Andy Cash’s Money Playoff Picks 2015 – NFL Championship Weekend
There are only two games left to play to determine which two teams will make it to the NFL's biggest game, Super Bowl XLIX! Competing in the NFC Championship game are the Green Bay Packers and The Seattle Seahawks. In the AFC Championship game, you'll see The New England Patriots and The Indianapolis Colts. Here are my picks for the second biggest weekend of the NFL post-season.
1. The Green Bay Packers @ The Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, January 18th @ 3:05 p.m. on FOX
I believe it is fitting that these two teams are facing off in the final NFC matchup of the season considering this was the first game of the 2015 regular season. During that game The Packers weren't able to do anything really offensively and Seattle dominated with a score of 36-16. There was no team in the NFL that was going to be able to go into CenturyLink Field and beat Seattle week 1 after coming off a Super Bowl victory. This rematch is also going to be played at CenturyLink Field and it will be a tough one for my Green Bay Packers.
Seattle's defense and the infamous "12th Man" combined with the injury to Aaron Rodgers will make this an uphill battle for the Packers. Offensively, Green Bay has struggled in the last three games against the defending Super Bowl champs. Aaron Rodgers has only thrown one touchdown pass and the running game has been a challenge. Offensively for the Seahawks, they have too many weapons including a quarterback in Russell Wilson who is extremely mobile. Packers fans are well aware of the danger in facing a quarterback that can run. In the last two years Green Bay has had their Super Bowl dreams crushed by the legs of Kaepernick and the 49ers run game. With all that in mind, and yes I am a Green Bay fan, I have to be realistic. I believe that for the second year in a row, Seattle will be representing the NFC in Arizona.
Predicted Score: The Green Bay Packers 17, The Seattle Seahawks 24.
2. The Indianapolis Colts @ The New England Patriots
Sunday, January 18th @ 6:40 p.m. on CBS
Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots have been in the AFC Conference Championship game for the past 4 seasons. They are at this point automatically assumed to be a #1 or #2 seed and rightly so. Tom Brady is one of the best players to ever wear the #12 and play the quarterback position and the brilliance of Belichick has played a huge part in that success. On the other hand in this game you have the young Andrew Luck, who already has traits of Brett Favre. I firmly believe Luck will be one of the greats when it's all
said and done. Chuck Pagano has not dissapointed when it comes to filling the void left when Peyton Manning did. The Colts handled Manning and the Broncos no problem. Their defense was aggressive and their offense is stacked with weapons. It will definitely be a great game and at least for as long as Brady plays, it will prove to be a possible future playoff rivalry. I believe that it will come down to the wire, but ultimately I'm going to go with the Colts in this one. Andrew Luck has great leadership qualities and the passion needed to make it to the big game and I believe they will pull off the upset. I'm going COLTS BABY!!!
Predicted Score: The Indianapolis Colts 30, The New England Patriots 24.