THE RED ZONE REPORT::
2013 Playoff Predictions -- Round 3
Saturday, February 20th, 2013
AF, Yahoo Sports!
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Previous Picks
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2013 Playoff Foreplay (NFC)
2013 Week 17 Predictions (NFC)
2013 Wild Card Playoff Predictions
2013 Divisional Playoff Predictions
I have enjoyed and appreciated the support during this kooky playoff coverage, and I hope it has provided a few laughs along the way. We are winding down with just one more issue, but I am going to try to return with another
TRZR issue for Draft Grades, similiar to last offseason. For those interested, my success rate with the picks this year has been (8-7). Not that great, but I am still batting over .500 for the span. I feel pretty good about this weeks picks, but they are certainly two games that could go either way. Good luck to everyone involved, I am sure it is an incredibely exciting time!
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AFC Championship Game
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#5 Oakland Raiders @
#3 New York Jets
The Skinny:: While these are two of the more talented teams in the league, I think it is safe to say that both of these teams are coming off rather large upsets last week. The Raiders broke a five game losing streak to the Super Bowl favorite San Diego Chargers, a steak that began when the Chargers eliminated the Raiders from the playoffs in the 2011 Wild Card round. The Jets are coming off a heroic, albeit fluky, victory over the same Ravens team that brutalized them in the same venue less than a month ago. So what now? The first rule of deduction would lend to the theory that the NFC chances of winning the Super Bowl improved, but I am not so sure that is the case. These two teams are just as, if not more talented than the two teams playing in the NFC. It is really hard to pick against the Raiders after they are coming off such a huge win, but I don't think they have minded me picking against them the last two weeks. For the Jets, I said I was going to stick with my man Hunter Cantwell for as long as I can, and that will stand true here. He hasn't been overly impressive in the playoffs, but he has found ways to win games. This game in itself is a capsulization of why the Buccaneers cannot win a playoff game and maybe never will. After very publically fumbling to acquire future Hall of Fame QB Byron Leftwich this preseason, the Buccaneers turned their targets to Hunter Cantwell. Convinced that Cantwell would be more injury headaches than he was worth, they decided to move in another direction, and now here I sit with the grand privilege of covering a Byron Leftwich v Hunter Cantwell AFC Championship game. Sure, we beat Cantwell up in his own house, but who will get the last laugh if he hoists the Lombardi trophy in our beautiful Raymond James Stadium next week? I wonder if teams even gameplan the 46 defense against Cantwell. It works, I promise.
AF's Prediction:: 
--24,
--20
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NFC Championship Game
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#5 Seattle Seahawks @
#3 New Orleans Saints
The Skinny:: This is another tough game to cover, as these are both teams the Buccaneers defeated this calendar year. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers are more addicted to disappointing in the playoffs than Tiger Woods is to skanky blonde bitches. As a consolation prize, we get to cover the game that features two great GMs, two great QBs, and two powerful RBs. These two teams are tough to pinpoint, as they tend to gameplan
away from what common practice would hint at. For example, it would have been pretty easy for the Seahawks to air it out against an injury plagued Bears team and just assume Henne would score more points than Boltus, but they stuck with the run until the grim, bitter end and barely pulled it out. There is no doubt the 'hawks will have to be more efficient on offense if they hope to keep up with a Saints team seemingly hitting on all cylinders, but they certainly have the personnel to do it. While it is understandable that the Saints were elated to get out of Arizona with a win and may have been blinded by the prospect of heading back home to host the NFC Championship, I think their easiest route to a Super Bowl would have been through the battered Chicago Bears. They may have made the same
cardinal mistake so many teams made this postseason-- overlooking and underestimating a talented Seahawks team. I still think the Saints
should win this game, so I will pick them on paper, but do not count out the Seahawks. This was the best team in the NFC for the majority of the season and they fell out of the spotlight when the Cardinals got red hot and hogged all the attention. This is still a team that has, and could continue to do some damage here in the playoffs. Tim is making Mr. Scurr proud, I am sure.
AF's Prediction:: 
--21,
--17
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These picks would set up to the following matchup for Super Bowl VIII in Tampa, Florida..
SUPER BOWL VIII
#3 V #3
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AF covers RZL for Yahoo! Sports.
