NFL Postseason Predictions

Last week, I posted my regular season predictions for the 2013 NFL season.  It was a division by division breakdown.  And, like last year, I'll give those predictions a grade periodically throughout the season.  But this year, I'm going to put on my big girl pants, show a little courage and make my official post-season predictions ... right here in the pre-season.

AFC Playoffs:  Houston and Denver will have the two best records in the AFC, so those teams will both have a week off to start the playoffs.  Miami will host one wild card game.  Cincinnati will host the other wild card game.  Cleveland and Kansas City will be the two wild card teams, but even Nostradamus couldn't possibly predict at this point exactly how that seeding will shake out.  In any event, the Bengals will win their game and face the Broncos in Denver in the divisional round.  Denver will defeat Cincy and advance to the AFC Championship game.  The Texans will defeat whoever it is that travels to Houston in the divisional round.  The Texans will then host the Broncos in the AFC Championship.  A lot of points will be scored in the conference championship, but it will be the Texans who will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

NFC Playoffs:  San Francisco will have the best record in the NFC and will have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  The Atlanta Falcons will have the other bye.  Seattle, as a wild card, will have to travel to either Washington or Chicago for their first round game.  Regardless of who they face, the Seahawks will win on the road and earn a trip to Atlanta for a re-match of last year's divisional round.  The NFL will not make the egregious scheduling error that they made in 2012, and the Seahawks will beat the Falcons in the Georgia Dome.  Whoever is not playing Seattle in the first round will defeat Tampa Bay and get a trip to San Francisco as their reward.  The 49ers will handle their opponent and host the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship.  In one of the most physical playoff games of all time, the Seahawks will win on the road and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XLVII:  The Super Bowl will be played in East Rutherford, New Jersey ... in February.  That means that weather could certainly be a factor.  Even if it's dry, it will likely be cold.  But, both the Texans and the Seahawks play a style of football that translates well to cold weather.  This will be an epic battle between two teams that love to run the ball and play defense.  In the end, it will be the Houston Texans who win Super Bowl XLVII and take the Lombardi Trophy back to the Lone Star State.



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