NFL: 2022 AFC and NFC Championship Recap

Adamo Marinelli

January 31, 2021

     What an incredible weekend of football. Super Bowl 56 is set between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams. Two very talented QBs will have the chance to win their first Lombardy Trophy. Let’s take a look at both games to see how we got here.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs:

     After a thrilling 42-36 OT win in the divisional round against Josh Allen and the Bills, the Chiefs hosted the red-hot Bengals. The Bengals won a thriller 34-31 the last time these teams played to win the AFC North. Joe Burrow threw for 446 yards and four TDs and Ja’Marr Chase caught 11 passes for 266 yards and three TDs. Burrow and Chase will be a factor again today. The Kansas City Chiefs jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the second quarter, but then the Bengals' defense stood tall. They held the Chiefs scoreless from five minutes left in the second quarter until a last-second field goal to send the game to overtime. 

     After the Chiefs took a 21-3 lead, the Bengals stormed down the field and cut the lead to 21-10 with one minute left in the first half. The Chiefs responded by moving the ball all the way to the one-yard line. On a second and goal with five seconds left in the first half, instead of taking a chip shot field goal to take a 14 point lead, they went for it and a completion to Tyreek Hill inbounds ran out the clock. Mahomes was excellent in the first half and played near-perfect football, completing 21/25 of his passes, throwing for 220 yards and three TDs in the first half. However, in the second half and overtime, he looked extremely uncomfortable and played very poorly, completing only 5 of 14 passes and recording only 55 yards, zero TDs, and two INTs. In the third quarter, he completed only 3/10 passes for 17 yards. 

     The Chiefs' defense scored on their first three drives, but fell apart in the second half, scoring only three points in the second half, (just like in their week 17 matchup vs the Bengals) and overtime The Bengals’ defense really came to play and played a huge role in shutting down Patrick Mahomes and the potent Chiefs’ offense. The Bengals forced multiple turnovers against the Chiefs, forcing Mahomes to throw two interceptions, one of which gave the Bengals a possession in overtime, which led to the eventual game-winning field goal by rookie Evan McPherson. Their defense also pressured Mahomes all game long, their secondary played lockdown coverage all throughout the second half. Finally, they recorded several key sacks to end Kansas City drives. At the end of the third quarter and at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Bengals recorded two sacks to force the Chiefs to punt the ball twice. Late in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs were driving in the red zone with less than 90 seconds left and had a chance to win the game with a TD, but Sam Hubbard stripped sacked Mahomes to force a late field 44-yard field goal by Harrison Butker to tie the game and send it to overtime. The Bengals got four sacks (two from Sam Hubbard and 1.5 from Trey Hendrickson), the Chiefs only had one. The Bengals' offensive line played much better than they did in Tennessee, where they gave up nine sacks.

     After a very slow start, the Bengals’ offense was fantastic in the second half. In the third quarter, the Bengals scored 11 points in less than two minutes (with the help of a Mahomes’ interception to set up a Ja’Marr Chase TD and a two-point conversion) to tie the game 21-21.  On multiple occasions, late in the game, Burrow escaped a ton of pressure, to get a first down with his legs to keep the drive alive. He did it twice in the same drive on a 3rd and 7 and a 3rd and 8. That led to a field goal to take a 24-21 lead, with six minutes left in the game, their first lead of the game. Joe Burrow threw for 250 yards, two TDs, and one INT. Tee Higgins had six receptions for 103 yards and Ja’Marr Chase had six catches for 54 yards and a TD. The Bengals run game was very strong too, especially in overtime to close it out. 

     In overtime, the Chiefs won the coin toss for the second straight week and the whole world and assumed the Chiefs would win in walk-off fashion again. However, like in the second half, Mahomes looked very uncomfortable in OT. Mahomes forced two passes which were both almost picked off. On 3rd and 10, Mahomes forced a deep pass to Hill in double coverage which was intercepted by Von Bell. The Bengals meticulously drove the ball downfield with the help of Joe Mixon in the run game and some key throws from Burrow. In the end, a 31-yard field goal for the Bengals propelled them to the Super Bowl, their first time since 1989. 

San Fransisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

     After two thrilling wins against the Cowboys and the #1 seed Packers, the 49ers, a team with a dominant defense, special teams, and an electric offense behind Deebo Samuel, Elijah Mitchell, and George Kittle made it to the NFC championship game for the second time in three seasons and going into the fourth quarter with a 17-7 lead, it looked like they would be going to the Super Bowl. The Rams had an interesting path to the NFC championship, defeating the Cardinals 34-11 in the wild card round and defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-27 with a game-winning field goal despite holding a 27-3 lead midway through the third quarter.  As division rivals, these two teams know each other very well. However, recently the 49ers have had the Rams’ number. The 49ers beat the Rams both times this season and six times dating back to 2019. 

     This was a very defensive game and it was a tale of two halves. After a scoreless first quarter, where both defenses played extremely well, limiting the opponents’ success moving the ball, the 49ers kicked into high gear in the second quarter. Trailing 7-0 early in the second quarter, they were able to use their run game to move the ball well enough to open up the passing attack. Deebo Samuel - who has been a dual-threat at receiver and running back all season for the 49ers - caught a deep touchdown pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to tie the game. The 49ers would add a field goal after a missed Rams’ field goal to take a 10-7 lead into halftime. The 49ers would extend their lead to 17-7 in the third quarter after George Kittle’s incredible touchdown reception on a dime midway through the third quarter from Garoppolo, who despite his lackluster performances against Dallas and Green Bay, had a great game against the Rams, completing 16 of 30 passes for 232 yards, two TDs, and one INT. 

     For the Rams, Stafford lived up to expectations, completing 31/45 passes for 337 yards, two TDs, and one INT, which came on the Rams' first red-zone drive. The Rams - who are normally a very good rushing attack - could not get a run game going against Kyle Shanahan’s defense, totaling only 70 yards on the ground. However, Cooper Kupp, who led the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in the regular season was the hero again last night, recording 11 catches for 142 yards and two TDs. Odell Beckham Jr. was also incredible, with nine catches for 113 yards. He was open for most of the game due to the 49ers doubling Cooper Kupp. 

     In the fourth quarter, down 17-7, the Rams were in desperation mode and Matthew Stafford threw a long ball downfield that should have been his second interception of the game. Jacquiski Tart, 49ers’ DB, had the ball in his hands, but couldn’t come up with a crucial interception which would have given the 49ers great field possession and a chance to score another TD to extend the lead to 24-7 in the midway through the fourth quarter. The Rams would score 13 points consecutive points in the third quarter which included two field goals and Kupp’s second TD reception to take a 20-17 lead. Once they had the lead, despite not being able to sack Garoppolo once, the Rams defense got enough pressure on him to disrupt his rhythm. With 1:15 seconds left in the game, the Rams sent an all-out blitz and forced Garoppollo to throw a game-sealing interception. He played a solid game, minus the two-minute warning. Sorry, 49ers fans. The 49ers' defense played well, sacking Stafford twice and forcing an interception and their offense was productive too. The dropped interception by Tart was the difference.

     So, as a result, Super Bowl 56 will feature an electric Bengals offense led by Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins against a Rams’ team who went all out to win a Super Bowl now by signing talented veterans like Matt Stafford and Odell Beckham Jr., who both haven’t won a Super Bowl. They also acquired Von Miller on defense, who with Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd make one of the scariest front seven’s in the NFL. Regardless of what happens, this game is sure to be entertaining. Whatever team wins will surely deserve it. Nobody expected the Bengals to get to the Super Bowl and people have had their doubts about the Rams this season, but those are the two teams defending their respective conference in the battle for the iconic Lombardy trophy. Both teams are talented on both sides of the ball, are well-coached, and have a shot to win. The Rams have the chance to become the second consecutive team to win the Super Bowl on their home field after the Buccaneers did it this year.

The Rams opened as -4 favourites, and I will take the Rams to win a high-scoring game, 31-27.

Canada MNT WCQ January slate preview

Adamo Marinelli

January 26, 2022      

      The Canadian Men’s National Soccer Team currently sits atop the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier table with six qualifier games remaining. Canada currently with a record of 4-4-0 for 16 points and look like favourites to qualify for their first World Cup since 1986. Canada is ahead of the United States – which has a record of 4-3-1 for 15 points – and Mexico – which has a record of 4-2-2 for 14 points.

      Canada’s only World Cup appearance was in 1986. They lost 1-0 to France, lost 2-0 to Hungary, and lost 2-0 to the USSR. In their three matches, they didn’t score a single goal and they weren’t really competitive in any of their games. However, based on Canada’s recent performances, there is reason to believe Canada will fare better in the 2022 World Cup with their current roster if they manage to qualify.

      Team Canada ended 2021 on a strong note, winning their last three matches. In those three matches, they were able to control time of possession, get numerous quality chances and score goals. They outscored Panama, Costa Rica, and powerhouse Mexico by a combined margin of 7-2. They were also strong defensively, limiting quality chances by their opponents and using their counterattack to produce offense. 

       Canada remains the only undefeated team remaining in the final round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier table. Canada is heating up at the right time. They have talent on defense, in the midfield, and at forward; they are also extremely well-coached by John Herdman and have a lot of depth outside their starting 11. Despite having a handful of notable stars on their roster, they are getting production from everyone. 

     Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, Atiba Hutchinson, and Richie Lareya are the superstars on the roster but many other players have stepped up and put Canada in the position they are in now such as Cyle Larin, Ike Ugbo, Sam Adekugbe, Jonathan Osorio, Stephen Eustaquio, Alistair Johnson and Mark-Anthony Kaye, all of whom will be playing in the next three matches, all of which will be crucial for Canada. 

      On January 24, Canada’s National Team announced their 25 man roster ahead of the January slate of games. They will have all of their star players back except for Davies, who will miss the January international window after receiving a diagnosis of mild myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, following testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in January. 

      It is a huge loss for Canada, as Davies is tremendously skilled and one of Canada’s best players. However, Herdman said they are a strong, resilient squad that has a lot of depth and can overcome challenges. Cristián Gutiérrez plays in a similar position to Davies, and will likely see a lot of minutes in Davies’ absence.

      On January 27, Canada will travel to Honduras, a place where the National Team has struggled to get points from in the past. Honduras is last in the CONCACAF table, with a record of 0-3-5, for only three points and it is a very winnable game, but you cannot underestimate any team no matter the circumstances. The last time these two teams played each other on September 2, they drew 1-1. Alexander Lopez opened the scoring in the 39th minute for Honduras with a penalty kick and Canada’s Larin evened the game with a penalty kick in the 65th minute. Both teams recorded 15 shots, Honduras had six shots on target and Canada had only three. Canada dominated possession time, 66 to 34 percent though, and moved the ball better. Predicting Canada will take a 2-0 lead and concede a late goal to win 2-1.

      On January 30, Canada hosts a very strong United States squad, led by Christian Pulisic, in Hamilton. These two teams are arguably the best in the group and both will likely qualify for the World Cup. The winner of this match between first-place Canada and the second-place US will likely secure first place in the table. This is a winnable game for Canada, but it will be extremely tough against a talented, well-rounded, and well-coached US side. Canada has struggled against the US, both throughout history and recently. In all competitions, Canada has 11 wins, 11 draws, and 18 losses against the US. In their last 10 matches vs the US, Canada has one win, four draws, and five losses. However, the last time these two teams played each other, they drew 1-1 on September 5. The US outshot Canada 11-6, but each team had two shots on target. The United States controlled time of possession handily with 72 percent, and like against Honduras, Canada conceded first before equalizing later. Canada played excellent defense against the US and took advantage of their strong defense and midfield to get offensive chances on the counterattack. Larin scored his second goal in two games. I predict this game will be a 2-2 draw. Canada will take a 1-0 lead, the US will then take a 2-1 lead and Canada will tie the game in the 85th minute with the help of the fans’ energy. 

Finally, on February 2, Canada will visit El Salvador. El Salvador is seventh place in the CONCACAF table with a record of 1-3-4 for six points. However, they do have some talent on their roster and have improved a bit defensively, conceding only four goals in their last three competitive games. This is an improvement from earlier in the World Cup qualifiers when they conceded two goals to Mexico and Costa Rica and three to Canada. This is another winnable game for Canada, but they cannot take their opposition lightly. The last time these two teams played each other was on September 8, where Canada earned a decisive 3-0 win. Despite losing possession time 59 to 41 percent, Canada was brilliant offensively. Hutchinson and David scored in the sixth and 11th minute respectively to give Canada an early 2-0 lead. Canada doubled El Salvador’s shot total 14-7 and had five shots on goal to El Salvador’s zero. Once they took a 2-0 lead, they played strong defense and did not allow El Salvador to get any shots on target and limited their chances and time on attack. Buchanan scored again in the 59th minute to give Canada a 3-0 lead. I predict Canada will play strong defense and shut out El Salvador again in a 2-0 win.

      If Canada can go 2-1-0 in the next international window, they will have a record of 6-5-0, totaling 23 points. I believe the US will also beat both El Salvador and Honduras to record a record of 6-4-1, totaling 22 points. This means the winner of the CONCACAF group - likely either Canada or the United States, perhaps even Mexico - will come down to the final set of three games.

     In Canada’s last three matches, they play Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Panama. They beat Panama 4-1, Costa Rica 1-0, and tied Jamaica 0-0 the last time they played these teams. Meanwhile, the US has Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica in their last three games. Canada has the easier schedule and thus I predict they will finish first in the group, especially if they get Davies back for the last window of matches. However, Canada, the US, and Mexico will all qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. 

     Whatever happens, these next few qualifier matches are sure to be very exciting, especially Canada’s home game against the US. Being without Davies may prove to be a big challenge, but I think with the depth and talent on their roster, they will figure something out, even if they have to change things up schematically. 

NFL Divisional Round Recap

Adamo Marinelli

January 24, 2022

     What an incredible weekend of football! The 2022 NFL divisional round saw three road teams win their game with a last-second field goal, which hasn’t happened in a very long time. It also saw the number one seed in both conferences lose for the first time since 2010. Finally, the margin of victory for all four games was a combined 15 points, the lowest figure ever in the divisional round in the Super Bowl era. Finally, all four games ended in a walk-off fashion; three field goals and one TD. Let’s take a look at all four incredible divisional round games. 

      The Cincinnati Bengals were fresh off a close win in a back-and-forth game against the Las Vegas Raiders in the wild-card round. The Tennessee Titans’ defense played well all game long, recording nine sacks, the most in a playoff game since the 1993 Kansas City Chiefs, however, the Titans could not overcome three interceptions from Ryan Tannehill. Two of his interceptions on his first throw and last throw of the game led to six points for the Bengals, which included the game-winning field goal. His other interception came in the red zone when they were down 16-6 in the third quarter which cost the Titans at least three points. Bengals’ rookie kicker Evan McPherson was a perfect 4/4 on the day, including hitting two 50+ yard kicks, the game-winner was from 52 yards out. Neither QB’s stat line was impressive, but Burrow’s was better than Tannehill’s which contributed to the win. Derrick Henry balled out in his return and A.J. Brown was incredible (5-142-1), but it wasn’t enough. The Bengals are going to their first AFC championship game in 34 years, since 1988.

     The Green Bay Packers entered the game as the best team in not only the NFC but the entire NFL with a 13-4 record in the regular season. Throughout the entire regular season, the Packers were one of the best offenses in the NFL, they were one of the most consistent teams in the NFL and had a solid defense. They also got several players back from injury before their playoff game. However, one thing that haunted them frequently this season was special teams. It cost them against the 49ers. The Packers’ special teams had a field goal blocked when leading 7-0 right before the half that took three points off the board. They also had a punt blocked and returned for a TD in the fourth quarter, giving seven points to the 49ers, which tied the game 10-10. They gave up over 30 yards per punt return and had only 10 men on the field on Robbie Gould’s game-winning field goal. Rodgers didn’t have the best game, but all the blame cannot fall on him. Their special teams lost the game. Now, they enter the offseason $45 million over the cap, with a lot of pending free agents to re-sign and Rodgers might have played his last game as a Packer. The San Fransisco 49ers have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball and deserve to be in the playoffs even with Jimmy Garoppolo not playing his best football. Their offense is explosive and they made the plays when they needed to. The 49ers’ defense was a force to be reckoned with all game long, generating constant pressure and recording five sacks. The 49ers held the Packers to only 10 points, which tied the fewest points scored by the Packers when Aaron Rodgers plays a full game. It also was the Packers’ first home loss this season and Rodgers is now 0-4 against the 49ers in the playoffs. With the win, the 49ers become the first team to win a playoff game without scoring an offensive TD since the 2016 Pittsburgh Steelers. 

     Entering the week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were favoured by three points against the Los Angeles Rams with RB Leonard Fournette, center Ryan Jensen and CB Sean Murphy Bunting among others all returning from injury. However, without star wide receiver Chris Godwin and one of their best offensive lineman, tackle Tristan Wirfs, the advantage shifted to the Rams who have a dominant pass rush, especially off the edge with Leonard Floyd, Aaron Donald, and Von Miller, all three of whom recorded a sack against Brady. Von Miller’s sack forced a fumble. This game was a tale of two halves. The Rams dominated the first two and a half quarters, taking a 20-3 lead at halftime. The Rams would add another TD early in the third quarter to take a 27-3 lead. The game looked all but over, but then you remember it is Tom Brady on the other side, down 24 points in a big game (insert flashback to Super Bowl 51). After the Rams took a 27-3 lead, the Rams’ next six possessions consisted of three lost fumbles, two punts, and a missed field goal. That allowed the Buccaneers to score 24 consecutive points to tie the game 27-27 with 0:42 left in the game. After the Bucs tied the game, Stafford made two huge plays to Cooper Kupp downfield to set up a game-winning 30-yard field goal for Matt Gay. Kupp recorded 64 of his 183 yards on the final possession and Stafford had an excellent game despite the numerous second-half miscues throwing for 366 yards, two TDs, zero INTs, and he also scored a rushing TD. The Rams became the first team to win a playoff game after losing four fumbles since the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers. With the win, the Rams ensured both the NFC championship game and the Super Bowl stadium will be hosted at SoFi stadium. 2022 marks the first time since 2009 that Rodgers or Brady won’t play on championship weekend. The Bucs will face some uncertainty going forward with the potential retirement of Brady and Gronk.

       

     Finally, what was potentially the best game of the weekend, but not one without its fair share of controversy. After the Chiefs beat the Bills in the 2020 AFC championship game to advance to Super Bowl 55, the Bills got their revenge in the 2021 season beating the Chiefs 38-20 in week five. However, in the latest edition of Patrick Mahomes vs Josh Allen - a rivalry that has been fantastic and will surely provide us with many more exciting games for the next 10-15 years - it came down to the wire with several lead changes. The game was tied 14-14 at halftime and the Chiefs led 23-21 after the third quarter. The Chiefs extended their lead to 26-21 with a field goal before the wildest final two-minute sequence in NFL history. A whopping 25 points were scored by the Chiefs (10) and Bills (15) in the final two minutes of the game, which is the most in any regular season or postseason game in the Super Bowl era. There were three lead changes in the final two minutes of regulation and four if you count Travis Kelce’s walk-off TD in overtime. Bills’ wide receiver Gabriel Davis set an NFL playoff record with four receiving TDs including a 19-yard reception that gave the Bills a 36-33 lead with 0:13 left in the game. He also had 201 yards on eight catches, which is simply incredible. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes both played amazing games. Allen threw for 329 yards, four TDs, and zero INTs and Mahomes threw for 378 yards, three TDs, and zero INTs, including throwing for 177 yards after the two-minute warning and in OT. Mahomes also scored on the ground. It was an incredible game and this is going to be an awesome rivalry for a long time, akin to Brady and Manning, but many people have just one criticism. The NFL needs to change its overtime rules. Both teams need to get at least one possession. In a fourth quarter where 28 points were scored, 25 in the final two minutes, both defenses were exhausted. Nobody on either team looked like they wanted to or had any energy left to play any defense. As a result, the team that won the coin toss would get a huge advantage because their defense would not have to go out on the field. It would be their offense, against their opponents’ exhausted defense. In such an exciting game of this caliber, with so much on the line, a coin toss cannot decide the outcome. Since 2010, 11 playoff games went to overtime. 10 of the 11 teams that won the toss, won the game. I think they should implement the CFL rules where each team gets a possession starting on the opponents’ 35-yard line. However, because of the NFL’s extra down, both teams can start from midfield. Congrats to the Chiefs on the win, it wasn’t their fault that Buffalo allowed them to tie the game at the end of regulation. They will be the first-ever team to host four consecutive AFC championship games. In this case, it was the Chiefs to win the toss and win. If it was the Bills that won the toss, they would have won too. 

     What a wild weekend in the NFL and it will only get crazier next week in the AFC and NFC championship games. Let’s make our predictions.

      In the AFC championship, the Bengals will visit the Chiefs. Both teams are very talented on both sides of the ball. Both teams won their game in amazing fashion this weekend. However, Ja’Marr Chase torched the Chiefs in the regular season (11, 266, 3) and Gabriel Davis torched the Chiefs last night (8, 201, 4). For that reason, I have the Bengals winning a very tight, high-scoring game, 36-34.

     In the NFC championship, the 49ers will visit the Rams. The 49ers have recorded two incredible playoff wins against the Cowboys and Packers, but their run will come to an end against the Rams, who have an incredible defense and who have the superior QB and overall offense. The 49ers will make it look respectable, but if the Rams can avoid turnovers, they should win 28-24. If the Rams win, they have the chance to play in a Super Bowl on their home field.

May the best teams win, for a chance to play in Super Bowl 56.

NFL Super Wild Card weekend recap

Adamo Marinelli

January 21, 2022

     Now that we’ve had a few days to decompress after an eventful wildcard weekend, let’s take a look back at the results of all the games. 

     The Cincinnati Bengals won their first playoff game in 31 years after beating the Raiders 26-19. After the Raiders took a 3-0 lead, the Bengals stormed back to score 13 consecutive points. Following another Raiders’ field goal, the Bengals drove down the field and scored another touchdown on a controversial play where it appeared as if the refs blew the whistle after Burrow threw the ball. The Raiders’ defensive back appeared to stop moving after the whistle was blown but it is inconclusive if the inadvertent whistle affected the play. Regardless, Joe Burrow played a very good, mistake-free game, throwing for almost 250 yards and 2 TDs, their run game was solid and their defense played incredibly, forcing multiple QB pressures, 3 sacks, and forcing two turnovers. Trey Hendrickson’s forced fumble contributed to their early 13-3 lead and Germaine Pratt’s interception of Derek Carr sealed the win for the Bengals ending a late comeback attempt. Derek Carr looked good in his first career playoff game but ultimately came up just short in the end. If the Raiders would have gone for it on 4th down with about 4 minutes left in the game and scored a TD, they only would have needed a field goal to tie the game on the last play. But hindsight is 2020. Despite the bad officiating, the better team won the game.

     In the Saturday night game, the Bills proved why their 14-10 loss to the Patriots on December 6 was a fluke. After beating the Patriots on December 26 to essentially clinch the AFC East, the Bills dismantled the Patriots for the second time in a matter of weeks in a 47-17 rout. Simply put, the Bills dominated on both sides of the ball. Josh Allen had a near-perfect game, showcasing his talent both through the air and on the ground and adding his name to future MVP conversations. He completed 21/25 passes for over 300 yards, 5 passing TDs, and 0 INTs. He also had 66 yards on the ground and their runningback Devin Singletary who has struggled at times this season rushed for 81 yards and 2 TDs. The Bills’ offense scored a TD on their first 7 possessions and did not attempt a single field goal or punt the entire game, all 3 of those were records in a playoff game in the Super Bowl Era. Not only was their offense firing in all cylinders but their defense made life difficult on Mac Jones who was under pressure all night long. He was sacked 3 times and hit 12 times. He threw for 232 yards, and 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. The Bills were up 27-0 before the Patriots got on the board with a meaningless field goal.

     In Tampa Bay, the defending champion Buccaneers had the chance to begin their title defense against the Eagles who snuck into the playoffs thanks to a favourable schedule and an outstanding rushing attack. However, the Eagles were unable to get their run game - their biggest weapon - going against a very energetic, active, and dominant Buccaneers’ defense that got several key pieces back from injuries like LB Lavonte David and CB Carlton Davis. They only had 95 rush yards, most of those came in the second half. Once the Eagles were forced to pass the ball, the Buccaneers’ defenders constantly put pressure on Hurts, registering multiple sacks, QB hurries, and QB hits. This led to a lot of three-and-outs by the Eagles offense which kept their defense on the field for the majority of the game. The Eagles’ defense did the best they could to slow down Brady getting 4 sacks, but even without Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, and Chris Godwin, the Bucs’ offense was still very efficient. Tom Brady had a lot of time in the pocket and was able to consistently make good throws to his receivers. The passing game was effective thanks to the Bucs’ run game consisting of Giovanni Bernard and Ke’Shawn Vaughn - who combined for almost 100 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. The Bucs took a 17-0 lead into halftime. Early in the second half, after Jalen Reagor muffed a punt, the Bucs drove down the field to take a 24-0 lead. On the next drive, after Shaquill Barrett picked off Jalen Hurts, Brady found Mike Evans wide open for a 36 yard TD to take a 31-0 lead. The Eagles scored two TDs late in the game to make the score respectable but the score was not indicative of the dominant win by the Buccaneers.

      Many Cowboys thought they had an easy win. But the resilient 49ers who have a lot of talent both on offense and defense had different ideas. There were a few main storylines in this game. The first was the most obvious, the Cowboys’ questionable play-call to run a QB draw with 14 seconds left, with no timeouts down 6 points. He ran too far and the Cowboys were unable to clock the ball to get one last chance at a hail-mary. However, the game shouldn’t have even come down to this potential last play. The Cowboys, who were the most penalized team in the league in the regular season, were penalized 14 times for over 100 yards, the majority of those penalties gave first downs to the 49ers or took away big plays from the Cowboys’ offense. In addition, the Cowboys’ offense looked flaccid for the first 3 quarters of the game, similar to their week 9 loss to Denver. The 49ers took a 16-7 lead into halftime and led 23-7 going into the fourth quarter after a huge rushing TD from WR/RB hybrid Deebo Samuel. If it weren’t for an interception by Jimmy Garappolo, the 49ers would’ve extended their lead even more but it allowed the Cowboys to score 10 straight points to cut the lead to 23-17. Finally, with under 1:00 left, the 49ers got the ball back and appeared to seal the game with a Deebo Samuel first down but after a questionable ball placement by the refs, the Cowboys got another chance that they shouldn't have gotten. Regardless, that was still the most bizarre play call I’ve ever seen in the playoffs, and Kellen Moore, a brilliant OC called that play which was approved by HC Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys deserved to lose this game; they've got to be more disciplined.

     In what was more than likely Big Ben’s final game, the Steelers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after a defensive touchdown by T.J. Watt. Both offenses sputtered in the first quarter and both defenses were stout, especially the Steelers’ defense which recorded 3 sacks, a forced fumble, and a TD. However, after Watt’s fumble recovery touchdown, it was all Kansas City for the rest of the game. Using both their high-powered run game and passing attack, the Chiefs would proceed to put up 35 unanswered points to take a 35-7 lead. The Steelers would score two late TDs and the Chiefs would add on one more thanks to a passing TD from Travis Kelce, but the Chiefs had to do relatively little on defense to secure a 42-21 win. Patrick Mahomes and the entire Chiefs’ offense was dominant. He recorded over 400 passing yards and 5 TDs to only 1 INT. The Chiefs had over 500 yards on total offense. For the Steelers, Big Ben had a solid game with 215 passing yards 2 TDs, and 0 INTs, but it was too little, too late.  

     Matt Stafford finally got his first career playoff win after leading the Rams to a dominant 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals, their division rivals. The Rams defense dominated in this game, constantly putting pressure on Kyler Murray. Murray was sacked twice and had pass rushers in his face all game long. As a result, this disrupted his rhythm, didn’t allow him to get comfortable in the pocket to look for his receivers and it caused him to make several mistakes. He completed 19/34 passes, for 137 yards, 0 TDs, and 2 INTs, one of which was returned by the Rams for a TD after Murray held the ball too long in his own endzone and to avoid being sacked which would’ve resulted in a safety, he just threw it up for grabs - a classic rookie mistake. This TD gave the Rams a 21-0 lead. Matt Stafford played a near-perfect game for the Rams, throwing for over 200 yards, 2 TDs, and also scoring a rushing TD. The Rams were extremely effective on the ground, with Cam Akers and Sony Michel rushing for over 110 yards. This opened up the play-action passing game for Matt Stafford and it allowed him to pick apart the Cardinals’ defense. The Rams had a 28-0 lead before the Cardinals eventually got on the board. The Rams’ defense was dominant, shutting down the Cardinals’ run game and forcing Murray to make mistakes all game long and the Rams’ offense didn’t turn the ball over and was good enough to get the win. Another main factor in this game was 3rd down defense; the Rams did not allow the Cardinals to convert a single 3rd down on nine attempts. You can’t fault Murray in his first playoff game. The Rams’ roster is loaded and built to win Super Bowls. The issue in Arizona is with their head coach and playcalling.

      Overall, Wild Card weekend brought us some interesting games, however, four of the six games were blowouts. The only games that weren’t blowouts were the Cowboys-49ers game and the Bengals-Raiders game, however, the Cowboys-49ers game would have been a blowout if Jimmy G doesn’t throw an interception. The only truly competitive game was between the Bengals and Raiders which came down to the last play. Hopefully, the divisional round will be more competitive.

     In the AFC divisional round, we have the Bills vs Chiefs and Bengals vs Titans. I’ll take the Bills to win in an upset and the Titans to win.

     In the NFC divisional round, we have the 49ers vs Packers and the Rams vs Bucs. I’ll take the Rams to win in an upset and the Packers to win.

Ottawa 67's mid-season recap and future expectations

Adamo Marinelli

January 18, 2022  

     Before the pandemic abruptly ended the 2019-20 OHL season, the Ottawa 67’s had a ton of talent all over their roster and sat comfortably in first place in the OHL standings after 62 games with an incredible record of 50-11-1 under highly regarded and esteemed head coach André Tourigny, who is now the head coach for the Arizona Coyotes. They led the league in scoring with 296 goals scored and had the fewest goals against with 164.

     The 67’s were well on their way to not only finishing first in the league, but they were also huge favourites to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup, awarded to the winner of the OHL playoffs but they were also strong contenders for the Memorial Cup. 

     However, on March 12, 2020, with six games still remaining on their schedule, the season was postponed due to COVID-19 and was never finished. 

     The 2020-21 OHL season was cancelled due to COVID-19. It would be almost a year and a half until the 67’s took the ice again in September of 2021 for training camp. 

     A few weeks before they returned to the ice, the 67s brought in Dave Cameron to become the 10th head coach in franchise history after Tourigny left to pursue opportunities in the NHL. Cameron had previous head coaching experience in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators and has proved to be a leader and a great coach, especially on offense. 

     Despite having a roster that has seen a lot of turnover compared to their roster from 2019-20, the 67’s still have a lot of talent and depth on both sides of the puck. Under Cameron’s guidance, the 67’s are having a solid season, with a 15-17-2 record, good enough for seventh in the Eastern Conference. However, they’re only 6 points back of the third-place Hamilton Bulldogs, who are 17-9-4. However, the Bulldogs do have 4 games in hand.

      So far this season, the 67’s have a well-balanced attack. They can move the puck well, generate shots, chances, and score goals. At the beginning of the season, the 67’s could score goals and generate offense at will. They got the puck into their offensive zone quickly, they moved the puck around nicely finding the open man for quality scoring chances and they took advantage of their scoring chances. They currently rank 12th in the OHL in goals scored with 101. 

       Key injuries to several key offensive players have limited their ability to score and create chances as of late. In their tough stretch in December, they didn’t capitalize on their chances and didn’t look like themselves on offense. They have a good special teams unit too. They scored 25 powerplay goals on 132 chances, clicking at 18.9% efficiency, the 13th best in the league. They are killing 75% of their penalties, which is good, but rank in the bottom 5 in the league. They’ve also scored four shorthanded goals, tied for 10th best in the league.

     However, their defense and goaltending have not been as good as they have been in 2019-20. The 67’s rank third-worst in the OHL in goals-against with 128.  

     The 67’s started the season well, ending October with a 6-4 record. In that span, they showed their ability to score goals, recording 3 or more goals in all of their wins. However, in their four losses, they gave up 21 goals. The goalies couldn’t make key saves to keep their team in the game and the defensemen gave up too many shots on goal and couldn’t get out of their own zone. 

     In November, they started to struggle a bit, finishing with a 5-7 record. December is really where their season took a steep fall. In December, the 67’s went 2-8, including losing three games in a row and five games in a row on two separate occasions. In their 3 game losing streak, they gave up 12 goals and only scored 2. In their 5 game losing streak, they gave up 26 goals, only scored 9. You can’t win games when you don’t score and your defense isn’t perfect.  

     After not playing a game for two weeks due to COVID-19 outbreaks, the 67’s finally started 2022 strong after winning back-to-back games against Peterborough and Sudbury.

     Despite their recent struggles and the large number of goals they give up, the 67’s have shown the ability to win close games; 7 of their 15 wins came by only one goal. Two more of their wins have been by two goals. They can win in offensive shootouts and close, low-scoring defensive games. 

     They’ve had stretches where they give up a lot of goals, scoring chances, and spend a lot of time in their own end, but for most of the season, they’ve played well defensively, been physical, won loose puck battles, controlled the neutral zone, limited their own zone time, shots on goal, goals against and increasing their offensive production using the counter-attack. 

     This is due to strong defensive and goaltender play, which has been good the majority of the season minus their abysmal month of December.

     Granted, the 67’s have a young defensive core. Four of the eight starters are rookies. The rookies have been improving as the season went on and they are continuing to get mentored by the veterans on the roster, but with so many rookies, there will be points in the season where they give up a lot of goals, especially against top-tier talent in the OHL.

     Their tough stretch in December where they lost 9 of 10 games can be partially blamed on poor play on both sides of the puck, but it can also be attributed to a tough schedule, a plethora of injuries, and players isolating after testing positive for COVID-19.

     The 67’s are equally as talented on offense. Of their 15 forwards, 7 are rookies. All 7 rookies have unique skillsets, but Luca Pinelli, Chris Barlas, and Brady Stonehouse have all been the main contributors in different ways in their first season with the team. 

     Pinelli has slotted into an offensive role with the team, setting up his teammates and getting open for quality scoring chances. Goals haven’t come in bunches but he has a few. Barlas is a physical, gritty player that can win loose puck battles and control possession. He can create offense with his passing and shot, but it isn’t his first priority. Not to mention, the 67’s have plenty of talented veteran forwards - both playmakers and pure goal scorers - like Tyler Boucher, Steven Laforme, Thomas Johnston, Alex Johnston, Adam Varga, and Cameron Tolnai among many others. 

     Head coach Dave Cameron has always stressed the importance of having a next-man-up mentality, and how crucial it is for guys to step up in the other guys’ absences. For their tough stretch in December, it wasn’t really the case but otherwise, the team’s depth has really proven to be an asset that has helped them win games. In their 2 games so far in 2022 - as they still continue to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks and injuries - guys have stepped up for each other. 

     When fully healthy, this team can be dangerous on both sides of the puck. They also have two solid goalies in Will Cranley and Max Donoso. They aren’t as good as they were in 2019-20 when they were 1st place in the OHL and the best team in almost all statistical categories. 

     However, they are in 6th place in the Eastern Conference, only 3 games back of 3rd place. If they get fully healthy, they have the potential to go on a run, record a couple of long win streaks, and if that's the case it’s not difficult to imagine the 67’s not only making the OHL playoffs but also making a deep run in the playoffs too. The Memorial Cup is also a possibility. But, if they don't get fully healthy, it will be difficult for them to make the playoffs. I predict the 67s will finish 4th in the East, and advance to the semifinals before losing.

     That would be a pretty good year for Dave Cameron in his first season as head coach. In future years, the players will improve and gain more experience and with time, Cameron will develop more chemistry with the team and potentially lead them further into the playoffs. Whatever happens this season, the future looks bright for the 67’s.

Toronto Raptors Mid-Season Recap

Adamo Marinelli

January 14, 2022

     The Toronto Raptors’ season has so far been a tale of two halves. The Raptors started the season 6-3. The Raptors would then go 3-10 in their next 13 games, falling to 9-13 on the season and they were in the basement of the Eastern Conference. 

     Some of the Raptors’ struggles throughout the season can be attributed to losing key players to injuries and also players missing time after testing positive with COVID-19. However, in their tough 3-10 stretch, they got dominated often. Six of their 10 losses came by over double digits.

     In early December, the Raptors season started to turn around. The Raptors would go into Christmas break on a 5-2 run, their only losses coming against the Oklahoma City Thunder by one point and to the then Eastern Conference-leading Brooklyn Nets by 2 points in overtime. 

     After their dominant 119-100 win over the Warriors, to bring their record to 14-15 on the season, 12th in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors were supposed to play two more games against Orlando and Chicago before the Christmas break, but both were postponed as the majority of the Raptors’ roster tested positive for COVID-19.

     Scottie Barnes, Fred Van Vleet, Gary Trent Jr., Pascal Siakam, Malachi Flynn, Dalano Banton, OG Anunoby, and Precious Achiuwa were among the Raptors’ players who missed time after testing positive. A few members of the coaching staff also missed time.

     After the Christmas break, COVID-19 was still hitting the Raptors hard. The only player they got back from the COVID-19 list was Dalano Banton who put up 7 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds in a 144-99 rout at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 26. Four of the eight players the Raptors had available for that game were emergency reserve players. 

     Their next game against the 76ers saw the team play much better. They also had Siakam, Trent Jr., and Flynn return from the COVID-19 list. Despite the improved play, they lost 114-109.

     The Raptors know how serious an extended COVID-19 outbreak can be and they want to avoid it at all costs. In late February 2020, the Raptors had a large COVID-19 outbreak which saw the majority of the team sit out. The team had an abysmal 1-13 record in March 2021 which essentially ended any postseason hopes. The Raptors can make noise in the postseason but will need to stay healthy to get there. 

     After their loss against the 76ers, the Raptors really got into form. They rattled off 6 consecutive wins against really good opponents like the Clippers, Bucks, Knicks, and Jazz to bring their record to 20-17. In their win streak, they outscored their opponents by 72. Fred Van Vleet showed why he deserves to be in the NBA All-Star game this season, recording over 30 points in five of six games on the Raptors’ win streak; that includes Van Vleet’s first career triple-double against the Utah Jazz where he dropped 37 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a thrilling win.

     Despite a close 99-95 loss, in a back-forth defensive game against the Pheonix Suns - who are first in the Western Conference and have the best record in the league at 31-9 - the Raptors are 8th in the Eastern Conference with a 20-18 record. 

     With all of their key players off the COVID-19 and a fully healthy roster except for Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr. who are questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Detroit Pistons with a knee and ankle injury respectively, the Raptors have the talent on both sides of the ball to go on a run and further solidify themselves as playoff contenders in the East. 

     Guys like Fred Van Vleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr. among many others have been consistently good all season for the Raptors when healthy. If the starters continue to perform like at a high-level night in and night out and the bench players continue to provide additional depth to the team by being productive on both sides of the ball when they get put on the floor and if they are able to close out games to give the starters additional rest, this team can be really good in the second half of the season. 

     This team’s identity is defensive-oriented. Play strong, physical defense, don’t give up high-percentage shots, create turnovers, and score fastbreak points in transition. On offense, they move the ball around to create open shots and create high-percentage shots. This team has the players to adhere to that game plan. If they succeed in running that game plan, they can win lots of games. 

     They have 44 games left, which is lots of time to get fully healthy, improve, and go on a few big winning streaks to end the season as potentially a top 5 team in the East. There is also the possibility of a collapse, especially if future COVID-19 outbreaks occur, which is something the Raptors want to avoid at all costs. 

     This team has the potential to make the playoffs and go on a run with guys like Van Vleet, Anunoby, Trent Jr. Barnes, Siakam among others. With plenty of talent on both sides of the ball and a great coaching staff, I can see the Raptors finishing the season 27-17, ending on a 47-35 record, good enough for fifth in the East as long as they stay healthy. But only time will tell.

NFL 2022 Playoff Predictions

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 12, 2022

     At the end of an extremely entertaining, wild, and extended NFL season, the 2021 playoff picture is set and there are a handful of entertaining matchups, including some intense division rivalries and several rematches from this season. 

     Before we take a look at the matchups and predict the winners, the season finale between the Raiders and Chargers was one of the - if not the - best games of the year. The Raiders won on a last-second field goal in overtime, but if it weren’t for a timeout by the Chargers, the game could have ended in a tie, sending both the Chargers and Raiders into the playoffs, eliminating the Steelers in the process. 

Let’s start with the AFC bracket. 

     Big Ben will likely play his last game with the Pittsburgh Steelers who will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to play the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are the better team both offensively and defensively and will win this game with relative ease. T.J. Watt is a weapon on defense for the Steelers. He leads the NFL in sacks with 22.5 and the Steelers have 55 sacks, which is the most in the NFL. He will affect Patrick Mahomes but not enough to help the Steelers win. Mahomes will spread the ball around and they will use the run and the pass to beat the Steelers. The Steelers have weapons on offense, including Najee Harris, but it won’t be enough to overpower the Chiefs’ defense. It won’t be as big a blowout as it was on Boxing Day when the Chiefs won 36-10, but the Chiefs will win by 10.

     Mac Jones and the Patriots will travel to Buffalo to visit the Bills, their division rival. The Pats and Bills split the season series 1 game apiece. The Patriots’ running game dominated the Bills in the first matchup, going for over 200 yards. Mac Jones completed only 2 of 3 passes for 19 yards in the win. In the next matchup, Josh Allen threw for 300+ yards and 3 TDs and the Bills’ defense shut the Patriots’ offense down. This game could go either way, both of these teams are very good on both sides of the ball, but I think the Bills win in a tight game at home. 

      Finally, the Las Vegas Raiders travel to Cincinnati to take on Joe Burrow and the red-hot Bengals. Both teams are making their first playoff appearances since 2016 and 2015 respectively. The Bengals exploded for 19 points in the 4th quarter on their way to a 32-13 rout. The Bengals are the better team, but the Raiders are a feisty relentless bunch that doesn’t go away. They won the last four games of the season to clinch a playoff spot. The Raiders will keep it interesting, especially with Maxx Crosby rushing Joe Burrow, but the Bengals’ offense is on too much of a hot streak. They won’t be stopped. Bengals win.

     In the divisional round, the Bengals will travel to Tennessee to play the number one seed Titans. The Bengals are one of the most balanced teams in the AFC with a solid defense, amazing QB play from Joe Burrow, and a powerful offense both on the ground with Joe Mixon and through the air with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and even C.J. Uzomah. The Bengals can win games in many ways on both defense and offense. The Titans are nothing to scoff at either. They have been worse without Derrick Henry at running back but still did enough to claim the #1 seed in the AFC with a 12-5 record. They have a top 10 defense, a solid receiver core, and their backup running backs played very well in Henry’s actions. This will be close, but with a lack of experience from the Bengals in the playoffs, I’ll take the Titans to win by under 7.

     In the other matchup, the Bills will travel to Kansas City to play the Chiefs. The Bills beat the Chiefs handily this season, however, that was before the Chiefs defense made a huge improvement from a bottom 5 defense in the league to a top 10 defense. Mahomes and the offense also look considerably better than at the beginning of the season. He is making fewer mistakes and they have started to run the ball more which opens up the passing game and tires out opposing defenses. They’ve won the last 9 of their 10 games of the season and are red-hot entering the playoffs. However, the Bills have gone on a run too, winning their last 4 games. Josh Allen has looked great, their run game is improving and their defense is the best unit against the pass, and are middle of the pack against the run. The Chiefs will be the favourite to win, but I predict the Bills will stop the run and force Mahomes to make difficult throws under pressure against their #1 rated pass defense. Josh Allen will have a career day throwing for 350 yards and 4 TDs. Their defense will get key turnovers and stops against Mahomes when it counts. The Bills upset KC in a back and forth game 35-31, despite all of KC’s playoff experience. 

     In the AFC championship, I have the Bills visiting the Titans. Two of the best teams in the AFC will meet to earn a trip to Superbowl 56. Both teams have top 6 defenses and can generate a lot of pressure against opposing QBs. The Bills have the third-most takeaways in the league with 30, the Titans are 14th in that department with 22. The Bills are a great unit against the pass but the middle of the pack against the run giving up 1866 yards and 19 rush TDs. If Derrick Henry is back and fully healthy which he will be, the Bills will struggle to stop the run and Henry will dominate. This will open some holes against the Bills’ pass defense, which is the best in the league. The Titans are a pretty good unit against the pass, so if they can take a lead and control the ball with their run game, they’ll force Josh Allen to throw the ball a lot which may lead to turnovers. The Titans give up a lot of yards between the 20s but are tough to score on, giving up only 24 pass TDs, the top 10 fewest in the NFL. Josh Allen is a great QB and will keep it close, but I have the Titans winning. 

AFC Champ: Tennessee Titans

My AFC bracket predictions

1) Titans bye

2) Chiefs > 7) Steelers

3) Bills > 6) Patriots

4) Bengals > 5) Raiders

1) Titans > 4) Bengals

3) Bills > 2) Chiefs

1) Titans > 2) Bills

AFC Champ: Tennessee Titans 

Let’s move on to the NFC bracket.

     In the first matchup, the Philadelphia Eagles will visit Tampa Bay to visit defending Super Bowl Champion Buccaneers. The Eagles have gone on a nice run to end the season, winning 7 of their last 9 games. Some of it is due to playing the easiest schedule in the league, however, the Eagles made a schematic change that involved running the ball more to take pressure off Jalen Hurts and it worked wonders. It opened up the passing attack for Hurts, allowed Hurts to use his legs to extend drives, and allowed the Eagles to control the clock and time of possession against weaker opponents. As good as they are, they are not beating the defending Super Bowl champion, even with the various injuries they have. The Bucs are a top 5 defense and a top 5 offense in the NFL and Brady has the most playoff experience of anyone in the league. It will be a close game, but the Bucs will beat the Eagles for a second time this season. 

     Next, we have the red-hot 49ers visiting the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 2018, however, they have looked great all season long minus a few games against the Broncos, Chiefs, Cardinals, etc. The Cowboys have a top 10 defense and lead the league in takeaways with 34 and interceptions with 26. They are also top 15 in the league in sacks with 41. Micah Parsons has been incredible too and this defense has improved a lot in little time. Their offense is also clicking at the right time. Dak Prescott has the most TD passes in a single year in Cowboys history with 37, and the Cowboys can beat you in the run game with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard and the passing game with Amari Cooper, Ceedee Lamb, Dalton Schultz, Cedric Wilson among others. The 49ers are a very good team, especially on offense. George Kittle, Elijah Mithcell, and Deebo Samuel have all been awesome down the stretch for the 49ers. Samuel has been excellent both as a receiver and running back.  Jimmy Garappolo also played very well against the Rams last weekend to earn a playoff spot. The 49ers also have a top 10 defense, are strong against the run, and can get turnovers. This game will be high-scoring and both teams will move the ball well. It will come down to who’s defense gets more stops and who the better red-zone offense will be. I believe the Cowboys win a close one.

     Finally, the Cardinals will travel to Los Angeles to play the Rams, who have been on a great run to end the season. The Rams made a lot of moves including acquiring Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr., Matthew Stafford among others to win playoff games now. They do not have a first or second-round pick for a while. If the Rams do not win, there will be some major turnaround this offseason. The Cardinals and Rams both have top 10 offenses in the NFL and top 15 defenses. Both teams have talented QBs and can run the ball well. Both teams have a lot of weapons, particularly at wide receiver. The Cardinals have Deandre Hopkins and the Rams have triple crown-winning receiver Cooper Kupp who led the league in receptions, yards, and TDs. This game will be very close as these teams are evenly matched and both teams won one game in their season series. The Cardinals humbled the Rams early in the season and the Rams won an important game later in the season. The winner of this game will have to run the ball well, control the time of possession and get turnovers on defense without making mistakes on offense. I am going to take the Rams to win by 6 - I think they are the slightly better team - especially because the Cardinals lost 4 of their last 5 games. However, if the Cardinals run the ball well, control the time of possession and put Matt Stafford under pressure, he is prone to throwing costly interceptions which has hurt his team in their losses and even in some of their wins. This could lead to an upset.

      After a close win against the Cardinals, the Rams will visit Lambeau to play the Green Bay Packers. The Rams are a very good team on both offense and defense, but the Packers are the NFC’s first seed for a reason. Head coach Matt Lafleur has 13 wins in each of his first three seasons - an incredible feat accomplished by no other head coach. Aaron Rodgers is playing incredible football, is a lock for another MVP award, and his team is Super Bowl favorites. Their defense is excellent, recording 26 turnovers, the 9th most in the league. They are a top 11 rush and pass defense and are top 10 in most metrics. They are a mid-tier team running the ball but they have two talented, physical running backs who can break through tackles, get yards after contact, and catch passes out of the backfield. Not to mention, they have one of the best wide receivers in the league in Davante Adams who catches nearly everything thrown his way. Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes Scantling are solid WR2 options. Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Donald, and Von Miller are essential parts of this Rams defense and will make things harder for the Packers offensively, but I believe the Packers’ offense will overpower the Rams’ defense. Matt Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Sony Michel, and Cam Akers - who is supposed to return for the playoffs - will keep the game close, but a late-game INT will seal the game for the Packers. 

     In the final divisional matchup, the Cowboys will visit the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. The Cowboys have one of the best defenses in the league as well as a top 10 rush offense and have the second-best offense in the league in terms of passing yards, passing TDs, and completion percentage. The Buccaneers have the best passing offense in the league in every major category and are a pretty solid team running the ball, although without Leonard Fournette they have a considerably weaker ground game. In addition, injuries to guys like Fournette and Chris Godwin make Tampa Bay’s path to the Super Bowl much more difficult. Both teams’ passing defenses are in the bottom half of the league, meaning this will be a high-scoring, back and forth game. I believe both QBs will throw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs. The Buccaneers’ rush defense is third-best in the league; the Cowboys is 16th. The Cowboys’ defense does record more takeaways than the Buccaneers. However, the Buccaneers will win this playoff game by a TD because the Bucs, especially Tom Brady, have more playoff experience than the Cowboys and because the Buccaneers will be able to run more efficiently against Dallas - even without Fournette - which will help them control time of possession and open up the passing game. Zeke and Pollard might have a tough time running vs the Bucs. 

     In the NFC championship game, the Buccaneers will visit the Packers in a rematch of the 2020 championship game. In 2020, poor secondary play, a late TD given up at the end of the first half, and a decision to kick a field goal instead of going for it late in the fourth quarter cost the Packers the game and they lost their 4th NFC championship game in 7 games. The Packers have improved their secondary a lot since last year’s NFC championship game and Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams are both having another MVP type season. The Packers had the better defense than the Bucs and the Bucs had the better offense than the Packers in the regular season, but both teams are top 10 in the league and top 3 in the NFC. This will be a close game, either team could win, but I have the Packers winning after a huge fourth-quarter comeback, getting their revenge against the Bucs, and making their first Super Bowl since 2011.

My NFC bracket predictions

1) Packers bye

2) Buccaneers > 7) Eagles

3) Cowboys> 6) 49ers

4) Rams > 5) Cardinals

1) Packers > 4) Rams

2) Buccaneers > 3) Cowboys

1) Packers > 2) Buccaneers *revenge from 2020*

NFC Champ: Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl 56: Green Bay Packers vs Tennessee Titans

      Aaron Rodgers after exorcising his team’s NFC championship demons will have a chance to win his second Super Bowl. He will lead a Packers’ team that has a top 10 offense and a top 10 defense against a Titans team that has a lethal rushing attack, especially with Derrick Henry back adding to a core of D’Onta Foreman and Jeremy McNichols who both excelled in Henry’s absence. The Titans were ranked the 16th best offense in the regular season but were a top 10 unit with Derrick Henry because of his ability to run the ball very well, which helped the Titans control time of possession, tire out opposing defenses, and open up the passing game. They should return to a top 10 offense with Henry. However, the Packers are a top 10 total defense, the 11th best unit against the run, and 10th best against the pass. The Packers can also generate a lot of pressure, they were top 15 in sacks and top 10 in QB hurries. If Derrick Henry can run all over the Packers defense, control the clock and open up the passing game, the Titans have a good chance to win. However, I believe as good as Henry is, the Packers' defense will limit Henry to under 100 yards rushing and force Tannehill to pass the ball to score touchdowns. The Titans have a great WR core with guys like Julio Jones and A.J. Brown who can make contested catches and get yards after the catch and they will help keep the game close. The Titans are also the second-best defense against the run, so it will be hard for the Packers to run the ball against the Titans even with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. The Packers are getting LT David Bhaktiari back, which should help the run game, but the Titans are still hard to run against. However, the Titans are a bottom 10 team in pass defense and they are going against an MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers with lots of weapons at wide receiver, particularly Davante Adams. Aaron Jones is also a great pass-catching back. The Packers’ advantage in the passing game and their ability to help the run as well as a late turnover by Ryan Tannehill will seal the win for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers retires after winning his second Super Bowl, Adams enters into free agency for a huge payday. 

Super Bowl 56 Champ: Green Bay Packers

                                    

     There are a lot of interesting matchups in every round of the playoffs, particularly in the wild card round. That will make for some entertaining games and potentially some upsets. For example, the 49ers could easily beat the Cowboys if Jimmy G plays mistake-free football like he did in the second half of week 18. The Raiders could potentially beat the Bengals, that is slightly less likely, however. The Patriots can beat the Bills using their excellent run game if the weather is not optimal for passing the ball as we saw in their first matchup this season and the Cardinals could beat the Rams too. Regardless of what happens, the playoffs should be very fun to watch.