Super Bowl XLV Recap

Super Bowl Pick: 0-1
Super Bowl ATS: 0-1
Overall Picks: 170-97
Overall ATS: 142-120-5

Super Bowl XLV

GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Line: Packers -2.5
O/U: 44.5
My Pick: Steelers +2.5. Pittsburgh hoists the Lombardi Trophy after a 21-17 triumph!

I guess I overlooked the fact that Green Bay is 3-1 in Super Bowls...not far off of Pittsburgh's 6-1...which was the main reason I went with the Steelers! Both played a solid game, but Pittsburgh just couldn't overcome three bad turnovers that led to 21 Green Bay points. In short, it was a great game, and the Packers are a deserving champion. The halftime show was awkward (The Slash part may have been the only redeemable part - what was up with the dancers with the boxes on their heads?), the anthem was a mess, and I still don't quite understand why Fox put together a reading of the Declaration of Independence to be read as part of the pregame show...but the game itself was fantastic. Now we must suffer through 6 football-less months...as long as golf season begins soon, most of us will be ok.

Let's hope for Giants vs. Jets in Super Bowl XLIV at New Meadowlands Stadium in 2012!

Super Bowl XLV Preview

Super Bowl XLV

GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Line: Packers -2.5
O/U: 44.5

This should be a classic Super Bowl. Two of the most storied programs in Super Bowl history, two fantastic young quarterbacks, and two of the league's best, most hard-hitting defenses - Can we really ask for anything more? It's actually difficult to pick a winner! It will all depend on how the Packers handle the Super Bowl atmosphere; Most of the Steelers have been through Super Bowl Week before.

The Packers were an early-season pick to win it all, but ended up as the NFC's #6 seed after injuries took their toll. Pittsburgh wasn't in that same "Super Bowl" discussion before the year started, but was mentioned as a team that "could" make a Super Bowl run.

Now that the participants have been decided, I see both as fitting, deserving representatives of their conferences. The NFC was very odd this year - A 7-9 playoff team, a front-runner (Dallas) finishing 6-10 - so it's only proper for the NFC's 6-seed to be in the Super Bowl (and to be favored to win!). The AFC was top-heavy, with the Pats, Steelers, Ravens, and Jets all having very good years. The AFC West was very shaky all year and Indy had injury issues, so you had to figure the Super Bowl participant would be one of the "big four". The fact that the so-named "big four" all made the divisional round further proves my point. Pittsburgh fought through Baltimore and New York to get to Dallas...so they're clearly deserving.

Big Ben knows how to win Super Bowls, and that's why I'm going to pick the Steelers. He's not as flashy as Rodgers, and likely won't set any of the records that Rodgers will in his career - But the one record Roethlisberger may break is Bradshaw's record of 4 Super Bowl victories. I'll bet any player in the NFL would gladly trade all of his individual awards in favor of that one accomplishment. Big Ben may not go down as the nicest, smartest guy in NFL history; But if he wins another Super Bowl or two, he'll always be remembered as a winner.

My Pick: Steelers +2.5. Pittsburgh hoists the Lombardi Trophy after a 21-17 triumph!

Championship Weekend Recap

Championship Weekend Picks: 2-0
Championship Weekend ATS: 0-2
Overall Picks: 170-96
Overall ATS: 142-119-5

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

GREEN BAY PACKERS @ CHICAGO BEARS
Line: Packers -3.5
O/U: 43.5
My Pick: Bears +3.5. Packers win 23-21.
Result: Packers 21-14
This one wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be. As a result, it was a wider margin of victory than I expected. And yes, I think Cutler is a wuss.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

NEW YORK JETS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Line: Steelers -3.5
O/U: 38.5
My Pick: Jets +3.5. Steelers win 27-24.
Result: Steelers 24-19
The Steelers' defensive TD late in the first half really doomed the Jets, but I think it was their early lack of committment to the run game that ultimately caused their season to end. They're a run-first, defensive team with a second-year quarterback...there is no reason for them to throw the ball so much. Once they get behind, I understand that the game plan changes. But when they were still in the game, I'm not sure why they didn't try to run more.

Championship Weekend Preview

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

GREEN BAY PACKERS @ CHICAGO BEARS
Line: Packers -3.5
O/U: 43.5
This'll be an outstanding game. The Packers have been playing very well, but the Bears always seem to know how to shut down Green Bay's offense. The two games they've played against one another so far this year have been intense and very close. I don't think I'd give either team 3 1/2 points!
My Pick: Bears +3.5. Packers win 23-21.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

NEW YORK JETS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Line: Steelers -3.5
O/U: 38.5
This game amounts to the same situation as the NFC Championship game...I'm not sure I can pick either team to win by 3 1/2! I want to pick the Jets for three reasons: because they are playing fantastic defense, they want to win for their coach (who has lost in a league title game 2 straight years), and they're a great road team. Instead, however, I have to take the Steelers - The Jets seemed a little too excited about last week's win, and we often see teams put forth less-than-stellar efforts after a big, emotional win. In a sense, the Jets already had their Super Bowl...
My Pick: Jets +3.5. Steelers win 27-24.

Divisional Weekend Recap

Divisional Picks: 2-2

Divisional ATS: 2-2

Overall Picks: 168-96

Overall ATS: 142-117-5

BALTIMORE RAVENS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Line: Steelers -3
O/U: 37
My Pick: Ravens +3. Baltimore wins 17-13.
Result: Steelers 31-24
My gut said to take the Steelers, but I like the Ravens...Oh well. I thought Ray Lewis would be more of a factor, but he was nearly invisible.

GREEN BAY PACKERS @ ATLANTA FALCONS

Line: Falcons -2.5

O/U: 43.5

My Pick: Falcons -2.5. Atlanta wins 20-17 (again).

Result: Packers 48-21

Again, my gut said to take the Packers...why don't I listen to my gut when it comes to Saturday games? Quite the disappointment for Atlanta, but Green Bay is playing awfully well right now...

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ CHICAGO BEARS

Line: Bears -10

O/U: 41

My Pick: Bears -10. Chicago wins 17-3.

Result: Bears 35-24

I'm surprised the Bears' D weakened late and allowed the Seahawks to score 24 points. Thankfully they still fell short of the spread, finished 2 games under .500, and lost 10 games by no less than 11 points. Why am I thankful for this? Because even after they knocked out the defending champs (who REFUSED to play defense in that game...), I still don't think they deserved a playoff berth. The aforementioned stats prove my point.

NEW YORK JETS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Line: Pats -8.5

O/U: 44.5

My Pick: Jets +8.5. New York wins outright 20-19.

Result: Jets 28-21

I wasn't all that sure about this pick, but for some reason I like the "fight" the Jets have in them. I'm not thrilled about their desire to "rub it in" after they won, but I do understand their pregame frustration and the fact that they thought Brady rubbed it in after the Pats dismantled them in early December. Brady wasn't running around the field with his arms stretched out like a 5-year-old playing "airplane", however. Real mature, Jets. Real mature. Not sure why I would have expected anything different...