Re:
Alpe d'Huez said:
Considering that Seattle found a younger version of him in Rawls, they'd love I'm sure to send him off into the sunset with a hero's welcome. Though Rawls isn't the pass blocker Lynch is/was, he's still young.
Despite the talk of a mix of rain and snow in Denver, I don't think the weather will be much of a factor, including to Manning. And by Sunday the weather in Charlotte will be almost perfect for football, a cool 40 degrees or so and no wind. I'm still sticking with the Patriots. I think Denver's defense is going to give Brady some problems, and a late turnover could change the game (ask Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati too) but the Pats OL is as healthy it's been since they lost Nate Solder early in the season, and there have just too many options for Brady to throw to for Denver to stop them all. I also think the Pats defense is underrated, especially considering they are at or near full strength as well. However, Manning did look decent last week, and can still see the field great and could make some big throws. But the biggest reason why I'm picking New England is Belicheck. I never thought that much of Gary Kubaik or Wade Phillips as a coach, and that defense stacked with expensive free agents is a big reason they're doing so well. These guys are just no where near Belicheck's pedigree, or wisdom.
The NFC game seems harder for me to analyze. We've seen the Panthers look insanely good at times, and vulnerable at others. I didn't like the way they were really on their heels against Seattle in the second half of the game last week, and I don't expect Arizona to make the early mistakes Seattle did, and they have serious offensive firepower that Seattle doesn't. However, Palmer is not very mobile, and if they can't get good protection, he'll struggle all day. I also tend to think the Cardinals defense will come ready to play and expect the Panthers to try to get off to a fast start. But overall, I'm not sure Arizona has a solution to stop Cam Newton. I think they can keep their team in the game, but I can see Cam keeping a lot of drives alive with his legs and his size. Palmer and Newton were also opposites last week. Palmer was shaky much of the game, but did make some excellent throws and prevailed late when it counted most. Newton started out on fire, but struggled in the second half after Seattle adjusted.
Seattle will be fine, provided all the contracts are cleared and they know what will happen with Lynch. Rawls is a great find, no doubt, and I am interested to see what happens with Graham. Some fans are saying he should be traded, which to me is ridiculous. He literally played like a third of the season, only in his first year as a Hawk. If Rawls and Graham are used the right way, and they beef up their OL, you know that Wilson will flourish under Carroll and if the core of the defense is kept, the Seahawks will be a force for the next 4 or 5 years, IMO. Depending on how things go, they have the potential to be the 'new Patriots.' The Panthers are the new kids on the block, and Newton obviously has settled. They'll be good for a while as well, as will the Vikings, probably the Packers, and the other usual suspects. The Cards don't have many more chances, should they come out empty at the end of the postseason. Palmer is 36 and Fitzgerald is gonna be 33 in the not too distant future. They have a potent offense and a decent defense, but they don't have the upside as some of the other teams. They are built to succeed now.
The AFC, to me, has similar makeups, although I sense that Patriots and Broncos, with their aging QB's are in a similar predicament as the Cardinals. Younger teams are also coming up, Jets, Chiefs, Bills, Raiders (yes, the Bills and Raiders should be playoff contenders soon), Bengals, Steelers, etc. Manning is literally on his last energy reserves and Brady, although having more left in the tank, won't be winning forever.
Seeing that my pick, Seattle, is out, I have to go with the Cards to win the NFC and the Broncos to win the AFC. Palmer's time is now, and he knows it. Like you said, the Cards won't be so generous with the turnovers and general poor play like the Seahawks were and I think the Panthers will be playing catch up the whole game. The Broncos D will play tough and Manning will throw for a couple TD's and there might be a number of FG's.
SB: Cards over Broncos. A 39 year old vs a 36 year old, potentially, for the SB. Oldest matchup in SB history looming??
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram