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Last Playoff Appearance:Oklahoma 2006 Chicago 2005 Playoff Records:Oklahoma 17-13 (2-1 World Bowl) Chicago 5-11 (0-1 World Bowl)
Head to Head: Oklahoma beat Chicago 33-13 Week 10 of this season. Chicago is 1-0 vs Oklahoma in the post season.
Injuries:Oklahoma 4 probable, 1 questionable Chicago 1 probable, 2 questionable
Prediction:Oklahoma 27 Chicago 17
I can't pick Chicago to win but I will say they can win this game if things break right. Oklahoma has the better stats but Raymond Settles threw 26 INTs this season, so Chicago needs to take advantage of that. It will also help if their running game churns out yards as the Blitz offense is not dynamic, scoring 20 points or less in 12 of 16 games. _________________________________________________________________________________
Portland has defeated Oakland 5 straight times with the streak starting when the Storm won in the 2005 playoffs. When these teams play, points are at a premium so I expect another low scoring defensive struggle with Portland making just enough more plays than Oakland to win and advance. _____________________________________________________________________________
Houston Gamblers (9-7) @ San Jose SaberCats (12-4)
Last Playoff Appearance:Houston 2006 San Jose 2005 Playoff Records:Houston 43-16 (9-0 World Bowl) San Jose 9-16 (1-0 World Bowl)
Head to Head: San Jose beat Houston 41-17 Week 6 of 2006. Houston is 3-2 vs San Jose in the post season.
Injuries:Houston 4 probable, 3 questionable, 1 doubtful San Jose 5 probable, 1 doubtful
Prediction:San Jose 34 Houston 30
I don't normally pick against Houston given their post season track record in the USFL but this year's Gamblers team feels different. Houston has the talent and pedigree to pull off the upset, but only if their defense steps up against the most potent passing attack in the league. I would probably pick a larger margin of victory for San Jose but I'm a little worried about Larry Henderson's health, as he suffered a concussion last week. It's only 2007 so there is no concussion protocol yet and they did not sign a backup this week so he's starting the game. Will he finish? Will his production suffer from lingering head trauma?
These teams combined to lose 5 games this season, all to fellow playoff teams. The team stats rankings are pretty even as well so my pick is based on the previous game this season. I expect it to be tougher on the Stallions this time around and Orlando has a chance for the upset for sure. I can see why this was made a prime time game. _____________________________________________________________________________
Jacksonville Bulls (10-6) @ Philadelphia Bell (12-4)
Last Playoff Appearance:Jacksonville 2001 Philadelphia 2006 Playoff Records:Jacksonville 6-12 Philadelphia 5-10 (0-1 World Bowl)
Head to Head: Jacksonville beat Philadelphia 18-17 Week 3 of 2006. Jacksonville and Philadelphia have split the 2 post season games they've played against each other.
Injuries:Jacksonville 1 probable, 2 questionable Philadelphia 5 probable
Prediction:Philadelphia 19 Jacksonville 17
I'm tempted to pick the upset here but I can't pull the trigger on that. Seems like a coin flip game and after flip flopping in my head, I chose Philadelphia. _________________________________________________________________________________
New York Stars (9-7) @ New Orleans VooDoo (15-1)
Point Spread: New Orleans -9
New York: Offense 12th Defense 24th New Orleans: Offense 8th Defense 2nd
Last Playoff Appearance:New York 2006 New Orleans 2006 Playoff Records:New York 5-10 New Orleans 26-22 (1-5 World Bowl)
Head to Head: New Orleans beat New York 42-7 Week 1 of 2005. New York is 1-0 vs New Orleans in the post season.
Injuries:New York 5 probable, 1 questionable, 1 Out New Orleans 5 probable, 3 questionable
Prediction:New Orleans 23 New York 19
Another one of these coin flip games. If Willie Graham can avoid turnovers, New Orleans likely wins, but that's a big if since he has thrown 26 INTs this season. The VooDoo would also be wise to boot the kickoffs out the back of the end zone to avoid Terrance Shull. The win/loss disparity makes this look like a possible non competitive game but I'm not buying into that.
Last Playoff Appearance:Oklahoma 2006 San Antonio 1976 Playoff Records:Oklahoma 18-13 (2-1 World Bowl) San Antonio 0-3
Head to Head: This is the first post season game between these teams. San Antonio swept Oklahoma this season, winning 13-10 in OT Week 2 and 16-15 Week 14.
Injuries:Oklahoma 5 probable, 2 questionable San Antonio 3 probable, 4 questionable, 1 Out
Prediction:San Antonio 15 Oklahoma 12
Like I usually do when division teams face off is take their 2 game scores and divide in half, which would be 14.5 to 12.5. I don't have much else to go on except their 2 previous games, which were both low scoring slugfests. _____________________________________________________________________________
Last Playoff Appearance:Portland 2006 San Jose 2006 Playoff Records:Portland[/b 32-22 (4-3 World Bowl) [b]San Jose 10-16 (1-0 World Bowl)
Head to Head: Portland is 5-2 vs San Jose in the post season. San Jose beat Portland 37-23 Week 4 of this season.
Injuries:Portland 3 probable, 2 questionable, 1 I.R. San Jose 1 probable, 1 questionable
Prediction:San Jose 27 Portland 10
This is my prediction if Smirt continues to not go for it on 4th down as Portland probably can't score enough to keep up if they don't get short fields to work with. If Smirt reverts back to an aggressive approach, I think San Jose still wins but the score would be closer. Turnovers, sacks, and short fields have been costly in the SaberCat losses this season, and if they are going to continue to limit exposure to negative plays, they're probably hoisting the trophy. ________________________________________________________________________________
Of course I'm picking Pittsburgh, they are 16-0. Doesn't mean Jacksonville can't win but they will need a better offensive showing than what they put up against Philadelphia, plus the defensive game of their lives. ______________________________________________________________________________
Birmingham Stallions (14-3) @ New Orleans VooDoo (16-1)
I decided against the average score method for this game as I feel it's going to be a one score game either way. I'm picking New Orleans because they swept Birmingham but the Stallions are a pretty good team in their own right and as division rivals, they know each other very well.
[b]Playoff Records:[/b] San Jose 11-16 (1-0 World Bowl) San Antonio 1-3
Head to Head: This is the first post season game between these teams. San Jose beat San Antonio 44-0 Week 12 of 2005
Injuries:San Jose 1 probable, 1 questionable San Antonio 4 probable, 3 questionable
Prediction:San Jose 27 San Antonio 23
San Antonio allowed 23 points last week, the first time all season they had allowed 20 or more, and now they face the #1 offense in the league. San Jose has averaged 48 points in their 2 playoff wins, and while I don't think they approach their average, I think their superior offense will make just enough plays to get the win and advance to the World Bowl. The Gunslingers could easily win as MFN has them as 7 point favorites, but if I could actually bet on these games I'd hammer San Jose +7.
Regardless of the outcome of this game, brxnivy has done a whale of a job turning his team around. They play in the toughest division in the league but they look like a team with a lot of playoff games in their future. _____________________________________________________________________________
Playoff Records:Birmingham 8-14 (0-1 World Bowl) Pittsburgh 21-15 (1-2 World Bowl)
Head to Head: Pittsburgh is 1-0 vs Birmingham in the post season, which was last year's Conference Championship Game. Pittsburgh beat Birmingham 48-26 Week 12 of this season.
Pittsburgh has beaten Birmingham twice recently, including on the road in the 2006 Conference Championship. This time they are at home and I can't pick against them given their recent history against the Stallions and their team stat rankings. Birmingham has the roster that can beat Pittsburgh, but having the ability is one thing, actually doing it on the field is another.
