NFL Playoffs and the New GCR

Once again, the National Football League delivered the goods to its fans this past weekend in the Divisional round of the Playoffs.

• 49'ers over Vikings.  This is the one game that I missed die to other obligations.  It seems that this was the most pro forma of the four games this weekend, so if I had to miss one, that was probably the one to miss.
• Titans over Ravens.  This was easily the most stunning result of the weekend as sixth seeded Tennessee ousted the 14-2 Ravens.  The numbers show that presumptive league MVP Lamar Jackson had a big night with over 100 yards rushing and 400+ yards passing.  However, he also had two interceptions and a lost fumble, all at critical times, and at points when it could have made a real difference in the ball game, he failed to convert two different fourth-and-one opportunities.  Jackson is a marvelous player, fun to watch, and as a Steelers fan, I dread having to face him twice a year for the next decade or so, but he came up short on Saturday, despite the 500 yards of offense.
• Chiefs over Texans.  After falling behind 24-0 early in the second quarter, the Chiefs scored touchdowns the next seven times they had the ball and won in a blowout, 51-31.  This was stunning in a whole different way than the Titans win was, and it proved that Patrick Mahomes and not Lamar Jackson (not yet, anyway) is still the New Sheriff in town.
• Packers over Seahawks.  It was a valiant comeback effort by Seattle at Lambeau Field, but Aaron Rodgers and the Packers held on and won 28-23.  Russell Wilson certainly made it exciting, but Rodgers is letting the world know that he ain't done yet.

This all sets up one of my favorite sports days of the year - NFL Championship Sunday when the Super Bowl participants will be determined.  To me, the Super Bowl itself is often anti-climactic after this doubleheader.  Anyway, that leads us to the revised Grandstander Confidence Rankings after this weekend:

1. Chiefs (#2 last week)
2. 49'ers (#3)
3. Packers (#4)
4. Titans (#8)

Can't wait to see what the betting lines will be when I toddle on down to the Rivers Casino later this week.

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Meanwhile, another football game will be played tonight to settle the National Champion of College Football.

The match-up of two undefeated teams, LSU and Clemson, and their marvelous quarterbacks, Joe Burrow and Brooks Lawrence, should be terrific and a fun game to watch.  My only question is...why wasn't this game played last Monday night instead of tonight, sixteen days after the semi-final match-ups on December 28?  It lends the game an air of "anti-climax" after such a long delay. 

My prediction, and my money, is on LSU (at -5.5) to win the game.  Can't wait to hear the mellifluous tones of Ed Orgeron.

NFL Playoffs - Grandstander Confidence Rankings

The Steelers season came to a merciful end with that 28-10 shellacking that the Ravens junior varsity laid on Rooney U yesterday afternoon.  The game wasn't as close as the score indicated.  Just as well that the dominoes didn't fall the way they needed to to get the Steelers into the Playoffs.  Had they made it, the mighty forces of Duck Hodges and Company would have had to travel to Foxboro next week to play the Patriots, and we all know how THAT always turns out.  In the end, sometimes you just have to shoot the horse to put it out of its misery, and that is exactly what John Harbaugh and has crew did to the Steelers last evening.

A more thorough post-mortem of the 2019 Steelers will appear in this space in the days ahead.  Or maybe not.  We'll see.  In the meantime, all of you who anxiously awaited the weekly unveiling of the Grandstander Power Rankings (GPR)  throughout the season are now about to be treated to subjected to the Grandstander Confidence Rankings (GCR) of the twelve teams set to tee it up in the NFL Playoffs.  Here you go.....

1. Ravens.  Here is a fun fact:  The Baltimore Orioles have lost a game more recently that the Baltimore Ravens.  This team has been unbeatable since October, and Lamar Jackson seems unstoppable.  On to Miami on February 2.
2. Chiefs.  One can only hope for a Jackson-Mahomes match up in the AFC Championship game.  That should be an amazing game.
3. Saints.  Drew Brees on a role.  But for a horrendous non-call in last year's NFC Championship, the Saints may well have won the Super Bowl last year.  They will be playing in it this year.
4. 49'ers.  But for  a James Conner fumble in Week 3, the Steelers would have beaten this team, so I have some reservations, but they have held strong all season long.
5. Packers. This  is a team that hasn't gotten a lot of respect all season, yet here they are, a division champ with a first round bye.  And Aaron Rodgers.
6. Seahawks.  Russell Wilson carved the Steelers up in week 2 like a Thanksgiving turkey, and their overtime win in Week 8 over the 49'ers on MNF might have been the most entertaining game of the season.  I have been bullish on this team all season long, but injuries have caused some stumbles in the closing weeks of the regular season.
7. Patriots.  All season long we have been hearing how this Pats team isn't very good, Tom Brady is a shell of his former self, and the Pats Dynasty is done.  Somehow, they've managed to eek out a 12-4 record and a division title, and only a mystifying loss to Miami yesterday prevented them from securing a first round bye.  Maybe that really aren't what they used to be, but I'm still going to have to see somebody kick them out before I'll bet against them.
8. Bills. Perhaps the surprise team of the year.  A very strong defense will make them a tough team to play in the Playoffs.
9. Vikings.  Gotta be honest here.  I don't have much to say here.  I don't believe that I saw this team play all year, but they went down to the last weekend in the race for the NFC North title, so here they are.
10. Texans.  Deshaun Watson at QB makes these guys exciting to watch.
11. Titans.  It took until Week 17 for these guys to beat out the Steelers for the final playoff spot, so how much faith can you have in them?  Will Ryan Tannehill continue what he has done since being named starting QB?
12. Eagles. The NFC East race this year may have been one of the weakest in recent memory in the NFL.  The Eagles were pretty much dead midway through the season until a complete collapse by the Cowboys allowed 9-7 Philly grab the division title.

The Wildcard Weekend match ups are as follows:

• Bills vs. Texans
• Titans vs. Patriots
• Vikings vs. Saints
• Seahawks vs. Eagles

I'll wait until later in the week to make my predictions, but at first blush I would say that the best looking game of the weekend will be the Vikes-Saints on Sunday afternoon.

Can't wait to get started.