Andy: So in the NFC, I’ve got Seattle regaining the top seed. Carolina will have the other bye. Green Bay will take the three seed and the New York Giants, because someone has to come out of the NFC East, will host a wild card game as the four.

I see four teams most strongly contending for the wild card. I think Arizona slides a bit, but they’re still strong enough where I can’t see anyone knocking them out. I’ll give them the five seed.

That leaves, in my eyes, Tampa, Washington and Minnesota as potential six seeds. The Vikings, I think, have the best chance of advancing from that spot if they do get there. But with the Sam Bradford
acquisition, it could take a few extra weeks for this team to hit stride. So far, four of the five teams I have selected were in the playoffs in 2015. Someone always surprises. Let’s leave the Vikings out and
put the Bucs in the postseason.

Tony: I don’t think Carolina reclaims the top spot–they might get a bye, though more by default, as the Packers have a difficult division and the East just isn’t that good. The Cardinals are just as good of a
team, and have an easier schedule with the Rams and 49ers.

The Packers and Washington will grab the 3 and 4 seeds. NFC wildcards get a little more interesting.  The Vikings will make things interesting, but I’m not sure that Bradford will get them over the hump.

That leaves me with the Seahawks, Cowboys and Buccaneers–as much as I’d like to have a postseason without Pete Carroll & the  Seachickens, I suspect we’ve got at least another year with them. And while I hate to agree with Andy too much, I’ll peg the Bucs as the final seed.

In the AFC, I’ll give the byes to the Bengals and Patriots, with the Chiefs taking the 3 and Jaguars the 4. The Steelers, Raiders and Jets likely come down to the playoffs–I’ll give the edge to the Jets and
and Raiders, just to mix things up a bit.

Andy: The Angry Brady Crew will dominate the last three-quarters of the season and walk to the top seed in the AFC. Pittsburgh will take the second seed. Houston and Kansas City will follow. Denver’s defense is still great and it will overcome an offense even more inconsistent than the 2015 Broncos won with. The Jets will beat out the Bengals for the second wild card.

In that first round of the playoffs, the Broncos will go on the road to crush Kansas City. And Houston will get off the playoff schneid with a win over the Jets.

The five seed will win in the NFC, as well. The Cardinals will put a hurtin’ on the Giants, the worst team to qualify this season. Green Bay will knock out Tampa, despite a game effort by Jameis Winston and Mike Evans. So, the final four standing in each conference will be:

  • Arizona at Seattle
  • Green Bay at Carolina
  • Denver at New England
  • Houston at Pittsburgh

Tony: The Seahawks will once again com into the playoffs on a role, and will take down Washington in the wildcard round, while the Bucs will put up a fight, but not be able to overcome the cold weather
facing their former NFC Central rival Green Bay. Over in the AFC, I’ll give the edge to the Chiefs over the Raiders in a potentially ugly divisional playoff matchup, and despite their youth, the Jaguars will
take down the Jets, who have the more veteran signal caller, but no more playoff experience at the quarterback position.

  • Seattle at Arizona
  • Green Bay at Carolina
  • Jacksonville at Cincinnati
  • Kansas City at New England

Andy: In the least desirable of the Divisional round match-ups, Pittsburgh’s offense proves too much for Houston’s defense and Brock Osweiler’s gets a taste of play at an amped up level. Pittsburgh will play New England, as the Angry Brady tour continues to the AFC Championship game. Denver won’t be
able to muster quite enough offense.

In the NFC, Carolina beats Green Bay, setting up one of two rematches from the 2015 playoffs in the NFC Championship game. Bolstered by a desire to potentially send Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer into retirement with a ring, the Cardinals eke out a tight win over division rival Seattle. But
it’s all for naught, as Carolina takes out Arizona a week later.

So Cam Newton will get his second shot at unseating one of the QBs of the 2000s. Learning from some of the things that went wrong against the Broncos, Cam upsets the Angry Bradys, winning a ring for Carolina and overcoming the lackluster performances of many previous runner-ups.

Tony: In the AFC, we’ll start with a matchup of a team with virtually no playoff experience (Jacksonville) facing a team that has plenty…just none of it good. Can the Bengals finally overcome the curse that seemingly hangs over their playoff heads? I’m going to say…no–yet another foolish
penalty, and/or key injury will once again have them going home earlier than they’d like…and for some, like Marvin Lewis, maybe for good.

In the other AFC game, New England takes care of business, dispatching the Chiefs with relative ease.

In the NFC, the divisional battle between the Seahawks and Cardinals will be the one to watch, and I suspect that the Cardinals will once again make it to the NFC Championship game, where they will once again face the Carolina Panthers, who dispatch the Packers…also with relative ease.

At this point, if you’re paying close attention, you’ll see that Andy and I have three of our four final teams matching–but the final results couldn’t be much different, as while I see New England finally putting a stop to the unexpected Jacksonville run, they will run into a Cardinals team in the
Super Bowl that is looking to possibly continue the recent string of retirement Super Bowls, with possibly Fitzgerald, Palmer and possibly even Bruce Arians deciding to go out on a high note.

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