Official NFL Championship Games Prediction Thread

by Josh from Hollywood on Jan 15, 2007 10:19 PM PST

I hope I'm not stealing reppin the bay's thunder by posting this early, but I'm finding myself with a lot of free time today (thank you, writer's block!), and I'm itching to make some (inaccurate) picks for the games this weekend. Without further ado, here they are:

Colts 23, Patriots 20

I'm hoping and thinking that these 2006 Colts are football's version of the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals -- the weakest overall team they've sent to the post-season in years, who peak at the right time, and take advantage of favorable matchups and a somewhat weak field to win a long-awaited championship. The Patriots were handed their victory in San Diego this past weekend, and I think they are too slow on defense to keep up with the Colts stellar recieving corps (Don't expect them to drop passes like the Chargers WRs did on Sunday, New England). I think the Pats gamely hang in this one until the end, but are finally undone by a late FG by Vinateri. Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?

Saints 27, Bears 20

I'm not a fan of the Bears, who are inconsistent on offense and not nearly as good on defense as they were earlier in the year, thanks in large part to injuries. The Saints, meanwhile, have a ton going for them: lots of talent on offense, a constantly improving defense, momentum, and of course, Karma. Another factor going for the Saints: The weather is actually supposed to be decent (Mother Nature owes New Orleans). If Grossman has one of his patented bad games, I think this one could get out of hand, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he plays just well enough to lose by a TD.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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Colts and Saints

Indianapolis 27 - New England 20

As tempting as it was to copy SRO's Vinatieri for the win idea, I think this game Peyton wakes up and the Colts roll on.

New Orleans 24 - Chicago 14

I think Grossman blows this one up, and Griese can't bring them back to a win. This seems like a magic season for the Saints.

by gatling on Jan 15, 2007 10:35 PM PST 0 recs

Wait a second

Was that an Alanis Morriset reference in the diary body?

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over...

by howtheyscored on Jan 15, 2007 11:56 PM PST 0 recs

Yes, and I'm sorry

I was going to just say that Vinateri beating the Pats would be ironic, but then I realized that wasn't actually true. Irony is when an incongruity exists between what might be expected and what actually occurs, and Vinateri winning a big playoff game with a late FG is not unexpected in the least. Him beating the Pats with a FG would simply be a juicy coincidence. And when I think of coincidence and happenstance mislabled as irony, I think of Miss Morrisette, who is responsible for more misuse of the word "irony" than anyone alive.

Once a cobra bit Frank Gore's leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.

by Josh from Hollywood on Jan 16, 2007 12:46 AM PST up 0 recs

ha!

I knew it!

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over...

by howtheyscored on Jan 16, 2007 8:23 AM PST up 0 recs

What would be ironic is if

the Pats signed VanderLebats and he beat the Colts with a game winning FG.

That being said the Pats must be doing some voodoo or something, because they don't win games, they just find a way not to lose. Prediction: Pats 24 Colts 21.

The Bears look deflated but Chicago is damn cold this time of year (esp. THIS year) and Soldier Field gets LOUD, but I don't think that's going to be enough. I think the Saints squeeze out a win. Prediction: Saints 17 Bears 10.

I think the Super Bowl is going to be a little anti-climatic this year because the real exciting game is going to be the AFC championship. Kind of reminds me of the Yanks/Sox ALCS a few years ago when the SOX finally beat NY. Everyone forgets that they went in and steamrolled St. Louis, because that WS was boring.

Nobody hit like Ronnie

by 42Blackout on Jan 16, 2007 4:48 PM PST up 0 recs

Predictions

New England @ Indianapolis: This game is too good. Finally, the Colts get the Pats in Indy. Manning pulls it together from the last two games, but the Colts still get caught in a lower scoring affair. There's just no way to predict the difference being any higher than eight, but I can't believe another one comes down to a field goal. This weekend, it's touchdown or bust for New England and they just can't make it.

New England 17 - Indianapolis 23

New Orleans @ Chicago: Frigid Chicago with that kind of noise. This game will be won and lost on the ground, and while Reggie Bush is learning the fine art of fumbling when it counts at an accellerated pace, Deuce McCallister grinds out a win against a Chicago offense with very little going for it.

New Orleans 19 - Chicago 10

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over...

by howtheyscored on Jan 16, 2007 6:01 PM PST 0 recs

I'm good

You can go ahead and take over the game, I like participating more than hosting, and I definitely won't have the stamina to go ahead and do this every week next year.

My picks:
Patriots 27, Colts 24
Saints 24, Bears 17

by reppin the bay on Jan 16, 2007 7:58 PM PST 0 recs

my picks

If the Colts are going to win, it'll be fairly handily. If they let Brady and the Pats hang around too long, those guys will find a way to win it. Since, the Colts are at home and have beaten the Pats 2x in a row, I'll pick them. It's just their time to get it done.

Colts 31, Pats 20

The Bears will have trouble running against the Saints D and need to win this one through the air. Unfortunately for the Bears, Rex had a good game last week, which means this week will be a stinker. The Bears D isn't what it was earlier in the season, but will make some plays. The Saints will have a little trouble in the cold weather with possible rain, but Deuce will run wild and the Saints get it done in a sloppy game by both teams.

Saints 17, Bears 9

Bring back Eddie D.

by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 17, 2007 9:30 AM PST 0 recs

My Picks

Pats @ Colts: Since I have lived in New England my whole life I have always rooted for the Pats (other than the rare occasion when they play the Niners which might I add hasnt gone well the last few times such as Scott FREAKING Zolak beating Steve Young in 98 and the mismatch of all mismatches several years ago with Tom Brady facing Ken Dorsey) but this year I cant do it. All you hear about in NE is how they get no respect, they have no pro bowlers, nobody believes in them, ect. I have never heard a successful team complain and cry so much and I've finally snapped. The Colts may as well be the Niners this weekend cause I will root for them just as hard as I do the Niners just so I dont have to hear two more weeks of annoying Pats fans, writers and talk show hosts bitching talking about no one believing in them and them "shocking the world" SHUT UP!! That being said, this should be a great game as it always is when these two teams match up. I think Indy's defense is the difference, they've played way over their head the last few weeks and the Pats have a depleted secondary which could make this game a blow out if Indy's D maintains its recent level of success. On the other hand Trent Green and Steve McNair are no Tom Brady. Close game, Colts win in the end FINALLY beating the Pats when it counts.
Colts-24 Pats-20

Saints @ DA BEARS: Chicago's D just isnt the same without Tommie Harris and New Orleans' speed on offense should give them fits. Always beware of dome teams going north in the dead of winter but I think the Saints create matchup nightmares for the Bears and they appear to be this year's team of destiny. Rex Grossman has another one of his "Bad Rex" games, Saints take this one.
Saints-28 Bears-16

Superman wears Frank Gore pajamas

by Jayp849 on Jan 17, 2007 1:32 PM PST 0 recs

da zoupa bowl

chitown vs patsies

who threw da snowball at da kicker?

by creekside on Jan 17, 2007 4:25 PM PST 0 recs

make sure

you put scores if you want in on the competition

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Jan 17, 2007 8:32 PM PST up 0 recs

Colts over Pats

with vinateri kicking the winning field goal.

by IM4Niners on Jan 17, 2007 7:05 PM PST 0 recs

Would that be irony?

Maybe the Pats not wanting to pay guys what they're worth will bite them this year. Can't wait to see.

Nobody hit like Ronnie

by 42Blackout on Jan 18, 2007 5:43 PM PST up 0 recs

It would be ironic

and fun. hehe

by IM4Niners on Jan 21, 2007 2:40 PM PST up 0 recs

predixons

patsys 21 indy 10

chitown 34 no 14

who threw da snowball at da kicker?

by creekside on Jan 17, 2007 10:52 PM PST 0 recs

My Predictions

NE - 27
Indy - 21

NO - 28
Chicago - 17

PT-42

by norcaldevilasu on Jan 18, 2007 8:54 AM PST 0 recs

waiting till the last minute again

Colts 27 - Pats 20 Not sure why but I think Indy finally gets it done. NE has one last chance to tie the game on a long drive, but they need a TD instead of a Vinateiri special and it doesn't happen.

Saints 31 - Bears 17 Even in Chicago I think the Saints roll. Grossman finally plays so bad they can't win and the Bears D can't contain the Saints.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Jan 20, 2007 11:35 AM PST 0 recs

As am I...

For once I'm going with what I want, as opposed to what I think.

Patriots 31 - Colts 30: I think the odds of it coming down to either kicker is slim or none, but I can't help but join the Irony Express. It comes down to either a Gostkowski make or a Vinatieri miss. Both offenses will look sharp but the symbolism would just be perfect.

Bears 24 - Saints 20: All my instincts say to pick the Saints, but I don't know if I could handle 2 weeks of Saints stories leading up to the Super Bowl. Maybe I'm heartless, but it's just overload. I think Rex continues to play just well enough to win and the defense takes care of business. I think I finally snapped when I heard a radio host refer to Reggie Bush as a stud and how it was so great that he was able to get such a stud player on his show. I'm sorry, but I've just about had it.

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Jan 20, 2007 12:23 PM PST 0 recs

Ugh,,,

I could say a thing or two about how much of a "stud" Reggie Bush is.

I notice everybody who mentions the Saints running game here talks about how Deuce grinds the win out in Chicago, while Bush is conspicuously absent.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over...

by howtheyscored on Jan 20, 2007 12:32 PM PST up 0 recs

and the point goes to...

creekside? with a prediction of 34-14 making him off by 5 in total points and 5 in PD, meaning he gets the low score of 10, correct?

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Jan 21, 2007 3:17 PM PST 0 recs

I think so

Looks like it. He and I were the only ones to pick the Bears I think and I had a lower scoring, closer game so yea it's all his.

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Jan 21, 2007 3:18 PM PST up 0 recs

Well

Congrats to creekside on the pick.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over...

by howtheyscored on Jan 21, 2007 3:36 PM PST up 0 recs

scores for game 2

me - 28
jayp - 28 (exact PD)
SRO- 30
gatling - 28 (same as me)
HTS - 34
not stocks - 28

it goes to Jayp?

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Jan 21, 2007 7:25 PM PST 0 recs

Wow

As long as the math is right (and I believe it is), I believe that under the rules as established you, jayp, gatling, and nostocks all get .5 a point. The scoring system is designed to balance PD and TS, so even though jayp nailed the PD, his prediction was still as far off as the rest of you because his TS was farther off.

Unless we want to amend the rules again, but I see no reason to really. The half point for everybody feels pretty fair.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over...

by howtheyscored on Jan 21, 2007 7:31 PM PST up 0 recs

reasonable

I wasn't sure what tie breakers there were (didn't go back to read all that) - if there is no tie breaker in place then we all get the half point. Someone should double check my math though. I had been thinking that Fooch (I think it was Fooch) won it handily until my roommate pointed out he had picked that pats to win.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Jan 21, 2007 7:51 PM PST up 0 recs

oh well

I was close, but yea I did have the patriots winning. I don't think it was ever written in stone, but obviously if you pick the wrong team you clearly can't get a point (unless EVERYONE picks the wrong team).

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Jan 21, 2007 8:04 PM PST up 0 recs

Uh.

It was written in stone: "You can earn one point from each game. The following rules will be used to determine who wins the point:
1.) The obvious one: you have to pick correctly the team that wins."

by reppin the bay on Jan 22, 2007 4:47 PM PST up 0 recs

Whoops

Well thanks for clarifying that one there. :)

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Jan 23, 2007 10:13 AM PST up 0 recs

Standings

Fooch = 3.5
Sprint Right Option = 2.5
gatling = 2.5
HowTheyScored = 1
creekside = 1
wjackalope = .5
JayP849 = .5
nostockjustbonds = .5

Right?

by gatling on Jan 21, 2007 8:10 PM PST 0 recs

I suck at predictions

that's why I stay away from Vegas.

Nobody hit like Ronnie

by 42Blackout on Jan 21, 2007 11:49 PM PST up 0 recs

Super Bowl pick em

How about we make the Super Bowl worth 2 points instead of one? It's a big enough game that I think that's fair. Right now I clinch a tie, but if the super bowl is worth 2 points, then 2 others could finish ahead of me. Thoughts?

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on Jan 21, 2007 10:38 PM PST 0 recs