Super Bowl LV Prediction

The NFL season will come to an end tonight as the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to compete for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LV. Only one team will emerge victorious, and on paper, this is one of the most exciting match-ups in recent history. The greatest of all-time Tom Brady returns to the biggest stage for the tenth time against heir apparent Patrick Mahomes who hopes to lead his team to a repeat of last year’s Super Bowl victory. Besides the snacks, funny commercials, and what will likely be a spectacular halftime show from The Weeknd, I think this is going to be a great game. Now let’s get into my predictions.

After early indications of bad weather in Tampa Bay for this evening, where the Buccaneers will become the first team in Super Bowl history to host in their home stadium, the forecast now shows clear skies and ideal temperatures. I don’t think weather will impact this game. There will be another NFL history first tonight, as the big game will feature the two top passing offenses in the league, which has never happened before. I expect Andy Reid and Bruce Arians to dial up some creative passing plays and for both quarterbacks to break 300 yards through the air.

The Kansas City offense will need to be careful not to turn over the football, as the Buccaneers defense is one of the best in the league at creating takeaways. Mahomes is usually pretty reliably efficient and protective of the ball, though, so I don’t see the Buccaneers forcing more than one turnover tonight. A banged-up Kansas City offensive line may become the deciding factor because the Chiefs will be in trouble if Patrick Mahomes is constantly under pressure.

If this season has proven anything, it’s that these two teams are both completely worthy of making it to the biggest stage. Kansas City only lost one game with a majority of its starters in, and Tom Brady has proven his excellency by bringing his new team to the Super Bowl in his first season in Tampa Bay. Betting markets have the Chiefs as the narrow favorite -3, so it really does feel like a toss-up going into tonight.

Conventional wisdom tells me never to bet against Tom Brady, and I may be burned by that yet again this year, but I think the Chiefs find a way to get the win tonight. They are an offensive juggernaut hungry to prove that they are the next dynasty that will replace the incredible legacy that Tom Brady has established. I’m looking forward to every aspect of the game tonight, and my official prediction is that the Chiefs win 34-30. Who do you think gets the W tonight?

NFL Wild Card Predictions

The NFL playoffs have arrived, which means two consecutive days of nonstop football action and intense head-to-head matchups. In this post, I’m going to predict and explain the teams I think will be advancing to next week’s games. Let’s get into it.

Game 1: Bills @ Texans - The Buffalo Bills have surprised me this year. Josh Allen led his squad to a respectable 10-6 record and secured a spot in wildcard weekend against the 4 seed Houston Texans with the same record. While DeShaun Watson has shown his explosiveness at the QB position, the Texans are one of the weaker and more inconsistent teams in the playoffs this year, in my opinion. JJ Watt’s return isn’t enough to stop the Buffalo Bills from rolling into town and taking this one.

Game 2: Titans @ Patriots - As much as I want to, I can’t bet against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick quite yet. I just can’t. After starting the season strong, the Patriots offense has struggled, as highlighted by their shocking loss to Miami last week in Foxboro. At the same time, Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, and company have been rolling over their competition to the point of securing the 6 seed in the AFC. That being said, I just don’t see Brady’s last game as a Patriot coming in the wild card round of the playoffs at home. NE wins here.

Game 3: Vikings @ Saints - It’s time for New Orleans to redeem themselves. After back-to-back heartbreaking playoff losses in 2018 and 2019, this squad is hungry and has a lot to prove as a 13-3 3rd seed in the competitive NFC Conference. Kirk Cousins is beginning to show that he shrinks in primetime, and barring a miracle or officiating disaster, I see Drew Brees getting the job in New Orleans.

Game 4: Eagles @ Seahawks - This feels like the most obvious pick of the week for me. I don’t see this game being competitive. The Seahawk’s 12th man fanbase will be out in full force in Seattle, and the 9-7 Eagles who scraped by just to make it to the wildcard, don’t have enough talent on their roster to steal one against Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll. It would be nice to see Beast Mode go off, too, in another Seahawks playoff W.

It’s entirely possible that these predictions are totally off-base. I’m pretty sure that if they hold up, next week’s predictions for the Divisional round of the playoffs will be more entertaining, as I won’t choose every clear favorite to get the win. What do you think will happen this week? I’m just rooting for some entertaining, competitive NFL Playoff football.

A Mid-Season Perspective From A Chicago Sports Fan

As Thanksgiving turns into Black Friday and Christmas is right around the corner, the NFL regular season is nearing completion and the NBA season is settling in nicely. As a Chicago sports fan this year really should no different than usual, with me being disappointed in my teams and all, but for some reason I’m remaining optimistic about the futures of my beloved Bears and Bulls.

Let’s start with the Bears. As we all know, last year’s winning season led by one of the best defenses in the league ended abruptly with Cody Parkey’s infamous double-doink. Even through that heartbreak, there was the promise of a potentially bright future in the Windy City. This season has had its ups and downs, with lots of upset fans ready to move on from former second overall draft pick QB Mitchell Trubisky. I’m not one of those fans. Last season, every Bears fan was praising him as the franchise quarterback Chicago has been waiting for for years. His struggles this season (which really aren’t all that bad) are against one of the most difficult schedules in the league. Some minor changes in this upcoming offseason paired with an easier schedule next year could lead to another playoff run for my Chicago Bears - it’s too soon to blow it all up already.

The Bulls are in a similar position. A disappointing 6-13 opening to the season has led to many fans wanting to completely restart the rebuilding process. I was lucky enough to see this exciting young team play the local Atlanta Hawks thanks to my amazing girlfriend getting tickets for us, and the Bulls’ route of the Hawks made me very optimistic for this young team’s future. The building blocks are there, they just need to be coached and given the experience needed to realize their full potential. There are still bright moments, though, like their recent come-from-behind miracle win against Charlotte or Zach Lavine’s 360 fast break dunks. Too soon to give up on this young team.

Maybe it’s just me maturing and taking sports results less seriously than I used to, but I’m feeling much more optimistic than I should be about the Bears’ and Bulls’ futures. I’m just glad that I get to watch young, entertaining teams with the hope of a bright future for these franchises. Their time will come.

2019-'20 NFL Predictions That Will Probably Be Wrong

There’s something so interesting to me about making somewhat baseless predictions about upcoming sporting events entirely beyond my control. Last time I did so on my blog, it was about the upcoming season for the NBA. I feel pretty comfortable about the predictions I made. Today, I decided to start to do so for the NFL, but my process was a little more stringent this time around; I went through every game of the upcoming season of professional football and manually chose each winner. I then tallied up each team’s record, which I will be rationalizing and explaining here. Let’s save the playoff predictions for later in the season… I’ll need something to post about by then, right? Let’s take a look at my predictions, starting with the home division, of course…

NFC North:

1. Chicago Bears (11-5): Time for me to try to convince you that I’m not biased. Wish me luck. I made a post on this blog recently about why, as a Bears fan, I’m excited for the team’s future. They had the #1 overall defense in the league last season and didn’t regress this offseason defensively. While their schedule may be somewhat challenging, a lot of their more difficult games come later in the season at Soldier Field. I hope that Mitchell Trubisky proves Jim McMahon right and takes the next step in his progression next season. Time will tell, but until then… Bear down.

2. Vikings (11-5): As a diehard Bears fan, the Vikings scare me. The week 17 matchup between the two teams which will take place in Minnesota (that I foolishly have Chicago winning which will inevitably be a must-win nail-biter, and seems like the ideal setup for another double-doink-esk moment.) I’m hoping that the Bears win the tiebreaker and take the division, otherwise it may be very difficult to secure a wildcard spot in a highly contested NFC. The Vikings are a formidable foe for any team, and they could easily make a run next season. I’m just sticking to wishful thinking for now.

3. Green Bay Packers (9-7): I was surprised when the Packers fired head coach Mike McCarthy. There must have been locker room issues that made their way high up in the organization. That being said, any team with Aaron Rodgers at the helm can’t reasonably be considered out of contention on any given Sunday. This might be a rebuilding for Green Bay which leaves many cheesehead fans disappointed, but I still expect the Packers to be above .500 next season.

4. Detroit Lions (6-10): Matthew Stafford is, unfortunately for him, a very good quarterback who isn’t surrounded by enough talent to thrive. Detroit’s challenging schedule this upcoming season will only aggravate this, and I expect a disappointing season for the Lions.

NFC East:

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4): The Eagles are only two years removed from a Super Bowl victory. They will be contending with a very difficult NFC East division, but if Carson Wentz returns to pre-injury form like I think he will, the sky is the limit for this team. That’s coming from a Bears fan whose heart was broken by these same Eagles in the wildcard just last season… how are we feeling about that bias conversation from earlier?

2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5): Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are a powerhouse QB/RB combo. America’s team won the NFC East last season, and I don’t expect them to regress as a team, I just don’t think they have what it takes to outplay what I think will be a very impressive Philadelphia Eagles team next season.

3. Washington Redskins (6-10): It’s hard to expect much from a team who hasn’t yet decided on a starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Washington was 7-9 last season and with slight roster shake-ups that made them slightly worse, I don’t see next season going well for the ‘Skins.

4. New York Giants (3-13): New York football is just struggling right now. I don’t think that Eli Manning, as good as he once was, has the talent base around him to support what looks to be a struggling defensive unit. Off year for NYG unless they make some serious changes.

NFC South:

1. Atlanta Falcons (11-5): Okay, now my bias is really starting to show. I do, however, believe that Atlanta has made objective improvements from last season, and under the leadership of QB Matt Ryan could return closer to the form of the team that (unfortunately) handed New England a Super Bowl just a couple of years ago. Wishful thinking has taken the wheel here, but did I ever say I thought that these predictions would be spot on? Quite the opposite.

2. New Orleans Saints (11-5): Now the tiebreaker could really go either way, and if money were being placed here, I’d put it all on Drew Brees to make the big play needed to secure a spot in the playoffs. I see the Saints coming up just short of taking the division, however, but making a deep playoff run after finding success in the wildcard round.

3. Carolina Panthers (7-9): Not enough changed in Carolina for me to see any improvement or decline happen for the Panthers in the upcoming season. Cam Newton is still a stellar tank of a QB, but there are too many defensive questions in such a gunslinging division for the Panthers to handle. Stasis in Charlotte.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-13): When going through each individual matchup for the upcoming season, it was just so difficult to envision Tampa Bay winning very many games next year. A slight slip from last year’s underwhelming 5-11 record, I see Tampa Bay continuing to struggle next year.

NFC West:

1. Los Angeles Rams (11-5): I’ll be the first to admit that last season’s Super Bowl was one of the worst in my lifetime. That goes for the commercials, halftime show, and especially the game itself. That being said, LA is still a powerhouse of a team offensively and defensively. Any offense that has to go up against Aaron Donald and company is facing tough odds, and Todd Gurley II has proven that he was worth the hype coming out of UGA. This is still a playoff team, and I keep forgetting that they’re not in St. Louis anymore.

2. Seattle Seahawks (8-8): The Seahawks had a fairly successful season last year finishing things off at a respectable 10-6. That being said, some of the micro adjustments and scheduling matchups they face this year have me thinking Seattle is going to slip to .500 next year. You should never count out Russell Wilson, but I am doing just that.

3. San Francisco 49ers (7-9): The 49ers have a tendency of being really bad for a long time and then suddenly being really good again, only to repeat the process the next season. I don’t see that changing in 2019-’20. I see a slow start for San Fran followed by a spark that fizzles out in a losing season.

4. Arizona Cardinals (2-14): I don’t really pay close attention to how the Cardinals perform as a team (except for Larry Fitzgerald highlights), and so I thought 2-14 was harsh after going through each matchup for next season. Turns out it isn’t too farfetched from last season’s awful 3-13 record, so I’m sticking with the prediction that the Cardinals continue to nosedive next season.

AFC North:

1. Baltimore Ravens (10-6): Lamar Jackson is one of the most exciting players to watch in the NFL right now. He plays QB with the precision of a pro bowler and the speed of a receiver. Baltimore took the division with 10 wins last season and I see them doing the same this year. If you blink, you might miss them.

2. Pittsburg Steelers (9-7): Big Ben has been a big disappointment the last couple of seasons. I think that the drama in the Steeler’s locker room really hindered them last season, but it also came with talent that is now gone. I see another season ending short of the playoffs for the Steelers next season.

3. Cleveland Browns (8-8): I don’t believe the hype yet. While on paper the Browns’ offense looks like a total powerhouse, I think it will take time for this young unit to mesh and gain chemistry enough to win enough games to clinch a playoff spot in a competitive AFC North division. Still, it’s hard to believe this team didn’t win any games just a couple seasons ago and now people are predicting the Super Bowl for them.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10): It’s really disappointing to see good players go down with injuries. A.J. Green is one of the best receivers in the NFL, but unfortunately it’s likely that he won’t be operating at 100% efficiency next season. Here’s hoping to a quick recovery and, at the very least, an entertaining season for those poor Bengals fans.

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots (12-4): It’s Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. What did you think I was going to predict? It’s hard to tell if the AFC East is bad because the Patriots are so good or if the Patriots are so good because they’re in the AFC East. Either way, Tom Brady will probably clutch his way too another Super Bowl, collectively pissing off every other team’s fanbase.

2. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Again, I don’t pay close attention to all of the teams in the NFL, but being undecided as to who you’re starting at QB just weeks before the season starts is not a sign of success. It’s shocking that a 6-10 record can come second in a division, but here we are. The Marino days are long gone.

3. Buffalo Bills (6-10): A family friend of ours is a Bills fan. I’m not sure if they’re aware that you’re supposed to try to win games, but I’ll always respect the shirtless fans in blizzard weather cheering on the Bills.

4. New York Jets (5-11): The only thing uglier than this team’s offense is their new jerseys. Yikes, yikes, yikes. At least the butt-fumble days of Sanchez kept us entertained. This new Jets team is very New York Knicks like… hard to watch.

AFC South:

1. Houston Texans (12-4): Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans’ offense is one of the most exciting prospects in the NFL. While I’m unsure if 12 wins is realistically achievable for such a young group, that is the number that I’m sticking with. I wish nothing but the best for my favorite Texas football team.

2. Indianapolis Colts (12-4): This whole situation is just a bummer. As I’m sure you can imagine, I made these predictions before Andrew Luck made the announcement that he would be retiring from the NFL before the beginning of this season. It’s a shame to see such a good QB lose his love for the game because of injuries, and I hope he recovers quickly both physically and mentally. I feel bad for the loyal Colts fans (not the ones who booed), because I don’t see a lot of success for this team next season. MAYBE a wildcard spot? We’ll see.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9): It’s actually insane that this team almost made it to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago. That was simply one of the biggest fluke seasons that I’ve been alive to witness in the NFL. Perpetually mediocrity haunts the Jaguars, and I don’t see that changing this season.

4. Tennessee Titans (3-13): This is a prime example of me likely underestimating a team that I didn’t realize was as good as they are. Finding out that the Titans went 9-7 last season shocked me, and I don’t see it repeating or improving this year. My picks have me at 3-13. We shall see.

AFC West:

1. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): It’s a tossup in the West for me this year. Andy Reid paired with the prodigy that is Patrick Mahomes is too exciting to sleep on. I doubt Mahomes will be able to toss another 50 TDs next season, but I do expect lots of statement victories and highlight reel plays.

2. Los Angeles Chargers (12-4): Philip Rivers deserves a ring, man. At 36 years old and surrounded by young talent, this may be his last shot to hoist the Lombardi trophy before he hangs up his cleats. My dream scenario is him coming up just shy in SBLIV against my Chicago Bears.

3. Oakland Raiders (6-10): The Hard Knocks curse will likely strike the Raiders this season. Derek Carr’s injury really put a stop to any momentum that Oakland had going for them, unfortunately. I don’t see a season above water next season for this team.

4. Denver Broncos (1-15): I know it sounds harsh. It wasn’t supposed to. The Broncos are a team that I pay no attention to, so when choosing winners for every game next season I glossed over the fact that I only gave them one win altogether. Oh well, I’m sticking to it. Never met a Broncos fan that I liked.

If you made it this far in the post, thank you for entertaining my baseless predictions and listening to the reasonings behind them. While I’m likely to be far off from what ends up happening, it’s still fun to analyze and guess about things completely beyond your control. I look forward to another NFL football season to kickoff the fall season.

Why, As A Fan, I'm Excited For The Chicago Bears' Future

Growing up a fan of Chicago sports teams has taught me the valuable life lesson of never letting your hopes get too high. This was all but completely validated when the Bears lost Super Bowl XLI to Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts in 2007 and 8-year-old me was heartbroken. Even after last season’s nightmarish ending to an otherwise very successful year and a difficult schedule in the upcoming season, I’m optimistic for the Chicago Bears’ chances moving forward. Here’s why.

The first factor that leads me to find confidence in my navy and orange toting team is the lack of competition in their NFC North division. The Minnesota Vikings may give the Bears a run for their money in taking clinching a spot in the playoffs by winning the division, but a rebuilding Green Bay and a struggling Detroit almost guarantee 3-4 wins for Chicago next season. I’m hoping that another impressive defensive showing from Chicago is enough to propel them to the 11-12 wins likely needed to win their division.

Another factor that has me excited for next season is a healthy and maturing offense. Although they ranked #21 overall offensively last season, QB Mitchell Trubisky has had a long off-season to improve and make adjustments to his game. What I consider a stacked backfield and skilled receiver core should make Trubisky’s job relatively easy despite the challenging opponents Chicago will face next season.

The final and main factor that has me excited for the Chicago Bears’ next season and future in general is an absolute powerhouse defensive unit. Headed by Pro Bowler Khalil Mack, the Bears defensive unit may not be able to again rank #1 overall defensively, but they should still be a force to reckoned with for opposing offenses. I expect a high amount of forced turnovers and low points allowed again for Chicago. It isn’t Bears football without some high quality defense, right?

While there may be a regression from last year’s promising season, and there are still factors to consider such as a lack of a competent kicker and a difficult upcoming schedule, I’m going against my learned apprehension as a Chicago sports fan and am choosing to be optimistic and excited for the future of the Chicago Bears. Hopefully my dreams aren’t double-doinked into oblivion all over again.