NFL Playoffs Predictions – Championship Weekend Edition

Four teams, two tickets for the Super Bowl.  Championship weekend is as good as it gets with the fours best squads clashing for a place in history.  Here are the NFL predictions for Sunday:

New England Patriots+4.5 vs Denver Broncos -4.5. Game Total: 55

Tom Brady is 10-4 all-time against Peyton Manning, and have won and covered the spread in his last four meetings against the Broncos, including twice where Denver had Manning as their QB.

“I know different times coach will make us aware of [outside opinions],” Brady said. “I know when we played Baltimore no one picked us to win, and no one’s gonna pick us to win this week.”

The Patriots think they have been in disadvantage since week one, and they know how to handle being the underdog in the fight.

“We’ve had our backs against the wall for a while, really the whole season,” Brady said. “We’ve lost players, and teams have really counted us out. We’ve got a bunch of underdogs on our team, and we’ll be underdogs again. We’ll see how that shakes out at the end of the week. But we’re as tough and physical as we’ve ever been, and we’re gonna go out and play this game, and that’s a great challenge for us to … go in there and try to beat ’em.”

The pressure is on Manning; he has the better roster; he’s at home, and with an 10-11 postseason record he’s obligated to win to improve his all-time status.

“That is … even the Patriots is ahead, and that question [about his neck] is way far ahead, so I am not there,” Manning said. “I’ve really been, this team has been a one week at a time season. For all we’ve been through, losing our coach and losing different guys to injuries, that approach has served us well. I think we need to keep that approach from here on out.”

Six of the last seven games between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Predictions: Patriots +4.5.

San Francisco 49ers +3.5 at Seattle Seahawks -3.5. Game Total: 39

49ers QB Colin Kaepernick is 4-1 in the playoffs, but he needs to win in a place where he has only recollected losses.  Kaepernick is 0-2 at CenturyLink Field with 1 TD and 4 INTs.

San Francisco has won 8 straight games, two of them as visitors in the postseason, and they seemed poised about the fact that they got to the NFC championship game for the third time in a row.

The Seahawks offense needs to step up; they are averaging 144 yards per game 2nd worst in NFL.

“I think the competitor in me always wants to make the smart decision and help the football team in the best way possible, ’’ he said. “Whatever that is — if it’s running the football, and sliding and getting 3 yards, or throwing the ball away, or taking a shot downfield. There’s times you have to take a shot down field.”

Prediction: 49ers +3.5.