I should register some NFL picks before it is too late.
After a wild, uncertain regular season, I don’t feel great confidence in any teams or matchups. No upset would surprise me. The NFL is League Chaos, which makes it extremely fun.
NFC
Dallas over Green Bay.
People are getting too excited about the Packers recent good play. And the Cowboys might be the best team in the conference.
Detroit over Los Angeles.
I know the Rams are a trendy pick here, for many extremely valid reasons. The Lions have a lot of holes and deficiencies. The Rams are likely one of the five-six best teams of the moment. But I watched the Detroit game last week and their crowd was electric. Those fans been waiting over a generation for this game. They will pick the team up when they are down and carry them to the win.
Philadelphia over Tampa Bay
Both these teams stink. Jalen Hurts is hurt. The Eagles ended the season on an epic meltdown. But they also have way more talent and there’s a decent chance they decide to get their shit together. And the Bucs stink more.
San Francisco over Philadelphia
This will be a shellacking worse than the first time they played.
Dallas over Detroit
The Lions had their chance to beat the Cowboys a few weeks ago but either blew it or had the refs take it away from them, depending on your perspective. The Cowboys won’t let them keep it close this time.
Dallas over San Francisco
These proud franchises meet in another NFC title game. The Cowboys defense gives Brock Purdy fits. Dak Prescott does Dak Prescott things, both good and bad. CeeDee Lamb makes some huge plays late to clinch the upset. Niners fans will complain that the game wasn’t played at Candlestick, where the awful turf would have prevented Lamb from torching the Niners defense.
AFC
Cleveland over Houston
Houston is a great story. But they won their playoff game last week and Cleveland is a better story.
Kansas City over Miami
This will be a very ugly game. Thanks, Mother Nature.
Buffalo over Pittsburgh
If Pittsburgh was fully healthy I might pick them. The Bills should win big, but will do enough dumb stuff to keep it close.
Baltimore over Cleveland
The storylines! The old Browns vs the new Browns. Joe Flacco returns to Charm City. Cleveland’s fearsome D vs the unstoppable force that is a Lamar Jackson led offense. Should be a good one.
Kansas City over Buffalo
I know the Chiefs are vulnerable and all, and the Bills seem perfectly crafted to take advantage. But the Bills haven’t been able to get out of their way all season, so there’s no reason to think they can do it here, even playing at home. The Chiefs don’t make it pretty, but they do just enough to get out with the W.
Baltimore over Kansas City
The Chiefs magic fails them as the Ravens pummel them on both sides of the ball. Patrick Mahomes ends the game covered in mud and turf and field paint, having battled nobly but fallen short.
Super Bowl
Baltimore over Dallas
All Baltimore does is win Super Bowls when they make it that far. And as nice as the Cowboys run was, they aren’t ready to win a Super Bowl.
Ravens 27, Cowboys 17