Wild Card Weekend begins today with two intriguing games. In the first game, both Oakland and Houston have quarterback problems. I suspect this will be a low-scoring game. Houston is favored by 3 1/2 points but I could see Oakland winning this game on a fluke play.
The second game would seem to be an easy win for the Seahawks. The Seahawks are favored by 8 points over Detroit. The Detroit Lions found a way into the Playoffs. They may find a way of stealing this game. Rick and Cap’n Bob may be on the edge of their seats for this one! Who do you think will win these games?
I’m a Lions fan but expect Seattle to win.
Steve, I have a feeling about the Lions…
Oakland and Detroit. Oakland will find a way to confuse Brock Osweiler, probably by playing 11 men on defense, and Seattle’s opening round was its weakest last year when they should have lost to a bad Minnesota team. I’ll take Kahlil White on the field for Houston vs. J.J. Watt on the sidelines for Texas, and Oakland’s backup over Houston’s expensive backup. Seattle has had a rough few games to close out the season but so has Detroit. In this game I’ll take Stafford over Wilson who’s coming off a career low QB rating.
On the other hand, Detroit’s coach shouldn’t be a head coach so they could just get tromped. And Houston/Oakland could be an interception battle.
There. That should clear it all up.
Rick, Oakland was the hottest team in the NFL until Carr got hurt. Their momentum seems to have vanished.
I refuse to let the Lions ruin about day for me.
another day
Patti, I have a “feeling” about the Lions. The Seahawks better watch out!
Seattle. I’d say the Raiders absolutely, but losing Carr makes them vulnerable to even a horrible quarterback. I expect a defensive struggle, maybe a blocked kick or other fluke play, but frankly I don’t follow either team enough to really say for sure.
Jeff, Houston and Oakland both have QB woes. You maybe be right about the outcome of the game turning on a fluke play.
Rick has a good point about Houston. Osweiler has been an expensive bust at QB, and Houston must have the worst offensive team ever to get to the playoffs. However, Oakland’s starting a rookie, and even without Watt, Houston had the #1 defense in the NFL during the regular season. If Houston can score a touchdown and a couple of field goals, they have a chance.
Bill, a rookie QB starting his first NFL game in the Playoffs isn’t a prescription for Victory. I think Houston has this one.
I agree. Since I’ve hated the Raiders for decades this is a good thing.
Jeff, the Big Question is why was Carr in the game? Why risk injury (which is exactly what happened)?
All of the prognosticators at Sports Illustrated’s blog pick Seattle over Detroit. They also picked (except one) Huston over Oakland.
My thought? Seattle, but in a much closer game than it probably should be, and Oakland. Yes Carr was doing great, but the rest of the team had a lot to do with the wins. Look what happened in New England in the first 4 weeks.
As for the entire shebang, again, SI unanimously picked NE to win the AFC, and either Dallas or Atlanta the NFC. No one picked Seattle to get beyond Detroit. I’m fine with a New England vs. somebody super bowl, just not, please, Pittsburgh.
Rick, Bill Belichick demonstrated why he is the best coach in the NFL when his Brady-less team went 3-1 during Brady’s suspension. Without Carr, the Oakland Raiders will struggle.
That should have been “They also picked (except one) Houston over Oakland”
I now see the Raiders left tackle will be out for the game. Could give an edge to Houston.
Rick, Bill Crider says it’s 27 degrees in Houston. The weather might affect the game, too!
Probably not in the dome, George.
With the rook, Oakland’s going to run first and try to stay under 25 passes for the game. But Houston has the great defense so if they can plug up the Raiders run game, Osweiler won’t have to do much. But he’s no better than any rookie and if he comes out firing more turnovers again, or if Oakland’s rookie’s any good, then who knows.
Equivocate much? Who, me?
Rick, there’s the old story of FDR who complained about his economic advisers during the Depression. “I want a one-armed economist,” FDR demanded. “I’m sick and tired of hearing economists tell me “On the other hand…'”
George, that’s a good one!
I’ll rember that and use it as a “generic” joke – it fits many situations.
Wolf, feel free to use it!
Cannot root for the raiders. Go Packers (starting early)
Maggie, the Packers are in for a tough game tomorrow.
Halftime: Houston looking good, the Oakland QB struggling, lucky to not have thrown interceptions.
On another note, it started snowing at 10:30 this morning, this is supposed to be the 2nd largish storm of the year. You may recall the last one crippled the city. Still snowing, we may have had an inch, perhaps two so far. Later tonight this will turn to sleety rain, and that will ice us in, likely for a couple of days, as rain follows the sleets and night temps are in the teens.
The Houston defense is taking the Raiders apart.
Jeff, Houston will lose next week no matter who they play.
We’re getting snow too. It started this morning at 8 and is still going for a few more hours. But the real cold – it is 20, feels like 9 – has helped because the real cold has made it a dry, powdery snow that just hasn’t piled up more than 3 or so inches.
From Tuesday we are supposed to be above the normal high of 39, even some 50s, so it should be OK for us to leave next weekend.
Jeff, we’re in for a brief warm-up next week, too. But there’s snow in the forecast for the next couple of days.
Rick, good luck with the storm. The areas south of Buffalo are getting hit with Lake Effect snow: 4 inches per hour!
Too much snow is not really nice …
We’ve been waiting here in Europe for some snow (no white Xmas …) and now we got some in most ski resorts. Here near the Lake Balaton in Hungary we only
have about one inch – but at least it looks good.
But minus 15 Celsius (around 5 Fahrenheit) outside isn’t so nice – we have to heat all the unused rooms a bit so there’s no ice destroying water pipes. This happened to a friend of mine who was away for a month in winter and even the toilets broke because of freezing water in them – a real mess!
Wolf, we woke up to 6 degree temps. The areas south of Buffalo picked up a foot of fresh snow overnight. Winter is definitely here!
Just read from British people living in a small village in Hungary that their main water pipe was frozen – just bottled water in all the village, if you were clever enough to buy some!
You always need a backup …
Wolf, we always have bottled water on hand. We also have a natural gas backup generator. After we lost power for three days back in 2006 because of a surprise snow storm, we decided we didn’t want to go through that experience again. We’ve lost power a few times since and the generator restored our power. But it’s eerie being the only house on our streets with lights and heat!