…And then there were four. Seattle, Green Bay, New England and Indianapolis managed to escape the divisional round and live another week, while the defeated look forward to training camp next season. Two games remain before Super Bowl XLIX. This Sunday, the Halas and Hunt trophies will be awarded. Though it’s not the Lombardi, it beats a blank.
Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks
Ever since the infamous “Fail Mary” game and their Week 1 loss, both against the Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers have been hungry for revenge. Green Bay will get their chance this Sunday at Seattle in what will be a classic gridiron battle. This game features Aaron Rodgers, one of the best quarterbacks in football, facing off against the league’s best defense.
Of course, that’s hardly the only storyline swirling around the MVP-candidate. Rodgers isn’t playing nearly at 100 percent due to a brutal calf strain that clearly has taken a toll on his mobility. Although his flame-throwing arm still functions properly, he most effectively plays when he can maneuver the pocket. The tough Rodgers insists that he’ll be ready to go on Sunday and if victorious, beyond. “I think I’ve got 120 minutes left in me,” Rodgers told ESPN reporter Jason Wilde. “So I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I can play all those minutes.”
In Week 1, Seattle dismantled Green Bay’s high-powered offense with a healthy Rodgers taking the snaps. So how well does a hobbling Rodgers fare? Let’s just say the odds are against him.
Last week, the Packers offense relied heavily on running back Eddie Lacy to do some damage. The Alabama product responded with a gracious 101 yards on 19 attempts. Rookie wide receiver Davante Adams also had a big game with 117 yards and a touchdown, with veteran Randall Cobb right behind him with 116. The Packers’ air attack will look to remain on track, though they face several challenges in Seattle’s ball-hawking secondary.
All-Pro safeties Earl Thomas III and Kam Chancellor lead the defense, with fellow All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman guarding the boundaries. Adding Byron Maxwell to the mix, this secondary ranks among the deadliest in the league. The front seven don’t joke around either. Pro-bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner won’t miss a tackle, and defensive end Michael Bennett can wreak havoc for any quarterback. If Seattle’s third-ranked run defense can contain Lacy, Rodgers will have to be wearing a cape on Sunday.
After DeMarco Murray ran all over Green Bay’s defense last week, Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch will look to play copycat. Pro-bowl linebacker Clay Matthews and safety Morgan Burnett can help stabilize the Green Bay defense, and will need to if they want to have a chance in this game. Not to mention, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson never loses at home. Backed by the “12th man,” Wilson is an astounding 25-2 at CenturyLink Field.
Wilson and Lynch should be able to generate points against the Packers defense, and though it is quite an uphill climb for Green Bay, I like Rodgers and the Packers to score just a couple more points, pulling off the upset.
Prediction: Green Bay 20, Seattle 17
Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots
After creating a historic rivalry throughout the last decade, the Indianapolis Colts will take on the New England Patriots once again in the postseason. Andrew Luck, the young gun from Indy, takes on yet another old legend this upcoming Sunday in Tom Brady. Brady will make his ninth AFC Championship appearance while Luck debuts for his first of many to come.
The Colts are coming off the biggest win of Luck’s career—an impressive 24-13 win over future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and the Broncos. This game served as a “passing of the torch” among NFL quarterbacks. “While the monarchic rules of succession usually transfer the crown from king to heir at the moment of death, football rarely gives us moments that so clearly define the end of one era and the beginning of another,” writes Bleacher Report columnist Ty Schalter. Luck has created an era of his own among quarterbacks.
For the Colts, however, it seems that the rest of their roster falls a level short of what the other three contenders have built. Though it’s likely that the Colts will have to wait for their Super Bowl run, they are all set at quarterback, the most important position on the field.
Apart from Pro-Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, the Colts’ defense lacks speed and overall skill. Speedy New England wide outs Julian Edleman and Danny Amendola will play huge factors against the slow secondary. The monstrous tight end Rob Gronkowski also looks to see a heavy load of targets from his famed signal-caller. In last year’s divisional round, running back LaGarrette Blount rushed for over 150 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Colts. With a weak defensive line, the Colts could see similar numbers from the bruising tailback on Sunday night.
On the other side of the ball, the Colts don’t seem to have the upper hand either. Though they could do some damage through the air, running back “Boom” Herron leads a weak rushing attack. New England linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins should easily plug the holes, while Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones look to add to their sack totals.
On a positive note, wide outs T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief have blazing speed, which enables them to beat the jams set by opposing cornerbacks Darelle Revis and Brandon Browner. Tight end Coby Fleener also looks to connect with Luck for big plays. Luck has a cannon for an arm, and if the receivers break open the secondary, he could pick apart the defense. This will have to occur in order for Luck to keep Brady from making his sixth Super Bowl start, an all-time record. However, I don’t see the rising star making his debut on football’s biggest stage just yet.
Prediction: Indianapolis 20, New England 31
