NFL Early Playoff Predictions

Yes i know it is just the opening of the NFL regular season but its never to early for playoff picks. There is really no team in the NFC that is a steam roller and is the easy favorite to win it all. There are several really good teams that could surprise a lot of people instead because of their strong nucleus. Lets start by reviewing my divisional winners. Seattle Seahawks win the West with their 11-5 record, New Orleans Saints win the South with their 12-4 record, the Chicago Bears win the North with the 10-6 record and Philadelphia wins the East with 12-4 record. The seeding should go as followed: New Orleans, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago then wild card teams Dallas with the fifth seed and Tampa with the final. So the Wild Card match ups should be Tampa Bay @ Seattle, and Dallas @ Chicago.

Wild Card Weekend

Buccaneers @ Seahawks

The Seahawks come into this game playing for their head coach who is retiring after the season and are looking to send him out with one more run. They should start their run off on the right note here in the wild card game against the Bucs. The Bucs offense should be able to move the ball against Seattle but not enough to pull out this upset. The Seattle defense should be able to get pressure on Garcia and force him into bad decisions which will get Seattle on the board. The Bucs defense might not be able to stop the Seahawk passing attack which could spell the end of the Bucs hopes. Look for this game to remain close going into the final period when the Seahawks pull ahead for good. The Bucs are not built to come back from behind, they are a pound the ball type of team which eats the clock. This will be the downfall this year. Seattle wins 28-16 to advance to the divisional round.

Cowboys @ Bears

This game could be very interesting as Dallas would be looking to win its first playoff game under Tony Romo and Wade Phillips. The Bears Kyle Orton will be under heavy pressure from the Dallas defense and this will not favor the Bears as he is a young player who will take sacks and set the offense back. The Cowboys passing attack will be to much for the Bears to handle as Owens has a huge day scoring at least 2 touch downs and Packman should get at least one interception on defense leading to the downfall of the Bears. The Cowboys will win this game 35-14 to advance

NFC Divisional Round

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints

This is a very interesting game in the divisional round. Both teams have great fire power and can score with in seconds and come back if they find themselves down. In this game the Dallas defense has the edge on the Saints offense thanks to the line. Im just not sure how the Saints line will be able to stop the constant blitz packages and pressure Dallas will put on in this game. The Cowboys will jump on the Saints early but the lead will not hold as the Saints can come back thanks to Bush and Colston to make it a close game going into the final period. Any chances for a Saints comeback should be shut down by a Romo score late in the fourth and the Cowboys advance to the NFC Championship Game 31-21.

Seattle Seahawks @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Seahawks have played the Eagles in the regular season in 2007 and will again in 2008 and i believe they beat them soundly in both games. The Seahawks defense will just be to good and get to much pressure on McNabb hurting the Eagles early in the game and making them have to climb out of a whole early. Jackson and Westbrook can only do so much but with McNabb on his back it will be hard to get the ball to either. The Eagles defense should be able to slow down the Seattle offense but not enough as Branch continues to be the Eagle killer as he was as a Patriot and helps the Seahawks advance on 28-17.

NFC Championship Game

The Dallas Cowboys @ the Seattle Seahawks for the right to go to Tampa for the NFL Championship. This is a great game with two teams that have great fire power, and a great defense. The Dallas receivers might be to much for the Seattle defensive backs to cover and that could hurt them Early in this game falling behind. The Seattle offense should be able to expose the little weakness in the secondary, mainly testing Williams, and if he fails to cover the the Cowboys could find themselves in a dog fight. If this game gets into a shoot out the odds favor Seattle. The Seahawks can double Owens, and that will just leave Witten (unless another receiver steps up as a solid #2). The Seahawks should get their coach one more week to enjoy being a head coach as they win the NFC 35-27