"Maybe Eli's Last Game" - 2018 Season Playoffs

[serfty]

Maybe Eli’s last game?

This was a post on another thread.

I was thinking about an NFL tread - s0 lets see how it goes.

 

[serfty]

My Thoughts on the 12 teams that are in the playoffs:

** --New Orleans Saints - Class all year, I rode the back of Breese the prior two seasons in a FT Fantasy Comp - this year I drafted Kareem Hunt First )
* --Los Angeles Rams - Gurley is the key
** --Kansas City Chiefs - Mahomes is brilliant, can they cover the loss of Hunt in the playoffs
z --Chicago Bears - "Defense wins Superbowls" -but they gotta get there - can Trubinsky carry them that far?
y --Los Angeles Chargers - If they weren't in the same division as KC they's be hosting playoffs - Can Rivers overcome?
* --New England Patriots - Not as a succinct path as previews years - they are the team you love to hate!
z --Houston Texans - Watson is COMPETENT - can the defense continue to assist?
z --Baltimore Ravens - Run ... Run ... Run - need some air TD's otherwise won't make it.
z --Dallas Cowboys - Cooper a steal - Unconvinced - Won a weak division.
y --Seattle Seahawks - Defence and run driven, but the QB is pretty good as well.
y --Indianapolis Colts - Came from way back, winning 9 of last 10 - but was that a product of the draw?
y --Philadelphia Eagles - Srcaped in; love the way they play but could be one and done ...

Honorable mention, Browns - if not denied 1.5 games due to clear referring blunders late in the games could have been adding to the legend of Baker Mayfield.

 

[TomVexille]

Bears D is good enough, but winning in LA and New Orleans in consecutive weeks is a huge ask

 

[serfty]

Interesting re some Seattle players: Seahawks rely on a Polish kicker, Australian punter and Harvard grad

 

[serfty]

After watching Wildcard weekend over the last three night, my thoughts:

z --Chicago Bears - Defense was good - but for a blocked field goal they'd still be in it
y --Los Angeles Chargers - Playing in Foxborough - Can Rivers overcome?
z --Houston Texans - Defense failed and Watson appeared to panic - Scoreboard pressure and all that.
z --Baltimore Ravens - Run was not working - maybe the should have put Flacco in.
z --Dallas Cowboys - Unconvinced but they are still in it.
y --Seattle Seahawks - Unlucky - maybe if the Placekicker had not done a hammy.
y --Indianapolis Colts - Awesome - now won 10 of last 11 - Superbowl bound if they keep it up
y --Philadelphia Eagles - Scraped a 1 point win against a great defence with a blocked field goal at the 'death' ...

Onward to the weekend ...

 

[BriarFlyer]

What's your pick of the next round games, Serfty? I'm most looking forward to Colts vs Chiefs. Should be a cracker.

 

[serfty]

What's your pick of the next round games, Serfty? I'm most looking forward to Colts vs Chiefs. Should be a cracker.

On Form, the Colts are the best team in the AFC ... against the Chiefs it will be fascinating.

But Chargers at the Patriots should be equally fascinating.

Thinking Colts and Chargers, but would prefer the Chiefs to win.

 

[serfty]

I found this ESPN article interesting: Barnwell: Destroying myths about the eight NFL playoff teams

 

[maccaisking]

I’m excited to find an NFL thread!
This week I like Chiefs, Patriots, Saints and Rams. Last week I only picked 1/4 though (Chargers) so what do I know?

 

[BriarFlyer]

Interesting article, serfty. Much more enjoyable to read than listening to ESPN analysts talk over the top of each other.

Maccaisking, I did equally "well" with my picks last week. In our defence, it's unusual for 4 of 5 wild cards to win and I'm going to tip a couple of upsets this week too. My picks are Chiefs, Chargers, Saints and Cowboys.

 

[serfty]

Chargers being a wildcard shows the biggest issue with the playoff ranking system, they had the equal best W/L record in the AFC (=Chiefs), better than the Ravens and Patriots but have to play them at their venues.

 

[maccaisking]

Chargers being a wildcard shows the biggest issue with the playoff ranking system, they had the equal best W/L record in the AFC (=Chiefs), better than the Panthers and Patriots but have to play them at their venues.

Couldn't agree more. Seems awful to punish a team for being in a good division by awarding them an away playoff game. It also compromises the flexible brackets (which I do like) in later playoff weeks. If Houston had beaten Colts, Kansas as the #1 seed would play a better (Chargers) team than the Patriots as the #2 seed (Houston).

 

[JohnK]

Chargers being a wildcard shows the biggest issue with the playoff ranking system....

As always with playoffs the best team of the season does not necessarily end up winning. It is quite possible for the Eagles to win next 3 games.

What I would do is every team in AFC play each other and every team in NFC play each other and the 2 leaders play each other in Superbowl. That would be a much better indication of the true champion.

 

[cjd600]

Go Pats ( my team, sorry Serfty, I dont love to hate them )
Go Cows (the only team I've seen play live, v Jets)

 

[moa999]

BTW how much has former NRL player Jordan Mailata been paid by the Eagles for not playing a game (about from a few minutes in the pre season). My understanding is he was active for 3 games, then placed on injured reserves.

 

[drron]

I hope you are right JohnK.
It might not be obvious but I support the eagles.
Now the usual result of my barracking for a team is that they lose so I was taken by surprise last year.I also didn't expect to see them in the second week of the play offs.But while there is life there is hope.

 

[maccaisking]

I hope you are right JohnK.
It might not be obvious but I support the eagles.
Now the usual result of my barracking for a team is that they lose so I was taken by surprise last year.I also didn't expect to see them in the second week of the play offs.But while there is life there is hope.

I find my barracking for a team doesn’t always cause them to lose, but if I part with some of my hard earned on them, it’s a different story!

 

[serfty]

Go Pats ( my team, sorry Serfty, I dont love to hate them )
...

I can sympathise, I'm genetically a Hawthorn Supporter ...

BTW how much has former NRL player Jordan Mailata been paid by the Eagles for not playing a game (about from a few minutes in the pre season). My understanding is he was active for 3 games, then placed on injured reserves.

This suggests a USD480K minimum: 2018 NFL Draft First-Round Rookie Salary Projections: What Mayfield, Barkley And Darnold Will Make

If he is rostered next year, then USD555K ...

 

[serfty]

Note that I will be purposely avoiding this thread and other news sources re NFL from Sunday until I have watched the four games - likely late Wednesday evening.

I'll be recording broadcasts on 7Mate (dig. 73) starting 8:30am Sunday. I like to watch without knowing the result - such made the end to the Bears game this week rather interesting.

A couple of years ago, I had watched the Superbowl 'til half time with the Falcons well in front. It was late and I decided to watch the second half the next evening. While at work the next day a text came from my Brother In Law. Scrolling across the top of my 'phone was an unavoidable "How did the Falcons lose that ..." . I have still not watched the second half of that game ...

 

[BriarFlyer]

I can only watch the game if I don't know the result as well, so have to go media blackout till I've watched. Sunday games I can manage, Monday's will be catch-up.