I went a cool 4-0 in my divisional picks last weekend to move to 6-2 in playoff picks and 58-42 in NFL picks on the season. I think the slate of games today is what fans are looking for. Last week's games were not great, which must mean that these teams are the best and now they will face each other to determine who heads to Super Bowl XLVIII.
Patriots (13-4) at Broncos (14-3)
3 p.m. CBS
Denver got up on New England 24-0 in Foxboro during their Week 12 matchup but fell in overtime, 34-31, when Wes Welker muffed a punt return, giving New England excellent field position for the game-winning field goal. I don't expect the Broncos to be so forgiving in this game at home if they get up big. Denver played pretty well in dispatching San Diego last week, 24-17, a team that had previously beaten the Broncos. Denver got up in that game 24-7 before a comeback by the Chargers. I think against the Patriots and Tom Brady, Denver will not be taking its foot off the gas. Brady is king of the comeback and I expect Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense to be relentless. The weather is going to be 48 degrees and sunny with some wind so I don't expect it to be much of a factor. The wind played a role in the Broncos' earlier loss to the Patriots. New England has often lost around this point in the playoffs recently and I think it is going to happen again Sunday. Manning will get back to his first Super Bowl since Feb. 2010 when his Colts lost to the Saints. I think the game will be fairly close throughout but the Broncos will get a couple late scores to win.
Broncos 34, Patriots 24
49ers (14-4) at Seahawks (14-3)
6:30 p.m. FOX
I am torn in this game. At the beginning of this season, I was thinking that the 49ers would win the Super Bowl. Two years ago, they lost in the NFC championship to the Giants. Last year, they beat the Falcons on the road in the NFC championship then lost to the Ravens in the Super Bowl. So I just naturally expected them to take that next step. But throughout this season, I said that if the Seahawks got the NFC's No. 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, then they would make the Super Bowl because no one could beat them at home. So do I go with my preseason thought or how I see things now? Well, the answer is probably go with what I think is true now. But there is something about these 49ers. They have gotten blown out in their two previous meeting in Seattle (29-3 this year and 42-13 a year ago) but I think they are playing with a different confidence and swagger right now that was missing for the first half of the season. The San Francisco defense played particularly well while waiting for the offense to catch up and now the offense is playing better, too, and the 49ers have won eight consecutive games, many by double digits. That streak included a tough, 19-17 victory at home over the Seahawks. While they didn't dominate Seattle by any means, they did beat them, and I think that did a lot for the confidence of this team. The next week, the 49ers knocked off the Cardinals, the last team to actually win at Seattle. The Niners should be used to the noise at Seattle and I don't think this team will be fazed. They are a tough team and will be looking to smack Seattle in the mouth. Of course, the Seahawks will smack the 49ers right back and this is probably going to be an awesome game. I don't expect a blowout like the two previous meetings in Seattle. The 49ers are playing good ball and Seattle is, too, but it has had a few uneven outings at home, even in wins (20-13 over the Titans and 27-24 over the Bucs in OT). I like the 49ers to prevail in a slobberknocker, but of course would not be surprised at all if the Seahawks win.
49ers 20, Seahawks 18
Patriots (13-4) at Broncos (14-3)
3 p.m. CBS
Denver got up on New England 24-0 in Foxboro during their Week 12 matchup but fell in overtime, 34-31, when Wes Welker muffed a punt return, giving New England excellent field position for the game-winning field goal. I don't expect the Broncos to be so forgiving in this game at home if they get up big. Denver played pretty well in dispatching San Diego last week, 24-17, a team that had previously beaten the Broncos. Denver got up in that game 24-7 before a comeback by the Chargers. I think against the Patriots and Tom Brady, Denver will not be taking its foot off the gas. Brady is king of the comeback and I expect Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense to be relentless. The weather is going to be 48 degrees and sunny with some wind so I don't expect it to be much of a factor. The wind played a role in the Broncos' earlier loss to the Patriots. New England has often lost around this point in the playoffs recently and I think it is going to happen again Sunday. Manning will get back to his first Super Bowl since Feb. 2010 when his Colts lost to the Saints. I think the game will be fairly close throughout but the Broncos will get a couple late scores to win.
Broncos 34, Patriots 24
49ers (14-4) at Seahawks (14-3)
6:30 p.m. FOX
I am torn in this game. At the beginning of this season, I was thinking that the 49ers would win the Super Bowl. Two years ago, they lost in the NFC championship to the Giants. Last year, they beat the Falcons on the road in the NFC championship then lost to the Ravens in the Super Bowl. So I just naturally expected them to take that next step. But throughout this season, I said that if the Seahawks got the NFC's No. 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, then they would make the Super Bowl because no one could beat them at home. So do I go with my preseason thought or how I see things now? Well, the answer is probably go with what I think is true now. But there is something about these 49ers. They have gotten blown out in their two previous meeting in Seattle (29-3 this year and 42-13 a year ago) but I think they are playing with a different confidence and swagger right now that was missing for the first half of the season. The San Francisco defense played particularly well while waiting for the offense to catch up and now the offense is playing better, too, and the 49ers have won eight consecutive games, many by double digits. That streak included a tough, 19-17 victory at home over the Seahawks. While they didn't dominate Seattle by any means, they did beat them, and I think that did a lot for the confidence of this team. The next week, the 49ers knocked off the Cardinals, the last team to actually win at Seattle. The Niners should be used to the noise at Seattle and I don't think this team will be fazed. They are a tough team and will be looking to smack Seattle in the mouth. Of course, the Seahawks will smack the 49ers right back and this is probably going to be an awesome game. I don't expect a blowout like the two previous meetings in Seattle. The 49ers are playing good ball and Seattle is, too, but it has had a few uneven outings at home, even in wins (20-13 over the Titans and 27-24 over the Bucs in OT). I like the 49ers to prevail in a slobberknocker, but of course would not be surprised at all if the Seahawks win.
49ers 20, Seahawks 18
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