Examining Which Quarterbacks to Draft and Where to Draft Them

     Ryan Tannehill was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the eight overall pick in the NFL draft a couple days ago. There has been a recent trend of quarterbacks shooting up draft boards because teams think that if they don't draft a quarterback in the first round, they have no chance of grabbing a starting quarterback. Yet if you look at the most recent quarterback classes, you'll see that this just isn't true.

2011 (It's still a little to early to tell which quarterbacks are really for real, but we'll just base it off of last year)
Elite
Cam Newton CAR 1, 1


Pro Bowl Caliber
Andy Dalton CIN 2, 3


Steady Starters
Jake Locker TEN 1, 8
Christian Ponder MIN 1, 12
T.J. Yates HOU 5, 152 Overall


Busts
Blaine Gabbert JAC 1, 10


Analysis: Cam Newton looks to be the best quarterback in this class and if you look back, it was a no brainer for a Carolina team who had no offense the year prior to take Newton to energize the team.
      The Bengals are a perfect example of how to build a team with young players. At number four overall in the draft, they were to high to take a guy like Locker or Gabbert, so they took A.J. Green instead, giving them a potent offensive weapon. Then when Andy Dalton, a very good starter in college, was still on the board, they grabbed him. Picking a quarterback outside of the first round means they are not obligated to him. If Andy Dalton was terrible in his first year with the Bengals, they could part ways and not feel like they wasted a first round pick.
     On the flip side, the Jaguars were stuck with Blaine Gabbert last year after taking him in the first round. He was beyond terrible, but they are now obligated to him for at least another year, probably even more.

2010
Elite
None

Pro Bowl Caliber
Sam Bradford STL 1, 1


Steady Starters
Tim Tebow DEN 1, 25
Colt McCoy CLE 3, 31


Busts
Jimmy Clausen CAR 2, 15


Analysis: Like the Panthers in the 2011 draft, the Rams had no where else to go but to pick Sam Bradford, which even though he regressed last season, is still a very good pick.
     Going back to the Panthers, they made a quality decision in this draft with Clausen even though he turned out to be miserable. They could've waited maybe until the third round to select him, but with a team in such dyer need for a quarterback, a second round pick that turns out to go to waste is no harm no foul. The Browns did the same thing, taking McCoy in the third round of this draft.
     The other team to take a quarterback in the first round, the Broncos, easily could've waited to take Tim Tebow and though it worked out pretty well for them all things considered, they easily could've went elsewhere and waited for Tebow.

2009
Elite 
Matthew Stafford DET 1, 1


Pro Bowl Caliber
None

Steady Starters
Mark Sanchez NYJ 1, 5
Josh Freeman TB 1, 17 


Busts
None

Analysis: The biggest debate looking back at this draft is whether the Jets made a mistake taking Mark Sanchez. Sanchez is a tricky quarterback to evaluate as to whether he was a mistake or not. For starters, he had a very good college career and looked pro ready. Second, he entered in a very good position with a defense and running game in place which allowed him to have success. The problem is that if you put Sanchez on most other teams, he probably doesn't even have a job right now. We see with the Jets now that they have obligated themselves to him because he was a quarterback drafted in the top five of the draft. This may turn out to set their franchise back a few years or it could pay them dividends if he develops. Mark Sanchez is a trick quarterback to evaluate so the only thing I can say is be very, very careful with making a USC quarterback your franchise quarterback because a guy like Mark Sanchez or Matt Lineart seem way to cocky and arrogant to be quality quarterbacks.

2008
Elite
Matt Ryan ATL 1, 3 


Pro Bowl Caliber
Joe Flacco BAL 1, 18
Matt Flynn GB 7, 209 Overall


Steady Starters
Chad Henne MIA 2, 24


Busts
None

Analysis: Matt Ryan was definitely the right pick by the Falcons, he was pro ready and he had the right makeup to take over and bring the Falcons back to prominence.
     If you look at Matt Flynn, he was a steady quarterback in college and was a proven winner, leading LSU to the national title. That late in the draft, he is a great pick because as you can see now, guys like Flynn and Tom Brady drafted in later rounds that were proven winners in college at least have a chance to become proven winners in the pros.
     Chad Henne was a decent pick by the Dolphins but as you can see, the Dolphins stuck with him a little bit too long which has set their franchise back.
     The quarterback up for debate from this draft is Joe Flacco. The reason why I don't like the pick is because coming from a Division 1AA school, Flacco was unproven against the highest level of players at the college level. Second, he was a mid first round pick which generally is not a good formula for quarterbacks. But I do like this pick for one main reason and that is the Ravens had a defense already in place. Flacco could and has settled in and now that he has a running game and a few weapons, the Ravens are a Super Bowl contender.

Final Analysis
Rule #1: Quarterbacks must have a lot of success in college if they are going to be a top 10 pick
      This was the major flaw with the Raiders selecting JaMarcus Russell number one overall; he wasn't even fucking good in college! Look at some top 10 picks over the years, from Cam Newton to Matt Stafford to even Mark Sanchez, those guys had success in college, so it is at least justifiable to take them with a top 10 pick.

Rule #2: If you can't grab a definitive franchise quarterback that's a sure thing in the top 10, wait until the second round at least
     Exhibit A of how to do this the right way, the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. They figured out that besides Cam Newton, none of the other quarterbacks were sure things, so why obligate yourself to a quarterback you're building your franchise around who's not even a sure thing (and by sure thing, I mean you're 98 percent sure). So the Bengals waited, selected Andy Dalton in the second round, things worked out and him and first round selection A.J. Green were a big reason why the Bengals went to the playoffs. Exhibit A of how not to do this the right way is the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010. They realized they desperately needed a quarterback but instead of being patient and selecting a better player to fill another need, they felt they just had to have Blaine Gabbert, someone who wasn't even that good in college and someone who had a lot of question marks leading up to the draft. You wonder why the Jaguars are usually always selecting in the top 10 after 6-10 seasons, that is why.

But wait, Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler and Ben Roethlisberger are a couple quarterbacks drafted in the mid first round, does that mean you pass on them? 


     And here is the big thing you have to understand about rule #2. Take Aaron Rodgers for example. He slipped to #24 overall to Green Bay, but there was also fierce debate over whether the 49ers would take him or Alex Smith. So Aaron Rodgers could very well have been the first overall pick. Look at Ben Roethlisberger, he was ranked higher on some teams draft boards than Phillip Rivers who went #4 overall. Like Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger easily could've been a top 5 pick, making him a justifiable pick to be your franchise quarterback. Same thing for Jay Cutler who was thought of in the same regard as Matt Lineart and even Vince Young. So this is rule #2b- If a quarterback who is very much considered a top 10 pick, yet he slips to the mid first round, he is still a good pick to become your franchise quarterback assuming he doesn't break any of the other rules


Rule #3: If drafting a franchise quarterback in the top 10, make sure they have the proper intangibles such as leadership, poise, work ethic, etc.
     What do you think the difference between a JaMarcus Russell and a Cam Newton is? One doesn't have a work ethic and one does. What's the difference between Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Lineart? One has leadership and the other doesn't. All of these guys are talented, it's usually certain tools that determine who succeeds and who doesn't at the quarterback position.
Rule #3b- With all due respect to Carson Palmer, Matt Lineart and Mark Sanchez, Avoid drafting USC quarterbacks, they just never seem to have a work ethic (I do like Matt Barkley a lot however, he might be the only exemption)


Rule #4: Avoid drafting a system quarterback in the top 10 to become your franchise quarterback
      Alex Smith is just about to break away from his bust label after last season, but he was a humungous bust in part because he was a clear example of a system quarterback at Utah. He struggled to adapt to the pro system (it wasn't the only reason he struggled, he had to deal with a lot of instability). Same thing with Vince Young, though he had his moments, he could never really adapt to a pro system due to his system in college. Both were supposed to be franchise quarterbacks and both really haven't panned out for the most part.

Rule #5: Drafting a proven winner in college in the later rounds is always a smart decision
     Tom Brady and Matt Flynn are two perfect examples, you just can't really lose by drafting them. I won't be surprised if former Alabama quarterback Greg Mcllroy ends up being a good starting quarterback sometime in the future.

Rule #6: If you truly have no protection, don't draft a franchise quarterback just so he can get his ass kicked 
     I can't even say David Carr was really that, it was more because they didn't have any blocking. Same with Alex Smith, he could never really get any protection.

Predictions for 2012 QB Draft Class
Andrew Luck, Indianpolis Colts
Rule #1- Yes, had very successful college career
Rule #2- Yes, pretty much as sure thing as it gets
Rule #3- Yes, appears to have as good intangibles
Rule #4- Yes, is not a system quarterback, most likely will adapt very well
Rule #5- Not going in later rounds obviously, but was a winner
Rule #6- Might be an issue, but most likely not
     Luck should be one of the better quarterbacks in the league as early as next year potentially. He isn't in the best situation in Indianapolis due to the tremendous overhaul.

Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins 
Rule #1- Yes, he won the Heisman trophy
Rule #2- Yes, Griffin is a little bit more sure than Cam Newton was, so all signs point to yes
Rule #3- Leadership, poise, work ethic, Griffin has it all
Rule #4- This is a little problematic because I'm not sure if Baylor's offense will suit Griffin well for the pro game
Rule #5- Griffin took a mediocre Baylor team and had them finish in the top 10, yes
Rule #6- This could be an issue, but Griffin is mobile, so it's not a big issue
     I can see Griffin being an absolute stud or I could see him taking a couple of years to adjust to the NFL. However, I think Washington has enough in place already that Griffin should adjust and have a good rookie year and a great career.

Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins 
Rule #1- Not a lot of success, strike one right off the bat
Rule #2- Tannehill is a second round pick, it's as simple as that
Rule #3- This doesn't look to be too much of a problem, but if Tannehill struggles at times in college, what will happen to him in the NFL
Rule #4- I didn't watch much of Texas A&M last year, but I think the system is he can suit him well in the NFL
Rule #5- Won't go in the later rounds, but isn't a proven winner anyway
Rule #6- He has Jake Long on his left side, so protection should be solid for Tannehill
     What a reach by the Dolphins. Tannehill is a clear second round pick, yet they picked him in the first round and in the top 10 for christ's sake. If Tannehill doesn't pan out, this will set the Dolphins back a couple of years. And I don't think he's going to pan out.

NHL Playoffs- Observations from First Round- 3/17

The Best Series So Far Has Been- Penguins/Flyers

     How can the best playoff series involve probably the best team in the field, the Penguins, down 0-3 to their rival Flyers? Well, I don't know if you will see many playoff series with two teams with as much of a chip on their shoulders as these two teams. Also, even though the goaltending has been poor, too see the likes of Claude Giroux and Sidney Crosby light up the scoreboard has been awesome. I speak for everyone except Flyers fans that we hope this series goes to seven games. 

The Best Team In The East Has Been- the Boston Bruins

     They hold only a 2-1 series lead, with each of their wins decided by a goal, but to see how the Bruins defense is suffocating Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and the other Capitals weapons, it bodes well for the Bruins because it shows that they have the defense and goaltending to win the cup once again. Given the Flyers poor goaltending, the Devils weakness on the defensive end and the Panthers lack of depth in general, if the Bruins can play this stingy on defense, they set up well in an Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Rangers on paper. 

The Best Team In The West Has Been- the Los Angeles Kings

     I understand that Daniel Sedin is out for the Canucks and given their issues with who should start in goal, Vancouver was a predictable team to be upset (at least Barry Melrose and I had them going out to the Kings). But you can't take that much away from what the Kings have done. Jonathan Quick has been excellent in goal and engineered by Dustin Brown, the Kings have been very efficient offensively. Also, the Kings have been as good as anyone in the West defensively. With the way the Kings are looking, they are a dark horse to come out of the West and reach the Stanley Cup Final. 

The Series That Is About To Get The Most Interesting is- Coyotes/Blackhawks

     It's a shame that this series hasn't really been seen by that many (I know I haven't gotten a chance to see much of it). However, with this series heading to Chicago for games three and four, we're in for a really interesting few games. Both games one and two involved the Blackhawks tying the game with under fifteen seconds left in the game. The Coyotes should be up 2-0 given how well they have played. However, the Coyotes do not need to panic because they have Mike Smith, the most underrated goalie in the playoffs in net for them. It will come down to whether Mike Smith and the unknown Coyotes continue to contain Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and the Blackhawks. 

     

Winners and Losers of NFL Offseason- Pre Draft

Winners

Denver Broncos- They signed Peyton Manning, they're now immediate contenders in the AFC as long as he is at full strength.

Mario Williams

Buffalo Bills- They're pass rush is instantly better with Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, making them a clear playoff contender

Tampa Bay Buccaneers- I think the Buccaneers offseason moves were outstanding, adding Carl Nicks and Vincent Jackson should have them hanging around in the race for the NFC South division title with New Orleans being depleted

San Francisco 49ers- The additions of Mario Manningham and Randy Moss are great but more importantly, they still retained Carlos Rogers and Alex Smith

Losers

Miami Dolphins- Not only did they miss out on Peyton Manning, Alex Smith and Matt Flynn, they literally just gave away Brandon Marshall

New Orleans Saints- I don't know if you've heard, but there was a whole bounty scandal that should have the Saints depleted in 2012

NHL Playoff Predictions

Quarterfinals

1) New York Rangers v.s. 8) Ottawa Senators

     Neither team is exactly playing their best hockey, but Ottawa is clearly cooling off, especially offensively where they have not been consistent in the past month. That is bad news when you're facing Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers shouldn't have too much trouble.

Game 1- New York 4-1

Game 2- New York 2-1 OT

Game 3- Ottawa 4-3 OT

Game 4- New York 3-0

Game 5- Ottawa 4-2

Game 6- New York 4-0

New York Rangers in Six

2) Boston Bruins v.s. 7) Washington Capitals

     The Capitals played the Bruins well this year, winning three of the four meetings. But I think given that the Bruins are starting to hit their stride after a rough stretch in March, the Bruins are the clear favorites in the series. That being said, Tomas Vokoun has shown he can be a goalie the Capitals can ride deep into the playoffs. It will be up to Alex Ovechkin to really put the Capitals on his back. But I'm taking the experienced youth of Boston led by Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin to squeeze by Washington. 

Game 1- Boston 5-2

Game 2- Washington 3-1

Game 3- Washington 5-2

Game 4- Boston 2-1

Game 5- Boston 6-2

Game 6- Washington 4-3

Game 7- Boston 4-3

Boston Bruins in Seven

3) Florida Panthers v.s. 6) New Jersey Devils 

     Two teams square off that are two of the biggest surprises in all of hockey. However, New Jersey is surging while Florida is collapsing. Yet, I'm not going to weigh too much into Florida's collapse because a lot of those games were in overtime. That isn't going to have me pick against the Devils though, who have enough defense and goaltending to slow down Florida's first line led by Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss while Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrick Elias will take care of business and send the Panthers home early. 
Game 1- New Jersey 3-2
Game 2- Florida 5-1
Game 3- New Jersey 6-1
Game 4- New Jersey 5-3
Game 5- Florida 2-1 OT
Game 6- New Jersey 4-2


New Jersey Devils in Six


4) Pittsburgh Penguins v.s. 5) Philadelphia Flyers
     Easily the most intriguing matchup in the first round. This series, on paper, should be tightly contested. But then again, when is an NHL playoff series not tightly contested. Pittsburgh is the most talented team in the tournament, but Philadelphia has owned the season series. It will come down to whether Ilya Bryzgalov earns his enormous contract. If he plays consistently and Philadelphia can be the more aggressive team, Philadelphia can and probably will win. But until Bryzgalov shows that he can be consistent for a 7 game series, I'm taking the Penguins to scrape by in a thrilling series. 
Game 1- Philadelphia 2-1
Game 2- Pittsburgh 4-3 OT
Game 3- Philadelphia 4-3 OT
Game 4- Pittsburgh 2-1
Game 5- Philadelphia 4-2
Game 6- Pittsburgh 7-2
Game 7- Pittsburgh 5-4


Pittsburgh Penguins in Seven 


1) Vancouver Canucks v.s. 8) Los Angeles Kings
     The key in this marquee series will be whether or not the Kings can stay out of the penalty box. If they can't, the Canucks will move on. But something tells me that the Kings will push the Canucks to the very edge at the least. Jonathan Quick most likely won't allow more than 2 goals on average. With the addition of Jeff Carter midseason, the Kings have enough firepower to certainly score 3 or so goals a game on whoever is in net for Vancouver. If the Kings can be more aggressive than the Canucks and stay out of the penalty box, the pressure will mount on Vancouver if Roberto Luongo can't get it done. The Kings are prime to pull the upset. 
Game 1- Vancouver 4-2
Game 2- Los Angeles 3-1
Game 3- Los Angeles 4-3 OT
Game 4- Vancouver 3-2 2OT
Game 5- Los Angeles 4-1
Game 6- Los Angeles 6-3


Los Angeles Kings in Six


2) St. Louis Blues v.s. 7) San Jose Sharks
     Many have the Blues on upset alert, I don't. This isn't quite the same Sharks club that has appeared in two straight conference finals for one. Secondly, the Blues owned the season series four games to none in convincing fashion. The Sharks are not as tout defensively as the Blues are. I understand that the Blues aren't exactly an explosive squad offensively, but I believe they will stifle the Sharks to prevail with ease. 
Game 1- St. Louis 3-2 OT
Game 2- St. Louis 4-0
Game 3- St. Louis 3-2
Game 4- San Jose 4-2
Game 5- St. Louis 2-1 OT


St. Louis Blues in Five


3) Phoenix Coyotes v.s. 6) Chicago Blackhawks
     Phoenix is coming in as one of the hotter teams in the league. Chicago is just getting healthy and are coming in on a tear as well. In this series, Cory Crawford will need to hold his own and be as good as Mike Smith is in order for the Blackhawks to win this series. I think this will be a very competitive series, but the Coyotes will squeak it out and advance. 
Game 1- Chicago 3-1
Game 2- Phoenix 4-3
Game 3- Chicago 2-1 OT
Game 4- Chicago 3-2
Game 5- Phoenix 4-1
Game 6- Phoenix 3-1
Game 7- Phoenix 4-1


Phoenix Coyotes in Seven


4) Nashville Predators v.s. 5) Detroit Red Wings
     Grace v.s. grit. The Red Wings are the team with grace and the Predators are the team with grit. Will Nashville do enough to shut down the likes of Pavel Datysuk and Henrik Zetterberg? Will Detroit do enough to get enough goals past Pekka Rinne? What a tremendous series we have here. I expect Nashville to wear down an older Red Wings team and advance to the second round for the second straight year. 
Game 1- Nashville 3-2
Game 2- Nashville 4-1
Game 3- Detroit 3-0
Game 4- Detroit 1-0
Game 5- Nashville 2-1
Game 6- Nashville 3-1


Nashville Predators in Six


Semifinals


1) New York Rangers v.s. 6) New Jersey Devils
     The Devils are a scary team in the east. They have veteran playoff experience second to none with Martin Brodeur and Patrick Elias along with superb talent led by Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrick Elias. However, the Rangers are the most capable team of defeating the red hot Devils because they are stout defensively and have enough goal scoring to advance to the next round. The Rangers edge the Devils in a long seven game series.
Game 1- New Jersey 3-1
Game 2- New York 5-4 OT
Game 3- New York 2-0
Game 4- New Jersey 5-1
Game 5- New Jersey 4-3
Game 6- New York 4-2
Game 7- New York 5-2


New York Rangers in Seven


2) Boston Bruins v.s. 4) Pittsburgh Penguins
     Both teams survived brutal seven game series'. In this matchup, it will come down to whether the Bruins can contain a potent Penguins attack. This really is a pick em series, but I'll take the Penguins depth to defeat a Bruins team that isn't quite as deep as they were last year.
Game 1- Boston 4-2
Game 2- Pittsburgh 5-2
Game 3- Pittsburgh 3-2
Game 4- Pittsburgh 4-0
Game 5- Boston 3-1
Game 6- Boston 6-3
Game 7- Pittsburgh 5-3


Pittsburgh Penguins in Seven


2) St. Louis Blues v.s. 8) Los Angeles Kings
     The goaltending in this series would be top notch. Though the Kings would have the edge offensively, the Blues would have the upper hand defensively. The Blues have shut down most of the league this year and there is no reason why this wouldn't continue against the upstart Kings. It won't be easy, but the Blues head to the Conference Finals.
Game 1- St. Louis 3-2 OT
Game 2- St. Louis 1-0
Game 3- Los Angeles 3-0
Game 4- Los Angeles 4-3 2OT
Game 5- St. Louis 3-2 2OT
Game 6- Los Angeles 5-1 
Game 7- St. Louis 3-0


3) Phoenix Coyotes v.s. 4) Nashville Predators
     Two teams with very similar styles meet in this semifinal clash. I think the Predators are as good as anyone defensively with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter and they might have the best goalie in the tournament with Pekka Rinne. That combination will allow Nashville to make quick work of Phoenix. 
Game 1- Nashville 3-2
Game 2- Nashville 4-1
Game 3- Phoenix 2-1 OT
Game 4- Nashville 5-0
Game 5- Nashville 3-2


Nashville Predators in Five


Conference Finals


1) New York Rangers v.s. 4) Pittsburgh Penguins
     The two best teams in the field meet in the Eastern finals. King Henry will step up in goal to make life difficult for the Penguins, frustrating Sidney Crosby, Evengi Malkin and co. and allowing the Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. 
Game 1- New York 4-1
Game 2- New York 2-1 OT
Game 3- New York 3-0
Game 4- Pittsburgh 5-3
Game 5- Pittsburgh 4-2
Game 6- New York 3-2


New York Rangers in Six


2) St. Louis Blues v.s. 4) Nashville Predators
     Defense and goaltending are at its finest in this one. It will come down to who can pump more goals in and it will be David Backes who leads the Blues to the Stanley Cup Final. 
Game 1- St. Louis 6-4
Game 2- Nashville 1-0
Game 3- Nashville 4-0
Game 4- St. Louis 3-2 OT
Game 5- St. Louis 4-2
Game 6- Nashville 4-1
Game 7- St. Louis 5-2


St. Louis Blues in Seven


Stanley Cup Final
New York Rangers v.s. St. Louis Blues
     Both teams got in this position because of goaltending, but it will be the Rangers scoring that comes through, in particular Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik who lead the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup title since 1994. 
Game 1- New York 4-0
Game 2- New York 3-2
Game 3- St. Louis 4-3 OT
Game 4- New York 4-3 3OT
Game 5- New York 6-2


New York Rangers in Five
     

Best Pizza Places in Boston and Greater Boston Area

Honorable Mentions
-Tony's Place- Great family restaurant with very tasty pizza
-The Upper Crust- It's not all that it is hyped up to be, but it is still solid, but not quite deserving of cracking the top five or even the top ten
*Note- I have not been to each and every pizza and burger place, but odds are that if they were really good, I would've already been there


5 
Scampo


     Located inside the Liberty Hotel, which by the way used to be a prison, Scampo is classy dining with superb pizza. The pizza is tasty and unique, especially if you get the Lobster Pizza, something you won't see around at many places.


4 
Galleria Umberto


    You better get there before they run out, because they will. Only open for lunch, Galleria Umberto has only one choice for pizza; sicilian. It's a fun and energetic place with tasty and crsipy pizza; it's well worth a wait.


3 
Santarpio's Pizza


     Great atmosphere to go along with a fantastic, tasty pizza. It can easily be considered the best in Boston, but it sits at 1c in my book.


2 
Pino's Pizza


     Located right next to Eagle's Deli, Pino's has a tremendous slice and a very solid sicilian pizza as well. The pizza, when at it's best, is as tasty and filling as any other place in Boston.



1 
Pizzeria Regina


     The crust is the best. The atmosphere is the best. The pizza is the best. It's as simple as that.

2012 MLB Predictions

AL East

1- Tampa Bay Rays 96-66

     With an improved offense and a deep and deadly pitching staff, Tampa Bay looks poised to have a consistent season that results in a playoff berth and AL East Championship. 

2- New York Yankees 94-68

     The pitching staff is deeper this year and as long as the Yankees remain relatively healthy throughout the year, they should be a definitive playoff team. 

3- Boston Red Sox 88-74

     Lack of depth and pop in the bottom half of the order will inhibit the Red Sox. They could definitely make the playoffs if their pitching staff steps up like they were supposed to last year, but I just don't see a number four pitcher emerging for the Sox to get back in the playoffs. 

4- Toronto Blue Jays 86-76

     With a talented group of young players, the Blue Jays will hang around through September as long as they continue to hit the ball and pitch the ball well enough. 

5- Baltimore Orioles 69-93

     The Orioles still don't have the pitching staff that can keep them hanging around in the tough AL East. It would help if guys like Matt Wieters and Adam Jones really took their games to the next level. 

AL Central

1- Detroit Tigers 92-70

     With the addition of Prince Fielder to the lineup, it looks to be a long shot to see another team represent the AL Central in the playoffs this season. 

2- Cleveland Indians 88-74

     One of the pleasant surprises last year, Cleveland looks to improve and they will because of a deeper pitching staff and more pop to their lineup. 

3- Minnesota Twins 79-83

     A lot of things went wrong for the Twins last year, but if they can get healthy, they should have a bounce back year that results in them briefly hanging around past the all-star break this year. 

4- Kansas City Royals 75-87

     The future is in place, now it is all about when the results kick in. But this year, they simply don't have a quality enough pitching staff to hang around. 

5- Chicago White Sox 66-96

     I don't expect the White Sox to score enough runs that can support a pitching staff that routinely gives up a good amount of runs. 

AL West

1- Los Angeles Angels 105-57

     With the best pitching staff in the American League and the best hitter in the American League, the Angels will dominate in 2012. 

2- Texas Rangers 93-69

     The two time defending AL champs will be good once again, but I expect the pitching staff to not be quite as good with the loss of C.J. Wilson. 

3- Seattle Mariners 73-89

     Seattle takes a step in the right direction as their offensive looks better than any other Mariner team since the early 2000's. 

4- Oakland Athletics 68-94

     Another poor year is in store for the A's in 2012. 

NL East

1- Philadelphia Phillies 92-70
     Their pitching staff is too good and too deep for the Phillies hitting to lead to them missing the playoffs. 
2- Miami Marlins 88-74
     More depth and more explosiveness will keep the Marlins hanging around through September. 
3- Washington Nationals 87-75
     The Nationals should take another step towards making the playoffs this year as they are in the hunt at the start of September. 
4- Atlanta Braves 84-78
     The Braves pitching staff is the big question because if they can perform like they are capable of, then they certainly can be a playoff team. 

5- New York Mets 64-98

     The Mets will be the ones beaten up on by each of the four teams in the NL East due to their lack of strength in all facets of the game. 

NL Central

1- Cincinnati Reds 89-73
     The Reds should capitalize on the regression of the better teams in their division to head back to the playoffs.
2- Milwaukee Brewers 86-76
     The loss of Prince Fielder will be the difference in making and missing the playoffs this year. 

3- St. Louis Cardinals 82-80

     The loss of Albert Pujols and manager Tony LaRussa will hurt the Cardinals this year as they can't rekindle the same magic of last year. 

4- Chicago Cubs 78-84

     The Cubs show no signs of either breaking through or regressing big time as they seem destined for another mediocre season. 

5- Pittsburgh Pirates 75-87

    The Pirates are getting their, but still don't get the production they need from guys like Pedro Alvarez. 

6- Houston Astros 55-107

     The Astros are on a par with a good AAA team, which means that this will be another long year for Houston. 

NL West

1- San Francisco Giants 93-69

     With as good of a pitching staff as anyone, the Giants will head back to the playoffs on the backs of Tim Lincecum and Buster Posey. 

2- Arizona Diamondbacks 91-71
     The surprise team of 2011 should be good once again in 2012 behind a deep rotation and a good offense led by Justin Upton. 

3- Los Angeles Dodgers 89-73
     The Dodgers will surprise the NL this year by having the lead of the NL West in September, only a rotation that isn't very impressive behind Clayton Kershaw will lead to the demise of the Dodgers. 

4- Colorado Rockies 77-85
     The rotation is weak, so the Rockies will rely heavily on big bats like Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. 

5- San Diego Padres 74-88
     With a good young core in place, the Padres are moving in the right direction, only they do not have enough firepower to contend this year. 


AL Playoff Teams
1 Los Angeles Angels
2 Tampa Bay Rays
3 Detroit Tigers 
4 New York Yankees 
5 Texas Rangers


NL Playoff Teams
1 San Francisco Giants
2 Philadelphia Phillies
3 Cincinnati Reds
4 Arizona Diamondbacks 
5 Los Angeles Dodgers


Wild Card Play In Games (*Indicates Home Team)
New York* over Texas 
Los Angeles over Arizona*


ALDS
Los Angeles over New York 3-2
Detroit over Tampa Bay 3-1


NLDS
Philadelphia over Los Angeles 3-0
San Francisco over Cincinnati 3-2


ALCS
Los Angeles over Detroit 4-3


NLCS
Philadelphia over San Francisco 4-2


World Series
Los Angeles Angels over Philadelphia Phillies 4-2


Awards
AL MVP: Evan Longoria, 3B Tampa Bay Rays
NL MVP: Matt Kemp, OF Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
AL Rookie of Year: Matt Moore, P Tampa Bay Rays
NL Rookie of Year: Yonder Alonso, 1B San Diego Padres
AL Manager of Year: Mike Scoscia, Los Angeles Angels 
NL Manager of Year: Don Mattingly, Los Angeles Dodgers

NFL Roundup 3/10/12

Peyton Manning Visits Denver Broncos
     A round of applause to the Denver Broncos everyone. Think about it, what better way to squash all the talk about Tim Tebow then to go out and make an offer to Peyton Manning. It's not disrespectful to Tim Tebow, you're trying to bring in one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and if you are guaranteed that Manning is at least 95 perecent healthy, you have to try to bring him in. Look, the Broncos aren't trying to acquire Chad Henne or Jason Campbell, it's Peyton Manning. That way, you aren't putting on the impression that you don't want Tim Tebow to succeed, you're simply bringing in one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Hats off to the Broncos for making this attempt.


Washington Redskins give up three first round picks for Robert Griffin III
      Another round of applause to the Washington Redskins because I think it's their first good decision since the early 1990's. How many mid-first round picks really turn out to be impact players. Every so often, maybe some of the time you really can get a great player. So by doing this, the Redskins, on paper, aren't losing that much while they gain a dynamic and explosive franchise quarterback in Robert Griffin. I know what I'm about to write isn't a huge deal and it shouldn't effect how you run your franchise, but the Redskins now have an identity. They're Robert Griffin's team now and just like I said about Cam Newton and the Panthers last year, Griffin will make the Redskins prominent once again by putting the 'Skins on the map. 


New York Jets give Mark Sanchez a Contract Extension
     Why? Why should Mark Sanchez be giving long term security? I understand he has won four road playoff games and I give him a lot of credit for that, but he has been so shaky, particularly last year that the question should be whether Sanchez is your franchise quarterback. In my opinion, the Jets should stick with Sanchez in the short term because he has proven to win games for you in the postseason. Also, the Jets have a few problems besides quarterback. That being said, I think Sanchez isn't exactly looking over his shoulder worried that he may lose his job to Mark Brunell. I'm not a Sanchez guy and I just don't understand what the Jets are thinking. But hey, as a Patriots fan, this is hilarious. 

Philadelphia Phillies Player Rankings- 2012

15
John Mayberry Jr., LF



14
Joe Blanton, SP



13
Placido Polanco, 3B



12
Chad Qualls, RP



11
Vance Worley, SP



10
Carlos Ruiz, C



9
Jonathan Papelbon, CP



8
Ryan Howard, 1B



7
Jimmy Rollins, SS



6
Chase Utley, 2B



5
Hunter Pence, RF



4
Shane Victorino, CF



3
Cole Hamels, P



2
Cliff Lee, P



1
Roy Halladay, P

New York Yankees Player Rankings- 2012

15
Russell Martin, C



14
Rafael Soriano, RP



13
Nick Swisher, RF



12
Derek Jeter, SS



11
Brett Gardner, LF



10
Michael Pineda, SP



9
Hiroki Kuroda, SP



8
Ivan Nova, SP



7
Alex Rodriguez, 3B



6
David Robertson, RP



5
Mariano Rivera, CP 



4
Mark Teixeira, 1B



3
Curtis Granderson, CF



2
Robinson Cano, 2B



1
C.C. Sabathia, SP

NFL Predictions for the Next Ten Years

2012
AFC                                                         NFC
1 New England Patriots 14-2                 1 San Francisco 49ers 13-3
2 Houston Texans 13-3                          2 Detroit Lions 12-4
3 Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5                     3 New York Giants 11-5
4 Oakland Raiders 10-6                        4 Atlanta Falcons 11-5
5 Baltimore Ravens 10-6                       5 Green Bay Packers 12-4
6 Miami Dolphins 9-7                            6 Dallas Cowboys 11-5
7 Kansas City Chiefs 9-7                       7 New Orleans Saints 11-5
8 San Diego Chargers 9-7                     8 Philadelphia Eagles 10-6
9 Buffalo Bills 8-8                                  9 Chicago Bears 9-7
10 New York Jets 7-9                           10 Washington Redskins 9-7
11 Tennessee Titans 7-9                       11 Arizona Cardinals 7-9
12 Denver Broncos 7-9                        12 Carolina Panthers 7-9
13 Cincinnati Bengals 6-10                 13 Seattle Seahawks 7-9
14 Indianapolis Colts 4-12                  14 St. Louis Rams 5-11
15 Cleveland Browns 4-12                 15 Minnesota Vikings 3-13
16 Jacksonville Jaguars 2-14             16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-14 


Wild Card Round

5)Green Bay over 4)Atlanta 30-24- Matt Ryan and the Falcons get over their demon, the Green Bay Packers; Aaron Rodgers has another great game as the Packers advance

Dez Bryant

6)Miami over 3)Pittsburgh 27-23- Matt Flynn leads the Dolphins back in the last five minutes and the stingy Dolphins defense makes one last stand to upset Pittsburgh
6)Dallas over 3)New York 23-20- Tony Romo stands tall with the Giants pass rush in his face, finding Dez Bryant for a touchdown with a minute and a half to play to complete a ten point come from behind win
5)Baltimore over 4)Oakland 27-14- The Ravens dominate all day, shutting down Darren McFadden to advance

Divisional Round

Aaron Rodgers

2)Houston over 5)Baltimore 21-17- In a rematch of last years divisional meeting, different setting, different result, Houston does just enough to scrape by Baltimore
5)Green Bay over 2)Detroit 34-27- Aaron Rodgers ruins a valiant Detroit effort, marching the Packers down the field to win the game with under a minute to play
1)New England over 6)Miami 24-23- The Dolphins give it all they got, but a few minor miscues send the Patriots moving on despite a poor performance from Tom Brady and the offense
1)San Francisco over 6)Dallas 31-14- San Francisco takes advantage of two Tony Romo interceptions to go back to the NFC Championship game


Conference Championships
5)Green Bay over 1)San Francisco 24-20- Green Bay's defense steps up, Aaron Rodgers and the Pack do just enough to head to New Orleans

1)New England over 2)Houston 26-23- The Patriots clamp down defensively and control the clock to defeat the Texans



Super Bowl XLVII, Super Dome, New Orleans
New England over Green Bay 34-31


Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady

     Down 21-14 at halftime and 28-17 going into the fourth quarter, Tom Brady throws two touchdowns to Rob Gronkowski to put the Patriots up three, only to see Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers back to tie the game with a minute and a half left to play. But like he's done before, Tom Brady puts the Patriots in perfect position for Stephen Gostkowski to hit a 29 yard field goal with twenty seconds to play to give the Patriots their fourth Super Bowl ring in the Brady/Belichick era. 


MVP: Tom Brady, QB New England 
OPOY: Arian Foster, RB Houston
DPOY: Patrick Willis, LB San Francisco
OROY: Andrew Luck, QB Indianapolis
DROY: Mark Barron, S Denver
CPOY: Peyton Manning, QB Washington
COY: Jim Shwartz, Detroit


2013
AFC
1 Cincinnati Bengals 12-4
2 Houston Texans 12-4

Andy Dalton

3 San Diego Chargers 12-4
4 Miami Dolphins 11-5
5 Denver Broncos 10-6
6 New England Patriots 10-6
7 Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6
8 Tennessee Titans 9-7
9 New York Jets 9-7
10 Kansas City Chiefs 8-8
11 Buffalo Bills 8-8
12 Baltimore Ravens 7-9
13 Indianapolis Colts 7-9
14 Cleveland Browns 6-10
15 Jacksonville Jaguars 6-10
16 Oakland Raiders 5-11

Eli Manning

NFC
1 New York Giants 13-3
2 Green Bay Packers 13-3
3 Atlanta Falcons 12-4
4 San Francisco 49ers 11-5
5 Detroit Lions 12-4 
6 Washington Redskins 11-5
7 New Orleans Saints 11-5
8 Philadelphia Eagles 10-6
9 St. Louis Rams 10-6
10 Carolina Panthers 9-7
11 Minnesota Vikings 8-8 
12 Dallas Cowboys 8-8
13 Chicago Bears 6-10
14 Arizona Cardinals 5-11
15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5-11
16 Seattle Seahawks 2-14


Wild Card Round

Calvin Johnson

3)San Diego over 6)New England 27-17- San Diego controls the clock with Ryan Mathews and Tom Brady and the Pats can't muster enough offense to defeat San Diego
6)Washington over 3)Atlanta 23-17- Peyton Manning and Roy Helu thrash the Falcons hopes of winning a playoff game yet again
4)Miami over 5)Denver 21-10- Tim Tebow can't muster enough magic to get past Cameron Wake and the Dolphins D
5)Detroit over 4)San Francisco 31-17- Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the Lions potent attack put the whipping on San Francisco


Divisional Round

Phillip Rivers

3)San Diego over 2)Houston 28-21- Phillip Rivers has a big day and the Chargers defense does just enough to hold down Arian Foster and the Texans
1)New York over 6)Washington 26-20- Peyton Manning and the 'Skins hang around, but too much Eli Manning and Victor Cruz send the Giants moving on
1)Cincinnati over 4)Miami 13-10 OT- In a battle of very solid defense, Andy Dalton makes one mistake less than Matt Flynn as the Bengals move on
2)Green Bay over 5)Detroit 35-13- Detroit doesn't handle the elements of Lambeau well and it gets ugly early


Conference Championships
3)San Diego over 1)Cincinnati 24-16- The Chargers don't make any mistakes and they force Andy Dalton into a few key turnovers, sending them to the Super Bowl

2)Green Bay over 1)New York 38-28- Green Bay scores just enough points to out race the Giants in a revenge game, sending them back to the Super Bowl



Super Bowl XLVIII, MetLife Stadium, New York City
Green Bay over San Diego 45-20

Super Bowl MVP: Clay Matthews

     Just a few too many mistakes by the Chargers give the Packers great field position throughout the game, resulting in the Packers putting a whipping on San Diego. Aaron Rodgers lit up San Diego by throwing three touchdowns, all to Greg Jennings. 

Jason Pierre-Paul

MVP: Eli Manning, QB New York
OPOY: Calvin Johnson, WR Detroit
DPOY: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE New York
OROY: Marcus Lattimore, RB New York
DROY: Tyrann Mathieu, CB Tennessee
COY: Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati 


2014
AFC
1 Tennessee Titans 14-2

Jake Locker

2 Cleveland Browns 11-5
3 New York Jets 9-7
4 Denver Broncos 8-8
5 Houston Texans 11-5
6 Cincinnati Bengals 11-5
7 Miami Dolphins 9-7
8 Indianapolis Colts 9-7
9 Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7
10 New England Patriots 9-7
11 Baltimore Ravens 8-8
12 Buffalo Bills 7-9
13 Kansas City Chiefs 6-10
14 Jacksonville Jaguars 6-10
15 San Diego Chargers 5-11
16 Oakland Raiders 3-13


NFC

Matthew Stafford

1 Detroit Lions 14-2
2 New York Giants 13-3
3 Atlanta Falcons 12-4
4 St. Louis Rams 10-6
5 Philadelphia Eagles 12-4
6 Minnesota Vikings 11-5
7 Carolina Panthers 9-7
8 San Francisco 49ers 9-7
9 Green Bay Packers 9-7
10 Dallas Cowboys 8-8
11 Washington Redskins 7-9
12 New Orleans Saints 6-10
13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-10
14 Arizona Cardinals 4-12
15 Chicago Bears 4-12
16 Seattle Seahawks 3-13


Wild Card Round

Matt Ryan

4)St. Louis over 5)Philadelphia 24-7- The Rams defense led by Chris Long and James Laurinatis shut down Michael Vick and LaSean McCoy, sending the Rams to the next round
6)Cincinnati over 3)New York 20-17- With only a forty-two seconds to play, Andy Dalton leads the Bengals down the field and finds A.J. Green in the corner of the endzone with nine seconds to play
3)Atlanta over 6)Minnesota 27-24- Two big time performances by Matt Ryan and Christian Ponder, with Ryan coming out a on top
5)Houston over 4)Denver 20-9- Tim Tebow could only muster field goals, which doesn't do the trick against Houston

Divisional Round

Chris Johnson

3)Atlanta over 2)New York 34-16- Turnovers and miscues plague the Giants as Matt Ryan and the Falcons finally breakthrough
1)Tennessee over 6)Cincinnati 38-24- Chris Johnson runs all over the Bengals defense to send Tennessee to the AFC Championship
5)Houston over 2)Cleveland 23-13- Houston's stellar defense led by Brian Cushing shut down Robert Griffin III as Houston advances
1)Detroit over 4)St. Louis 41-6- The Rams had no answer for stopping Ndamukong Suh and the Lions pass rush

Conference Championship
1)Detroit over 3)Atlanta 27-21- The Lions do just enough to slow down the tandem of Roddy White and Julio Jones, sending the Lions to their first Super Bowl

5)Houston over 1)Tennessee 21-17- Andre Johnson catches two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead Houston to their first Super Bowl


Super Bowl IL, University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix
Houston over Detroit 29-27

Super Bowl MVP: Arian Foster

     The Houston defense picks off Matthew Stafford two times to jump out to the 20-0 lead at halftime. But back comes Detroit, who trim the lead to 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter. Two turnovers in the fourth quarter by Detroit set up two of three Houston field goals to put them up 26-20 with five minutes to play. But Matthew Stafford finds Titus Young for a 52 yard touchdown to put them up one with a little over four minutes to play. But Arian Foster, who picked up 162 yards on the ground puts the Texans in great position for Neil Rackers to nail the 23 yard field goal as time expires to give the Texans their first Super Bowl title. 

Cam Newton

MVP: Robert Griffin III, QB Cleveland
OPOY: Cam Newton, QB Carolina
DPOY: Ndamukong Suh, DT Detroit
COY: Mike Munchak, Tennessee


2015
AFC
1 New York Jets 14-2 
2 Indianapolis Colts 14-2

Mark Sanchez

3 Kansas City Chiefs 10-6
4 Cleveland Browns 10-6
5 Houston Texans 11-5
6 Buffalo Bills 10-6
7 New England Patriots 10-6 
8 Tennessee Titans 9-7
9 Baltimore Ravens 9-7 
10 Cincinnati Bengals 8-8
11 Jacksonville Jaguars 7-9
12 Denver Broncos 7-9
13 Pittsburgh Steelers 6-10
14 Miami Dolphins 5-11
15 San Diego Chargers 4-12
16 Oakland Raiders 4-12


NFC
1 Detroit Lions 14-2

Matthew Stafford

2 New York Giants 12-4
3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-5
4 Arizona Cardinals 10-6
5 Green Bay Packers 12-4
6 Carolina Panthers 11-5
7 Chicago Bears 9-7
8 Dallas Cowboys 9-7
9 San Francisco 49ers 8-8
10 Philadelphia Eagles 7-9
11 St. Louis Rams 6-10
12 Atlanta Falcons 6-10
13 Minnesota Vikings 6-10
14 Washington Redskins 6-10
15 Seattle Seahawks 5-11
16 New Orleans Saints 4-12


Wild Card Round

Cam Newton

3)Kansas City over 6)Buffalo 24-20- Eric Berry and the Chiefs defense create two interceptions off of Landry Jones to spark the Chiefs win
6)Carolina over 3)Tampa Bay 34-20- Cam Newton's playoff debut is a great one, throwing for four touchdowns to defeat Tampa Bay
4)Cleveland over 5)Houston 17-7- The Browns defense steps up in snowy Cleveland to defeat the defending champion Texans
5)Green Bay over 4)Arizona 49-10- Aaron Rodgers throws five touchdowns to humiliate Arizona

Divisional

Victor Cruz

2)Indianapolis over 3)Kansas City 28-13- Andrew Luck has a very efficient playoff debut to send Indy to the AFC Championship
6)Carolina over 1)Detroit 41-38 OT- Cam Newton and Matthew Stafford turn in one of the greatest duels in NFL history, but the Panthers edge the Lions to send the Lions home disappointed once again
2)New York over 5)Green Bay 30-20- Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants pass rush dominate the Packers up front as Victor Cruz and the Giants salsa dance their way to the NFC Championship
1)New York over 4)Cleveland 28-21- Marcus Lattimore pounds his way for 150 yards in his playoff debut to send Robert Griffin III and the Browns home

Conference Championship 
2)Indianapolis over 1)New York 17-14- The Colts do just enough to contain Marcus Lattimore and the Jets to head to Miami

2)New York over 6)Carolina 34-13- Cam Newton can't dial up his A game as the Giants defense proves to be too much for Carolina


Super Bowl L, Sun Life Stadium, Miami
New York over Indianapolis 24-17

Super Bowl MVP: Hakeem Nicks

     The Giants were in control throughout, holding Andrew Luck and the Colts to only 3 first half points to lead 17-3. The Colts wouldn't give up, cutting the lead to 7 two times, but Eli Manning and the Giants do not make any mistakes. Prince Amukamara seals the game with an interception of Andrew Luck to give the Giants their third Super Bowl in the Eli Manning/Tom Coughlin era. 


MVP: Aaron Rodgers, QB Green Bay
OPOY: Cam Newton, QB Carolina
DPOY: Eric Berry, S Kansas City
COY: Rex Ryan, New York 


2016
AFC
1 Indianapolis Colts 13-3
2 Baltimore Ravens 12-4
3 Kansas City Chiefs 12-4
4 Buffalo Bills 11-5
5 New York Jets 10-6 

Andrew Luck

6 Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
7 St. Louis Rams 9-7- *Jacksonville Jagurs become Los Angeles Jaguars, move to NFC West
8 Tennessee Titans 8-8
9 Denver Broncos 8-8
10 Pittsburgh Steelers 7-9
11 New England Patriots 7-9
12 Oakland Raiders 6-10
13 Houston Texans 6-10
14 Cleveland Browns 5-11
15 San Diego Chargers 3-13
16 Miami Dolphins 3-13


NFC
1 Carolina Panthers 15-1
2 Green Bay Packers 13-3

Cam Newton

3 Los Angeles Jaguars 12-4- *Jacksonville Jaguars become Los Angeles Jaguars 
4 Philadelphia Eagles 11-5
5 Detroit Lions 12-4
6 New York Giants 11-5
7 Atlanta Falcons 11-5
8 Dallas Cowboys 11-5
9 San Francisco 49ers 10-6
10 Chicago Bears 10-6
11 New Orleans Saints 9-7 
12 Seattle Seahawks 8-8
13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-10
14 Minnesota Vikings 3-13
15 Washington Redskins 2-14
16 Arizona Cardinals 1-15


Wild Card Round
4)Buffalo over 5)New York 20-14- Marcell Dareus sacks and forces a fumble on Mark Sanchez during the Jets final drive in the red zone to give the Bills their first playoff win in over a decade

Marcell Dareus 

3)Los Angeles over 6)New York 40-17- Matt Barkley powered the offense and Courtney Upshaw powered the defense, forcing four Eli Manning interceptions to send the defending champs home
5)Detroit over 4)Philadelphia 14-10- Defense dominated the game and Detroit's was superior, shutting down LaSean McCoy and the normally explosive Philly offense
6)Cincinnati over 3)Kansas City 28-3- Kansas City could not move the ball as Cincinnati had no problems moving on to the divisional round

Divisional Round

Titus Young

1)Indianapolis over 6)Cincinnati 30-27 OT- Andrew Luck led the Colts back to tie the game with a touchdown and two point conversion with no time left to send the game to overtime; Andy Dalton was fantastic, but had his first overtime pass intercepted to set up the game winning field goal
2)Green Bay over 3)Los Angeles 31-13- Matt Barkley couldn't handle the cold Green Bay night, sending the Packers to the NFC Championship once again
2)Baltimore over 4)Buffalo 23-17 OT- In a back and fourth game, on the opening kickoff in overtime, the Ravens take it back 103 yards to advance to the AFC Championship
5)Detroit over 1)Carolina 33-32- Down 32-14 with 8 minutes to go, the Lions came roaring back with the help of two Cam Newton interceptions to shock the Panthers

Conference Championships
2)Green Bay over 5)Detroit 28-23- The Lions are stopped by the Packers once again by the hand of Aaron Rodgers, who throws three touchdowns and rushes for another to lead the Packers back to the Super Bowl

2)Baltimore over 1)Indianapolis 24-23- Up 23-17 with a minute and forty seconds left, all Indianapolis had to do was hit a 38 yard field goal to seal the game; but Baltimore got just enough of a block to alter the kick and keep the game alive, where a minute and a half later, Joe Flacco found Ray Rice from 27 yards out to send the Ravens to the Super Bowl in shocking fashion


Super Bowl LI, Farmers Field, Los Angeles
Green Bay over Baltimore 27-10

Super Bowl MVP: LaMichael James

A.J. Green

     Baltimore could not muster enough offense to hang with Aaron Rodgers. LaMichael James led the attack with 380 all purpose yards, including 120 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown. 


MVP: Andrew Luck, QB Indianapolis
OPOY: A.J. Green, WR Cincinnati
DPOY: Von Miller, LB Denver
COY: Jim Harbaugh, Baltimore


2017
*Change in Playoff Format, Division Winners make playoffs, not guaranteed home playoff game
AFC
1 Indianapolis Colts 12-4
2 Tennessee Titans 12-4
3 San Diego Chargers 11-5
4 Buffalo Bills 11-5
5 Cleveland Browns 10-6
6 Cincinnati Bengals 8-8


NFC
1 Los Angeles Jaguars 13-3
2 Detroit Lions 12-4
3 Atlanta Falcons 11-5
4 Green Bay Packers 10-6
5 Dallas Cowboys 10-6
6 Chicago Bears 10-6


Wild Card Round
3)Atlanta over 6)Chicago 23-16
3)San Diego over 6)Cincinnati 24-19
5)Cleveland over 4)Buffalo 31-24
4)Green Bay over 5)Dallas 27-17


Divisional Round
2)Tennessee over 3)San Diego 17-0
1)Los Angeles over 4)Green Bay 20-17
2)Detroit over 3)Atlanta 17-9
5)Cleveland over 1)Indianapolis 28-20


Conference Championships
5)Cleveland over 2)Tennessee 20-14
2)Detroit over 1)Los Angeles 34-24

Super Bowl XLVII, Super Dome, New Orleans

New England over Green Bay 34-31

Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady

Super Bowl XLVIII, MetLife Stadium, New York City

Green Bay over San Diego 45-20

Super Bowl MVP: Clay Matthews

Super Bowl IL, University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix

Houston over Detroit 29-27

Super Bowl MVP: Arian Foster

Super Bowl L, Sun Life Stadium, Miami

New York over Indianapolis 24-17

Super Bowl MVP: Hakeem Nicks

Super Bowl LI, Farmers Field, Los Angeles

Green Bay over Baltimore 27-10

Super Bowl MVP: LaMichael James

Super Bowl LII, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay 
Detroit Lions over Cleveland Browns 35-20

Super Bowl MVP: Ndamukong Suh


2018
Super Bowl LIII, Cowboys Stadium, Dallas 
Los Angeles Jaguars over Indianapolis Colts 38-34

Super Bowl MVP: Matt Barkley


2019
Super Bowl LIV, 49ers Stadium, Santa Clara
San Francisco 49ers over Buffalo Bills 21-13



2020
Super Bowl LV, Soldier Field, Chicago
Indianapolis Colts over Los Angeles Jaguars 28-16


2021
Super Bowl LVI, Chargers Stadium, San Diego
Washington Redskins over Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24