2013 NHL Preview

At long last, the players and the owners have reached an agreement to end the lockout, and while we don't have an 82 game season to look forward to, it is great to have hockey back nonetheless. Starting this weekend, we will have three months of constant hockey, as a 48 game regular season will require teams to play around four games a week. This promises to be an exciting season, and I'm sure everyone is beyond ready for it to get underway. Some of you may have read my NBA previews earlier this year, however, due to the suddenness and uncertainty surrounding the start of the NHL season, there is not enough time to make this one as lengthy. With that said, I will still analyze the situation of every team, and make my playoff predictions. Looking at every team, the parity in the league this year is at a level that no other sport can match, and is even more impressive than I can ever remember in the NHL. Combined with the shortened season, this means that almost anything can happen. It also makes these predictions extremely hard. There are 14 teams that I would not be overly surprised to see hoist the cup, and all but two teams seem to have a realistic shot at the playoffs. Here is my best guess as to how the season will play out:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. New York Rangers

Last year, the Rangers dominated the Eastern Conference in the regular season, but while Henrik Lundqvist was his typical dominant self in goal in the playoffs, the offense stalled severely, resulting in a disappointing exit in the Eastern Conference finals. To address that issue, the Rangers brought in free agent prize Rick Nash to complete a star-studded line of Nash-Richards-Gaborik which will be a nightmare for opposing goaltenders. Meanwhile, in front of arguably the best goalie in the league, New York has a lot of young talent on defense led by Michael Del Zotto, Ryan McDonagh, and Marc Staal. Nash adds to an already well-rounded powerhouse, and should thrive with actual talent around him.

2. Buffalo Sabres

After Milan Lucic put Ryan Miller out for an extended period of time last season, the Sabres' year spiraled until finally making a push at the end of the season but just missing out on the playoffs. To avoid teams viewing the Sabres as a "soft" team this year that they can take cheap shots on without retaliation, Darcy got rid of Derek Roy (good move in itself) for the gritty Steve Ott, and also picked up John Scott, one of the most feared big men in the league. Marcus Foligno, a late season call up who excelled down the stretch last year, will add toughness as well, and newly drafted center Mikhail Grigorenko will add size as well as hopefully some stability down the middle. Also at center, Cody Hodgson needs to show that he can be a top  6 player this year. Pomminville and Vanek will have to be able to provide points, and it would just be an added bonus if Hecht can contribute after a strong stint in Europe alongside Pomminville. Buffalo has a very deep defensive corps, but it is still essential for Tyler Myers to stay healthy. If the Sabres can avoid the injury bug this year, and Miller returns to his usual self, they will surprise many in the league.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

While I do not believe that Carolina will have the third best record in the East, they land here as champions of the Southeast Division. This division promises to be extremely tight this year, and it would not surprise me at all if all 5 teams finish within 15 points of each other. I give the edge to the Canes in this race because they have the most stability between the pipes of all of the teams. Cam Ward, while very experienced, is still just entering his prime, and will continue to provide great goaltending in Carolina for years to come. The reason for excitement surrounding the Canes this season though, comes up front. Young star Jeff Skinner will just continue to develop, while the additions of Alex Semin and Jordan Staal (to play alongside Eric) have Carolina fans the most excited they've been in a while.

4. Boston Bruins

After a disappointing first round playoff exit at the hands of the Caps last spring, the Bruins have largely stayed the course this offseason, without experiencing many large scale arrivals or departures. The major exception to this of course, is Tim Thomas taking his "leave of absence". While Tuukka Rask has shown himself to be great at times, he doesn't have the body of work to be sure that he can sustain Thomas-like play over an entire (if shortened) season. One fear for an inexperienced goalie in a compact season has to be the lack of time to mentally prepare himself for the next game after a poor outing. The Bruins better hope that Rask is strong mentally, and won't let little slip ups spiral out of his control. As far as skaters go, Tyler Seguin will continue to grow into a star as he fuels the offense, while big man Zdeno Chara will again anchor a very solid defense. Due to the minor question mark of Tuukka, I give the Sabres the edge in the division, but assuming Rask doesn't disappoint, the race should be neck-in-neck all the way.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins

A healthy Sidney Crosby should mark Pittsburgh's return to the list of perennial contenders. Along with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal, Crosby leads one of the most potent offenses in the league. However, in the playoffs last year, defense and goaltending showed to be a huge liability, losing to Philly in a largely defense-optional series. While Tomas Vokoun has been added to stabilize the situation in the net, not much has changed on defense. The superstars up front will be enough to carry the Pens far, but will the back end be able to come up big when needed? That's anyone's guess.

6. Florida Panthers

One of the biggest surprises in the league last year was the Panthers grabbing the Southeast title over Washington, Tampa, and Carolina. This was largely due to the play of their top line of Weiss, Versteeg, and Fleischmann, who, along with star defenseman Brian Campbell, accounted for much of the team's offense. Between the pipes is Scott Clemmensen, who I have been a fan of ever since his great run in New Jersey a few years back when Marty went down. Not to be forgotten amid recent success is the talented pool of prospects the Panthers have. Led by highly-touted Jonathan Huberdeau, the youngsters will only help this team to build on last year's success.

7. Washington Capitals

Even with their upset of the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs last year, it was widely considered a disappointing season in Washington. Their lackluster regular season performance worried fans, but it was in part due to the extended absences of Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green, two key players. They figure to be good to go this year, but departing the team is talented scorer Alex Semin, to be replaced by Mike Ribeiro. While Ribeiro is a good all-around player, this undoubtedly decreases the Caps' offensive potency. Other players will need to step up and put the puck in the back of the net, because while Holtby and Neuvirth have shown flashes of quality goaltending, they are far from safe bets over the course of an entire season.

8. New Jersey Devils

The defending Eastern Conference champs suffered a huge loss this offseason when Zach Parise signed with the Wild. Though Parise did not put up huge numbers in the playoffs, he is still one of the most talented offensive players in the league as well as an undeniable leader. If the Devils want to contend this year, someone will have to step into that leadership role, Kovalchuk will have to step into the spotlight and put up big numbers, and Brodeur will have to continue to defy age and play like his old self. This seems like a tall task, but I wouldn't want to bet against it.

Non-Playoff Teams

9. Ottawa Senators

It was very difficult for me to keep Ottawa (and Philly and Tampa) out of the playoffs this year, but as I said earlier, the depth and parity in the league this year is crazy. Offensively, mainstays Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza aren't getting any younger, and while Guillaume Latendresse was brought in to help in that department, the departure of Nick Foligno balances it out. Erik Karlsson, the Sens' young stud defenseman, will continue to build off of an absurd 78 point season, and will have to anchor the offense from the point. While Karlsson may not match last season's totals, he will still lead the offense to a good year, but after shouldering a heavy workload last season, Craig Anderson will need to do so again between the pipes, and in a compressed season like this, that may lead him to falter down the stretch as he did a few years back with the Avs.

10. Philadelphia Flyers

While Claude Giroux continues to become one of the best players in the league, the help around him continues to grow thinner. After losing Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, and Ville Leino in recent years without bringing in much (other than Jaromir Jagr) to replace them, the Flyers lost Jagr, Matt Carle, and James van Riemsdyk this year, and failed to replace them with the big names that they were targeting in the free agent market. While Giroux, Scott Hartnell, and Danny Briere will continue to lead the offense, big questions regarding Pronger and Meszaros on the back end give Flyer fans reason for uncertainty, especially playing in front of the talented but wildly inconsistent Ilya Bryzgalov.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa, looking to build on their Eastern Conference Finals appearance  had a very disappointing season, finishing outside of the playoffs last year. This year they look to rebound behind their big three of Stamkos, St. Louis, and Lecavalier. On defense, Victor Hedman will continue to grow into a very good player, while the additions of Sami Salo and Matt Carle will improve the unit as well. Behind them will likely be Anders Lindback, the recently acquired goalie from the Predators. While Lindback is young and talented, he is very unproven, and should he falter, I don't think that Garon will be able to pick up the slack and get the Bolts to the playoffs. If Lindback plays well, they could finish a whole lot higher than 11th.

12. New York Islanders

The young and talented Isles look to take a step forward this year behind young star John Tavares. Along with other young guns like Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner, New York has a solid offensive attack. However, losing PA Parenteau will hurt, and replacing him with Brad Boyes probably won't cut it (trust me). Mark Streit adds a veteran presence to a skilled young defensive corps, and Evgeni Nabakov provides stability between the pipes for the first time in a while. The Isles will make strides this year, but I don't think it will be enough to slip into the playoffs in the deep Eastern Conference this year. 

13. Winnipeg Jets

In their return to Winnipeg, the Jets were in the playoff hunt for much of the year, and enjoyed a substantially better home ice advantage than they had had in Atlanta. The Jets return a very strong offensive team led by the young Evander Kane up front, and Dustin Byfuglien heads an offensively minded group of defensemen. The addition of Olli Jokinen will further boost the offense, but the Jets will struggle due to their defense and goaltending, as Ondrej Pavelec isn't a star goalie, and the players in front of him don't provide much help.

14. Montreal Canadiens

The Habs can only improve after finishing dead last in the conference last year. But while there were large-scale changes in the front office and the coaching staff, the personnel stayed very similar. Carey Price is still a very solid young netminder, and PK Subban and Andre Markov provide an excellent pairing at the top of a relatively thin defense. Offense will likely be the problem for Montreal, because while Pacioretty, Cole, Plekanec, Borque and an aging Gionta are solid players, they are far from overwhelming, and will need to step up big time if the Habs have any chance of making a playoff push.

15. Toronto Maple Leafs

After the sudden firing of Brian Burke, Leafs fans look toward a new chapter with hope that it is better than the last. While it very well may be, it will not happen overnight. Personnel changes were kept to a minimum, other than bringing in JVR to possibly add to the formidable pairing of Kessel and Lupul. However, no move has yet been made for Luongo or anyone else to help the goaltending problem, so until that is addressed, the Leafs will struggle to contend.

Stay tuned as the Western Conference Team Previews will be added one by one, and will be followed by playoff predictions!

NFL Playoffs: AFC/NFC Divisional Round

After an exciting first week of playoffs, we find ourselves in the divisional match ups. I was 4/4 in my picks last week, so luckily I can use my original bracket. Lets see if my bracket holds up this week!

My regular season picks record: 162-94

AFC Divisonal Round

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos 

Peyton Manning

As everyone saw last week, Anquan Boldin should be a high priority on the scouting reports against the Ravens. The man is a gamer and makes some of the toughest catches in key moments. With Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter (if he is active) at cornerbacks, I wouldn't expect this to happen. Denver's defense has a great pass rush and overall makes plays. Match that up with Peyton Manning and the chemistry he has developed in his offense, and I believe this may over power the Ravens and become Ray Lewis' last game. Not to mention Joe Flacco looks rattled when he plays on the road, although he has won a good amount of playoff games. The key for the Ravens is to get the ball to Ray Rice. Of course the Ravens have the experience to win this football game, but I give the Broncos edge especially because Manning has beaten them in his last nine match ups with them. 

Broncos: 31-23

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots 

Rob Gronkowski

Now I realize the Texans got spanked in the last matchup between these teams, but I don't see it turning out that way this time (as bad at least). Tom Brady has run an aggressive pass first offense for many years, but the Patriots have been different this year. They have run the ball very well on top of their elite passing game. As long as the Patriots shut down the dynamic play makers for the Texans again, I see another win for the Pats. However, once again don't let JJ Watt get too involved or things can get ugly quick. 

Patriots: 34-24

NFC Divisional Round

Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons

Russell Wilson

When I picked my original bracket, this was the toughest game for me to pick. I just have a feeling about the Seahawks in this game. Although the Falcons have two big time receivers in Julio Jones and Roddy White, the Seahawks have two big and physical corners Brandon Browner, and Richard Sherman to contain them. Now don't get me wrong, Matt Ryan is a very good quarterback and also has the best tight end in history to throw to, Tony Gonzalez. But Seattle has shown they can beat tough opponents. I am not basing my decision on this, but we all know the Falcons tend to fold under pressure with Matt Ryan in the playoffs. Rookie Russell Wilson comes into this game with more playoffs wins than Ryan. But the Seahawks have proven to have an explosive offense especially when Marshawn Lynch gets productive yards throughout the game. The Falcons have definitely improved in their secondary and can have an explosive offense at anytime as well. I might be in over my head on this one, but I'm taking the Seahawks on the road. 

Seahawks: 27-26

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers 

This was another tough decision. Green Bay and San Francisco put together a good game when they played in the first week with an end result of a 30-22 49ers victory. San Francisco defines an elite defense with players like Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Justin Smith and Aldon Smith. However, Justin Smith has been out with partially torn triceps, which is very crucial to the success Aldon Smith has had this year with 19.5 sacks. Justin is probable for the game but who knows if he will be as much of a threat or cause as many double teams as usual. The Packers are an offensive machine although they really don't have a running game right now. Aaron Rodgers took many sacks this year and still had a very productive season. Not to mention he has the best road quarterback rating in NFL history. I can see the Packers pulling this one out. 

Packers: 28-24

Things to look forward to if these predictions hold up...

Another epic Brady/Manning matchup.

Rematch of the "touchception" with real referees.

My original bracket

NFL Playoffs: AFC/NFC Wild Card Analysis

It's the most wonderful time of the year ladies and gentlemen. The NFL playoffs are starting Saturday and of course I decided to breakdown each game for the Wild Card round. I will breakdown match ups every week through the Super Bowl. Playoffs are crazy in every sport and you have to expect the unexpected, so hopefully my picks are close! Enjoy!

My regular season picks record: 162-94

AFC Wild Card

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) @ Houston Texans (12-4)

J.J. Watt

Over the last couple seasons, the Bengals have become legitimate contenders in the tough AFC North. Their 2012 campaign started 3-5 through the first half of the season. Cincinnati finished with a 7-1 record in the second half including wins against divisional opponents Baltimore and Pittsburgh in their final two games. With a solid defense and playmaking connection between Andy Dalton and AJ Green, the Bengals always have a decent shot. However, I have the Texans winning this matchup. Although Houston cruised to wins most of the season, they managed to drop three of their last four match ups. Defensive end JJ Watt has been a freak of nature this season, racking up 20.5 sacks and deflecting an astonishing 16 passes. If that doesn't spell out defensive player of the year, I don't know what does. The Texans and Bengals had a playoff bout last year that ended in a 31-10 victory in favor of Houston. JJ Watt may have foreshadowed this season during that game with an incredible play in which he intercepted Andy Dalton and ran it back for a touchdown. Expect him to be a presence, making it a difficult day for Dalton and the offense. Not only are the Texans set on defense, Arian Foster has had another successful season in the running game. Although the offense sputtered in the last few games of the season, I see Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and the rest of the crew picking it up in this game. 

Houston: 27-20

Indianapolis Colts (11-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (10-6) 

Chuck Pagano

The Ravens have proven to be tough opponents in the first round of the playoffs, and I don't see that changing this year. Many believe the Colts can pull out a win in Baltimore behind their rookie leader, Andrew Luck. The Colts have had an unbelievable season after clearing house and bringing in many rookies. I thought Indianapolis may end up with two wins at the end of the season and here they are. After head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with cancer, the team strived to an 11-5 record, mostly with their coach in the hospital. It shows what teammates can do when plagued with a tragedy like that. This game definitely is not an easy decision in my mind, but I have to go with the experienced, yet injured Ravens. With the Ravens being at home, Joe Flacco should not be rattled. He has played very well at times this year, but he is very inconsistent and does not play well at all on the road. Although the Ravens are playing with an injured Terrell Suggs and no Lardarius Webb, Ray Lewis is returning for his final home game ever. However, I believe this will be Lewis' last win ever as well.

Ravens: 26-17

NFC Wild Card

Minnesota Vikings (10-6) @ Green Bay Packers (11-5)

Adrian Peterson

To put a long season into a short phrase: Adrian Peterson ran the Vikings into the playoffs. After tearing his ACL and MCL at the end of last season, it took Adrian Peterson one off season to recover from an injury that usually takes about one year of rehab. Not only did he end up playing this season, but he came just 8 yards short of Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record with 2,097 yards. In fact the Vikings needed to win last Sunday against their divisional opponent, the Green Bay Packers, in order to make it into the playoffs. Minnesota ended up squeezing out a 37-34 victory over the Packers, led by none other than Adrian Peterson who had 199 yards on the day. His best success has come against the Packers this season with 409 total yards rushing. Knowing these phenomenal stats, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are still a very different beast in the playoffs. Especially with the game being in the frigid air of Lambeau Field, I don't feel like the Vikings will pull this one out. In their last matchup against the Vikings, Rodgers had 365 yards passing with four touchdowns and no picks in a losing effort. Don't expect Christian Ponder to lead the Vikings to 37 points again, especially at playoff time at Lambeau.

Packers: 34-17

Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Washington Redskins (10-6)

Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III

This is a very interesting game and was a hard one to pick. Both teams are riding on the backs of their star rookie quarterbacks that have opened many eyes this year. Everyone knew this was a special draft class when it came to the quarterback position, but no one could have predicted the success of these rookies to be so quick. Russell Wilson went into training camp as the projected backup to Matt Flynn, who the Seahawks recently acquired from the Packers. But once Wilson arrived at training camp, he used both his speed and accuracy to win the starting job. Robert Griffin III came right into the league knowing he would start and has been very successful in doing so. Both teams run a dynamic read option offense that keeps the defense on their toes. RGIII and his rookie partner in crime, Alfred Morris, have combined to produce the number one rushing attack in the NFL. If I'm a Washington fan, RGIII's knee would still worry me after injuring it against the Ravens. Washington did come out with the win in Dallas to make the playoffs, but RGIII clearly wasn't himself during his scrambles. He definitely does not look 100% to me at least. I believe the big deciding factor comes down to the better defense, and this clearly goes to the Seahawks. With the performance enhancing drug suspension issues behind Seattle's starting cornerbacks, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, the defense seems to be in great shape. Of course you can't forget about "Beast Mode", Marshawn Lynch, who will have his fair share of productive carries this game. As long as the man has his Skittles, nothing can stop him. If this game was in Seattle, this decision would be easier for me. But, i'll take the Seahawks in this game ending RGIII's rookie campaign.

Seattle: 23-20

My Super Bowl prediction: 

I will do a pre game analysis for each game in the playoffs, but this bracket below is my overall prediction for the playoffs. Of course the playoffs are a whole new animal and teams can get hot at the perfect time. Anything can happen at anytime, and this is why picking playoff games can be tough. My pick this year is the Denver Broncos winning over the Green Bay Packers. We all know what Peyton Manning is capable of, but not many people expected this kind of season. The Broncos started 2-3 in their first five games and have not lost since week five. I don't think eleven straight wins is a coincidence. It was well documented that the run heavy offense with Tim Tebow last season really held back the talents of wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. Peyton has developed a great chemistry with these receivers as each went over 1,000 yards receiving and had a combined 23 touchdowns. Not only that, the Broncos have weapons on defense that can thrive in the playoffs. Cornerback Champ Bailey has been a solid shutdown corner for many years now and on the other side of him is Tracy Porter (if he is able to return from his concussion). Remember, ironically Tracy Porter is the corner that picked off Peyton Manning to seal the New Orleans Saints victory in Super Bowl XLIV. Experience like that is huge in the playoffs. And then of course the Broncos have elite pass rushers involving Von Miller with 18.5 sacks and Elvis Dumervil with 11. These guys can single handedly win the game if they are not maintained. Having home field advantage in the playoffs is definitely a big help for Denver. In my opinion, the game that would be their biggest test is the Patriots. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick aren't afraid of going on the road or high altitudes for that matter. The one kryptonite the Patriots seem to have is the New York Giants, who recently beat them in two Super Bowls but have failed to make the big show this year as defending champions. The reason they beat the  Patriots in two Super Bowls? An elite pass rush. In my opinion, if the Broncos can get their pass rushers going, they have the tools to surpass the Patriots.

NFL Wild Card Breakdown/Playoff Predictions

NFL Wild Card Breakdown/ Playoff Predictions

By: Matt Salazar

            It’s the best time of the year folks, NFL playoff time. Although the Bills are once again not a part of the playoff picture, many of the top stories from this NFL season are still being written. Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson both continue their improbable comeback seasons into the playoffs, Chuck Pagano returning from his bout with leukemia to coach a playoff game after a 2011 season that saw his team finish 2-14, and Russell Wilson and the Seahawks seeming to be the team of destiny all are leading toward this being an unforgettable January.

            In this blog, I’ll break down the Wild Card games and predict the winner of each matchup throughout the playoffs including my Super Bowl prediction. Further breakdowns will come each week once matchups are set, not based on my own predictions. So here we go!

AFC Wild Card Round:

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans

           

            In this rematch of last season’s wild card round, the Bengals once again travel to Houston as the six-seed to take on a very tough Texans team. When you look at both teams, one glaring question stands out: What has changed since last year? After looking at both teams’ body of work and roster, the answer to that question is: Not much. Both teams are running out basically identical lineups from last year, the only real exceptions being the emergence of Geno Atkins, Bengals NT, and J.J. Watt, Texans DE, as two of the league’s premier defensive linemen (although you may argue that Watt’s coming out party was this matchup in last year’s playoffs, highlighted by this outstanding play).

            I don’t see Geno making a big enough difference for the Bengals, but Watt was on the verge of breaking the single-season sack record and should be able to disrupt the Dalton-to-Green connection that has really been the Bengals only true offensive threat. If Watt can aid Jonathan Joseph in neutralizing Green, I see this game having the same result as last year. Also note that Matt Schaub did not play in this matchup last year. The Texans’ QB that day was none other than T.J. Yates. I’d say that’s just a slight upgrade in talent.

            Bengals simply get outclassed once again in this one. Texans win 27-13.

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens

            This is the most difficult game to predict in the wild-card round, as the Ravens stumbled into the postseason with a more talented team, and the Colts rode the emotion of the “ChuckStrong” season to an improbable postseason berth. Before yesterday, I was completely set on picking the Colts to win this game, but then Ray Lewis threw a wrench into my plans by announcing his intent to retire after the season. What better way to light a fire under the seemingly uninspired Ravens than to give them a true reason to win: Get one for Ray.

            This game has turned into a complete toss-up. My thoughts are, Ray Lewis has put a great deal of motivation into the team with his announcement, the Ravens always play better at home, and despite the emotion involved with Chuck Pagano this season, how far can the Colts really go with a vastly inferior roster?

            I think the Colts put up a very good effort, but ultimately the Ravens have a more talented roster, and Flacco has to do something to raise his free-agent stock right? Ravens win 23-20.

NFC Wild Card Round:

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

            I’ll keep this one relatively short. As great as Adrian Peterson is (and yes I think his play this year should earn him the MVP), I don’t see the Packers allowing him to have a third field day against them in the same season (409 yards in two games vs. Pack this season so far). Christian Ponder (who has never played a football game in cold weather) has been so middling this season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Packers keep 7-10 players in the box at all times to limit Peterson. The Vikes D won’t hold the Packers offense, and if the Pack can succeed in holding Peterson down, this one could get pretty one-sided.

            Look for the Pack to hold Peterson down long enough to build a lead. Once that happens, it’s over. Packers win 31-21.

Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins

            I feel as though I may have different thoughts than others on this game, but facts are facts: The Seahawks simply are not the same team on the road (outdoors that is). The Seahawks finished the season 11-5, but were 8-0 at home. While that is great, the Seahawks are not playing in Seattle this weekend. In going 3-5 on the road this season, exactly zero of the three wins came against other playoff teams. Not coincidentally, Russell Wilson’s home-road splits are as follows: Home – 18 TD, 2 INT, Away – 9 TD, 8 INT. Washington also has a very stout rush defense, so the Hawks offense could have a tough time this weekend. On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks defense is one of the top units in the league, but that will be put to the test trying to stop RG3. The x-factor of this game may rest on the legs of two rookie quarterbacks. Who thought that would be the case in a playoff game at the beginning of the season? Not me.

            Another week of rest for RG3’s knee should bode well for the Redskins chances, and riding the emotion of their first home playoff game in 13 years won’t hurt either. Redskins win 20-16.

Divisional Round Matchups:

            If my predictions prove true, the divisional round will be as follows:

AFC: Texans at Patriots, Ravens at Broncos

NFC: Redskins at Falcons, Packers at 49ers

            I won’t get in depth here, because we don’t know the outcomes of this weekend’s games yet, but here are my predictions for the rest of the way if the games go my way:

AFC Divisional Round:

·      Patriots over Texans 34-24.

·      Broncos over Ravens 23-21.

NFC Divisional Round:

·      Falcons over Redskins 42-28.

·      Packers over 49ers 27-26.

AFC Championship:

·      Patriots over Broncos 30-20.

·      Packers over Falcons 37-34.

Super Bowl

·      Packers over Patriots 41-38.

Mathieu's 2013 Predictions

2013 Predictions!

By: Matt Salazar

            First of all, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and I hope everyone had a fun yet safe night last night! Now, normally I write about the NFL during this time of year, and I’ll be writing a playoff predictor soon, but in honor of the calendar switch, I’ll be making bold predictions for 2013 because my first bold prediction column were so spot on (sort of). So without further ado, here is my list of things that WILL happen in 2013.

1. Kanye & Kim’s child will be given the worst name ever given to a celebrity’s offspring.

            This one has to be a given right? Kanye is one of the most eccentric celebrities out there, which never bodes well for a child’s name, and Kim will do just about anything for more publicity. This is a recipe for a name so ridiculous it will make names like Apple Martin look normal. Expect something along the lines of Kanye Immaletufinish Jr., anything starting with an @ symbol or a hashtag, something containing the word “Gangnam,” or Lil Yeezy. This child may also challenge the Brangelina kids for most famous celebrity of 2030, but that’s to come in a later prediction column.

2. A famous celebrity will come out of the closet, and the biggest debate will be whether or not anybody is surprised.

            Two obvious candidates come to mind here; Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. If either of these celebrities came out of the closet, would you really be surprised? I know I wouldn’t. Dark horse candidates include Katy Perry, Brittany Spears, Ryan Seacrest, the entire cast of HIMYM (because NPH is already out), and mega dark horse John Stamos (to try and bring himself back into the limelight).

3. John Gruden will be hired as the new coach of the Dallas Cowboys right before the calendar turns to 2014.

            We may have to wait a while for this one, but I just have a hunch. Assuming Jason Garrett somehow survives this offseason, he definitely won’t survive next season when the Cowboys are eliminated from the playoffs right before Christmas 2013. Knowing Jerry Jones, he’ll make a big splash in the coaching market and heavily pursue Gruden, who turns down the opportunity to coach this season due to the lack of attractive jobs. Gruden will retain Romo, and his strong personality will reduce the meddling of Jerry Jones, and once that happens, watch out for the Cowboys in 2014. Am I getting ahead of myself? Oops.

4. The Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl.

            I won’t get too in depth here because I have a column coming for this, but a home playoff game against Cristian Ponder is the closest thing to a guaranteed win this weekend. A road trip to San Fran would be tough, but it could be a time to take advantage of Kaep’s inexperience. After that, would they really be scared of a potential NFC championship game in the Georgia Dome? Watch out for the Packers. They know what it takes and they have what it takes to make it. And once they meet the Patriots in the big game (which also will happen), they may be the only team in the playoffs with more firepower than Belichick and the evil Patriot Empire.

5. The World Series Champion will not come from Los Angeles or Canada.

            It may be extremely early, but some of the WS favorites include the LA Dodgers and Angels, and the Blue Jays. The Dodgers and Blue Jays are going to be similar cases in my opinion. If it didn’t work in Miami/Boston, what makes you think it will work in Toronto/Los Angeles? Sure the players are talented, but who’s to say they all play well together this time? Yes there are new pieces in play and I really like Don Mattingly as the Dodgers manager, but I feel like players’ egos may come into play here. I like Toronto even less despite their infusion of talented youth with the strong vets from Miami. Health will also be a big problem with both of these teams.

            In the case of the Angels, I fully expect them to be better than the Dodgers and Jays, but will they have the pitching to make it through three rounds of playoff baseball? After losing Haren and Greinke I’m not so sure. They definitely have enough offense to cruise through the regular season, but when they have to face Verlander, Sabathia, Scherzer, and other top pitchers, will the offense be enough to make up for the lack of pitching? Time will tell, but I expect the tubby twins (Fielder and Cabrera) to hoist the WS trophy in October. HOWEVER, if Mike Trout 2013 repeats Mike Trout 2012’s performance, I don’t see anyone beating the Angels. Yes they have Pujols and Hamilton, but Trout is the best player on that team and in the entire MLB. Don’t give me that look I’m serious. Trout is a transcendent player that will be among history’s greats when his career is over, and he has the potential to lead this star-laden team to a championship.

6. The NBA finals will look identical to last year’s, as the Heat will defeat the Thunder in 5 games.

            Lebron is the best player in NBA history. No, he doesn’t have 6 rings, but he is a better talent than Jordan. When James turns his game up and gets that killer instinct like he did in last year’s playoffs, there’s not a force on earth that can stop him. The Heat will ride James’ leadership and Ray Allen’s 3-point shooting to their second of what will be four straight championships.

7. News will break of a Longest Yard-esque point shaving scandal involving a high-profile NFL player.

            Can it be any more obvious as to who will be the suspect of this scandal? I would be extremely surprised if it was anyone other than Jay Cutler. Who else constantly has that smug “I’m going to totally eff with you” look than Cutler? He even has the hot wife to go along with it! Look for Cutler to be locked up after crashing Kristin Cavallari’s car and then lead the Illinois State Penitentiary to a heartwarming victory over the guards coached by Cutler’s longtime arch-rival, Mike Martz.

8. The NHL as a league will fold in 2013.

            Sorry hockey fans, but this will be the worst year of your life. If 2012 wasn’t bad enough, get ready for the Hockeypocalypse this year. The evil genius known as Gary Bettman was sent as a league assassin by David Stern to eliminate the NBA’s competition, and he is almost done with his work on the NHL. The labor stoppage has no signs of ending, and loyal hockey fans are just about done with these lockouts under Bettman. This will reach a point where NHL players simply refuse to return to the States to play hockey and the league will cease to exist. With the looming impact of concussion lawsuits on the NFL and the decreasing interest in the MLB, David Stern is well on his way to be the king of sports and very well may attain his life goal of world domination.

9. The highest-grossing superhero movie of 2013 will be Man of Steel.

            The superhero movie lineup for 2013 is unbelievable, including Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and the Wolverine. All we have to bank on now is trailers, but I believe Man of Steel has shown the most promise out of these superhero flicks, and it doesn’t hurt that Superman is the most famous superhero of all time.

10. For my obligatory Bills prediction, 2013 will be our year.

            You can say I’m an overly optimistic fan, or that every next year will be “our year,” but after the firing of Chan Gailey and today’s “passing of the torch” from Ralph Wilson to Russ Brandon, things seem to finally be headed in a different direction. To relate to you soon-to-be former hockey fans, Russ Brandon sounded like Terry Pegula did at his press conference held just after he purchased the Sabres. Brandon knows that the time for the Bills to become a contender is now, and assured that finances will not hinder the Bills any longer. In my opinion, this is Brandon indirectly pointing out that Ralph Wilson was holding the Bills back, and now that he is no longer in charge, it is Brandon’s job to turn the team into a championship contender. He knows this starts with finding a franchise coach and quarterback, and that is precisely what Brandon is setting out to do. Only time will tell if the team is truly headed in the right direction, but the pieces are in place and now with the right mindset in the front office, I highly expect 2013 to be the year the playoff drought ends.