NFL Playoffs: The Super Bowl

The "Harbowl"

It's finally here, or should I say just here? Sadly, the NFL only has one game left on the clock, but it looks to be one hell of a match-up.

If you've been following this blog a little bit, you would know I've been a bit of a good luck charm to the Baltimore Ravens. To fill you in, I predicted them to win the Super Bowl before the season started, and have ragged on them ever since. I kept thinking they were too inconsistent, and Joe Flacco wasn't good enough to take the Ravens to the big game. When the playoffs rolled around, I picked them to beat the Colts, but then again, ragged on them to get spanked by Denver, and lose to New England. And oddly enough, they've been the AFC team I've been rooting for all along. It's kind of like my Lions, I want them to win, but deep down you know they're just not.

Luckily for Baltimore, I was wrong, way wrong and I'm loving it.

On the other hand we have San Francisco,  by far my least favorite team in the NFL as a fan. From Jim Harbaugh to Anthony Davis (Can't stand that guy) to the fact that they're just San Francisco. I've never been a fan, but I never doubted their talent. Colin Kaep and the gang have literally everything going for them. Quarterback play? Check. Run game? Check. O-Line? Check. D-Line? Check. Secondary? Check. Kicker? Mehh. But you get the point, they're very talented across the board. 

When Super Bowl Sunday rolls around, and the hype from this "Harbowl", Alex Smith being benched, and Ray Lewis stuff is over with, America's eyes will be glued to the TV, for what I believe will be a great game. With all that said, here is my Super Bowl 47 pick.

Super Bowl Sunday (Sunday February 3, 6:30PM CBS)

San Francisco 49ers - 24

Baltimore Ravens - 27

Who do YOU think will hoist the Lombardi Trophy?

NHL Predictions: Final Standings

As the puck is FINALLY about to drop, I decided I want to take a shot at predicting the final regular season standings. Chances are I'm going to be way off, but here we go. Teams that are highlighted are the teams I believe will make the playoffs.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

1. New York Rangers
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Philadelphia Flyers 
4. New York Islanders
5. New Jersey Devils

Northeast

1. Boston Bruins
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Ottawa Senators
4. Buffalo Sabers
5. Montreal Canadians

Southeast

1. Tampa Bay Lightening 
2. Washington Capitals
3. Florida Panthers
4. Winnipeg Jets
5. Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference

Central

1. St. Louis Blues
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Nashville Preditors
5. Columbus Blue Jackets

Northwest

1. Vancouver Canucks 
2. Minnesota Wild
3. Colorado Avalance
4. Calgary Flames
5. Edmonton Oilers

Pacific

1. Los Angeles Kings
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Phoenix Coyotes
4. Anaheim Ducks
5. Dallas Stars

Us hockey fans have been waiting too long, here's to one hell of a season!

NFL Playoffs: Championship Week Predictions

WOAH! Where did all that scoring come from? If you scored four touchdowns, you lost. After the divisional round I'm now 4-4 (1-3 last week). Crazy to think I would be 6-2 if the games ended 30 seconds earlier, but hey, that's playoff football, you never know what's going to happen any given Sunday. I'm looking for a little redemption this week, so lets get the party started.

NFC Championship Game: San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons (Sun. 3PM Fox)

Very interested in seeing how the Falcons defense can handle the dynamic Colin Kaepernick. After having two poor showings against Cam Newton, I don't anyone in Atlanta is feeling too confident this week. Kaeprnick exposes Atlanta's biggest weakness, stopping the running quarterback who can throw. I don't see a blow out, but I don't see the final score being very close. 49ers win 35-24.

AFC Championship Game: Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots (Sun 6:30PM CBS)

This game is a tough one for me. I don't like to bet against Tom Brady, and with Baltimore playing so well, I don't want to pick against them either. The Ravens are on one hell of a ride, Ray Lewis has inspired them to the point where Joe Flacco actually looks like a super-star! On the other hand, the 'Pats are looking unstoppable, and Brady is money in the playoffs, not to mention he's playing with a chip on his shoulder right now. I see this game being VERY close, New England wins 24-27.

*Side Note: I feel like I'm good luck for Baltimore, I keep betting against them after picking them to win it all at the start of the year, and they keep making me look bad. Even though I'm picking them to lose, I'm pulling for them to win.

For the Ladies.

NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Picks

So last week I didn't make a post, mostly because I'm just starting to take advantage of this page. However, I went 3-1 with my only loss coming from Cincinnati. This week, we are shooting for 4-0!

Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos (Sat. 4:30PM CBS)

Peyton Manning and the well balanced Broncos prove too much for the inconsistent Ravens, as the roll to the AFC Championship. Denver wins 31-17

*Side note: At the start of the year I picked Baltimore to win the Super Bowl. While I'd love to look good, I just can't see it happening. 

Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (Sat. 8PM Fox)

At times, the 49ers look unstoppable, others, awful! The way I see it, that wont flow in the playoffs. Green Bay has experience on their side, and a team that for the most part, is finally healthy. After a strong Wild Card win, Green Bay pulls out a win in Candle Stick led by Aaron Rodgers. Packers win 24-21

Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons (Sun. 1PM Fox)

Seattle is hot, and we all have to question Matt Ryan in the playoffs, his task does not get any easier this year going up against one of the NFL's top defenses. I believe neither quarterback has a great day, but in the end, Russell Wilson does just enough for the Hawks' to pull out a tight victory. Seattle wins 17-14

Houston Texans at New England Patriots (Sun 4:30 CBS)

Look no further than week 14. The Pats beat down the Texans by a whooping 42-14. I think Houston comes out much stronger this weekend, but end the end, Tom Brady leads the Pats to another AFC Championship game. New England wins 34-24

Richard Sherman Mic'd Up (Includes Trent Williams Punch)

Trent Williams is a punk, end of story. Sherman handled it nicely, but maybe the "vet" Williams should take a note from his ROOKIE quarterback on some class.

Also, Go Hawks! Pulling for them to win it all! 

#12thMan

Zro's NFL Regular Season Awards 2012-13

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Nominees: 
Casey Haward, CB, Green Bay Packers
Janoris Jenkins, CB, St. Louis Rams
Luke Kuechly, LB Carolina Panthers

Winner:
The winner has got to be Luke Kuechly. The man lead the NFL in tackles with 164 total, along with two interceptions, one sack, and eight pass deflections. As a rookie, that's insane. Even though my other two guys had great seasons in the secondary, Kuechly was asked to captain a defense, and did so seemingly with ease.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Nominees:
Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins
Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins

Luck was thrilled to find out he was my offensive rookie of the year!

Winner:
To me the winner is Andrew Luck. Sure you can look at the efficiency of the other two QB's, and all the production Morris gave Washington on the ground, but at the end of the day, a quarterback wins this award. And I give it to Luck for one major reason. He was asked to do so much more than Wilson, or RG3. He threw the ball far more than either of them, and was asked to basically go out there, and be Peyton Manning. Yes, he turned the ball over, but he took a two win team to a 11 win playoff team. And how many times did he bring the Colts back in the fourth quarter this year? Andrew Luck is my clear cut winner.

Comeback Player of the Year

Nominees:

Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Winner:

This one is so close, either one is a great pick, but I'm going to go with Peyton Manning for only, and I mean ONLY one reason, dude broke his neck, then came back to have one of the best seasons of his career. I don't want to leave Peterson out, because he had a phenomenal season, but neck beats knee in my book.

Coach of the Year

Nominees:

Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts

Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings

Mike Shannahan, Washington Redskins

Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks

Winner:

Bruce Arians. With everything from Chuck Pagano becoming ill, to taking over a two win team, starting with a rookie quarterback, having no run game or secondary, AND weak offensive line the job Arians has done is hardly believable. Arians has lead the charge in Indianapolis, while taking them to a 11 win season and a playoff berth. Such a great story, and an outstanding job. 

Offensive Player of the Year

Nominees:

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

Winner:

Call me bias, but I'm taking Calvin Johnson. As my buddy at Idiot Sports Talk will tell you, "Megatron" had to deal with the Madden Curse, laugh all you want! On a more serious note, the man broke Jerry Rice's yards record in only 15 game, and came just shy of 2,000 receiving yards. While he lacked in touchdowns, with only five, he was usually the main reason Detroit was in the Red Zone. Call me crazy but I'd like to think it would be kind of hard to score when you have two corners and a safety over top all on you on the goal-line. Had Calvin scored a couple times more, and the Lions had made the playoffs, people would be considering Johnson an MVP candidate. So with that, Megatron is my OPOY.

Defensive Player of the Year

Nominees:

Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Charles Tillman, DB, Chicago Bears

Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos

J.J. Watt, DL, Houston Texans

Aldon Smith, OLB, San Francisco 49ers

Winner:

While all great choices, I think one person stands alone. And that man is J.J. Watt. He led the NFL in sacks, racked up 70 tackles, and this is what impresses me the most, 16 pass deflections! That's unheard of from a defensive line-man! And while I think he wins this award with ease, I think Watt may even get some MVP votes as well. Incredable season, easy winner.

MVP

Manning after hearing I named him my MVP

Nominees:

Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Winner:

To me, this is a quarterbacks award, and I know people will kill me for this, but for a running-back to win, they'd have to have an unbelieveable season, and while AP had a great year, nearly record breaking, it just wasn't enough for me. In a close call, I'm going to take Peyton Manning. I in-fact believe this to be so close, I might flip flop a little, but for now, it's still Manning.