Wild Card Weekend Prediction Thread

[Tenshot13]

Bangles
Eagles
Ravens
Packers

So you're ALLLLLLLLLLL taking the Packers, huh?

This is just like last year where the Cards were that team that everyone thought would lose. I see them edging out the Packers. Don't count out that Kurt Warner guy.

No Boldin, Rolle is hurt, and someone else in their secondary too (I heard it on the radio, but was only half paying attention ).  That's why I picked Green Bay.

[fyo]

Philly over Dallas  (it's REALLY hard to beat a good team three times in a season)

Yeah, and it's REALLY unlikely that you'll flip heads 10 times in a row, but once you've done the first 9, you're still 50/50 for the last one.

[Dave Gray]

Yeah, and it's REALLY unlikely that you'll flip heads 10 times in a row, but once you've done the first 9, you're still 50/50 for the last one.

I don't just mean statistically. 

I think that by the time you play a third time, it's likely that your opponent will adjust to beat you.  Meanwhile, you don't really adjust to beat a team that you've beaten twice.

[StL FinFan]

Jets
Cowboys
Ravens
Packers

[TonyB0D]

Jets (they win HUGE)
Igglez (we all know the cowgirls will collapse against big game mcnabb)
Pats
Cardz (warner gets knocked out, leinart comes in for game-winning come from behind drive)

[Philly Fin Fan]

I don't just mean statistically. 

I think that by the time you play a third time, it's likely that your opponent will adjust to beat you.  Meanwhile, you don't really adjust to beat a team that you've beaten twice.

The problem is the Eagles don't have long drives, they win on long plays. (And thats been all season long.) And the Cowboys have shut down Desean Jackson in both games, and he's the main "big play threat" on the Eagles.

[fyo]

I don't just mean statistically. 

I think that by the time you play a third time, it's likely that your opponent will adjust to beat you.  Meanwhile, you don't really adjust to beat a team that you've beaten twice.

That's quite an unsubstantiated claim. I don't know that there have been enough cases where teams have met a third time to be able to say either way. If your theory holds water, the probability of team A beating team B a second time should be greater than beating them a third.

Personally, I think it's more likely to be the other way around, in that some teams/coaches just seem to have another's "number" (whether do to match-ups or whatever).

There's also going to be a home field effect pushing it in "my" direction, since if team A beats team B twice in a season, they are probably going to be hosting that third meeting.

[Dave Gray]

It's unlikely that teams will meet 3 times in a season to begin with because they have to be from the same division, where one team was swept.  It's probably unlikely that a team makes the playoffs, after getting swept by a division rival that also makes the playoffs.

[Brian Fein]

Bengals over Jets
Philly over Dallas  (it's REALLY hard to beat a good team three times in a season)
Pats over Ravens
Packers over Cards

So, I have 2 favorites and 2 dogs.

Dave is completely correct.

(this is twice in 5 minutes that I've agreed with Dave.  I am scared...)

[Philly Fin Fan]

BTW- most idiotic quote of the playoffs so far comes compliments of the twitter account of the aforementioned Desean Jackson:
Got smashed by them cowboys 2daaaaaay sheeeeesh its all good we gonna sting they ass next week lil buddy

"Sting they ass"? Really? Great edu-ma-cation you got at Cal!

[Brian Fein]

The stat on the third game:

19 times in NFL history has a team met the third time in the playoffs after losing the first two.

12 of those games, the winning team won the third game as well.

I heard it on the radio.

[Sunstroke]

That's quite an unsubstantiated claim. I don't know that there have been enough cases where teams have met a third time to be able to say either way. If your theory holds water, the probability of team A beating team B a second time should be greater than beating them a third.

Personally, I think it's more likely to be the other way around, in that some teams/coaches just seem to have another's "number" (whether do to match-ups or whatever).

There's also going to be a home field effect pushing it in "my" direction, since if team A beats team B twice in a season, they are probably going to be hosting that third meeting.

I'm with fyo on this one...when I see Team A consistently beat Team B, and the wins aren't categorized as "fluke" type wins, then I think it usually means that individual player matchups (and sometimes even coaching matchups) between the two squads are skewed heavily in Team A's favor. Sure, Team B's coaches may find a way to adjust certain sets, play calls (and play call sequences), etc... to minimize those individual player matchup advantages, but those advantages are still there at the base when those two teams face each other.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

Cardz (warner gets knocked out, leinart comes in for game-winning come from behind drive)

If Warner goes out for any reason the Cards are sunk. Lineart is the worst excuse for a would be NFL QB I have ever seen. In games where the Cards were winning big they would pull Warner and Matt would come in throw his turnovers and they would have to bring Warner back into the game. His play last week was as horrendous as it has been all season. I think the Lineart experience will come to an abrupt end this off season. Matt Sucks!!!!!

[Pats2006]

Jets over Bungles
Dallas over Philly
Pats over Ravens
Packers over Cards

[fyo]

It's unlikely that teams will meet 3 times in a season to begin with because they have to be from the same division, where one team was swept.  It's probably unlikely that a team makes the playoffs, after getting swept by a division rival that also makes the playoffs.

It was your theory. Anyway, Brian was kind enough to shoot it down

(Not saying the Eagles won't win it, but odds don't appear to favor them)