Ok, let's try this again. Last week was my worst gambling week ever and I lost almost half my budget. Usually I save my original 1000 and keep going with whatever I won but now I just have to keep going with the 550 pesos I have left. Here are my divisional round picks: Packers -6.5 over Rams (200 pesos) Aaron Rodgers had a season for the ages and I feel like people aren't paying attention to him. I'm convinced the Packers drafted Jordan love just to piss him off. Pissed off Aaron Rodgers is the scariest player in any sport ever. Bucs +3 over Saints (100 pesos) Upset special!! Now, I knoooooooow what you're thinking. "TJ, the Saints destroyed the Bucs twice this year!!". Yes, but hear me out: Tom Brady in the playoffs. Yeah, I thought so. Browns +10 over Chiefs (100 pesos) I really struggled with this one. I totally see the Chiefs winning by 30 with ease, but I also see the Browns hanging in there all game, or even trying a furious comeback in the 4th quarter. I'm sure I'll regret this...forgive me, Lord Mahomes...10 points are just too many IMO. (Chiefs still win a close one). Bills -2.5 over Ravens (150 pesos) I'm just not convinced about the Ravens, and I'm riding on Baby Aikman one more time. I forgot last week, but my Super Bowl pick is between both #1 seeds. Chill Mahomes vs. Pissed off Rodgers. And I even thing the Packers might win it...but we'll see in a couple of weeks.
Good luck, TJ! My strictly rooting opions: Rams-Packers: I don't really like either team. I kind of want to root for the Rams because I like good defense but I also think they are kind of boring to have moving on instead of the Packers. I won't know who I am rooting for until actually watching the game. Ravens-Bills: Easy choice for me here. I would love for the Bills to win it all this year. Plus I know a Ravens fan who is super obnoxious. Browns-Chiefs: I love Nick Chubb but I also can't root against Andy Reid. I'll be happy for whoever wins, I just want a fun game. Bucs-Saints: 2 teams that I really dislike. I think I'm leaning towards the Bucs despite Brady just because I think he would be more interesting in the NFC Championship game.
Most previous games that I have watched him Chubb showed a toughness that I admired. He's played soft today. Those drops were inexcusable.
3 out of 3 so far... I thought the Browns would pull it off after Mahomes went down. Now we'll have to monitor his status all week.
A perfect divisional weekend. See? It's easy!! I know I'm taking the Packers since today but I'm not sure about Mahomes and his status and how the line will be affected by it. The Chiefs should be at least 6 point favorites with him, but I'm not sure if he can't go. Bills by 2? 3? As good as Henne played at the end, it's a whole different deal to start the game... Should be interesting to say the least...
Green Bay opens as a 3.5 favorite... In the AFC there's a mess: Bills -4.5, KC -3, KC -1... Need to wait for Mahomes status...I feel confident taking the Chiefs -3 with a dizzy Mahomes...at the same time, I'm not sure I'd pick the Bills at -4.5 against Henne... Or I could just take the Chiefs +4.5 today before the line shifts, and just roll with it. This will be a tough, close call...
Here's one for you boys. A woman from out of town the other day asked me if I was okay with Tom Brady being my quarterback... http://sportschump.net/2021/01/19/the-stupidest-question-ever-asked/22476/
The best part of it is that this isn't the same Prime Brady we saw for almost 20 years. Since last season the decline has been noticeable and this one has been the same. Back in august the biggest question mark was if he had enough arm strength left to pilot Arians' vertical passing offense, and the answers seems to be both yes and no. Don't get me wrong...the numbers are amazing for a 43-year old QB. Vinny Testaverde played for the Cowboys at that age and he never looked half that good. However, he doesn't always pass the eye test. His passes seem to lack that "pop" NFL QBs have. I saw him miss a lot of receivers in both playoff games and the defense has bailed him out a couple of times. That's not a bad thing, though. Sometimes a good game manager is all you need. Of course I don't need to tell you that, you won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson and his noodle arm... The biggest impact Brady had on the bucs was the leadership. The mentality shift. After 5 years watching Jameis throw 2 billion picks in the worst possible times, just switching to a secure QB who won't turn the ball over would be enough. That and Brady's iron mentality in which nothing ever scares him. The man has seen it all. It's like an old guy going to his retirement home in Florida and playing some pick up games with the home's staff. He's having fun out there...probably for the first time in his life. And that makes all the difference...
And playing the Super Bowl in your home stadium... Yes, take it...it took 55 years and the next one might take 55 more. We'll be long gone by then...
