Conference Championship Roundtable

Welcome to our Roundtable Discussion for Conference Championship Weekend in the NFL. Once again all three of us are here today; that is Hopps, Sinickal and myself.

For starters we have the most important game of the new decade, Packers versus the Bears. (Ok - so the decade just started - sue me).

Sinickal: Green Bay is statistically superior, but I going to pick them for another reason; namely that I don't want to have to root for my money and my team with Jay Cutler steering the ship. I am really hoping that he is run over by a bus, and Peyton Manning is given the chance to lead this team since he was so betrayed by Jim Caldwell needing to use all of his timeouts.

Pepster: I share your concern with Cutler, for sure, Sinickal, but everybody in the world is aware that Jim Caldwell is not a very good coach and that he butchered that playoff game. This is not breaking news. You act like you invited this story.

Sinickal: Well, I did have it up on the blog before that day's games were finished.

Pepster: That part is true. Hopps, your thoughts?

Hopps: Bears. They have a better defense.

Pepster: The Bears are known for their defense, but not sure they have the best defense in this game. The Pacers gave up the second fewest points in the league, while the Bears were sixth. Should be pretty tight.

Hopps: Well then, a Bears victory could secure Lovie in charge FOREVER!!!

Pepster: Now that is something to root for. Nothing like a veiled race card reference (foreshadowing) on our blog. I am not sure I want Lovie forever, but he has done pretty well when he has good assistants. Although I want to pick the Bears, I have to select the Packers. First, I cannot put too much faith in Cutler. Second, I had the Packers as one of my pre-season Super Bowl picks (with the Ravens). Third, the games against the Packers have been really close this season, so one turnover could spell the difference, and guess which team has Cutler? I say Packers, but I think the Bears will cover. On to the AFC.

Hopps: Steelers at home. The Jets spent what they had last week at the Pats.

Sinickal: Of course, the New Englander thinks that every team must be spent because they beat the vaunted New England Patriots. Didn't Pittsburgh just win a slugfest over the Ravens?

Hopps: I am being serious this is not a homer reason. The Jets are going to have a letdown.

Pepster: Hopps - who are your favorite Patriots anyway?

Hopps: The same ones that everyone else likes - in order: 1. Brady; 2. Welker; 3. Woodhead; 4. Mankins and 5. Edelman.

Pepster and Sinickal: Those are all the WHITE players! I mean, we will give you Brady, but ...

Sinickal: What about Mayo?

Pepster: What about Wilfork?

Sinickal and Pepster: Typical New England fan.

Pepster: That reminds me of this conversation I had earlier this year while watching the Bears/Ravens game. A Patriots clown starts talking about how much better Tedy Bruschi was than Ray Lewis. He even said that Bruschi is better today than Lewis is. I casually (i.e. with bewilderment) told him that Bruschi wasn't even the best linebacker in Patriots history, much less NFL history (like Lewis is). That linebacker is Andre Tippett, for you New England fans that started watching in the mid-to-late 90's. He keeps carrying on and on until I finally tell him he can have his team of all-time Patriots but I will still take the best player from each position in NFL history and then lets see who wins. That actually got him to shut up. Anyway, Sinickal, your thoughts on the game?

Sinickal: Pittsburgh is better in every statistical category than the Jets, and the Jets just played their Super Bowl. What are we to expect here? Quite honestly, the Jets shouldn't be here at all save Jim Caldwell being the single worst faux football coach on the planet. Oh, and Mike Tomlin is a quote a minute and we need more of that magnificent bastard.

Pepster: Again with the Caldwell. I agree on Mike Tomlin. I think he is much more quotable and fascinating than even Rex Ryan, but not as disturbed. I'll take the Steelers as well. The Jets are not beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh twice in a row, especially with Polamalu and Heath Miller playing today. And as you may recall from last week, Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne all had better QB ratings than Sanchez this year. That is not exactly the '83 draft of Elway, Kelly and Marino, or even Blacklege, Eason and O'Brien. That gives me a thought, somebody remind me to write a column on that '83 draft - one that doesn't focus on the QBs. It was phenomenal. Oh yeah, and if the Bears win early, guarantee a Steelers victory. 100% of the time that Lovie Smith has been in the Super Bowl, he has faced another African-American coach. 100%!

Pepster: So to sum it all up - the non-Bears fan selects the Bears, while the two Bears fans pick Green Bay. We all agree on Pittsburgh. Somehow, that sounds like us.

Enjoy watching the games everybody. Read us next week. On to my picks of the week.

My picks of the week:

Chicago Bears+3 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers has been playing brilliantly, and so far the Bears have been the only team that could contain him this year, holding him to 17 points early in the season and just 10 in the last game, a must win for the Packers to even make the playoffs. Even though I said the Packers above, I am going to say that it is a close one, no matter what.

BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Pittsburgh Steelers -4 v. New York Jets
I just don't have enough faith in the Dirty, Dirty.

HOPPS PROP BET OF THE WEEK
OVER/UNDER - 5 - People carted off the field today - OVER

Previous Week's Record: 2-2
Playoff Record: 4-4
Year to Date: 108-77-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 0-1
Big Bet Year to Date: 4-11
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): ($185)
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $65

Divisional Roundtable

Welcome to the Divisional Week of the NFL Playoffs Roundtable. Here with me today is Hopps and Sinickal.

Let's start with tomorrow, as both of our favorite teams play then. In reverse order, what do we think about the Jets-Pats matchup.

Sinickal: That's easy. The Patriots. They are just better.

Hopps: Pats at home no doubt. The Jets always put their foot in their mouth (or someone else s) and the Pats practice and execute. The Pats will be up 20 at the half and the Jets will quit. I think it's also supposed to snow so look for the Pats to post 40+. Brady's line: (5TDs/ 400+/ 100+ rating). Pats -8 (Big Bet)

Pepster: Gee, that's not much of a homer pick. I will make it a clean sweep and take the Patriots. They are just better, but I think people are also overvaluing the Jets. Let's take Mark Sanchez for example. He finished the season with a lower QB rating than Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne. And Dolphins fans want Henne gone. Pats in a rout. But, can we please put all this childish wannabe trash talk away? Welker, your foot/feet presser was boring and dumb. Try to be a little clever, OK? Also, Hopps, yours wasn't much better. Bears v. Seahawks?

Hopps: Remember, I picked the Seahawks last week!

Pepster: Yes, but you said you didn't know why, you just wanted to do it. You thought Pete Carroll would dumb his way into a playoff victory.

Hopps: But I was right!!! Seahawks +10. This will be the most painful dagger in Si's heart. He once said to me "Lovie should be coach of the year" - enter the Pete Carroll face (again). Even the Hawks won't know how they won this game...but they will.

Sinickal: I am going with the Seahawks. Cutler is going to kill us.

Pepster: I sure hope not Sinickal, but I cannot say that is not a viable option. I am going to go with our Bears, and then remind you of your Sinicism next week. Cutler sure does scare me though. What about the other NFC game - the Packers and Falcons? I am going to say the Packers. Sure they cannot run, but they have a helluva QB. In yet another stat I will quote again below, the Packers only lost by 3to the Falcons earlier in the season, and the Packers are playing phenomenally better.

Sinickal: If Bears ain't going, Pack ain't going.

Hopps: Now that is some interesting analysis. Me, I also say Atlanta, but for a specific reason. Matty Ice at home during his career is 19-2. The Pack is good, but the Falcons are better. Great balance, great in all 3 phases, and one hell of a RB. They win this on turnover margin.

Pepster: Any particular reason why you only mentioned the BC guy?

Hopps: I mentioned the QB. He just happens to be from BC. What about the first game, Steelers/Ravens?

Sinickal: No matter what everybody says about how close these two teams are, Pittsburgh is the much better team statistically and at QB. Expect a Flacco interception late in the game to seal it.

Hopps: I am taking Pittsburgh. The only difference between Brady and Big Ben is 1 SB win. He plays as good in big games as Brady. Steelers D brings the pain and Flacco can't close.

Pepster: One SB win, and 2 rape accusations. I am going to take the Ravens. Mostly because I want to see them play the Patiots again, but partly because I am sick of hearing that damn "Here we go" song by Steelers fans. Ed Reed could be the big difference, and Matt Birk - from Harvard - is questionable. If they both play, the Ravens are a much, much better team than without them. I'll take a flier on the Ravens.

Everyone, check back with us next week for Championship weekend.

My picks of the week:

Baltimore Ravents +3 at Pittsburgh Steelers
My mind tells me that the Steelers are going to win, especially with Roethlisberger, but (a) I picked the Ravens at the beginning of the season; and (b) the played the Patriots incredibly close earlier in the season. I want to see that matchup. Not usually big on the wishful thinking bets, but I will this time.

Green Bay Packers +1 1/2 at Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay lost by 3 earlier this year and seem to be playing much, much better.

Chicago Bears -10 v. Seattle Seahawks
The Bears are the one team that is not going to overlook the Seahawks, having already lost to them at home earlier this year. At that time the Bears were a revolving door on the offensive line and played without Lance Briggs. I look for a big Bears play early and Seattle to fold.

BIG BET OF THE WEEK
New England Patriots -8 1/2 v. New York Jets
They are just better than the Jets. Plus, I'll say it again, Jason Campbell, Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne all had better QB ratings that Mark Sanchez did.

Previous Week's Record: 2-2
Playoff Record: 2-2
Year to Date: 106-75-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 1-0
Big Bet Year to Date: 4-10
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): $130
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $250

Wild Card Wrap-Up I

Interesting couple of games on the first day of Wild Card Weekend. If I were truly the degenerate gambler that I claim to be, I wouldn't have a roof over my head this morning. I didn't think there was a chance in hell that I would be staring at Seahawks and Jets today. Oh well, there must have been some lessons from the Saturday contests.

So, what did I learn?

1. All professional football players get paid to play this game. And they get paid a lot because they are in the top 50 in the world at what they do. Give a team home field advantage, a playoff atmosphere, and something to rally against and all bets are off. I don't care what their record is. Well played Seattle Seahawks. Good luck next week when you see a team that won't be overlooking you.

2. The Saints secondary was atrocious! Cover somebody. Seahawk receivers were running so wide open that at times I thought the Saints were playing with 9 players. That has to get fixed if the Saints are going to contend next year.

3. I am not sure I understand why coaches go away from their strengths in critical times. Why run the ball for the two point conversion attempt when your two best short yardage backs are not in the game and you haven't shown the ability to pick up 2 yards when you need it all day? I was baffled by that call. The Saints deserved the loss for that call alone.

4. I am officially calling for Jim Caldwell to be fired. And I am predicting that Peyton Manning will throw him under the bus within the next few weeks. What possessed him to start trying to coach the team yesterday? All was going just fine with him as a figurehead. Everyone understood that the Colts had too many injuries to get far in this year's tournament, so there is no need to try and prove anything. And then the following two things happen during yesterday's game:

• He throws a challenge flag moments into the game that clearly was not going to be overturned. Too early in the game for that, and a wasted timeout to boot. It had no impact on the game ultimately, but it was just plain stupid.
• More egregious was the timeout called by Caldwell just prior to the Braylon Edwards catch to set up the short field goal. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING! The Jets run the ball into the middle of the line and appear content to attempt a very long field goal for the win. They aren't going to use their last time out at that point, because they need it to kick the field goal. There is no reasonable scenario under which the Colts are getting the ball back with any time remaining for a drive, so there is no need for the Colts to stop the clock. Caldwell allowed the Jets (and a young QB) to regroup, gave them an extra timeout, allowed them more options with the next play (a sideline pass to Edwards), and ultimately a chip shot field goal to win the game. While not being talked about this morning, this may be one of the dumbest coaching moves I have seen in a long time.

Now, there were a bunch of other contributions to loss by the Colts. There was the running into the kicker penalty at the end of the game (ultimately helped the Colts by running time off the clock), the missed 3rd and 6 by Peyton Manning before the go ahead field goal, and the kick-off return leading to the final Jets drive. All of those probably also can be attributed to an unprepared team, but the stuff from the sidelines was just absurd.

Playoff Roundtable

Welcome to the 2011 NFL Playoffs Roundtable. Here with me today is Hopps. Absent from this week is Sinickal, who thinks that he is too good to participate in the Wildcard Round. Maybe he will sneak in for the Divisional Round games.

Our first game today is New Orleans at Seattle.

Pepster: I think that this is a no brainer. We have the Saints, nay, the defending Super Bowl Champion Saints, who are only in this wild card round because the Falcons threw up a NFC best 13-3, against the pathetic 7-9 Seahawks. The Saints would actually be the 2-seed in the NFC if the brackets were drawn up simply by records. I am taking the Saints as having way too much firepower for the lowly, shouldn't even be in the playoffs Seahawks.

Hopps: But the Saints are not what they were last year. Despite a relatively gaudy 11-5 record, they seem to be missing that extra gear that they had last year. Plus, the ridiculously accurate Drew Brees has thrown an interception in like 12 straight games. I am taking Seattle. I am not sure why, and not sure why not the Saints. I think Pete Carroll is ging to dumb luck his way into the next round and sheer stupidity and the classic Pete Carroll Face.

Pepster: Gutsy pick Hopps, and an almost great use of a Bill Simmons reference. On to this evening's game The New York Jets at the Indianapolis Colts. Hopps?

Hopps: Peyton and his squad on turf. I don't care who actually composes the squad, I am taking them.

Pepster: I am actually going to agree with you here. For as much as Indy has relied upon Peyton for oh so many years, Javarris James, from the U, has actually energized the running game a bit, and the Jets defenses has not been as vaunted as advertised. Plus, the Jets don't really disguise blitzes so much as they just bring everybody. Manning should be able to pick apart those blitzes most of the game, and a receiver is going to break a 5 y ard slant into a big game. I am going with the Colts.

What about tomorrow's games Hopps?

Hopps: I am going with the Ravens on the road. Charlie Weis is off to your neck of the woods at UF, and if he has already checked out, then I imagine the team has as well.

Pepster: I am going with the Ravens as well. The Chiefs have overachieved, and have been pretty balanced attach with Jamaal Charles leading a running back crew and Cassell throwing to Dwayne Bowe. A very fast defense with Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali. I think running game will get some yards, but the Ravens run defense, led by Haloti Ngata (Ray Lewis would have been to obvious a mention), and Ed Reed is likely to get at least one really big pass breakup and/or interception. Ravens are too much. Keep an eye on the Chiefs in the next couple of years though.

Oh, and UF is not my "neck of the woods". I am 4 hours south, and in civilization. You are just jealous because it isn't cold down here in the winter.

As for the last game, I am going with the Packers. I think Vick is hurt a bit more than anyone would care to admit, and since its his quad, his mobility isn't going to be the best. The Packers defense can make a lot of big plays, and I want to see a ridiculously one-dimensional offense advance. By the way, why didn't the Packers sign DeShawn Wynn instead of the Saints? I guess the Packers do not even care about running.

Hopps: You are crazy. The Michael Vick redemption tour continues. Both QBs are injured, but Rodgers has yet to win a playoff game. EVER! His first is not coming at the Linc. I would have thought that you would have been the first one on the Free Ookie train!

Pepster: Free Ookie indeed! But, I need the Packers to win just in case Seattle does as you says and dumbs their way into the next round. That way my Bears can host the Seahawks in the next round. Wishful thinking I suppose.

Sinickal: Don't you mean MY Bears?!

Pepster and Hopps: Welcome to the party Sinickal.

By the way, my picks of the week:

New Orleans Saints -10 at Seattle Seahawks

Indianapolis Colts -2 v. New York Jets

Green Bay Packers + 2 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles

BIG BET OF THE WEEK
Baltimore Ravens -3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is the NFC West Champions having beat the Seahawks, the Rams, the 49ers and the Cardinals. That is four of their 10 wins.

Previous Week's Record 10-6
Year to Date: 104-73-5
Previous Week's Big Bet: 0-1
Big Bet Year to Date: 3-10
Previous Week's Winnings (Losses): $225
Winnings (Losses) Year to Date: $120