Sports

[gardenman]

Our first game this weekend will be the Titans at the Chiefs. Going into KC is never easy. I don't see this game ending well for Tennessee. Marcus Mariota could play an insanely good game and the Chiefs could come out rusty after many of the starters had this past week off, but I don't think that will happen. My guess is this is a pretty easy win for the Chiefs.

Next up will be the Falcons at the Rams. If the Falcons win, they'll play the Eagles the following Saturday. You've got an experienced, playoff tested team in the Falcons, with lots of weapons on both the ground and the air, taking on an inexperienced Rams team in the playoffs for the first time in recent memory. I have no idea who will win this game. Todd Gurley is a beast for the Rams and Cooper Kupp gives them a decent receiving threat. Aaron Donald is a matchup nightmare on the defensive line for the Rams. The Falcons counter with Julio Jones and a pair of good runningbacks and some more weapons besides. Losing Gabriel to that leg injury will hurt their down the field speed game however. I've got this game a toss-up. If I had to pick, I'd take a chance on the Rams.

On Sunday we start out with the Bills at the Jags. LeSean McCoy being out will severely handicap the Bills. The good news is McCoy's ankle wasn't broken, but it's unlikely he'll be available this quickly. It looked like a significant injury. So that leaves the game largely up to the defenses and Tyrod Taylor for the Bills and Blake Bortles for the Jags. Both QB's may be on the chopping block after the season, so at least they're evenly matched. I guess I'd take the Jags in this one as that defense of theirs is pretty darn formidable.

And our last game on Sunday is Carolina at New Orleans. I'm not sure but what the Saints aren't the most balanced overall NFC team in the playoffs this year. They can run, pass, and are playing good defense. The Panthers are a bit hot and cold. I suspect the Saints will get the win. 

[kaydee50]

BUT until then, today we have the college bowls and 2 big ones.  I'm rooting for anyone but Alabama!!

[yellowrose]

Happy New Years everyone.  NFL lost me for much of the season, but wanted to stop in and wish you all many blessings in the coming year.

Good luck playoff teams.  

[gardenman]

@yellowrose

Nice to see you back!

[Tribesters]

@gardenman

Go Bills!!! If Shady can start will you change your pick?

[Spurt]

Playoffs....the NFL season is too short! I just hope we get to see some good football..........and one wonders if weather will be a factor in KC with cold, ice, snow??? Or perhaps rain in Florida in Jacksonille????

Titans/Chiefs-I'm going with THE CHIEFS at home.

Falcons/Rams- The Falcons finally came to play Sunday, will they be able to keep it going, OR will the young Rams with their solid defense and running game and a good weapon at WR be the key to victory???  The injury to their kicker may be a big loss...dont discount special teams.  I just gotta go RAMS for the win!

Bills/Jaguars--well the Bills need to thank the Bengals for their help in getting the Bills into the playoffs......McCoy's injury hurts their chances (pardon the pun) so am going with the JAGUARS despite Bortles............

Panthers/Saints-.The Panthers are just so inconsistent, I'll go with the more experienced Drew Brees and THE SAINTS!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

[Spurt]

---

@yellowrose wrote:

Happy New Years everyone.  NFL lost me for much of the season, but wanted to stop in and wish you all many blessings in the coming year.

Good luck playoff teams.  

---

@yellowrose

Hi YELLOWROSE--miss you---And a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and yours! 

[RespectLife]

Don't count Shady out just yet. Reliable eyeballs saw him out after the game celebrating New Year's Eve.

Based on his performance before he was hurt, not saying that means we can win, but honestly?

It doesn't matter! The drought is over!

Bills fans have been donating big bucks to Andy Dalton's charity foundation to thank him and the Bengals.

Go Bills!

[szip]

'After Sunday's games, "donations flowed into the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation  in $17 increments, a buck for each year of the playoff drought.'

Dalton claims donations over $50,000 on Monday night.

Bills from the City of Good Neighbors

#BillsMafia

[gardenman]

---

@Tribesters wrote:

@gardenman

Go Bills!!! If Shady can start will you change your pick?

---

If Shady is close to one hundred percent, then yeah, I'd give the edge to the Bills. Will he be close to one hundred percent? That's hard to say. Much of McCoy's game is based on making sharp cuts, and with a bad ankle, those sharp cuts aren't there. We'll have to see how he does this week. The Bills have a shot at winning even without him as this should be a pretty close game. I like Tyrod Taylor more than Blake Bortles, but Calais Campbell and that Jag defense are pretty formidable. It should be a good game. You're not sure how either team will react to being in the playoffs either. Both are somewhat new to the playoffs and inexperienced.