please log in to view this image Happy New Year and hope you all have a succesfull and spectacular 2013! Those who survived the holidays are in for a treat this week! It's the start of the Post-Season and boy is this going to be fun! In the AFC the Bronco's clinched homefield advantage and the Patriots slotted in a bye for the first round. The Texans lost their first seed spot last week and dropped to the third, a huge setback for the Lone State warriors. The Bengals, Ravens and Colts all managed to get a see in the post season on the AFC side. please log in to view this image This Seahawks fan got his present for christmas, a ticket for his team to the post-season. In the NFC the Falcons got their homefield advantage and the 49ers got the second seed position granting a bye for the first round. Behind them are the Redskins, Seahawks, Packers and the Vikings who all play in the first playoff round this week. please log in to view this image Now with all the teams lined up here is the schedule for this weekend: On Saturday the 5th of January: Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans, 4:30 PM ET Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers 8:00 PM ET On Sunday the 6th of January: Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens 1:00 PM ET Seattle Seahwaks @ Washington Redskins 4:30 PM please log in to view this image The road to the Super Bowl in New Orleans starts on Saturday when the Bengals will try to advance to the next round over the already declining Texans. Murphy's law is what's happened in Houston, one win in December and three losses indicates that the team is not what it used to be. Holding a firm first seed position in november they ended up in third place last week. The Bengals are rock steady this season in the attack with A.J. Green up front whilst on the Texans side Arian Foster dominated the headlines with his rushing. The storm has subsided though and Foster is not the Running Back he used to be at the start of the season. Texans have to make some last minute changes to get out of the slumb they're in. That means Schaub will have to take command of his team once again because everybody else seems to have forgotten that the NFL is all about winning! The second game on Saturday is is going to be butt clinching, agonizingly tight derby between the Vikings and the Packers. A repeat of last week's game but this time at Lambeau Field. AP was on fire last week, only 9 yards short of a new rushing yards record. He personally carried the Vikings to the playoffs by ripping through Green Bay defense that has been inconsistent throughout the season. Aaron Rodgers and the packers got the chance to see Peterson in action last week and couldn't stop him, will they get fooled twice by the Vikings? Shame on them if so! Now on Sunday it's all about the rookies. Andrew Luck, RG3 and Wilson all made it to the playoffs and at least one of them will go to the semi finals. The one who gets the furthest in the playoffs will probably win the Rookie of the Year award, so there might be a bit more pressure on these three men in the than usual QB's have in the playoffs. Andrew Luck and Reggie Wayne carried the team pretty much for the Colts. The number 1 draft pick of last year and the old receiver have to compete with Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and a fully recovered Ray Lewis. But this could well be the last Lewis will play for the Ravens as he announced last week that he will retire from the game after this season. The last game of this round has all the signs of another epic battle at FedEx Field. This is a one on one rookie battle with one having a big disadvantage: Homefield advantage! Wilson has won all of his home games at CenturyLink Field and won only two away games. The Seahawks defense has been mighty in the second half of the season but they have to step up to hold off Redskins running back Mouris and receiver Garcon and ofcourse RG3 himself. For the Redskins the task is perhaps much easier: stop Marshaw Lynch and Sindey Rice and the Seahawks are practically out od the game. But the Redskins defense has been shaky at times and collapsed a couple of times in the third and fourth quarter this season. The Redskins will have the advantage in this game but stranger things have happened this season, but three things are certain in life: Death, Taxes and one Rookie Quarterback in the Semi Finals
As always Cove, your presentation is peerless. I feel sorry for Seattle as they have been dealt the cruellest of wild cards, I think they will get steamrollered by the Skins.
Good job again Cove! I'm going for a few shocks, nothing scientific.. also, the picks may reflect on teams I’d rather play in the Divisional Rounds (being a NE fan). HOU are in a rut at the wrong time of year.. CIN defensive front likes to go QB hunting.. If they, HOU don’t get the run game going then the pass game will come under threat from CIN pass rushers.. gonna go for a CIN win here, could well be close, low scoring affair. GB at home against MIN, AP will continue to work wonders but I see GB taking this, maybe by a score or two (7-10 pts). IND @ BAL, now this is the pick based on the fact that I’d rather play IND than BAL, can see BAL winning but I’d like IND to take it, if NE are to make it to DEN for the AFC Championship game, I’d rather fact IND or CIN, not BAL, so, in hope, going for IND but I reckon BAL defence will be a bit to much for Luck. SEA @ WAS, not a clue, could be the game of the season (so far), RGIII is at home, so that’s gonna count for something but SEA are proving they can now get it done on the road too, gonna go for a narrow WAS win in OT.
Hello gents, enjoy a bit of a punt betting on the NFL. Am I right in saying the Bengals are good value at 13/8 ? Or should I lump on Houston at 4/9 ? Seems a flip of the coin from what I've read so would appreciate some opinions from those who know better than me....thanks in advance
This just in: Vikings team has no information if Ponder is going to start tonight, keeps options open with Webb. Ponder was listed as questionable this week due to an injury to his right elbow. Other injury news: Texans guard Antione Caldwell is doubtful, back injury Vikings Linebacker Tyrone McKenzie is out with a shoulder injury Packers WR Jarrett Boykin is out due to an ankle injury Packers DE Jarel Worthy out knee injury
Schaub and Foster had a very bad December and they look in bad shape, the Bengals on the other hand performed pretty well in December with 3 wins in a row to end the season. a 1-3 for the texans and a 3-1 for the bengals. That pick should be easy...
Oh dear, Gresham got butter on his hands, two very catchable balls dropped. Punt to the Texans. Return of 3 yards - 5 yards penalty so Texans start at own 5 yard line.
