Broncos vs Patriots: Manning vs Brady XVI

Tomorrow sees the 16th installment in the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and as always there are high stakes when Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos go head to head against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

With the Patriots on a four game winning streak they have been resurgent after a slow start to the 2014 season but now find themselves at 6-2 after a 2-2 start and with a chance to place themselves in the first seed position for the playoffs if they manage to defeat Denver tomorrow. The Broncos are also on a 4 game winning streak so they will walk in to Gillette Stadium full of confidence especially having beaten the Patriots when the two teams last met in last seasons AFC Championship game.

That victory in January avenged the demons of a 34-31 comeback victory by Brady's Patriots earlier in that season when New England rallied from a 24-0 halftime deficit to knock off the Broncos in their own back yard but with Denver's 26-16 postseason victory a couple of months after that encounter just mentioned Manning tied his head to head postseason record against Brady to 2-2 all-time.

Unfortunately for Peyton history does suggest that the Patriots could well come out as the victors tomorrow with Brady holding a 10-5 all-time winning record over his old foe. With New England's huge 51-23 win over Chicago last Sunday this team is slowly moving through the gears week by week and finding ways to win after winning a narrow one against the Jets 27-25 the week before and knocking off the Bills in their own backyard 37-22.

With a bye week next week for the Patriots a win tomorrow against Denver would set them up perfectly for their remaining 7 games and allow them to focus on their tough tasks ahead as they go in search of claiming home field advantage for the playoffs; something that would definitely benefit the Patriots if they have to play the Broncos in the postseason as taking Peyton Manning out of Mile High stadium would work huge favours for New England.

The most intriguing aspect of tomorrow's matchup is the improved fortunes of both of these teams defenses and that is what makes this game a lot more interesting in comparison to the other meetings we've seen between these two teams in recent years. The Patriots may be without their best pass rusher in Chandler Jones but have made two additions at linebacker before the trade deadline this past Tuesday to cover for the season ending injury to Jerod Mayo and also possess the number one pass defense in the league.

Manning vs Brady Round 16

That will be put to the test by what many considering to be the most devastating offense in the NFL and one that has added a versatile running back to its armory in recent weeks to go along with the ridiculously effective passing game that Manning has going on in Denver. Peyton is tied with Andrew Luck for the most touchdowns in the league with 22 but has to just 3 interceptions to the third years 9. Manning's efficiency will be vital to any success the Broncos want to have tomorrow especially going up against a Bill Belichick defense that thrives on forcing turnovers. 

The Patriots are tied for 7th in the league with 10 forced fumbles and have recovered 8 which leaves them tied for 2nd in that category. They are also tied 8th in interceptions with 8 and 9th in sacks with 21 so you can tell that the Pats defense has been playing at a very high level. Star cornerback Darrelle Revis is back to his superstar best challenging receivers at the line of scrimmage and has locked down star studded wideouts such as AJ Green and Brandon Marshall along with rookie sensation Sammy Watkins in the first half of this season.

Add Revis to a secondary that includes the likes of Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan along with the return of Brandon Browner who made a massive personal improvement last week against the Bears following his debut against the Jets and it is clear to see this team has talent. That is not even including the players at the front of the D such as Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork who are all key contributors to the success of this unit.

They in particular will need to step up in Chandler Jones' absence who is arguably the Patriots best all round defensive player. As for the Broncos defense well they aren't exactly slouches themselves after adding the likes of DeMarcus Ware, TJ Ward and Aqib Talib who left the Patriots for Denver this past offseason. Denver's defense ranks high in key categories too; 6th in sacks with 23, 13th in interceptions with 7 but they are a lowly 31st in forced fumbles with 3 and just one recovery.

On paper despite Brady's historical upper hand over Manning as well as the drastic improvements this Patriots offense has made week by week the Broncos offense is still edges that of New England and I feel that the outcome of this game will be decided by who wins out of the Patriots defense and Broncos offense when these two units go up against each other tomorrow.

As mentioned earlier Manning has 22 TD's to just 3 picks and a host of weapons with the dynamic duo of Julius and Demaryius Thomas with the two having hauled in 15 of Peyton's 22 scores this season. The other 7 are with Emmanuel Sanders who had 3 last week against the Chargers, 4 on the year, along with Jacob Tamme (2) and Wes Welker with just the one this season. Add that with running back Ronnie Hillman, he has broke on the scene in Montee Ball's absence, who has 347 yards and 2 touchdowns in his past 4 games then you can begin to evaluate just how good this Denver offense is.

But as we know the Patriots offense is not looking too shabby either after fantastic performance after performance in October which ended with Tom Brady being announced AFC offensive Player of the month. Brady had a 129.1 passer rating, with 1,268 yards and 14 touchdowns in those 4 Patriots victories and personally I feel this has propelled him in to the MVP conversation along with Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, DeMarco Murray and JJ Watt.

Brady completed 30 of 35 passing attempts for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns last week leaving him with a quarterback rating of 148.4. Rob Gronkowski had 9 catches for 149 receiving yards and 3 TD's and has definitely got back to his devastating best as Gronk now has 7 touchdowns this season leaving him tied for 4th. Brandon LaFell has also built up fantastic rapport with Brady and has 4 touchdowns on the year with 1 last week hauling in 124 yards in the process.

Ever since that Monday Night meltdown against the Chiefs all Brady and co have done is prove the doubters wrong. Anyone who did doubt Tom Brady's abilities is quite frankly an idiot but he did what any fantastic player does and that was silence his critics on the field. The change in fortunes has brought a breath of fresh air along with hope in New England. Brady now has 18 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions on the year which ranks him 5th only behind Manning, Luck, Rivers and Rodgers.

Now that the Patriots have solved offensive line issues and the offense is performing at a high level you would have to say they are one of the best teams in the league due to their all round talent on defense, offense and special teams. Despite the loss of Stevan Ridley on the ground Shane Vereen has continued to be a brilliant weapon for Brady in the running and passing game and is the type of versatile player that Brady and Belichick love.

Vereen has one rushing touchdown for 281 yards giving him a 4.8 average and two receiving touchdowns for 208 yards. Jonas Gray was added to the running game fold last week and put in an impressive debut with the big bodied back racking up 98 yards off 20 carries averaging 4.9 yards a carry. If he can continue to impress he will be the Patriots' equivalent of Denver's Ronnie Hillman and a well welcomed running game addition to a team that possess one of the most efficient passing games in the NFL.

Gronk (7), LaFell (4), Vereen (2), Amendola (1) and Tyms (1) are the recepients of Brady's passing scores this year but the guy who has been particularly important to the improvements of the passing game is Gronks new tight end partner Tim Wright. He possesses the other 3 Brady touchdown scores and Wright's addition to the offense has given Brady a new tight end duo threat to trouble opposing offenses which has given Brady and the Pats offense to get all of these offensive players mentioned involved.

The rewards are key to see and after analysing both Denver and New England's offenses tomorrows game will be a mouth watering encounter especially as we know the quality of both sides defenses as well. Personally I feel this is the most exciting regular season game since the November 7th encounter in the 2007 season when the 8-0 Patriots faced off against Manning's 7-0 Colts. Despite the quality of both offenses both defenses can force mistakes in the opposing offenses and that is why I feel that it will be a nail biting game for fans of both teams that will end in a close one. I will go out on a limb and say that the Patriots get a repeat of that close win back in 07 and triumph over the Broncos 24-20 setting up a thrilling race for the first seed position come playoff time!

Super Bowl XLVIII

Tonight sees the Seattle Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos in the 48th edition of the Super Bowl. The glitz and glamour of the NFL will take centre stage at the Big Apple tonight when these two teams face off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It is the ultimate battle of the unstoppable force vs the immoveable object as the high scoring Broncos offense clashes against Seattle's tough and hard working defense! Who will come out on top when Peyton Manning and his illustrious core of receivers face Richard Sherman and the Seattle's Legion of Boom secondary? Well luckily for all us NFL fans there isn't long to wait.

With the weather being very cold you would automatically expect defense to be favoured as getting your offense going in the temperatures that New York currently has to offer will be difficult. The cold weather element will definitely make this Super Bowl unique as nowadays we are use to seeing the sports biggest spectacle being held in places such as Arizona, Miami or at indoor stadiums.

Peyton Manning's record in the cold isn't exactly great but he has defied the odds many a time in his career especially since joining Denver. The future hall of fame quarterback is seeking a 2nd Super Bowl ring after winning a record 5th league MVP award last night. Peyton will be hoping to hoist the Lombardi trophy high in the air at the stadium his younger brother Eli plays in just like he did back at Lucas Oil stadium a few years ago when the Giants defeated the Patriots. 

Peyton can cement his legacy as arguably the greatest quarterback to play the game tonight by winning the Super Bowl in a season which has seen his team become the first offense in NFL history to score over 600 points. To win the big game on the back of that and against the best defense in the league would shut up any critics he has.

Seattle will be no pushovers though and if they do manage to win tonight it will leave Peyton on 12 playoff losses with an unwanted record of most playoff losses ever by a starting quarterback. We all know about this Seahawks defense with Richard Sherman leading the way. With the likes of himself along with Earl a Thomas and Kam Chancellor along with their talented pass rushers like Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett the a Broncos can expect a tough game will lots of pressure. Denver's offensive like has held up well all year and personally for me was the decisive factor in the teams AFC title victory over New England a fortnight ago as they protected Manning which gave him time in the pocket to make valuable plays.

As mentioned above we all know what the Seattle defense can do. Denver's run defense is very good and hauled LaGarrette Blount two weeks ago but Marshawn Lynch is a whole different kettle of fish! 'Beast Mode' can turn it on at any given moment so the Denver run D needs to be alert and at it's best all night. The secondary has issues but is lead by Champ Bailey who could easily make critical plays against a Seahawks offense which is being questioned a lot by many.

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is a great game manager and holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes by a rookie with no other than Peyton Manning. Wilson has all the intangibles to get it done and we've seen him make the deep ball when he needs to but his receiving core isn't fantastic so the Seahakws will be hoping that free agency acquisition Percy Harvin can be the X factor for them tonight!

They gave up high picks to claim Harvin from Minnesota but he has been plagued by injuries all year round. Personally with the Broncos not doing much special teams work due to kicker Matt Prater always clearing the back of the end zone at Mile High I feel this could be a weakness for them tonight in New York and with Harvin's returning skills well he could make them pay.

Ball and Moreno need to play like they did against New England in order for the Broncos passing game to not be obvious therefore giving them a chance to succeed against the tough Seattle secondary. You can expect a lot of slant routes and it'll be interesting to see how the Seahawks play against this. Seattle's defense hasn't come up against such a talented receiving core all year as the Broncos possess both Julius and Demaryius Thomas along with Eric Decker and Wes Welker but the test of NFC West rivals San Francisco last week should stand Seattle in good stead for tonight's matchup.

One things for sure and that is that the two best teams in the league have reached the Super Bowl which these days doesn't happen often so I can't wait! I predicted Seattle to make the big game so I'm going to stick my neck out and say that defense reigns supreme tonight giving the 12th man, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks franchise their first ever Super Bowl victory!

Prediction: Seattle Seahawks 21-20 Denver Broncos

Championship Sunday!

Tomorrow is Championship Sunday and nobody can argue against the fact that the four best teams in the national football league have made it to what is one of the biggest and most highly anticipated double headers on a NFL Sunday in years! The AFC matchup sees two of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game go head to head once again as Tom Brady and the New England Patriots go on the road to take on the Peyton Manning led Denver Broncos. Then straight after that two arch enemies of the of the NFC West will have a rubber match with a place at Super Bowl XLVIII at stake as the red hot San Francisco 49ers walk in to the cauldron that is CenturyLink Field to face the Seattle Seahawks. Now it is time for me to look at these two games and give you my insight as well as my predictions for these two games.

NFC Championship game: San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks

The NFC Championship game sees the 49ers travel to Seattle for the third matchup of the season between these two bitter rivals. We have the two best defenses in football going up against each other in what is set to be a mouthwatering affair and as well as that both of these teams have two of the best young quarterbacks in the league in the shape of Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson respectively.

Earlier in the season the Niners walked in to CenturyLink Field for the week 2 game and were blown out 29-3. The 49ers offense was manhandled and the defense was blown away in a 4th quarter which saw them give up 17 points. Since then the Niners managed to defeat Seattle 19-17 to tie the series up on the year and when you include the teams two playoff victories over Green Bay and Carolina they have now won 8 straight. Colin Kaepernick is 3-0 on the road in the postseason and for a young QB already has valuable playoff experience after helping the team reach the Super Bowl last season; Joe Montana and Steve Young were 1-7 on the road in the postseason combined!

No team has made it back to the Super Bowl after suffering defeat the previous year to then go on and win it the next since the 1972 17-0 Miami Dolphins and the only other exception was the team who they lost to in that Super Bowl the year before; the 1971 Dallas Cowboys. So it is safe to say Jim Harbaugh's team are up against it statistically tomorrow especially when you consider that the Seattle Seahawks have only lost one game at home since Russell Wilson became the teams starting quarterback and after they defeated the Saints last week his record at home is now 16-1.

The second year quarterback also set a record this year when he recorded 24 years in his first two seasons in the league. Even head coach Pete Carroll holds an impressive 24-8 home record as the teams leader since he took over at the beginning of the 2010 season. When Carroll and Harbaugh face off there are always fireworks as these two head coaches just don't like each other so whether there will be hand shakes at the end of tomorrow nights game is anybody's call. You can guarantee there will be plenty of over dramatics tomorrow night from these two men in the form of jumping, excessive celebrating, shouting and fist pumping but I'm not complaining because passion is what makes sport so amazing and when you have two of the best teams in the league facing off against each other you want it to be a bit personal as it adds that extra bit of spice to the game.

In most games you can pinpoint a certain area that will go a long way to determining the result but in this Niners-Seahawks encounter it is hard to put your finger on the key points. Both defenses are tough, both defenses are hard hitting and both defenses are nasty I mean honestly I would not want to be an offensive player on either team tomorrow. Personally with the Legion of Boom at their disposal I think the Seattle defense is slightly better than that of the 49ers but that's not taking anything away from the likes of Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman of the Niners as those two linebackers are probably the two you'd choose to try and help stop Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch.

As we know the two Smith's Justin and Aldon aren't exactly bad themselves and the Niners secondary has the likes of Carlos Rodgers, Eric Wright and Eric Reid who ain't no slouches. Seattle's defense though as I said is slightly better and not just because of the likes of Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas in the secondary. Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett are great pass rushers and will look to disrupt any rhythm the 49ers offense looks to get going. Despite me giving the Seahawks an edge on defense the thing that makes this matchup interesting is that I believe the 49ers offense is better than that of their NFC West counterparts.

Russell Wilson is very efficient but in recent weeks he has been quiet whereas Colin Kaepernick continues to light it up in the postseason and since the return of Michael Crabtree to this San Francisco offense Kaepernick has looked a lot more dangerous. The passing game of the Niners has got going since Crabtree returned and that has given Kaepernick the ability to effect the game with his legs once again. He outplayed Cam Newton last week and personally I feel he is underrated as a passer and I would even say he is a better passer than Newton. Russell Wilson can make big plays though as he is very talented and not just a game manager so if Seattle need to cut him loose to make things happen I'm sure Pete Carroll will have no hesitation in doing so.

The only downside for Seattle offensively though is that offseason acquisition Percy Harvin has never got going this year due to injury problems and the concussion he suffered last week which rules him out of tomorrow's game pretty much sums up his 2013 campaign. Harvin was signed to be the playmaker that would give the Seahawks a different dimension offensively but that plan hasn't come to fruition. Baldwin, Kearse and Golden Tate are good receivers but in comparison to the 49ers wideouts they are no match. Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis can cause Seattle problems tomorrow and Frank Gore is a very good running back who's name I haven't even mentioned yet!

With that being said though I feel that on the day Pete Carroll will get the edge over Jim Harbaugh because Carroll knows what it takes to beat the 49ers when his team is hosting them. Harbaugh is a great young coach and has taken his team to three straight conference championships but to get his team back to the Super Bowl could be a step too far. The Niners are hot and are on a very good streak but to walk out of Seattle with the NFC title is such a tough challenge. Seattle got the home loss out of the way during the regular season and have managed to refocus themselves for the task ahead that is the playoffs. It won't be a blow out and it will be a tightly contested affair which will come down to one or two critical plays in a matchup which will decide who takes the ultimate bragging rights in the NFC West and more importantly a trip to MetLife Stadium in 2 weeks time!

Prediction: 49ers 24-27 Seahawks


AFC Championship: New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos

The hype around this matchup is incredible as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning face off in the 15th installment of a quarterback rivalry that has lasted for over a decade. With both of these QB's in the later years of their 30's you would probably say that this could be the last time that these two face off with the stakes being as high as they are for tomorrow.

But as we know you should never count out Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Manning has finally got to where he wants to be and that is within reach of a third Super Bowl appearance; he is having a monster season having broken Tom Brady's regular season record for passing touchdowns by throwing 55 and breaking Drew Brees' passing yards record by racking up 5,477. These stats will count for nothing though if the season doesn't end with Peyton hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the air.

Tom Brady is quite simply Peyton Manning's kryptonite and there is no doubt about it because history doesn't lie. Even in recent memory you only have to look back at the week 12 encounter at Gillette Stadium where Tom Brady and co wiped out a Broncos lead of 24-0 to win the game 34-31 in overtime. That victory gave Brady his 10th victory over Manning in their 14 games against each other including the postseason. Let us look at the stats between the two in the encounters:

Now I will be the first to point out that tomorrow's game between Denver and New England is not just about these two men as it is between two teams who are both hungry to play in the biggest sporting spectacle on earth but whoever wins out of Brady or Manning will have their picture posted on websites across the world for the next fortnight. Brady's 10-4 career head-to-head over Manning says it all and his touchdown to interception ratio shows his efficiency. Brady leads in all categories but one and has a passer rating that is higher by 11! The only category that he doesn't lead in is passing yardage and you could argue that it is because Manning is behind in most games so his teams have chased the games meaning he passes more but enough of that.

No offence to Peyton Manning fans but they love to use statistics to fight their corner. I don't want to take anything away from Manning because he is one of the greatest to play at the position but unfortunately for him if the Broncos lose tomorrow that leaves Manning on his own with a record that nobody wants and that is a quarterback with the most losses in the postseason. 12 losses when it matters lost is unprecedented and that does not look good on anyone looking to leave a legacy.

Brady's legacy will be uncanny if he and the Patriots win the Super Bowl this year. The same applies for head coach Bill Belichick; he claimed his 19th victory as a coach in the playoffs when New England eased past the Colts last week which now leaves him tied in second place with Don Shula. If the Patriots win tomorrow Belichick will tie Tom Landry for the most playoff wins with 20 and if dare I say it the Patriots win the Super Bowl that would be the perfect way for Belichick to break the record and it will leave him on 21.

Back to Brady and his legacy; he is so close to being the greatest quarterback of all-time and if he guides an injury depleted Patriots side that has so many similarities to 2001 Super Bowl winning side it will be the perfect way to cement his name as the greatest to play the game. Brady is tied for Super Bowl appearances with John Elway having played in 5. He and Elway have both won 3 of those which leaves Brady just one shy of Montana and Bradshaw's record of 4 Super Bowl wins. Brady holds the record for playoff wins by a quarterback with 18 so a win tomorrow against Denver and a Super Bowl victory would see Brady end the 2013 season with 20 playoffs wins, 4 Super Bowl victories and 6 appearances in the big game which in my opinion leaves no debate as to who is the greatest quarterback to grace the NFL.

As I have pointed out though this is a team game and it will take a big performance from the New England Patriots to topple the Denver Broncos tomorrow. The Patriots are playing up to the title of underdog and why not because it puts pressure on the opponents. Personally I feel that they are underdogs as despite the fact that Brady can pick holes in a vulnerable Broncos secondary he goes up against a Broncos run defense that has improved in weeks gone by and they know that they have to stop the likes of Blount, Ridley and Vereen in order to win this game. On the flip side Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense is firing on all cylinders and the likes of Welker and Decker along with Julius and Demaryius Thomas will pose problems for a New England defense haunted by injuries.

For Denver to win this game is to score early because taking the pressure off Peyton Manning is a must especially in a conference championship which sees Manning take to the field in a game of his magnitude for the first time since the 2009 season (Brady on the other hand is making is 8th conference championship appearance). Now this may sound silly as it always applies but turnovers are the decisive and key factor for me. My explanation is that if the Patriots turn the ball over I feel they can still win this game but if the Broncos turn it over it'll cost them and they will lose. The more pressure on the Denver Broncos tomorrow and the more likely it'll be that they fall.

New England's defense is led by the defensive mastermind that is Bill Belichick and despite injuries to Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork the younger guy on the team like Chandler Jones and Hightower have been big for this team. Last week saw the emergence of Jamie Collins and he will be looking to build on his success from that win over the Colts. Rob Ninkovich and Dane Fletcher also deserve a mention too and then there's the secondary which possesses the likes of Aqib Talib, Devin McCourty, Alfonzo Dennard and Logan Ryan who can all hold their own against the firepower of the Broncos offense.

If the Pats defense can continue to force turnovers it will give them a very good chance of walking out of Mile High as winners tomorrow. Earlier on in the season I predicted that the two would meet in the AFC title game at Mile High and here it is. At the time I didn't anticipate that the Pats offense would become the ground and pound juggernaut that it has done in recent weeks led by LeGarrette Blount who continued wrecking havoc last week when he ran in for 4 touchdowns and 166 rushing yards which tied a franchise record. If the ground game gets going again with the one-two punch of Blount and Ridley it will open up Shane Vereen in the backfield for Tom Brady and also give him plenty of play-action opportunities which we saw tear Denver apart earlier in the season. Julian Edelman will obviously be crucial to any success the Patriots have tomorrow night and it is also the perfect time for Danny Amendola to step out of the shadow of Wes Welker by outplaying his opposite number. I could sit here night and day writing comparisons but the fact of the matter is that this New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos game will be one for the ages and a playoff game that will be remembered for years to come as well as possibly playing a critical role in deciding an argument that has gone on for years. Brady vs Manning part 15: Let the games begin!

Prediction: Patriots 31-30 Broncos

The good, the bad and the ugly

                                                    The Good!

Brady looking happy after the Pats blowout Pittsburgh

                                                      The Bad!

Brady curses after the refs miss a PI call against the Panthers

                                                      The Ugly!

The Pats welcome Manning's forehead to Gillette Stadium on Sunday Night Football

The New England Patriots headed in to their bye week in full spirits after a huge 55-31 win over the Steelers which saw them put up their most impressive offensive display in this 2013 season. With an extra week to prepare for the high flying Panthers it made Monday Night's matchup intriguing and it didn't disappoint as the game went down to the final play with the refs deciding there was no foul on the field when clearly Rob Gronkowski should have had a pass interference call for this:

with the ball in the air you can clearly see Gronk is being held

More evidence to confirm the bad call

The Patriots should have had one shot to win the game but it wasn't to be. The beauty of the NFL is the twist and turns even if sometimes things are so blindingly obvious. After a bye week New England were 10-3 under coach Belichick and on Monday Night Football Tom Brady had a 13-4 record before this defeat. There shouldn't be any shame in this defeat though as the Patriots came up against one of the best front sevens in the league yet they showed they are improving and that when healthy their offense can cause problems for any opposing defenses.

Next up for the Brady bunch is the visit of the Denver Broncos which means we will get the 14th installment of Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning on this weeks episode of Sunday Night Football! The argument over who is better has been a debate that has continued for over a decade and tomorrow nights game will add further fuel to the fire. Brady currently holds a 9-4 record over Manning in their head to head with Brady also holding a 6-2 record over Peyton in games played in New England. Brady has thrown 23 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in their meetings to Mannings' 27 TD's and 19 picks.

Tom Brady has three Super Bowl rings from five appearances in the big game while Peyton Manning has one win and one loss whereas Peyton Manning has four regular season MVP awards to Brady's two. In the playoffs Tom Brady has a fantastic record with 17 wins and 7 losses to Peyton Manning's not so impressive 9 victories and 11 losses which is impressive from Terrific Tom's corner when you consider he has started four more playoff games than Peyton too.

Generally speaking if you had to choose between the two 90% of people would probably accept flipping a coin and taking either because both are two of if not the two greatest quarterbacks to play in the NFL. Brady has Manning's number to a degree but that doesn't mean Peyton won't cause Brady any problems whether that be this Sunday or up until their careers end. In regards to Sunday night's game it will be a mouthwatering encounter as the 9-1 Broncos have looked unstoppable at times this season but you have to take in to account that the Patriots have an amazing record after a loss over these last 6 plus years having won 23 of 26.

The 2013 Broncos offense is devastating as Manning has many weapons from Moreno in the running game to Welker, Decker and Demaryius Thomas in his receiving core and that's not even mentioning breakout star at the tight-end position Julius Thomas. Whilst their defence might let them down at times thankfully for Denver they have the potential to outscore any opponent. New England on the other hand has found ways to grind out victories this season despite many key injuries on defense and an offensive group which has talent but also young or just new players to the system. Now that Danny Amendola, Rob Gronkowski and the versatile Shane Vereen have returned we have seen a real improvement from Tom Brady and this offense plus when you take it to account the talent of rookies Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins then you can only imagine how much this offense could improve which will strike fear in to opponents with the playoffs really and truthfully only just around the corner.

Despite the defensive injuries to the likes of Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork the Patriots still rank 7th in the league in the least yardage given up which is a good sign for New England especially when you consider Peyton Manning's woes in cold weather games (below 30 degrees): 7 games, 2-5 record, 8 touchdowns to 8 interceptions and a passer rating of 75.8. This is in comparison to Tom Brady who has played 35 games in below 30 degrees in which he has won 33 and lost just 2 throwing 67 touchdowns to 22 interceptions leaving him with a passer rating of 91.2

Not only is information like this crucial to tomorrow's game but it is key to the rest of the season because come the playoffs we know Tom Brady can get it done whatever the weather and despite the high expectations Tom, Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft set you have to admit that there is probably less expectations on them this year when you weigh up everything that has happened. As for the Broncos well Peyton Manning's window for a second ring is closing and when you consider the talent he has around him well you have to say that expectations are sky high for all those involved with the franchise.

Tomorrow's game could have big implications in regards to who gets the home field advantage in the postseason and personally I feel it is more crucial to Denver although even a defeat tomorrow would mean that they could regain control of the first seed and the AFC West with a second victory against the Chiefs next weekend. When you consider that the last three Super Bowl winners, and six of the last eight, opened their title run with a win on wild-card weekend you can play down the importance of gaining a bye in the playoffs as arguably it "kills momentum" but this won't be in either teams mindsets as the world will be watching to see who comes out victorious when Tom Brady and Peyton Manning go head to head once again... Who knows folks we could well see segment 15 of this classic tale in the playoffs come the turn of the year!

Then there's the Patriots' amazing record after a loss the last 6-plus years, winning 23 of 26. Gotta roll with Tommy
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20131122_Brady__Patriots_will_send_Manning__Broncos_back_to_earth.html#hSsXZaWJXZVIvH6B.99

Then there's the Patriots' amazing record after a loss the last 6-plus years, winning 23 of 26. Gotta roll with Tommy
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20131122_Brady__Patriots_will_send_Manning__Broncos_back_to_earth.html#hSsXZaWJXZVIvH6B.99

Then there's the Patriots' amazing record after a loss the last 6-plus years, winning 23 of 26. Gotta roll with Tommy
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20131122_Brady__Patriots_will_send_Manning__Broncos_back_to_earth.html#hSsXZaWJXZVIvH6B.99

Then there's the Patriots' amazing record after a loss the last 6-plus years, winning 23 of 26. Gotta roll with Tommy
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20131122_Brady__Patriots_will_send_Manning__Broncos_back_to_earth.html#hSsXZaWJXZVIvH6B.99

NFL week 11:

After two weeks Skye's NFL predictions have returned! Unfortunately due to internet problems, a hectic life schedule (slight lie) and just other general excuses I haven't been able to blog but after predicting 10/11 results correctly for week 8's games with some very close perfect predictions too it was a very impressive weekend for me regarding the Sunday game predictions so maybe a rest was warranted.

Skye's predictions:                       Week 8 scores:

49ers 28-17 Jaguars                      49ers 42-10 Jaguars
Browns 16-26 Chiefs                     Browns 17-23 Chiefs
Dolphins 20-27 Patriots                 Dolphins 17-27 Patriots
Bills 20-37 Saints                          Bills 17-35 Saints
Cowboys 27-35 Lions                    Cowboys 30-31 Lions
Giants 24-23 Eagles                      Giants 15-7 Eagles
Steelers 20-16 Raiders                 Steelers 18-21 Raiders
Jets 20-27 Bengals                        Jets 9-49 Bengals
Falcons 24-26 Cardinals                Falcons 13-27 Cardinals
Redskins 24-37 Broncos                Redskins 21-45 Broncos
Packers 30-20 Vikings                   Packers 44-31 Vikings


So within the past two weeks there have been many twists and turns throughout the national football league from Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers suffering a serious injury to the Jacksonville Jaguars recording their first win this season last week. Tampa Bay also got their first victory whilst the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated at 9-0 as they head in to a huge game against divisional rivals Denver tomorrow with the Broncos only a game behind them at 8-1. The New England Patriots looked like their old selves with a huge 55-31 victory over Pittsburgh in week 9 whereas the San Francisco 49ers look out of sorts and find themselves at 6-3 after defeat last week to the resurgent 6-3 Carolina Panthers who have won 5 straight. In the NFC West the Niners are just a game ahead of the third placed Cardinals and in the distance of the 9-1 Seattle Seahawks whereas over in the NFC East Dallas are in first place at .500 along with the 5-5 Eagles.

New England, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Cincinnati lead their respective divisions in the AFC whilst over in the NFC Seattle, Dallas, Detroit and New Orleans are first place in their divisions. Let us take a look at tomorrow's matchups with some analysis and then I will offer my predictions for all 13 of Sunday's games.


(5-4) New York Jets vs Buffalo Bills (3-7)

The New York Jets had a bye last week after knocking off New Orleans in week 9 giving them plenty of time to prepare ahead of a road trip to Buffalo to face one of their AFC East rivals. The Bills lost to the Steelers last week and are now on a three game losing streak.

Buffalo will be hoping to end this bad run of form tomorrow against the Jets whilst putting a dent in New York's playoffs hopes. Rex Ryan's team have been finding ways to win with good defense which will be needed when they come up against the likes of E.J. Manuel and CJ Spiller tomorrow

Rookie QB Manuel could cause the Jets D unexpected problems, 6 touchdowns: 4 interceptions in 2013, but New York's own rookie quarterback Geno Smith hasn't been too bad himself this season throwing 8 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. The Jets need to win games like this if they are to make the postseason and while I personally feel that Miami could still take second place in the AFC east from the Jets I am going to go for a Jets road win tomorrow with Rex Ryan's team moving on to 6-4 but it will be a scrappy affair.

Prediction: Jets 21-17 Bills


(2-7) Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)

As we all know the Atlanta Falcons' Super Bowl or bust season was confirmed as a bust a while ago and the fact that they are on a three game losing streak doesn't help in giving them much of an edge over a lacklustre Tampa Bay side who edged out a win last week against the Dolphins to record their first victory of the 2013 season.

 If the Buccaneers win tomorrow they'll demote Atlanta to last place in the NFC South and with Tampa at home they could quite well win a second straight game. Falcons QB Matt Ryan is still trying his best but without Julio Jones it was always going to be a struggle for Atlanta to get their season back on track.

Roddy White has been unimpressive this year and sadly Tony Gonzalez's last season in the NFL is going to end in irrelevancy. The Buccaneers will be buoyed by their win last week and young running backs Bobby Rainey and Brian Leonard will share the load out of the backfield to help Tampa Bay defeat the Falcons.

Prediction: Falcons 20-23 Buccaneers


(6-3) Detroit Lions vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6)

The Detroit Lions gained sole control of the NFC North last week when they defeated divisional rivals Chicago 21-19 in a close encounter. With the Bears and Packers both enduring hard times due to key injuries this Lions team has a real shot of winning the division.

With seven games to go though they need to remain focused as a trip to Heinz Field is never easy despite the fact that the Steelers are suffering right now. This matchup suits Detroit as their passing game should tear Pittsburgh apart especially after they gave up 55 against the Patriots two week ago.

The Steelers did bounce back last week with a 23-10 win over the Bills but they'll have to be at the top of their game to stop the Lions from winning a third straight. You can expect Matthew Stafford, 19 touchdowns to 7 interceptions, and Megatron, 9 receiving touchdowns, to have a field day against the Steelers with Detroit walking out of this one as winners.

Prediction: Lions 34-20 Steelers
 

(3-6) Washington Redskins vs Philadelphia Eagles (5-5)

The NFC East is as tight as ever this season and that is evident by the fact that a win for the 3-6 Redskins tomorrow could put them firmly back in the hunt for the division title. A win for them would see Washington move just a game behind the Eagles and Cowboys with 6 weeks to go.

The Eagles have a monkey on their back at home having not won a single game at Lincoln Financial Field this year but they have been impressive in their last two games with wins over the Raiders and Packers getting them back to .500.

Young Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has been a big part of their revival with the QB throwing 10 touchdowns in his past two games, seven against the Raiders, and has not thrown a pick in his last 136 passing attempts this season. This game is almost too close to call and despite Redskins quarterback RGIII enduring a tough 2013 campaign he could still help this team revitalise their season with a win tomorrow. Personally though I think that the Eagles are overdue a home win and that thanks to their current form they will edge this one.

Prediction: Redskins 30-33 Eagles 


(5-4) Arizona Cardinals vs Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8)

The Arizona Cardinals have won two games in a row to put themselves in the playoff hunt. Bruce Arians' team won at home against the Texans 27-24 last week to get above .500 and move within one game of the second placed San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.

Now while no matchup in the NFL is a gimme you have to say that Arizona will be more than confident of winning against Jacksonville despite the Jags claiming their first win of the season last week. Arizona has a tough schedule to finish the year but a win tomorrow to put them at 6-4 will give them confidence going in to a challenging run and with them knowing they have something to play for it can only be a good thing.

Jacksonville was always going to win one game and that's despite the fact they are probably a worse football team than the Detroit Lions side that finished 16-0 a few years back but the chances of them recording back to back victories are slim so expect Arizona to get the win even if it does end up being a close game because they have a well organised roster to grind out a result.

Prediction: Cardinals 26-19 Jaguars 


(3-6) Oakland Raiders vs Houston Texans (2-7)

In a game with not much relevance the Oakland Raiders go to Reliant Stadium to take on the Houston Texans. Thankfully new starting quaterback for Houston Case Keenam is the spark this game needs with the former third stringer impressing in his last two games with the Texans losing both in close ones.

Keenam has seven touchdown passes in those past two games and has helped revitalise superstar wide receiver Andre Johnson as a viable threat in the passing game. Keenam is looking to cement himself as the Texans' future starting quarterback and despite posting a passer rating of 105.1 coach Gary Kubiak still isn't ready to commit.

Keenam and Houston will win this one in my opinion as the Raiders look to regroup for next year and move on; speaking of moving on it appears they will be parting with Darren McFadden come next year which is an interesting development but also understandable.

Prediction: Raiders 19-31 Texans


(4-5) Baltimore Ravens vs Chicago Bears (5-4)

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cincinnati Bengals last week to put them just two games behind them in the AFC North meaning they are back in contention for the division and definitely in the playoff hunt. 

The Ravens' schedule is challenging but there are enough winnable games for the defending Super Bowl champions to make it back to the postseason. This week their opponents are the Chicago Bears who will be looking to immediately bounce back from a critical defeat to the Lions last week.

Josh McCown will start for the Bears this week but he has impressed when playing under centre for Chicago. This result will come down to whose defence manages to get pressure on the quarterback on third downs as in a tight affair like this one of two plays could determine it. Personally I feel that despite injury problems the Bears will win this one as the Ravens still lack top quality and a true identity.

Prediction: Ravens 20-24 Bears 


(4-5) Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)

 
What a difference a week makes! The Cleveland Browns will be firmly in the hunt for the AFC North title with a victory over the Bengals tomorrow. Cleveland will move to a game behind Cincinnati with a win and if they win that game they have on the Bengals they'll be in first thanks to sweeping the series between the pair.

Admittedly there are a lot of ifs and it is admirable to this Browns roster and management that there season is still alive after trading away Trent Richardson to the Colts and losing quarterback Brian Hoyer to a season ending injury especially as the latter had such a great effect on the team when he came in.

The Browns have had their bye to prepare for this game while the Bengals are looking to snap a two game losing run after defeats to Miami and Baltimore. A win tomorrow will put them at 7-4 and more importantly comfortable in the division heading in to their own bye which is what I believe they will do with AJ Green having a big game!

Prediction: Browns 20-28 Bengals


(4-5) San Diego Chargers vs Miami Dolphins (4-5)

 This matchup has gone under the radar a bit this week as it could have big playoff implications for both teams as both the Chargers and Dolphins look to get back to .500. With the two teams having good rosters that could well sneak in to the postseason in a wildcard spot this game will be extremely interesting.

In today's NFL it sound obvious in most cases but I firmly believe that this game comes down to which quarterback performs better out of Phillip Rivers and Ryan Tannehill. Rivers has been playing very well in 2013 throwing 18 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions whilst the Dolphins' second year QB Tannehill has improved and thrown 12 TD's to 11 picks.

San Diego have lost two straight games and Miami were defeated on Monday Night Football in week 10 by the previously winless Buccaneers so both will be looking to get back to winning ways. In a game that is close to call it's hard to imagine this encounter exceeding an 8 point margin either way but people have talked about the potential of three teams emerging from the AFC West in to the postseason and I believe the Chargers keep their chances alive with a win in this one as the Dolphins continue to be plagued by off the field distractions.

Prediction: Chargers 28-20 Dolphins


(5-4) Green Bay Packers vs New York Giants (3-6) 

The New York Giants possess probably the most unimpressive three game winning streak in the history of the NFL and somehow are still within a chance of winning the NFC East despite losing their first six games this season.

A couple of weeks ago and all bets would of been off as Green Bay would have been predicted to win this game by all those with even half of a brain but the injury to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers shocked the league and showed just how quickly fortunes can change in sport. Rodgers is hoping to return on Thanksgiving but he will need his team to get a much needed win tomorrow to keep them in touching distance at the top of the NFC North.

The Giants meanwhile will be hoping that their defence can disrupt Green Bay's third string QB Scott Tolzien by putting him under pressure from the offset. In their past two meetings the Giants have blown out the Packers and despite the Giants being diabolical at times in 2013 I think they will win this home game tomorrow to complicate things even more within the NFC East leaving the Aaron Rogerless Packers needing to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

Prediction: Packers 23-29 Giants
  

(2-7) Minnessota Vikings vs Seattle Seahawks (9-1) 

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot to ponder at the end of 2013 but their QB Christian Ponder looks set to start against Seattle on Sunday after recovering from a dislocated shoulder injury suffered in week 10's Thursday Night Football win over Washington.

The Vikings though face an uphill task of attempting to hand Seattle their first home defeat with Russell Wilson as the team's quarterback; Wilson is 20-6 as a starting QB in the NFL and tied for the third most victories by a player at the the position in his first two seasons as a starter. 3 more wins in the teams last 6 and Wilson will pass Ben Roethlisberger on that list who won 22 games in his first two seasons. Wilson has 17 touchdowns to just six interceptions this year and with the way Seahawks are performing it seems as if the NFC's road to the Super Bowl will be going through Seattle as they look to home in on the number one seed.

You can expect Seattle to win this one even if Vikings running back Adrian Peterson outshines Seattle's Marshawn Lynch. Seattle's defence is monstrous and will create turnovers while the offensive weapons Wilson has at his disposal are impressive plus Percy Harvin returns tomorrow after his long injury to play against his former team so expect fireworks.

Prediction: Vikings 21-31 Seahawks


(6-3) San Francisco 49ers vs New Orleans Saints (7-2)

At the start to the season some expected the 49ers to march back to the Super Bowl but 9 games in and sitting at 6-3 behind the 9-1 Seahawks in the NFC West questions are being asked about this team. Of course the team has had injury problems but so has near enough every franchise this season.

Aldon Smith has had troubles off the field and Colin Kaepernick has been hit and miss throughout the current campaign. The Niners are still a very dangerous team but to go on the road to the Superdome and play the Saints who have the 2nd best offense and 7th best defence in the league is a huge challenge especially as the Niners are coming off a 10-9 loss to the Panthers which is what has caused alarm bells to be rung.

The Saints dismantled the Cowboys 49-17 last week and will be in no mood of slowing down this week especially with Carolina breathing down their necks in the NFC South. While I feel it is ludicrous to say the 49ers will miss the postseason I do feel they have issues that need to be resolved but as for tomorrow's game it could be another brutal encounter for the Niners as they go up against another one of the leagues best defenses and face Saints QB Drew Brees who is no slouch with his 25 touchdown passes this year. This has the potential to be a real thriller; I'm going with New Orleans because Sean Peyton's team are a real threat and at home are almost unstoppable.

Prediction: 49ers 23-33 Saints


(9-0) Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos (8-1)

Our final game this week is the mouthwatering encounter between AFC West rivals Kansas City and Denver. The two possess the best records in the entire AFC with the Chiefs owning one of the best defenses and the Broncos possessing the best offense.

It is a game with high anticipation and one both teams need to win as it is almost certain to be a key factor in deciding who wins this division; the best part is they still have another matchup with each other coming up in two weeks. These two teams are also fighting it out for the battle to gain home field advantage for the playoffs as both look to seal one of the two bye week spots.

The Chiefs have been grinding out wins and have managed close wins over the Browns and Bills who aren't two of the best in the NFL but wins are wins and you have to give credit where it is due so props go to Andy Reid and his Chiefs team. Tomorrow against Denver though is a whole different kettle of fish as they go up against Peyton Manning who his having a fantastic season with the future hall of fame quarterback currently on 33 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions in the teams first 9 games.

Defensively the Chiefs are better than the Broncos that's for sure but the Chiefs' offense is still finding its feet to a degree so they will need to up their game tomorrow as this one could possible end up being a shootout. Chiefs QB Alex Smith hasn't fared well against Manning in the past and to go to the conditions that Mile High has to offer is never no easy challenge. Personally it is very tough to call but with the amount of weapons the Broncos have offensively you have to say that being at home they get this win and move in to first place in the division. The Chiefs will learn from any mistakes they make and get back to the drawing board. I feel that the reason they lose this one, despite sounding slightly contradicting, is that although they needed a bye week is has come at the wrong time just because of who they are facing after it and despite some injury concerns around Manning I just feel that the Broncos will have too much to offer tomorrow and will get the win.

Prediction: Chiefs 27-38 Broncos 

NFL midseason predictions: AFC

With the NFL reaching its halfway point it has been a very eventful season so far and now we can certainly say that the playoff chase is underway! In most of the divisions there is still lots to play for so with nine weeks left lets take a look at how I think each division will end at the end of the season:

AFC East:

Despite an up and down start, performance wise, to the season the New England Patriots have managed to win 6 of their 8 games played so far this season. The win over Miami put them two games ahead of the second placed New York Jets and despite some key divisional matchups still to come the Patriots are my bet to win their fifth straight divisional title. On offense Tom Brady and co will improve in the second half of the campaign with Gronk back plus with Bill Belichick in charge of the team you know that even with a lot of young players and unfortunate injuries the Patriots always prepare well and on their day can beat anyone.

Miami are a game back at 3-4 while the Jets are 4-4 but New York are overachieving in many people's eyes so there chances of a playoff spot are still a long shot. Miami on the other hand has the talent to make a run at a wildcard spot but tomorrow night they face the in form Bengals who will provide a very tough challenge! As for the Bills well despite being not so far back at 3-5 they are still rebuilding and injuries haven't helped them so you can cross them off the list from performing any second half of the season dramatics!

Skye's end of season standings:

1st: New England Patriots 12-4
2nd: Miami Dolphins 8-8 
3rd: New York Jets 6-10
4th: Buffalo Bills 5-11

I am going to be bold and stick with my AFC East predictions that I made in early September with the same records too.


AFC North:

The Bengals have taken the AFC by storm and have recorded impressive victories over the NFC teams like the Packers and Lions. They annihilated the Jets last week and came out on top in a tough game against the Patriots recently too so Cincinnati is proving to be a possible contender come the start of the playoffs Even if the Baltimore Ravens win their game in hand they will still be two behind the Bengals but in week 10 they face off in a game which will be critical to deciding who wins the division despite it still being early days and despite the fact that they meet again on the last day of the regular season.

At 6-2 and still improving I will definitely say that the Bengals win the division whilst the Steelers and Ravens try their best to at least make 8-8 to give them a chance at a wildcard spot. The Steelers have overcome early season struggles to rack up two wins before losing last week to leave them at 2-5; Big Ben has declared this week's game against the Patriots a must win but unfortunately for them you can write them off for 2013. Like them the Browns have also had bad luck in terms of injuries with the 3-5 team looking for a revival under QB Brian Hoyer before he suffered a season ending injury. Defending Super Bowl champions Baltimore lack an identity and even if they make the postseason lady luck won't strike twice for the Ravens.

Skye's end of season standings:

1st: Cincinnati Bengals 11-5
2nd: Baltimore Ravens 8-8
3rd: Pittsburgh Steelers 6-10
4th: Cleveland Browns 4-12


AFC South:

Injuries have been the talk of the NFL in 2013 with many teams suffering critical losses but despite that burden being shared by the Colts they went out and traded for Trent Richardson to give quarterback Andrew Luck a real weapon in the running game. The importance of that trade will be magnified now that they have lost Reggie Wayne to a season ending injury but the Colts have looked very impressive as they are the team who ended the undefeated streaks of the Seahawks and Broncos respectively. To be at 5-2 after facing those two teams and including a victory over the 49ers is scary for their AFC counterparts to look at. Andrew Luck is really something special and you have to say that Indianapolis is a real Super Bowl contender.

With their schedule looking slightly easier for their remaining 9 games I'm betting on them to win the division and stamp their authority on the AFC South with a win over the depleted Texans on the road this weekend. The 2-5 Texans and 0-8 Jags can count their 2013 seasons as write offs while the 3-4 Tennessee Titans are my surprise prediction to make the postseason as they have a schedule which would suggest they could finish say 9-7 and sneak in to the playoffs despite the fact they have some trouble at the quarterback position and have to play the Colts twice (they also have to play the Jags twice so that cancels that out)

Skye's end of season standings:

1st: Indianapolis Colts 13-3
2nd: Tennessee Titans 9-7
3rd: Houston Texans 6-10
4th: Jacksonville Jaguars 2-14

AFC West:

The AFC West is definitely the most intriguing division in the AFC when you consider that the 8-0 Kansas City Chiefs and 7-1 Denver Broncos still have to play each other twice in two games which will essential be crucial in deciding the winners of this division as well as having massive playoff implications regarding seedings! The Chiefs have really brought in to Andy Reid's team spirit which has shown in recent close victories over the likes of Houston whilst on the other hand we have the Broncos who are entertaining to watch and put up high scores each week in entertaining games.

For me I think the bye week is the decider in this division as it has come at the perfect time for the Broncos who need to sort out their defensive weaknesses and ensure that Peyton Manning is healthy whereas the Chiefs get their bye after they face the Bills this week and then they will meet Denver at Mile High after it. The Chiefs will lose their momentum after the bye but still make the playoffs which ultimately is their goal. Personally I feel despite some impressive wins to date their second half of the schedule will hit them hard. I feel they will lose their last two games to Indianapolis and San Diego whilst Denver defeat Houston and Oakland despite them both being on the road. Denver wins the division, Kansas City comes in a close second and the Chargers led by a re-inspired Phillip Rivers return to the playoffs despite finishing 3rd in this division whilst the Raiders remain in obscurity.

Skye's end of season standings:

1st: Denver Broncos 13-3
2nd: Kansas City Chiefs 12-4
3rd: San Diego Chargers 9-7
4th: Oakland Raiders 5-11


Skye's AFC playoff picture:

1st seed: Indianapolis Colts 13-3 (thanks to their 39-33 over the Broncos they win the tiebreaker)
2nd seed: Denver Broncos 13-3
3rd seed: New England Patriots 12-4 
4th seed: Cincinnati Bengals 11-5 
5th seed: Kansas City Chiefs 12-4
6th seed: Tennessee Titans 9-7 (their week 3 win over San Diego 20-17 sees them sneak in to the playoffs)

So in my playoff picture the Colts have home field advantage whilst the Broncos join them in gaining a bye. This means that the wild card round would pit the Kansas City Chiefs on the road against the Bengals whilst the Titans would have it all to do when they visit Gillette Stadium to take on New England. That would give us a mouth watering divisional round and an AFC Championship game to remember. After my NFC predictions I will look at three potential playoff scenarios for both conferences!

NFL playoff picture: AFC

Week 12 brought us three exciting Thanksgiving Day games with plenty more thrills and spills when the rest of the league took to the field later on in the week. This week's games only muddied the AFC playoff picture. As for the NFC well Thursday Night Footballs sees the Saints and the Falcons go head to head in an NFC South clash which has playoff ramifications to go along with bragging rights. For now we are going to take a look at how things currently stand in the American Football Conference with an overview of each division and see who has the best chance of reaching the playoffs.

AFC current standings:

AFC EAST	W	L	T	PCT
New England Patriots	8	3	0	.727
Miami Dolphins	5	6	0	.455
New York Jets	4	7	0	.364
Buffalo Bills	4	7	0	.364
AFC NORTH	W	L	T	PCT
Baltimore Ravens	9	2	0	.818
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	5	0	.545
Cincinnati Bengals	6	5	0	.545
Cleveland Browns	3	8	0	.273
AFC SOUTH	W	L	T	PCT
Houston Texans	10	1	0	.909
Indianapolis Colts	7	4	0	.636
Tennessee Titans	4	7	0	.364
Jacksonville Jaguars	2	9	0	.182
AFC WEST	W	L	T	PCT
Denver Broncos	8	3	0	.727
San Diego Chargers	4	7	0	.364
Oakland Raiders	3	8	0	.273
Kansas City Chiefs	1	10	0	.091

Divisional leaders:

The AFC's leaders are the Patriots, Ravens, Texans and Broncos. All of which are pretty much guaranteed a spot in the playoffs but they still have seeding to battle it out for with the top two seeds earning a bye week when the playoffs begin.

The Patriots currently hold the third seed with their win over the Broncos earlier in the season being the tie breaker but if the Broncos were to beat the Ravens when they meet up and in theory all three hold the same record then the tie break would get complicated as it was the Ravens who beat the Patriots earlier in the season.

As well as that the Patriots and the Texans still have a matchup against each other to worry about and both have divisional rivals hunting for wild card spots. These four teams will be the top four seeded teams come the end of the regular season but with potential tiebreaker chaos and some crunch games coming down the stretch it's anyone's call as to who will earn home field advantage as well as the byes.

The wildcard hunt:

In the South we have the Colts who still have to play the Texans twice. Indianapolis wants to confirm its place in the post-season as soon as possible and potentially if they put on a late run of wins they could dethrone the Texans in the South but a lot would need to go their way.

The East sees the Dolphins take on their divisional leaders twice when they face the Patriots in week 13 as Miami hopes to get back to .500. Their chances of reaching the post-season though are not as likely as the Colts especially as they'll lose the tiebreak to them if it comes down to it following their defeat to Indianapolis earlier in the season.

The other two AFC East teams are the Bills and Jets who are both 4-7 and would both appear to be out of the playoff picture. For the Bills all are in agreement but some believe the Jets could sneak in if they manage to win at least 4 of their next 5. The only way that is could even be a possibility is if Tebow time happens and he produces the god like form, no pun intended, that he did for Denver last season. So in other words, the Jets need miracle.

In the other two divisions all is very different as the West has no potential wildcard teams in the division. It is safe to say that the likes of the Chargers and the Raiders won't make a late surge as they've been shooting themselves in the foot all season.  Meanwhile in the AFC North an injury to Steelers quarterback Big Roethlisberger shook the division up.

Pittsburgh looks mediocre without its franchise QB especially after the week 12 defeat to the Browns. Their rivals, the Bengals, have crept up to a 6-5 record to match the Steelers and look like they could snatch the final wildcard spot. With Pittsburgh facing the Ravens next potentially come the end of week 13 the Steelers will be out of the playoffs at that point in time.

Looking ahead

Steelers @ Ravens: This game is as crucial for Baltimore as it is for their rivals, whether Big Ben returns at quarterback or not for the Steelers it will be the Ravens who come out on top in this one as they hang on to the No. 2 seed for another week.

Patriots @ Dolphins: The Dolphins will give it their all but this mountain is probably too high for Miami. It has the potential to be close as even the Jets and the Bills have had games that have gone to the wire with New England this season but the Patriots know how to win games. With the Patriots currently on a streak of 5 wins in a row they're hitting their second half of the regular season form with both defense and offense taking care of the ball so they'll wrap up another win in week 13 and move on to 9-3.

Bengals @ Chargers: Some people have the Chargers down as a team who could still  make a late sprint in to a wildcard spot but as most people know this San Diego team is no playoff squad. With the Bengals having to endure a rugged schedule in the next few weeks it makes this game even more of a must win if they are to have a shot at making the playoffs. Tough call but Cincinnati should edge it.

Buccaneers @ Broncos: Despite a setback last week this 6-5 Tampa Bay team could still make the post-season but they go on the road against Peyton Manning and co. A Denver win keeps their second-seed dreams alive and Peyton knows how to get a job done so no matter how close this potentially could be for the Broncos they'll win and go on to 9-3.

Colts @ Lions: With the madness going on in the NFC in regards to the playoff picture the Lions will be disappointed that their young talented team couldn't go from good to great this season. They may also be envious of Andrew Luck and the Colts who with a win would create significant clarity in the AFC playoff picture with the wildcard spot firmly in their grasp. Matthew Stafford and co are not going to go down without a fight though, with both young quarterback's knowing how to pull off a 4th quarter comeback I see this going down to a game winning drive by either one of the two; you heard it here first.

And looking even further ahead...

Come the end of the regular season all of the current leaders in the AFC will win their respective divisions. Personally I feel one of the Ravens or the Texans will lose their current bye week seeding but I'm going to try and let my head rule my heart over the following decision:

Seed 1: Houston Texans 14-2
Seed 2: New England Patriots 13-3
Seed 3: Denver Broncos 13-3
Seed 4: Baltimore Ravens 12-4


The Texans have played good football all year, they'll hold on to home advantage and the number one seed. They'll lose two games maximum of their remaining five but more importantly for the Texans if they do take the first seed they need to know that no first seed in a conference has gone on to win the Super Bowl since the 2003 Patriots so Houston fans hold your horses.

I would have rather put the Pats, Broncos and Ravens all at 12-4 or all at 13-3 but I doubt all three will finish with the same record. With that being said regardless of what happens there's going to be a tiebreaker headache and they'll be a tiebreaker between the two of the three or all of them come the climax of the regular season.

Let's assume for a second that New England and Denver sweep their schedules and finish 13-3 and the Ravens win 4 of their remaining 5 with the one loss coming against Denver it will be the Patriots who would win the tiebreaker meaning they'll take the second seed and the bye week based off a better AFC record (11-1) than the Ravens (10-2) and Broncos (10-2). 

Tom Brady knows how to get it done at this stage of the season and Bill Belichick's men are 16-0 if you combine the second half of the seasons over the past two years, 17 now following their week 12 win. The same can be said for Peyton Manning, he and Brady are both future hall of famers and have been in this position so both Denver and New England will finish the season strongly.

Overall I'm going with the Patriots and the Texans getting that pass in to the divisional round. Baltimore's injuries on defense will take their toll resulting in a defeat to say Denver; that will open up the race for the second seed which I fancy New England to end up taking.

As for the wildcard spots well Andrew Luck has had a great year for the Colts and despite whatever is thrown at them Indianapolis seem to find a way through so they'll take the fifth seed for the playoffs. The sixth seed is the tougher call, usually the Steelers have the know-how and resilience to win games but the young Bengals have found a way to get back in the playoff picture. 

Honestly it will come down to the week 16 matchup between the two as no other AFC team has the capability of putting a run together to challenge for that last wildcard spot. Pittsburgh's defense can keep them in games until Big Ben returns but regardless of that I think like Indianapolis it will be the Bengals who enjoy a fairy-tale of their own by also reaching the playoffs.

One thing's for sure, it is going to be a very exciting end to the season as the playoff chase is now definitely in full swing!