It’s that time of year again: the Divisional Round of the
NFL Playoffs. With eight teams still competing to be crowned Super Bowl
Champions, there are 16 possible Super Bowl matchups. Let’s rank the possible
contests from least intriguing to most. This year, we will add a twist by
predicting the winner of each.
16. Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans
No offense to either team, but one
of the matchups has to rank last. This year, even the last-ranked matchup has
some intrigue. Flashback to the 2012 NFL Draft. Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin
III were the talk of the quarterback draft class. While RG3 is technically in
the playoffs (backing up Lamar Jackson in Baltimore), picks 8 and 75 would
battle for a Lombardi. Ryan Tannehill, a wide receiver-turned-quarterback at
Texas A&M would battle Russell Wilson, who was drafted to back up free
agent signee Matt Flynn, but won the job outright. Backed by the Legion of
Boom, he’s already beaten Peyton Manning in one Super Bowl and lost to Tom
Brady in another (and though he threw that interception, that was a bad play
call). While Marshawn Lynch is back in Seattle, the game would likely be
Wilson’s to win without the Legion. Not quite as sexy a matchup as either of
those two previous games, this draws the short straw and ranks as least
intriguing matchup.
Prediction: Seattle Seahawks
15. Minnesota Vikings vs. Tennessee Titans
The 2012 draft strikes again, this
time pitting the 8th overall pick in Tannehill against 102nd
overall pick in Kirk Cousins. Ryan Tannehill, originally drafted by the Miami
Dolphins and Kirk Cousins, originally drafted to be the backup to RG3 in
Washington have both found success with their second teams. In addition, neither
team has ever won a Super Bowl. It’s always fun to see a first-time winner. Each
team has a bruising running game, but Derrick Henry of the Titans may be the
roughest, meanest runner in the league. That said, if the game becomes a
shootout, Minnesota has more aerial weapons.
Prediction:
Minnesota Vikings
14. San Francisco 49ers
vs. Tennessee Titans
No, I don’t hate the Titans. No,
Jimmy Garoppolo was not drafted in 2012. Where this is most intriguing is in
the New England Patriots. Many believe that the Titans win over the Pats in the
Wild Card Round was the end of the Patriots’ dynasty. The death nell? Facing
former Patriots’ backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super Bowl. The man
who could have extended the dynasty facing the team that may have ended it just
as a bunch of irony wrapped into it. In addition, while Tennessee would be
looking to win its first Lombardi trophy, San Fran would look to tie those
Patriots, and the Steelers, with their sixth.
Prediction:
San Francisco 49ers
13. Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens
Prince would enjoy all of the
purple that this matchup would feature. The Ravens were arguably the best team
in the league this year, while the Vikings were the second-best team in their
division. This game features two very good rushing offenses and two pretty darn
good defenses. It could end 6-3 or 41-40. Either way, it could be very, very
purple.
Prediction:
Baltimore Ravens
12. Minnesota Vikings vs. Houston Texans
This one would be entertaining as
both teams are similar: good running games, good defenses, good receiving
corps. The Texans have the younger, more dynamic quarterback while the Vikings
have the $100-million man. Neither team has ever won the Super Bowl, which
ranks this slightly above the other match-ups. That and Deshaun Watson.
Prediction: Houston Texans
11. Green Bay Packers vs. Tennessee Titans
This one falls just outside the top
ten. The storyline here is the Titans more than anything. Having already beaten
Tom Brady and the dynastic Patriots, Tennessee would have to beat the Baltimore
Ravens and either the Chiefs or Texans. They would be a rare sixth-seed making
the Super Bowl. As discussed, they would also be seeking title number one. The
counterpart? Titletown. The team that won the first two. The team that made
people question whether the AFL could compete with the NFL. Could the Titans
complete an improbable run?
Prediction:
Green Bay Packers
10. Green Bay Packers vs. Houston Texans
It sometimes feels like Aaron
Rodgers is the bridge. He’s not the pocket passer that Tom Brady or Peyton
Manning are/were, but he’s not quite the dual threat that, say, a Deshaun
Watson is. He falls somewhere in between. While we never got Rodgers vs.
Manning for it all, and we may never see Rodgers vs. Brady, Rodgers feels like
to old man in the room. He’s a Hall of Famer for sure, but can he keep up with
one of the youngest, most exciting quarterbacks in the league?
Prediction: Houston Texans
9. San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans
Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t quite immobile,
but he’s not the runner that Watson is. But he’s also not quite the bridge
between old and new schools like Rodgers. He’s the heir-apparent turned loose,
given the reigns to a proud franchise looking for number six. It would be an
epic showdown of a quarterback that never gives up in Watson and a QB looking
for ring number 3, but the first of his own (he won two backing up Brady).
Prediction: San Francisco 49ers
8. Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans
Russell Wilson vs. Deshaun Watson.
Tyler Lockett vs. Deandre Hopkins. JJ Watt vs. (former teammate) Jadaveon
Clowney. This has a lot of exciting, position-by-position matchups. Russell
seeks to win one with the Legion of Boom. Watson looks to win Houston its first
ever. It’s almost a shame this ranks so low. There’s also the fun little
Wisconsin tie between Wilson and Watt.
Prediction: Seattle Seahawks
7. Seattle Seahawks vs. Baltimore Ravens
It’s not easy to quantify why I
flip-flop the Ravens and Chiefs a lot. Both are amazing teams, but both offer something
a little different. While KC sneaks by the Ravens here, it’s not a knock on
Baltimore. This game would feature two of the hardest-hitting RBs in football:
Marshawn Lynch and Mark Ingram. This would be a treat. While it could be high
scoring, the potential for that is a little more prevalent with KC, mostly
because the Ravens would grind the clock more.
Prediction:
Baltimore Ravens
6. Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs
There may be a case to be made that
Seattle’s potential matchups would rank higher for me if the Legion of Boom
were still intact. But the most intriguing matchup for Seattle would be an NFC
Championship clash against the San Francisco 49ers. That said, Patrick Mahomes
and Russell Wilson. This could be a shootout and quickly. The two recent Super
Bowls that seem to be the most entertaining throughout are Cardinals vs.
Steelers and Eagles vs. Patriots. Both of those games were back-and-forth. Both
were won late. Both feature spectacular plays. This game could rival that. This
game could set records.
Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs
5. San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
I should note that I love Jimmy
Garoppolo. My favorite quarterback in these playoffs is Deshaun Watson, but
Jimmy G is number two. Granted, that matchup only ranked 9th. While
I don’t have the bro crush for Mahomes that I do for Jimmy G., Watson, or even
Russell Wilson, I have a ton of respect for the man. The most interesting part
of this bout would be Richard Sherman and Tyreek Hill. Could the San Francisco
defense slow down the KC offense? If not, can Garoppolo stand toe-to-toe with
Mahomes like he did with Drew Brees earlier in the year? Add to that the
storyline of a team looking for number six versus a team looking for its first
title in 50 years and you have an epic encounter. But it only ranks 5th.
Prediction: San Francisco 49ers
4. Green Bay Packers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Some of what I noted about Green
Bay vs. Houston applies here, but this Ravens team feels like something else.
They feel like more. They feel like a buzz saw. They seem unbeatable. They have
an historic running attack. They have a record-setting QB. They have three
tight ends that can wreak havoc in the passing game. They have three Heisman
Trophy winners that could line up in the backfield and run a ridiculous
quadruple-option-type play. Then there’s Rodgers, one of the best of all time.
It would have the hype of the Game of Thrones Season 8, but hopefully deliver.
Prediction:
Baltimore Ravens
3. Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs
It’s the rematch 50 years in the
making. The Minnesota Vikings were a 13-point favorite against the Chiefs in
1970, but the AFL won it’s second straight Super Bowl against the NFL. It was
the last game between the two leagues before they fully merged. While the
Chiefs won the game, they haven’t been back since. The Vikings, meanwhile, have
been to four Super Bowls total, but they don’t have any championships.
Someone’s drought comes to an end. When I started this list, I definitely
didn’t have this in the top ten. In thinking about the history imbedded in this
potential game, however, its catapults to number three.
Prediction: Kansas City Chief
2. Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
My favorite storylines in Super
Bowls are young versus old. The aforementioned battles of Wilson against
Manning and Brady had me salivating. Likewise, I savored the potential of Matt
Ryan challenging Tom Terrific, and even Jared Goff trying his hand against the
best QB of all time (despite how terrible that game actually was to watch). The
only story line I like better is legend vs. legend. I’m talking The Rock vs.
Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18. But there’s no real opportunity for that, here.
With Brady and Brees already eliminated, with Roethlisberger injured, Peyton retired,
and Eli ineffective, Rodgers is the last legend standing. But Mahomes is the
next legend. He’s the heir apparent to the mantle. This will be his league in a
couple of years. Or now. Or, at least, it should be; it could be. He has the
arm strength. He has the mobility. He has the offensive weapons. From a pure QB
perspective, this is the best matchup remaining. Oh, and there’s the history of
the franchise that almost ruined the idea of AFL vs. NFL and the franchise that
solidified competition between the two leagues (yes, the Jets began that
statement in Super Bowl III). This would be a barn-burner. Cue Creed’s “Young
Grow Old” and let the battle…wait, there’s a better option?
Prediction:
Kansas City Chiefs
1 1. San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Call me a prisoner of the moment.
Remind me that these two teams already faced each other this season. But
remember, that game ended as time expired…and it was pouring. Here’s hoping
Miami doesn’t treat this game like it did the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis
Colts and stays dry. But why these two? Because they are, almost certainly, the
two best teams in the 2019 NFL season. Yes, the Ravens lost to the Browns. Yes,
the 49ers lost to Falcons. I’m not saying every week they were the best version
of themselves. However, I dare you to watch all 31 games they played this year
and tell me that they don’t pass the eye test. Sure, it was more fun after the
2012 season when it was the Har-bowl (John Harbaugh and the Ravens against Jim
Harbaugh and the 49ers). In fact, the fact that this isn’t a rematch of Joe
Flacco and Colin Kaepernick only makes this more interesting. The most athletic
quarterback since Michael Vick against the quarterback that could have
inherited Brady’s throne. Two great rushing teams versus two great defenses.
This isn’t Rock/Hogan, it’s Shawn Michaels and Brett Hart at WrestleMania XII.
Two of the best, that will go the distance, and it may well come down to
overtime.
Prediction: San Francisco 49ers
