As no one has started this thread yet I will do so as attention moves from the now completed regular season.
Some ESPN commentary on all 14 playoff teams to start off:
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Here’s the recap on the playoffs seedings and tiebreakers for those interested or puzzled:
All teams qualifying for the playoffs in the 2024 season had at least 10 wins.
It’s interesting that the NFC West tiebreaker had already gone down to the very rare “strength of victory” such that for purposes of playoff qualification, last evening’s game of Seattle at LA Rams did not matter, but the game certainly did matter for the seeding of the Rams.
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Packers lose their playoff deep threat:
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Two words here - depth chart
Don’t expect flashes of excellence and “chasing a Super Bowl ring” in the article is well over-the-top, but the Chargers do need the extra insurance with their thin depth at running back, plus Jim Harbaugh like his brother is just the kind of coach to draw such a player:
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Saw that earlier. As a Dallas fan my opinion is that Elliott was done even before he left for NE when Dallas cut him the first time. He has the balance of a new born fawn and a 3 yards per carry average is outstanding for him. If the Chargers need to play him they’re in big trouble
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Northern LA burning. While this creates issues more important than football, I cant help but wonder if it will affect the Rams game.
Some interesting post season trivia by the numbers:
The rapidly spreading wildfires in California have impacted tens of thousands of people, with many residents forced to evacuate. Pacific Palisades has burned more than 10,000 acres as of Wednesday, per CBS News, and two deaths were reported Wednesday morning from the Eaton Fire.
It’s staggering, and I know these are news every year in BC and Alberta like in California too, but I never remember them at hand in California at this time of year unlike in the rest of the year.
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Well this just in via the NHL via @Grover - thank you.
The Lakers and the Clippers play at home over the weekend through Monday.
So based on Saturday when they both play, after the Lakers are scheduled Thursday night as well, it’s the NBA’s move.
Now this situation is real for the NFL for the game for Monday night.
For the remainder of the playoffs, as the Chargers are the #5 seed and the Rams are the #4 seed, even if they win their wildcard games, it is very unlikely that either team would have a home game for the rest of the playoffs.
The situation is so bad that 100,000 people have been evacuated so far.
Here’s a running news tracker now with graphics on Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/palisades-fire-live-tens-thousands-flee-wildfires-rage-los-angeles-2025-01-08/
Here still in the earlier phase of this disaster, the photos are already surreal as if on a movie set.
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2025 is likely to mark the third NFL postseason since 2022 that a wildcard game will have been moved to a new venue, with the last two moves in 2022 and in 2024 associated with Buffalo, which does not have weather issues this season.
The Monday night game will be played one way or the other, including in Glendale AZ the home of the Cardinals, as I suspect will be the likely call by the NFL.
I see that development as a partial negation of the home field advantage for the Rams, but in my opinion their home field advantage has not been terribly strong at most of their games at SoFi.
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The predictions of one writer at ESPN all the way through to the Super Bowl. Different than what I would predict, but then what do I know?
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And so by about 4PM ET on Sunday, we’ll know all the AFC matchups for the next round.
Unless the Broncos were to upset the Bills, the Ravens will go to Buffalo next weekend and the Texans to Kansas City.
Ravens at Bills next weekend is looking like must-see action already should things play out well on Sunday for the Bills.
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Wow!!!
Too easy for Denver
7-0 Broncos
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Getting somewhat harder for Denver, halfway through the second Quarter.
Denver 7
Buffalo 10
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was worried a little in the first but yay Buffalo. Hope Davis is ok.
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Well so far Saturday’s games are set, and so is the marquee game of the weekend on Sunday night. Thank goodness the Sunday night game is NOT on NBC!
In fact, it would be great not to see any more games this season at all on NBC!
The thread for picks is coming later this week.
The winner tonight plays the Eagles here in Philadelphia at 3PM ET on Sunday.
Here are the early lines for the other games via CBS Sportsline.
As usual if betting the underdog with the points, this looks like a good time to get in there early.
Texans at Chiefs
Sat, 01/18, 4:30PM
ABC
Chiefs -8
o/u 41.5
Commanders at Lions
Sat, 01/18, 8:00PM
FOX
Lions -9.5
o/u 55.5
Ravens at Bills
Sun, 01/19, 6:30PM
CBS (JIM NANTZ!)
Bills +1
o/u 51.5
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And the Eagles game is stuck on NBC damnit as THE WORST production for NFL games in only a few years after it was almost the best,
but here’s the NFL sharing the wealth and in this case courting the local presence of awful Comcast.
I think it’s funny that the NFL not so subtly yanked the Sunday night marquee game from NBC, but good job there because - JIM NANTZ!
Mike Tirico the no-good New York homer has always had it in for Philadelphia too, so here’s an advance “SCREW YOU Mike Tirico!”
How I wish this game were on Fox, though of course we would be fine with a different Fox crew after the average plus performance of the two Toms with a cranky Mike Pereira in the booth.
Rams at Eagles
Sun, Jan. 19, 3:00PM
NBC
Eagles -6
o/u 43.5
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There is nothing that beats Al Michaels on play by play and Aikman on colour. Too bad they don’t work together. If I were grading the overall announcing teams I would prefer Buck/Aikman over the others. Aikman gained a lot of notroriety this week over his frank and expert assessments, which I expect more like than dislike and which we rarely see. The Johnny Miller of football colour commentators. I think he can do it without rancour as virtually any player that criticizes him will be criticizing someone who was better than them and one of the top playoff performers in NFL history. Keep it up Troy! My only question is how did he stay so smart and insightful with all of the bangs he took to the noggin’ over the years.
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