slide into the postseason and haven’t won a road playoff game since 1957, when Tobin Rote led them to a comeback victory over the 49ers (remember that one, kids?). Don’t count on a similar turn of events from Matt Stafford, who is still hurting. Also working against the Lions is that they are down to third-string running back Zach Zenner, and as everyone knows ZZ is not tops in his field.
The Seahawks have shown some slippage this season, but they are on a nine-game playoff roll at Century Link Field. Been there, done that, will do it again.
Seahawks 27-17
Dolphins-Steelers: The Fish, returning to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, unfortunately are relying on journeyman Matt Moore to do the improbable: Lead them to a second victory over Pittsburgh in the same season. The Killer B’s — Ben, Bell and Brown — will put the Dolphins in a Heinz Field hole so big they’ll never catch up (fyi: one Heinz Ketchup reference is allowed per season).
Terry Bradshaw, who has accused Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin of being more cheerleader than coach, says Tomlin already has his pregame pep talk worked out: “2-4-6-8, who do we eliminate? Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins! GO STEELERS!”
Steelers 31-16
Giants-Packers: Tough game to call — two hot teams squaring off on the Frozen Tundra, one with a great quarterback going up against a great defense, and one with a declining quarterback facing a weak and beat-up defense. Forget making a Lambeau leap to the conclusion Big Blue has an edge because their last two playoff runs have gone through Green Bay. That’s about as relevant as the Packers’ wins over the Giants in the 1961 and ’62 championship games.
What is relevant is the Giants receivers’ ill-advised trip to Miami, about which Odell Beckham Jr. proclaimed: “I’m a grown man. I do what I am supposed to be doing.” Apparently, hanging out on a yacht where Adderall and pot are flowing is straight out of the Grown Man’s Manual. Regardless of how you look at their hot fun in the winter time, it won’t make it any easier for Beckham & Co. to hang onto a cold football with that Giant bull’s-eye they put on their backs.
Add ’er all up and it looks like a heartbreaker — but a cover — for the Giants!
Packers 27-24
Raiders-Texans: Here’s a matchup made in QB hell: Brock Lossweiler against Connor Cooked, which amounts to second rate against third string. The Texans’ top-rated defense (in yards allowed, that is) will keep the heat on high against Cook and again shut down Latavius Murray, whom they held to 33 yards when they played in November.
Houston will get enough people in space and have no problem prevailing in a sure-fire field-goal festival.
Texans 22-15
Lions-Seahawks: The mediocre-and-getting-worse Lions lug a three-game slide into the postseason and haven’t won a road playoff game since 1957, when Tobin Rote led them to a comeback victory over the 49ers (remember that one, kids?). Don’t count on a similar turn of events from Matt Stafford, who is still hurting. Also working against the Lions is that they are down to third-string running back Zach Zenner, and as everyone knows ZZ is not tops in his field.
The Seahawks have shown some slippage this season, but they are on a nine-game playoff roll at Century Link Field. Been there, done that, will do it again.
Seahawks 27-17
Dolphins-Steelers: The Fish, returning to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, unfortunately are relying on journeyman Matt Moore to do the improbable: Lead them to a second victory over Pittsburgh in the same season. The Killer B’s — Ben, Bell and Brown — will put the Dolphins in a Heinz Field hole so big they’ll never catch up (fyi: one Heinz Ketchup reference is allowed per season).
Terry Bradshaw, who has accused Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin of being more cheerleader than coach, says Tomlin already has his pregame pep talk worked out: “2-4-6-8, who do we eliminate? Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins! GO STEELERS!”
Steelers 31-16
Giants-Packers: Tough game to call — two hot teams squaring off on the Frozen Tundra, one with a great quarterback going up against a great defense, and one with a declining quarterback facing a weak and beat-up defense. Forget making a Lambeau leap to the conclusion Big Blue has an edge because their last two playoff runs have gone through Green Bay. That’s about as relevant as the Packers’ wins over the Giants in the 1961 and ’62 championship games.
What is relevant is the Giants receivers’ ill-advised trip to Miami, about which Odell Beckham Jr. proclaimed: “I’m a grown man. I do what I am supposed to be doing.” Apparently, hanging out on a yacht where Adderall and pot are flowing is straight out of the Grown Man’s Manual. Regardless of how you look at their hot fun in the winter time, it won’t make it any easier for Beckham & Co. to hang onto a cold football with that Giant bull’s-eye they put on their backs.
Add ’er all up and it looks like a heartbreaker — but a cover — for the Giants!
Packers 27-24
