Monday, September 1, 2008
Sportstalk Saturday's NFL Playoff Picks
4:35 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
If you missed this week's Sportstalk Saturday, you missed Nick Mendola and Pat Malacaro's playoff picks. Prompted by a caller to the show, the two delivered the names, and now they back up their picks:
NFC East
Nick- Washington- Call it absurd, but I'm playing a hunch here. I really like Jason Campbell's chances of blossoming with Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Devin Thomas and Antwaan Randle-El. I'll have to bet that Clinton Portis will have a resurgence, and that their defensive tackle injuries don't hurt them, but I like the 'Skins to have a tremendous year in a very difficult division.
Pat- Dallas- The ‘Boys may have the best offense in the NFL with Tony Romo under center, Marion Barber carrying the ball out of the backfield, and wide outs T.O. and Patrick Crayton running smooth routes. Head coach Wade Phillips is a defensive minded coach, so don’t expect Dallas to do much worse than the 9th place finish in YPG given up last season.
NFC North
Pat- Minnesota– Two letters: A.P. Add WR Bernard Berrian into the receiver mix, and the only question mark on offense is QB Tarvaris Jackson. The Vikings do have Gus Frerotte is a older in sports standards, but still can step in if Jackson does not get the job done. On defense Pat Williams sits in the middle of the d-line that gave up the fewest rushing yards per game last season.
Nick- Green Bay- I like Aaron Rodgers to be good enough to get the Packers of the North, and Ryan Grant and A.J. Hawk really impressed me last year. Look for the Packers corners to have a big year.
NFC West
Nick- Seattle- I consider Matt Hasselbeck to be the NFL's barometer for quarterbacks. You need a guy at least as good as Hasselbeck to make a Super Bowl run, and this year he's got a nice stable of running backs, including Julius Jones, a back that I was surprised to see fall out of favor in Dallas, though Marion Barber III is pretty good.
Pat- Seattle – Much like Nick, I too feel that Matt Hasselbeck is just good enough to be a top level QB in the NFL, but not quite athletic enough to be on the elite level of some of the greats that have played. The addition of Julius Jones to the running game is an improvement over the Shaun Alexander we saw the last few seasons. The NFC West is not as awful as most think, but the Seahawks did dominate their division opponents 5-1 last year.
NFC South
Pat- Tampa Bay– The emergence of RB Ernest Graham was a pleasant surprise when Cadillac Williams went down for the season last year. QB Jeff Garcia is certainly a better option than Luke McCown and the recently released Chris Simms. The Bucks have an aging defense, but still has gotten the job done consistently year after year. They had the best pass defense, and second best total defense last season.
Nick- Tampa Bay- The Bucs still have a good defense, and Jeff Garcia is still solid. I wish I had more to say about Tampa. No, actually, I don't. Enjoy the malaise.
NFC Wild Cards
Nick- Philadelphia and Dallas- Are the Eagles and Cowboys good enough to overcome playing six games in division? Absolutely. It's terrible that folks continue to underrate Donovan McNabb, who is one of the best signal callers of his era, and even Jessica Simpson won't derail Dallas (For the record, Tony Romo, I can't see how Carrie Underwood wasn't good enough. I wouldn't say you upgraded. What a world we live in where this analysis happens).
Pat- Carolina and Washington – My sleeper of the year is Carolina RB Jonathan Stewart. John Fox is still one of the top game day coaches in the NFL, their defense was middle of the road last year when the offense could not stay on the field. For the 'Skins, Expect bigger things out of QB Jason Campbell this season. In 13 starts last year Campbell threw 12 TDs, but had 11 INTs. The Redskins rush defense was in the top 5 last year, expect it to stay near the top.
AFC East
Nick- New England- The Pats will lose a handful of games in 2008, a year which will definitely be a drop-off from their record-shattering 2007 campaign, but Jerrod Mayo was the right pick at the right position, and should help re-energize their linebackers. Their d-line is still solid, and will help minimize the loss of Asante Samuel. Look for Randy Moss' numbers to drop, and Laurence Maroney's to rise.
Pat- New England- Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Laurence Maroney. Need I say more? The defense will take a hit with the loss of Asante Samuel, but they still have one a top three offense in the NFL. I am going to go out on a limb and say the Pats will go at least 4-2 against the rest of the AFC East, meaning they will only need to go 8-2 or 7-3 to finish atop the AFC.
AFC North
Pat- Pittsburgh- The home playoff loss to the Jaguars in the Wild Card round last year left a lot to be desired by the Steelers. On the offensive side of the ball, Big Ben will have another solid year throwing the ball to Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward. Add in first rounder Rashard Mendenhall and you have a solid 1-2 running back punch with Willie Parker. The Steelers’ had the best overall defense last season, giving up the fewest total yards per game on average, and were tied for second in touchdowns given up (31).
Nick- Pittsburgh- I have some questions about the defense, but I love Lamarr Woodley in the linebacking corps. I love Roethlisberger, and see Holmes having a big year, and don't think this is the year Ward drops off. Parker's injuries aren't as much of a concern with Mendenhall as a safety valve. Pittsburgh's my favorite to dethrone the Pats in the AFC.
AFC West
Nick- San Diego- As much as I think Shawne Merriman is one of the dumbest men on Earth for falling into the giant machismo trap that is "NFL toughness," the Chargers will be better than ever in 2008, which isn't saying all that much. With all due respect to Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates remains a one-of-a-kind threat until Vernon Davis really shows the league something.
Pat- San Diego– The Chargers’ defense will most certainly take a hit with a less than 100% Shawne Merriman. However, with Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie on the corners and a solid return game, the defense will still be near the top in the AFC. Expect QB Philip Rivers to have a solid year with WRs Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson, TE Antonio Gates, and, oh yeah, Ladanian Tomlinson coming out of the backfield.
AFC South
Pat- Indianapolis- The Colts are a very balanced squad on offense and defense. Wide outs Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez show a great potential for Manning to 35 TDs this season. Add in a potent running game with Joseph Addai and there is no reason to expect the Colts’ offense to fall out of the top 5 from last season. The two anchors on the defensive side of the ball look in peak for. Defensive End Dwight Freeney should have a big year in the trenches, and SS Bob Sanders should continue to lead by example in the secondary.
Nick- Indianapolis- Even if Marvin Harrison falls further away from his legendary statistics this year, the Colts have more than enough fire power to get them through what is a very favorable schedule. If Peyton Manning's bursa sac issues are more than we know, than Jacksonville will thrive, but the Colts should only lose a handful of games.
AFC Wild Cards
Nick- Jacksonville and Denver- I hate doing this, Bills fans -- and my goodness, do I hope I'm wrong -- but the Jags have a very good schedule, and Denver scares me. Mike Shanahan knows how to coach, and the Champ Bailey/Dre Bly combo should prove more stout than last year. I'm not as big a fan of their wide-outs as Pat (see below), but Jay Cutler has finally won me over. Turns out it wasn't just "Kiperhype."
Pat- Denver and Jacksonville- I expect QB Jay Cutler to have a solid year with Brandon Marshall and Keary Colbert to throw to. Head coach Mike Shanahan is a magic man when it comes to his offensive line and the running game, expect RB Selvin Young to continue the trend. The Jags have maybe the best 1-2 running back punch with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor (assuming Taylor isn't headed to jail). Jacksonville had the 12th best overall defense last year, allowing 313.8 ypg last season. There should not be much of a drop off, despite the loss of Marcus Stroud on the d-line in the off-season.
Pat's conference championship and Super Bowl picks
AFC- Pats over Colts
NFC- Cowboys over Panthers
Super Bowl- Pats over Cowboys
Nick's conference championship and Super Bowl picks
AFC- Steelers over Colts
NFC- Redskins over Cowboys
Super Bowl- Steelers over Redskins
Email: nick@wgr550.com
NFC East
Nick- Washington- Call it absurd, but I'm playing a hunch here. I really like Jason Campbell's chances of blossoming with Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Devin Thomas and Antwaan Randle-El. I'll have to bet that Clinton Portis will have a resurgence, and that their defensive tackle injuries don't hurt them, but I like the 'Skins to have a tremendous year in a very difficult division.
Pat- Dallas- The ‘Boys may have the best offense in the NFL with Tony Romo under center, Marion Barber carrying the ball out of the backfield, and wide outs T.O. and Patrick Crayton running smooth routes. Head coach Wade Phillips is a defensive minded coach, so don’t expect Dallas to do much worse than the 9th place finish in YPG given up last season.
NFC North
Pat- Minnesota– Two letters: A.P. Add WR Bernard Berrian into the receiver mix, and the only question mark on offense is QB Tarvaris Jackson. The Vikings do have Gus Frerotte is a older in sports standards, but still can step in if Jackson does not get the job done. On defense Pat Williams sits in the middle of the d-line that gave up the fewest rushing yards per game last season.
Nick- Green Bay- I like Aaron Rodgers to be good enough to get the Packers of the North, and Ryan Grant and A.J. Hawk really impressed me last year. Look for the Packers corners to have a big year.
NFC West
Nick- Seattle- I consider Matt Hasselbeck to be the NFL's barometer for quarterbacks. You need a guy at least as good as Hasselbeck to make a Super Bowl run, and this year he's got a nice stable of running backs, including Julius Jones, a back that I was surprised to see fall out of favor in Dallas, though Marion Barber III is pretty good.
Pat- Seattle – Much like Nick, I too feel that Matt Hasselbeck is just good enough to be a top level QB in the NFL, but not quite athletic enough to be on the elite level of some of the greats that have played. The addition of Julius Jones to the running game is an improvement over the Shaun Alexander we saw the last few seasons. The NFC West is not as awful as most think, but the Seahawks did dominate their division opponents 5-1 last year.
NFC South
Pat- Tampa Bay– The emergence of RB Ernest Graham was a pleasant surprise when Cadillac Williams went down for the season last year. QB Jeff Garcia is certainly a better option than Luke McCown and the recently released Chris Simms. The Bucks have an aging defense, but still has gotten the job done consistently year after year. They had the best pass defense, and second best total defense last season.
Nick- Tampa Bay- The Bucs still have a good defense, and Jeff Garcia is still solid. I wish I had more to say about Tampa. No, actually, I don't. Enjoy the malaise.
NFC Wild Cards
Nick- Philadelphia and Dallas- Are the Eagles and Cowboys good enough to overcome playing six games in division? Absolutely. It's terrible that folks continue to underrate Donovan McNabb, who is one of the best signal callers of his era, and even Jessica Simpson won't derail Dallas (For the record, Tony Romo, I can't see how Carrie Underwood wasn't good enough. I wouldn't say you upgraded. What a world we live in where this analysis happens).
Pat- Carolina and Washington – My sleeper of the year is Carolina RB Jonathan Stewart. John Fox is still one of the top game day coaches in the NFL, their defense was middle of the road last year when the offense could not stay on the field. For the 'Skins, Expect bigger things out of QB Jason Campbell this season. In 13 starts last year Campbell threw 12 TDs, but had 11 INTs. The Redskins rush defense was in the top 5 last year, expect it to stay near the top.
AFC East
Nick- New England- The Pats will lose a handful of games in 2008, a year which will definitely be a drop-off from their record-shattering 2007 campaign, but Jerrod Mayo was the right pick at the right position, and should help re-energize their linebackers. Their d-line is still solid, and will help minimize the loss of Asante Samuel. Look for Randy Moss' numbers to drop, and Laurence Maroney's to rise.
Pat- New England- Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Laurence Maroney. Need I say more? The defense will take a hit with the loss of Asante Samuel, but they still have one a top three offense in the NFL. I am going to go out on a limb and say the Pats will go at least 4-2 against the rest of the AFC East, meaning they will only need to go 8-2 or 7-3 to finish atop the AFC.
AFC North
Pat- Pittsburgh- The home playoff loss to the Jaguars in the Wild Card round last year left a lot to be desired by the Steelers. On the offensive side of the ball, Big Ben will have another solid year throwing the ball to Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward. Add in first rounder Rashard Mendenhall and you have a solid 1-2 running back punch with Willie Parker. The Steelers’ had the best overall defense last season, giving up the fewest total yards per game on average, and were tied for second in touchdowns given up (31).
Nick- Pittsburgh- I have some questions about the defense, but I love Lamarr Woodley in the linebacking corps. I love Roethlisberger, and see Holmes having a big year, and don't think this is the year Ward drops off. Parker's injuries aren't as much of a concern with Mendenhall as a safety valve. Pittsburgh's my favorite to dethrone the Pats in the AFC.
AFC West
Nick- San Diego- As much as I think Shawne Merriman is one of the dumbest men on Earth for falling into the giant machismo trap that is "NFL toughness," the Chargers will be better than ever in 2008, which isn't saying all that much. With all due respect to Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates remains a one-of-a-kind threat until Vernon Davis really shows the league something.
Pat- San Diego– The Chargers’ defense will most certainly take a hit with a less than 100% Shawne Merriman. However, with Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie on the corners and a solid return game, the defense will still be near the top in the AFC. Expect QB Philip Rivers to have a solid year with WRs Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson, TE Antonio Gates, and, oh yeah, Ladanian Tomlinson coming out of the backfield.
AFC South
Pat- Indianapolis- The Colts are a very balanced squad on offense and defense. Wide outs Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez show a great potential for Manning to 35 TDs this season. Add in a potent running game with Joseph Addai and there is no reason to expect the Colts’ offense to fall out of the top 5 from last season. The two anchors on the defensive side of the ball look in peak for. Defensive End Dwight Freeney should have a big year in the trenches, and SS Bob Sanders should continue to lead by example in the secondary.
Nick- Indianapolis- Even if Marvin Harrison falls further away from his legendary statistics this year, the Colts have more than enough fire power to get them through what is a very favorable schedule. If Peyton Manning's bursa sac issues are more than we know, than Jacksonville will thrive, but the Colts should only lose a handful of games.
AFC Wild Cards
Nick- Jacksonville and Denver- I hate doing this, Bills fans -- and my goodness, do I hope I'm wrong -- but the Jags have a very good schedule, and Denver scares me. Mike Shanahan knows how to coach, and the Champ Bailey/Dre Bly combo should prove more stout than last year. I'm not as big a fan of their wide-outs as Pat (see below), but Jay Cutler has finally won me over. Turns out it wasn't just "Kiperhype."
Pat- Denver and Jacksonville- I expect QB Jay Cutler to have a solid year with Brandon Marshall and Keary Colbert to throw to. Head coach Mike Shanahan is a magic man when it comes to his offensive line and the running game, expect RB Selvin Young to continue the trend. The Jags have maybe the best 1-2 running back punch with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor (assuming Taylor isn't headed to jail). Jacksonville had the 12th best overall defense last year, allowing 313.8 ypg last season. There should not be much of a drop off, despite the loss of Marcus Stroud on the d-line in the off-season.
Pat's conference championship and Super Bowl picks
AFC- Pats over Colts
NFC- Cowboys over Panthers
Super Bowl- Pats over Cowboys
Nick's conference championship and Super Bowl picks
AFC- Steelers over Colts
NFC- Redskins over Cowboys
Super Bowl- Steelers over Redskins
Email: nick@wgr550.com
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