Playoffs? You’re talkin’ about Playoffs?

Yes, the Bozos are ready for some playoff football!

Four Wild Card games get underway Saturday at 4:35 pm starting with the Indianapolis Colts vs. the Houston Texans. The Texans (11-5) are only favored by a point over the Colts (10-6). Both these teams started extremely poorly, the Texans lost their first three and the Colts were (1-5). The probability of both these teams making the playoffs after this start is astronomical. However, here they are, two AFC South teams, led by comeback player of the year Andrew Luck and second year star Deshaun Watson. This is the 3rd meeting this season for the reams with the Texans prevailing week 4 in Indy 37-34 and the Colts paying them back winning 27-24 in Houston in week 14. The Texans biggest loss was in week 1 to the Pats by a TD. Since week 6, the Colts only blemish was a strange 6-0 loss in Jacksonville.
Both these teams rank in the top 12 in scoring offense and defense and are riding hot QBs down the stretch. A hard fought defensive game is expected. Indy has allowed only 15 ppg. since week 11 and Houston has Jadeveon “Bozo” Clowney and JJ Watt. Deandre Hopkins is the Bozo pick as the game changer. While Indy sports TY Hilton, who owns the Texans, Hopkins is a special receiver having exactly NO dropped passes this season. The Bozos are counting on a late Watson-led drive Houston victory as their defense steps up late. New England is next for the Texans and they will have to travel to New England. Texans 24-20.

Saturday night’s game features the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Seattle Seahawks, both (10-6) Dallas is favored by only 2 points. Both QBs, Prescott and Wilson are playmakers and this should be an exciting game. Seattle has won 6 of 7 coming in but the Cowboys defense has really tuned it on, especially late this season. Dallas has only lost one home game all year. Seattle beat Dallas in Seattle week 3 by 11, 24-13 but we expect Jerry’s kids to turn the tables this time. Wilson does have the edge over Prescott however, Seattle focuses too much on the run and the Cowboys run defense has stiffened of late. Let’s not forget Dallas has Zeke Elliott, the NFL’s leading rusher matching up against the bottom of the league Seahawks run defense. Seattle give up 5 yards per carry. I was having difficulty trying to pick the winner of this game until I watched some of the Cardinals/ Seahawks game last week. Seattle only beat AZ by a FG at home and were fortunate to do so. I didn’t like the way they struggled against the league’s worst team. I am not happy picking the ‘Boys but the Bozanalysis indicates a Dallas win. 30-21.

Sunday’s first game is a rematch of the week 16 contest between the Chargers and the Ravens, this time in Baltimore. The Ravens are 3 point favorites at home and although they beat LA in Carson, CA we think Phillip Rivers and the Charger defense will be better prepared this time. Figuring out how to limit Lamar Jackson’s runs and playmaking will be a challenge but as a rookie in this position, the Bozos are going to wager that his inexperience will be exposed in crunch time. I just can’t trust that his style of play is consistent enough to win a playoff game.
Rivers, in his 17th year is due to make a run in the playoffs. Melvin Gordon is healthy. The defense, led by Joey Bosa can be dominant, even against an excellent Raven rushing attack. The Chargers are perfect outside of LA this season. LA, except for that Ravens loss, has won 11 of 12, only falling to Denver by a point on Nov. 18th.
The Bozos are going to jump on the Lightning Bolts both with the FG and on the money line (+130).

The final game, Sunday afternoon, pits the Eagle against the Bears. Chicago (12-4) secured the 3rd seed winning its last 4 games, giving up a total of 42 points. The city is angry and hungry for a season defining win at Soldier Field. Philly snuck into the playoffs as the final seed going a weak 9-7 by virtue of the Vikings home loss to the Bears and their win over a Washington Redskin squad that had quit on the season. The Bozos are well aware of the run Nick Foles and the Eagles went on last season to win the Super Bowl, however, we don’t expect lightning to strike twice, especially against the Khalil Mack led Bears defense. The Bozos can’t envision Philly putting up more than 17 points in the Windy City in January. Again, the Bears defense is dominant. Mitch Trubisky will have to prove his mettle to satisfy the Chicago faithful and we expect the ground game led by Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen to keep Mitchy the Kid in short yardage situations. We will give up the 6 points and figure on a Chicago victory in the neighborhood of 24-10.

Bozo Playoff Picks:
Bears -6 Eagles
Chargers +3 Ravens
Texans -1 Colts
Cowboys -2 Seahawks
Playoffs!
-HB