Head Bozo Picks the NFL Divisional Round

Rested Teams hold the edge (except Pretty Boy and Big Bill)

Last week’s wild card matchups featured three close games decided by one score and one dominating road dog victory- by the Colts 21-7 over the Houston Texans. Andrew Luck and his Colts stormed out of the gate with three TDs in the first 26 minutes of the game against no points by the home Texans and held off Houston in the 2nd half for the 21-7 win. Luck’s Colts started the season (1-5) but Luck, Coach Frank Reich and RB Marlon Mack, fortified by a tremendous offensive line, have now won 10 of 11. Watson was sacked 3 times and was ineffective all game, inaccurately throwing balls short and wide throughout. Their communication was off and the Texans, even after turnovers, surprisingly never mounted any momentum. Luck will be the NFL’s comeback player after missing 2017 with a shoulder injury.

Indianapolis travels to #1 seed Kansas City for the first of this week’s AFC Divisional matchups. The (12-4) Chiefs rested on their well-earned bye week and will face the red hot Luck and company. KC is (7-1) at home this season, losing only to the Chargers by a point, 29-28, on Dec. 13. KC, which lost in the playoffs at home last year to the Titans 22-21 after being up 21-0 at the half, is focused on not letting that disaster repeat. This year is very different however, Patrick Mahomes the League MVP is the QB, not Alex Smith. Andy Reid is a year wiser and the walrus is certainly qualified to erase some prior playoff failures with a win here. While the Colts are on a roll, the Chiefs have had an extra week to rest and prepare. We expect the speedy Tyreek Hill to be a huge factor in the game and believe the noisy Arrowhead crowd will upset Luck’s rhythm and play an integral part into the final score. The Head Bozo is calling for Mahomes to have a spotlight game and win going away. KC, with this victory, will then host the AFC Championship game next week against either New England or the LA Chargers. Chiefs 33- Colts 17.

The second game, the night game Saturday features the Dallas Cowboys at the LA Rams. Dallas held on to beat the Seahawks last weekend 22-20. Zeke ran for 137 yards and a late TD to secure the first playoff win for both Zeke and Dak. The Cowboys have won 8 of 9, with their defense primarily responsible for their resurgence after starting the year (3-5). It was a weird game as Seattle played the game with no FG kicker as Sea Bass went down with an injury.

Travelling to LA to face the #2 seeded Rams will be a much different scenario for Dallas as LA is far superior to Seattle. Todd Gurley has recovered from his knee injury and the Rams defense is rested. NFL sack leader Aaron Donald is waiting for Dak and Zeke. Wade Phillips formerly coached the Cowboys and is the Rams defensive coordinator. Interestingly, the Cowboys may have more fans in the stadium then the Rams as Dallas held pre-season camps in the LA area for many years. As with the Chiefs, the Rams lost in the first round of the playoffs last year to the Falcons, and are more focused on preparing for this game. I can’t picture two consecutive home losses by a Sean McVay coached team. Their offense, led by Jared Goff, is explosive, not just because of Gurley but with a downfield passing game that includes Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. LA will play loose and gradually pull away from the conservative Cowboys and cover the 7 point spread. Rams 35- Cowboys 21.

The Chargers travel to New England as a 4 point underdog for the early game Sunday after knocking off the Ravens in Baltimore last week, 23-17. The final score was not indicative of the dominance the Chargers had over Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Only when up 23-3 did the Chargers go into prevent defense, which as usual, almost prevents a victory. Jackson was brutally ineffective against a swarming Bolts defense. It was amazing to me that John Harbaugh did not call for Joe Flacco off the bench in a win-or-go-home game! Flacco is surely done now and the Ravens future is in the legs of Jackson. This will prove to be a big mistake, even with their powerful defense, the Ravens will be out of the playoffs next year for sure.

The Lightning Bolts have to travel cross country again and have to play early, again (10 am PST) and face the almighty Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in NE, where the Pats simply never lose a big game. Well, until this week, that is! Phillip Rivers is dead set on getting to his first Super Bowl and cementing his Hall of Fame career. HOF if he wins this game, that is. The Chargers this year, finally have the defense and running game necessary to beat Big Bill and Pretty Boy. Melvin Gordon is healthy and rarin’ to go. Joey Bosa and the Bolts’ swarming D are on a mission to disrupt Tommy Boy. That’s how you beat Brady- with a relentless pass rush- as any Giants fan! The Pats offense is not as explosive as it once was, Gronk is playing in slo-motion, and the defense is not of Super Bowl quality this season. NE gave up 34 points this year in games against both the Dolphins and the Titans! It’s time for the crafty veteran Rivers to finally get a meaningful playoff win and we are banking on the upset. The odds are against it but crazier things have happened. Chargers 29- Patriots 27.

The final game of Divisional playoff weekend pits the never-say-die Philadelphia Eagles taking on the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome. The Eagles survived a late Bears missed FG to win 16-15 in Chicago against a Bears team that seriously underperformed in front of the Soldier Field faithful. Philly just needed to hang in there until the end and make one good play to win. Trubisky’s offense sputtered and could only knock in FGs when they had Red Zone opportunities. The Bears defense came up short the one time they needed a stop, giving up a late 60-yard drive and a TD to put Philly in front for the first time all game. Nick Foles, last year’s savior and this year’s wonder boy, despite all the rhetoric, will not advance if he plays this way against the Saints. Party is over Saint Nick!

Sean Payton and Hall of Famer and NFL records holder Drew Brees at home with an extra week to prepare will absolutely NOT get ambushed by the Philly intermittent attack. The Saints dominated most of their games with not only Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram and the highest flying receiver in the league, Michael Thomas, but with a solid defensive pass rush and run stopping ability. Brees will be lights out this Sunday against a depleted Eagles secondary known for grabbing and pulling. Drew threw for 4 TDs when the Saints clobbered the Eagles 48-7 in Week 10. Are things going to be that different with Foles at the helm instead of Wentz? Interceptions, interference penalties and big gains abound as the Saints absolutely crush Philly. Lay the 8 points and kick back with your hot wings. The Saints will then host the Rams for the NFC Championship game next weekend. Saints 40-Eagles 6.

Bozo Best Bets

-All 4 games are the complete opposite from the selections of my Bozo cohort to the North.

Saints-8 Eagles
Rams-7 Cowboys
Chiefs-5 Colts
Chargers +4 Patriots

Enjoy
-HB