Friday, January 2, 2004
E.K. Nation's N.F.L. Playoffs Prediction Spectacular
Back in September, I unloaded the following NFL regular season predictions on unsuspecting readers of what was then known as E.K. Sports: I got six of the division champs right--St. Louis, Philadelphia, Green Bay, New England, Baltimore and Indianapolis--missing only Kansas City and Carolina. Plus, Denver, the team I picked to win the AFC West, got in as a wild card team. So I had an okay regular season, if, of course, you discount the fact that I had Atlanta and San Diego as wild card teams--that's the philistine pig ignorance E.K. Nation readers have come to expect, the same ignorance that leads one to pick California to win the NCAA tournament. Tampa Bay didn't make the playoffs--nobody could have seen that coming--so they can not lose to St. Louis in the NFC Championship game, and the matchup I foresaw as the AFC Championship game, Indianapolis vs. Denver, will happen this weekend instead as a wild-card round game.
Here how I'm guessing it will go down:
Here how I'm guessing it will go down:
NFC Wild-Card Round:Carolina defeats Dallas 27-17, and Seattle defeats Green Bay 27-24 in overtime. AFC Wild-Card Round: Baltimore defeats Tennessee 26-6, and Indianapolis defeats Denver 48-17.
NFC Divisional Playoffs:St. Louis defeats Carolina 37-14, and Seattle defeats Philadelphia 17-13. (Note: To me, Seattle is like Steve Martin in the opening moments of "Roxanne", explaining to Kevin Nealon and Ritch Shydner before a brawl, "I don't really know karate," making them put down their guard right before swift-kicking them both to the ground. Green Bay and Philly would be Kevin and Ritch here.) AFC Divisional Playoffs: Indianapolis defeats Kansas City 28-21, and Baltimore defeats New England 16-10.
NFC Championship:St. Louis defeats Seattle 27-3. AFC Championship: Indianapolis defeats Baltimore 42-20.
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII:Staying with my original pick--Indianapolis defeats St. Louis 34-14.
