NFL Divisional Round Pick ‘Em

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“Do you control your brain or does your brain control you?”

 

This is one of the foundational inquiries that take place in my mind on the daily. See, I’m a philosopher in 2022. I wasn’t born in ancient Greece with my boy Socrates. Plato, Aristotle and the like and instead my spirit chose to duke it out with internet age. To be more specific, this is the social media era where facts and exploring the roots of existence isn’t getting “clicks” over booty and ignorance. That is specifically why being a Titan’s fan is such a beautiful thing!

The truth is, nobody cares about them. They’re not flashy, our QB is called average, our résumé is disregarded, and yet I feel completely at peace. It helps to witness so-called sports experts throw away any semblance of credibility amping the 49ers when Aaron Rodgers has been an assassin all year long. It’s comical to witness so today’s article, I’m going to join the club.

 No one is 100% certain of what is going to go down this weekend. It truly is an evenly matched Divisional round on all fronts. Each game contains game breakers that can take over at any moment. We know about the Top 4 QBs in the league. My order is unimportant but Rodgers, Allen, Mahomes, and Brady are going to come prepared. Then you have the vicious rushing attacks of San Francisco and Tennessee. Kyle is the premier offensive mind in today’s league and has once again survived a year with multiple RB injuries to make a deep playoff push.

 

(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

My guys have slugged through, got a #1 seed missing the best RB in the league, and instead of getting their flowers for toppling the Bills and Chiefs for that coveted BYE while playing a NFL record-breaking 91 different players, we remain unnoticed. 

A younger, more brazen Barry would be livid with this perceived lack of respect, but as I write this article, I am grateful. 

See, my answer is we control our brains. We have free will to make our own choices and follow-through with the subsequent actions. However, neuroscience “states” that actions made are purely emotional and humans use thoughts/logic to rationalize and justify their actions thereafter. I only bring this up because the way we choose to look at this question decides our fates. Not just individually, but collectively as well.

I’m not here to give you a life lesson, but Tennessee is playing a great Bengals team this week. One that deserves all the praise that’s being heaped upon them. I thanked them profusely because they are the reason we secured that much needed Bye Week with their defeat of Kansas City Week 17. Joe Burrow will be a Top 5 QB in the league for many years barring injury and that’s something any casual football can see. Great WR core, a RB that can do it all, and an underrated defense. They are worthy opponents. But…

 

Tennessee RUNS OVER CINCINNATI!!!

WHY?

WHAT I LOVE IS THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WE CAN GO UNDER THE RADAR WHILE CHILLING IN NISSAN STADIUM!! NO MATTER WHO WE PLAY, WE WILL BE DOUBTED GOING FORWARD. SO WHILE DERRICK HENRY GETS RIGHT, THOSE TRASH ASS MEDIA OUTLETS CAN KEEP ALL THAT BUM ENERGY OVER THERE. TALK ABOUT JOE BURROW, JA’MARR CHASE, JOSH ALLEN, AND PATRICK MAHOMES. 

I LOVE IT!

Alright, now that I got that outta my system, seriously Derrick Henry changes this team. D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard have performed brilliantly in his absence but this is the King we’re talking about. AJ and Julio have had time to heal up as well, our complete O Line is in attendance, and we have unsung heroes Jeffrey Simmons, Denico Autry, Bud Dupree, and Harold Landry ready to hunt. 

This Titan front seven is the key to success for a team playing like its Denzel Washington led counterparts. We know and have known since November 1st, 2020 that this Bengals offense is something serious. That’s why we will get pressure on Burrow with four and make him commit just enough mistakes to send him home. It will be an exciting start to the weekend and to everyone out there….PLEASE KEEP that same energy. 

 

Courtesy of USA Today

 

The rest of my choices may or may not represent my hopes. I’ve been saying all season, the two QBs I do not want the Titans to play in the Super Bowl are Rodgers and Stafford and I’m ready to amend that. Someone, anyone in the NFC, take out these Packers. Sadly…

 

San Francisco is not able to slay the giant in Lambeau.

Why?

I was completely disgusted with how analysts have been talking like this Green Bay team hasn’t been the best, most consistent team in the league since Week 2. After getting slapped by New Orleans, they have been cerebral in taking out their opponents. Now, I will say I forgot that Week 3 showdown with the Niners that went down to another immaculate last second field goal after Rodgers did what he does so effortlessly. Still, this is a team that’s playing light-years above the rest of the competition and that can’t be ignored. 

I must be the only one that seems to realize that Rodgers hasn’t lost a game where he played all 4 quarters since January 24, 2021. That is why I honestly don’t believe this game is close. I see a statement game coming where he reminds everyone who he is. I love the 49ers run game but Green Bay knows how to stop the run. Then you have Jimmy G that’s going to throw them one. That lead will only empower this defense to take more chances and the snowball effect will completely freeze San Francisco’s Super Bowl dreams. 

Look at it this way, at least there won’t be a Kyle Shanahan choking narrative because all that’ll be talked about is Rodgers greatness and how his opponent coming in will have a much better defense so it’s still a toss-up who represents the NFC in the title game. Who I chose to be that opponent has nothing to do with stats or matchups. I simply want the most entertaining NFL game imaginable here and seeing a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship is a top of the market draw!

 

Courtesy of Sporting News

 

Buccaneers survive Rams onslaught!

Why?

I can’t pick against the G.O.A.T. Brady came out last week against a pretty good Eagles unit and made it look like a practice session. One thing I saw that surprised me was the passion he exhibited throughout the game. He looked like he was still hungry and fired up even at 44 years of age. That is why while the Rams were impressive in their win over Arizona, this is a different monster. The thing that’ll disappoint the lukewarm fans is the defensive stalwart we are in store for. Both these teams have a defense that can take over games as evidenced in their blowouts last week against two QBs that can put up points in a hurry.

This will be a chess match where field position, taking some 4th down risks, and getting TDs instead of field goals will be the game decider. Stafford is more turnover prone than a conservative Brady so unless the Rams can somehow get this running attack to produce, I believe Stafford goes out there and loses LA this game instead of Brady winning it for the Bucs. Either way, It’ll be a close one and that’s what playoff football is all about.

 

Courtesy of Tampa Bay Times

 

The final game of the weekend is the one I’m paying attention to. These two teams have been the AFC’s two highly favored franchises led by QBs that can’t be stopped. My choice of who wins is strictly based on my belief in the Football Gods and their amusement!

 

Patrick Mahomes outduels Josh Allen!

Why

Simple, it’s all about the rematches this year. Last year you had Green Bay vs Tampa Bay and you had Buffalo vs Kansas City. I remember being enthralled with the latter because I truly had no idea who would win. While I was certain Rodgers would take down Brady (so much pain on that 4th down call), the Chiefs and Bills was a heavyweight battle in which I believed each team had no weaknesses. 

Fatefully, it came down to Josh Allen’s inexperience and him trying to do too much that sunk Buffalo in that bout. Fast forward and here we are again. This time around, you have a significantly more poised and confident Josh Allen coming off the best game any QB has played all season. Then you have Patrick Mahomes that had a spectacular performance of his own and the expectations of the world on his shoulders (shoutout Nick Wright). I’m not worried because Tennessee has beaten both these teams this season but one game was drastically different than another.

So I’m picking the KC Chiefs strictly because I have more respect for the Bills. I believe either team can pull of this win but rewind two years ago, AFC Championship, there was the league darling Kansas City Chiefs versus who… the upstart Tennessee Titans who had a fantastic first half until we didn’t SMACK Patrick Mahomes on the sideline and he scurried into the endzone to take all the momentum we possessed. I will finish up saying this, that same playoffs in the NFC Championship…. Packers vs 49ers. The Football Gods live for this!!

 

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

 

And with that, Divisional picks are in the books. The beautiful thing about being a Titans fan that I referred to at the start was this…I’ve watched this team grow, struggle, fail, and evolve into a force over the course of 16 years. I have no kids, but the love in my heart for this franchise is as pure as a mother watching her child handle the ups and downs of life. 

This weekend is watching my baby go off to college. Where they will be introduced to world as the great organization they’ve always been to me. No artificial emotions, no bandwagon, just faith and loyalty…two entities prized above all in this age because of basic economic principles.

Scarcity.

To all the die-hard and fair-weather fans whose teams are still alive. I pray you have your affairs in order because it’s all-out war from this point on. Character will be revealed, and the truth will be undeniable. No filter can save you now.

Much thanks to my guy Jovan Cutler for all his hard work, make sure you have that Tiger Communications App and tune in to Dinner Time with Bear Blanchard 6-10pm

 

Courtesy of The Tennessean

 

Let the Games begin and may the odds forever be in the Titans favor! #TitanUP

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