Conference Championship Picks and Discussion Thread

[Everlong]

REMEMBER: correct picks are worth five this week, and correct upsets worth 10!

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Jacksonville Jaguars (12-6) at New England Patriots (14-3), NE by 7.5 - As much as I would love to see the Jaguars win, I really don't think it's going to happen, banged up Brady thumb and all. The Patriots are too good to lose to an upstart Jags team at home with a Super Bowl trip on the line. Patriots 23, Jaguars 20

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Minnesota Vikings (14-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (14-3), MIN by 3 - Tough game to pick here. On the one hand, the Eages fared far better than expected against a gritty Falcons team last week in a game most people thought they'd lose. On the other hand, this Vikings team has an element of magic to it, and without Carson Wentz playing, I feel like they're the better team.

Against my better judgment (and mostly because I want it to be true so badly), I'll say the Eagles pull off the upset. UPSET! - Eagles 27, Vikings 23

[The Legend]

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Jacksonville Jaguars (12-6) at New England Patriots (14-3), NE by 7.5 - First off, this whole weekend should be pretty hard to predict, much like this season and these playoffs have been to this point. Jacksonville has fought all common sense to get to the point where we are at right now and you can't totally write them off. They actually remind me a lot of the NY Giants teams that defeated the Pats in a couple Super Bowls. That being said what they lack is a QB like Eli Manning, who was not consistently great, but had a knack for playing his best with the game on the line. I'll count on Bill to devise a scheme to bring out the worst in Blake Bortles and Brady to be just good enough to deliver an offensive attack that does enough. NE Patriots 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 23

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Minnesota Vikings (14-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (14-3), MIN by 3 - I'll be honest, of all the teams in the playoffs, I'm probably rooting for the Vikings the most. There's something fun and interesting about this team and the way they play together. I'll also honestly say, I have no idea what to think of the Eagles any more. They shouldn't have beat the Falcons and I probably think the Falcons are better than the Vikings on paper, but can they pull that magic twice? I think Minnesota does just enough to become the first team to ever play a Super Bowl in front of their home crowd. Minnesota Vikings 21, Philly Eagles 20

[DBSoT]

Patriots
Vikings

[xgamr]

Pats
Vikings

[Str8Shooter]

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Jacksonville Jaguars (12-6) at New England Patriots (14-3), NE by 7.5 - NEW ENGLAND

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Minnesota Vikings (14-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (14-3), MIN by 3 - MINNESOTA

[JDD]

Jags
Vikings

[Everlong]

HAHAHAHHAHAHA VIKINGS LOLOLOLOL

[DBSoT]

The Patriots take away a good portion of my enjoyment for the playoffs. It is a waste to root for any other team. I honestly don't even care about the next two weeks of football coverage. The Patriots will win by 15+ points and it likely won't even be that close.

[The Legend]

The Patriots take away a good portion of my enjoyment for the playoffs. It is a waste to root for any other team. I honestly don't even care about the next two weeks of football coverage. The Patriots will win by 15+ points and it likely won't even be that close.

I honestly doubt it will be that big of a blowout. I don't know if I'd pick the Eagles to win, but I think they've shown that they aren't a pushover, even with Wentz out and Foles in. I'd actually expect a game very similar to the AFC Championship that the Pats just won. A combination of defense and a ball control offense will keep the game close and give Philly a chance to win it, and then in the end with the game on the line can the defense get one more stop, or can Foles lead one big drive at the end of the game where they need to throw to win the game?

I said it about the Jags and I think it's true with the Eagles, these types of teams have given the Pats problems for years. play strong defense with a great line that can get pressure without blitzing, like the Eagles can, stop the run and on the other side of the ball take advantage that the Pats run defense isn't that great to control the ball and see what happens. It's what the Giants used to beat New England twice in the Super Bowl.

Now, the fact that it's Nick Foles and not Eli Manning at the end of the game could be a problem, or the fact that Brady is so good in the two minute defense, when defenses are limited in the coverage they can use in a constant hurry up mode, could be problematic, but I would guess that the game is a one possession game one way or the other halfway through the fourth quarter, what happens from there could go the Pats way.

[Everlong]

The Patriots win over the Falcons in last year's game was the most lopsided super bowl they've ever been in. And that was an overtime game.

Think about that. They deliver entertaining football every single time.