2022 NFL Playoff Thread

[Sylvanfan]

Well since the Regular season is over, we can start a thread specifically for the upcoming playoffs which begin on Saturday.

Times shown are Mountain Standard, lines are per Bet365 Jan 11th. US Broadcaster is shown as that will give an idea as to who might be calling the game.

Byes
Green Bay NFC
Tennessee AFC

Saturday January 15th 2:30 on NBC

Las Vegas +5.5 at Cincinnati Total 49.0

Forecast -2 to -6 and cloudy

Saturday January 15th 6:15 on CBS

New England +4.0 at Buffalo Total 44.0

Forecast -13 to -16 and cloudy

Sunday January 16th 11:00 on FOX

Philadelphia +8.5 at Tampa Bay Total 48.0

Forecast 17 to 22 with Rain

Sunday January 16th 2:30 on CBS

San Francisco +3.0 at Dallas Total 51.0

Indoor Game

Sunday January 16th 6:15 on ESPN

Pittsburgh +12.5 at Kansas City Total 46.5

Forecast +1 to -9 Partly Cloudy

Monday January 17th 6:15 on ESPN

Arizona +4.0 at Los Angeles Rams Total 49.5

Indoor Game

First ever Super Wild Card weekend with a Monday Nighter.

Since they'll know the result of the 2 vs 7 & the 3 vs 6 NFC games, I expect they'll have the Division round schedule known before the Monday Night game and the winner of that game will be playing on Sunday the following week.

For Football fans these next two weeks tend to be the best weeks of the year.

Odd little tidbit I heard yesterday. Teams with a negative 32 or worse point differential on the season who made the playoffs in the last 25 years...They are 5-0 straight up and against the spread in their first game (I can remember the following teams Carolina 2015, Seattle 2011, St.Louis 2005, Arizona 1999) This year the Raiders and Steelers both meet that criteria. The Panthers and Seahawks were both sub 500 teams who won at home because they were Division winners. The Cardinal team was from the old 3 Division era so they actually had an easier matchup getting a weak Division winning 3 seed. This history does not account for the 7 team format which has only existed this year and last year, so I might discount Pittsburgh a bit more. But throw some money line on the Raiders maybe.

[Johnny Makarov]

ABU! Anyone but the Unvaxxed!

Don't really have a fave team so I'll go with my favourite Republican, Tom Bray Bray again.

[transplant99]

Safety Eric Weddle has come out of retirement and signed with the Los Angeles Rams for the playoffs after the season-ending injury to Jordan Fuller.

Weddle's return to the Rams was announced by his agent, David Canter, on Wednesday. The Rams later announced that they had signed Weddle to their practice squad.

Fuller, the Rams' defensive signal-caller, suffered an ankle injury that will require season-ending surgery in Los Angeles' overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Fuller was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-rams-playoffs

[Hockey]

Glad I get to enjoy some stress free football this weekend.

[Sainters7]

Go Bengals aka NOLA north

[Nadal Fan]

The stars have aligned for a Titans Superbowl. Ravens have beat the Titans last two times they had the #1 seed, no Ravens means no problem

[SuperMatt18]

Think it will still be tough for the Titans even with the Bye.

They have maybe the 8th best QB in the playoffs, and recent history has shown QB play tends to become even more important in the playoffs.

Would be a good story if they do win though, kind of building a team different than teams that have had recent success in the NFL have been built.

[Dude Where's Makar?]

I could see the Titans making the Super Bowl. KC looks banged up with Kelce limping off in his last game and Hill obviously dealing with a nagging injury.

Titans are probably the most physical team and have played really good defence since Henry has gone down. I feel like they have a chip on their shoulder and Vrabel will have them ready.

This really is the Packers championship to lose, though.

[brocoli]

The Packers will find a way though (and this is coming from a Packers fan). I don't trust the run defense, so if they were to meet the Titans in the SB, I'd expect Henry to go off. We'll see how the injury report is laid out for the Packers after the Bye.

Plus as a smart better, with injuries and everything, how do you bet against TB in the playoffs? Until Brady loses, he's had the number of almost everyone there.

[Cheese]

Its a home sweep this weekend!


Saturday January 15th 2:30 on NBC

Las Vegas +5.5 at Cincinnati Total 49.0

Forecast -2 to -6 and cloudy

Saturday January 15th 6:15 on CBS

New England +4.0 at Buffalo Total 44.0

Forecast -13 to -16 and cloudy

Sunday January 16th 11:00 on FOX

Philadelphia +8.5 at Tampa Bay Total 48.0

Forecast 17 to 22 with Rain

Sunday January 16th 2:30 on CBS

San Francisco +3.0 at Dallas Total 51.0

Indoor Game

Sunday January 16th 6:15 on ESPN

Pittsburgh +12.5 at Kansas City Total 46.5

Forecast +1 to -9 Partly Cloudy

Monday January 17th 6:15 on ESPN

Arizona +4.0 at Los Angeles Rams Total 49.5

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by brocoli

The Packers will find a way though (and this is coming from a Packers fan). I don't trust the run defense, so if they were to meet the Titans in the SB, I'd expect Henry to go off. We'll see how the injury report is laid out for the Packers after the Bye.

Plus as a smart better, with injuries and everything, how do you bet against TB in the playoffs? Until Brady loses, he's had the number of almost everyone there.

Agreed, I'm thinking this too. Especially the way the other NFC contenders have looked down the stretch. Packers look like the team to beat, but something always seems to happen in the playoffs (same as my team) which just makes you wary.

[Senator Clay Davis]

AFC is really up for grabs. Even the Steelers, who have the worst offense from a playoff team since the Tebow Broncos, have a shot. After all the Tebow Broncos won a playoff game. I still feel like the Bills are the most complete team in the AFC, but have been so wildly inconsistent. But their best is better than anyone else's best in the AFC, so if they can conjure up three consistent performances I like them.

NFC feels like Packers or Bucs, but unfortunately for all of us it could also be the Cowboys. I feel like if they don't choke this weekend they'll make a run. Thankfully I expect a choke so we should be spared.

[devo22]

Steelers can really go into this without an ounce of pressure. Getting in was a surprise in the first place, and everybody expects them to get completely annihilated at Arrowhead. They really have nothing to lose here.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by devo22

Steelers can really go into this without an ounce of pressure. Getting in was a surprise in the first place, and everybody expects them to get completely annihilated at Arrowhead. They really have nothing to lose here.

Not only is there no pressure as there was little to no expectation to make the playoffs but they are also playing for Ben at this point in his final season. That has to be a huge motivating factor that I think could lead them to a surprise win against KC and maybe in further rounds as well.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Thing with the Steelers is as long as they can keep it to one score games they'll have a shot. Once they get down 10+ they are totally screwed because expecting to comeback when your QB will be dropping a line of 22/33 for 51 yards is not getting it done.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Thing with the Steelers is as long as they can keep it to one score games they'll have a shot. Once they get down 10+ they are totally screwed because expecting to comeback when your QB will be dropping a line of 22/33 for 51 yards is not getting it done.

The problem is magnified when you consider that the Chiefs are the best 1st quarter offense in the NFL scoring a TD on their opening drive 8 times. Andy scripts offensive plays better than anyone on the history of the NFL. Once the Chiefs get up by a couple of scores the only chance the Steelers have is to hope that the Chiefs are very careless with the ball and provide them with several turnovers. To me that's the one game where I feel the visitor has almost no chance of winning as the Chiefs will have to be really, really bad to lose.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The problem is magnified when you consider that the Chiefs are the best 1st quarter offense in the NFL scoring a TD on their opening drive 8 times. Andy scripts offensive plays better than anyone on the history of the NFL. Once the Chiefs get up by a couple of scores the only chance the Steelers have is to hope that the Chiefs are very careless with the ball and provide them with several turnovers. To me that's the one game where I feel the visitor has almost no chance of winning as the Chiefs will have to be really, really bad to lose.

KC can definitely cough up the ball though. The last KC/Pit game there were three fumbles although KC recovered each one. Of course Pit had their own problems with turnovers that game which was not very positive.

[rubecube]

Considering I thought the Eagles would be playing for a top-5 pick this year, this is all house money.

[Patek23]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Considering I thought the Eagles would be playing for a top-5 pick this year, this is all house money.

Yep, I think Eagles have a decent chance against the Bucs. The Bucs didn't exactly end the season on a high note with all the AB drama, and barely beating the Panthers and Jets.

When the Eagles played them earlier in the year it was still a one score game when the Bucs had prolly the #1 WR group with AB, Evans and Godwin. Now the Bucs are looking a lot thinner and the Eagles seemed to have a bit of an identity under Sirianni.

In terms of other under dogs I think the Cards should handle the Rams pretty easily. Stafford is a notorious choke artist. I think Pats take the Bills down as well.

[Sylvanfan]

Somewhere in these matchups, there are two dogs who are going to win their games.

Based on Sagarin numbers it looks like the spread should favor

Bengals
Bills
Bucs
Cowboys
Steelers
Cards

Market looks to have the Chiefs and Rams about 3 points higher than they should be.

I guess I'll bet my kids college funds on the Steelers moneyline and blame CalgaryGeologist if it doesn't cash.