NFL Wild Card Weekend Playoffs: Who Will Win?

The NFL playoffs are upon us! If you're a fan of the NFL, this is what you've been waiting for. The final 12 teams left standing, slugging it out until there are just 2 teams left standing. They will meet on February 5th, on a field in Houston for the title of  Super Bowl LI Champion!

This weekend is the Wild Card round of playoff games for 8 NFL teams and Yahoo Sports attempts to answer the question, Who Will Win?

Below are the 4 games that will be played over the course Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, let's see how well Yahoo's experts did figuring out the winners.

Houston Texans vs. Oakland Raiders



Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions



Miami Dolphins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers



New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers

Uncanny Super Bowl 49 Predictions by Madden NFL 15

It's been nearly a week now since Super Bowl 49 ended with the New England Patriots beating the Seattle Seahawks on a play that will go down in Super Bowl lore that will forever be known as "The Call" by those that follow the NFL. It was a play that no one foresaw coming (except for the Patriot's defensive backs) or  that could be predicted without a sneer or snicker from devout fans or pundits. What was predicted from fans, pundits and soothsayer alike ran the gamut from the obvious to the improbable nevertheless. However, no entity was more successful at predicting this year's big game than EA Sports, the makers of the extremely popular video game series Madden NFL

For the past 12 years EA Sports has been running game simulations using its Madden NFL game to predict the eventual outcome of the Super Bowl. In doing so, they have been able to tell us the winners of 9 of the last 12 Super Bowls with uncanny accuracy.

Not only did Madden NFL 15 predict that the Patriots would win, it predicted that they would come from behind in a last minute comeback to defeat the Seahawks by a score of 28-24. It also predicted that:

• The Patriots would score first - Correct
• Tom Brady would win MVP - Correct
• Tom Brady would have 4 touchdown passes - Correct
• Julian Edelman would catch the game winning touchdown - Correct

And came amazingly close to other game day stats such as:

• Tom Brady would pass for 335 yard (he throw for 328, 7 yards shy of total)
• It was only 3 yards and 1 catch away from perfectly calling Julian Edelman’s entire game.
• Halftime score 17 - 14 (game was actually tied at 14)

As I mentioned above, this was the 9th time in 12 years that the Madden NFL game predicted the final outcome of the Super Bowl but by far, this year's game simulation was the most detailed and amazingly accurate one of them all. 

'Madden NFL 15' Predicts Super Bowl XLIX Winner; Patriots Over Seahawks 28-24

For the 11th year in a row EA Sports has run a number of simulations using it's Madden NFL video game to predict the outcome of the NFL's biggest game - the Super Bowl. This year's simulations were run using the Xbox One version of Madden NFL 15.

If you're a New England Patriots fan - good news. Madden 15 says the Patriots will defeat the Seahawks 28-24. Now wouldn't that make this Sunday's game super special.

In its 11 years history of game simulations, EA Sports and it's Madden NFL game franchise has predicted the winning team correctly 8 out 11 times with uncanny accuracy.

Much like last year game between the Broncos and Seahawks, everyone's reckoning this year's game between the Patriots and Seahawks is going to be close. No one is expecting a huge blowout as last year's Super Bowl turned out to be.

So which team is going to win? I have no clue. I like both teams for different reason and just hope for a competitive and exciting game.


Watch the official EA SPORTS Madden 15 Super Bowl Predictions video now to find out who is going to win Super Bowl 49 featuring Richard Sherman and the Seattle Seahawks against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.


Here is a list of EA Sports previous Madden predictions and their eventual outcomes:

- Super Bowl XLVIII
Madden: Broncos, 31, Seahawks,28
Actual score: Seahawks, 43, Broncos, 8

- Super Bowl XLVII
Madden: Ravens, 27, 49ers, 24
Actual score: Ravens, 34, 49ers, 31

- Super Bowl XLVI
Madden: Giants, 27, Patriots, 24
Actual score: Giants, 21, Patriots, 17

- Super Bowl XLV
Madden: Steelers, 24, Packers, 20
Actual score: Packers, 31, Steelers, 25

- Super Bowl XLIV
Madden: Saints 35, Colts 31
Actual score: Saints 31, Colts 17

- Super Bowl XLIII
Madden: Steelers 28, Cardinals 24
Actual score: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

- Super Bowl XLII
Madden: Patriots 38, Giants 30
Actual score: Giants 17, Patriots 14

- Super Bowl XLI
Madden: Colts 38, Bears 27
Actual score: Colts 29, Bears 17

- Super Bowl XL
Madden: Steelers 24, Seahawks 19
Actual score: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

- Super Bowl XXXIX
Madden: Patriots 47, Eagles 31
Actual score: Patriots 24, Eagles 21

- Super Bowl XXXVIII
Madden: Patriots 23, Panthers 20
Actual Score: Patriots 32, Panthers 29

NFL NFC Championship Game Packers At Seahawks Preview

It's been a long time since opening weekend of the season where the Green Bay Packers lost to the defending Super Bowl Champions the Seattle Seahawks.

The weather in Seattle is going to be very wet and with Packer quarterbackAaron Rogers still nursing a calf injury his mobility is questionable, many are saying that due to his injury and the wet conditions it will be very difficult for Rogers to throw the ball, whereas the Seahawks have been practicing all week in the wet conditions preparing for the game.

The Packers have had a hard time on defense lately. They have been moving a number of players around trying to improve their run defense and with Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch running the ball for the Seahawks the Packer will need all the help they can get.

It is for these reason that I feel the Seattle Seahawks will be returning to the Super bowl this year. They will defeat the Green Bay Packers 27 - 17 in wet and rainy Seattle.

See what CBS Sports Pete Prisco and Pat Kirwan have to say in their preview of the NFC Conference Championship between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.



An interesting sidebar Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson has never, in his short NFL career, been beaten by a quarterback that has won the Super Bowl. 

Panthers at Seahawks NFC Divisional Payoff

In tonight's late game, the Seatle Seahawks make their post season debut in the NFC divisional playoff game against the Carolina Panthers in Seatle.  Expect Seatle's defense to manhandle Carolina's offense and quarterback Cam Newton and while Seatle's offense does just enough to win.

Seatle with the help of  their "12th" man, the fans in the stands, should win easily. My prediction for the score Seahawks 23  Pathers 9

See what the guys from CBS sports have to say:

Pete Prisco and Pat Kirwan preview the NFC Divisional matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks.

SNL Halftime Super Bowl Spectacular

Not to be missed, Jay Pharoah nailed his impression of Michael Strahan last night in this Saturday Night Live parody of tonight's Super Bowl XLVII halftime show gone wrong!

Super Bowl Boulevard Was A Super "Experience"

Yesterday, after working all night, I hopped on the 11:12 train from Middletown to NY Penn Station with my two son and headed towards Times Square to check out this year's NFL Experience - Super Bowl Boulevard. The Super Bowl Boulevard started on 34th St. at the world famous department store Macy's and ran uptown along Broadway and 7th Ave to 47th st.

Macy's department store was the official site to purchase anything and everything related to the Super Bowl and on the 4th floor we were greeted by a sentry of NFL manikins representing each team and various displays with all kinds of merchandise ready to purchase (it was  pretty cool if I do say so myself). We picked up a couple of shirts and a small football that we would later have autographed by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (more on that later).

We left Macy's and headed up 7th Ave., to say the street was crowded and crazy would be an understatement. While I would not put the crowd size in the area of say New Years Eve, I would say that it was easily 7 several times worse than going into Manhattan during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Due to the large crowd we didn't participate in many activities, wait times for most of the sponsored events were upwards to 2 hours or more. We did however make it over to Bryant Park where Verizon had a pavilion set up.  Inside the Verizon Power House Pavilion there were several interactive areas showcasing new technologies and where you could have your name or picture inserted into various photos with NFL players Matt Forte (Chicago Bears) and Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers).  It was one of the better attractions of the day.

 

Heading back to 7th Ave from Bryant Park we passed the NFL Network and FOX Sports broadcasting areas (ESPN and CNN also had areas of their own set up along the Boulevard) and we saw that big toboggan slide that everyone has been making a big deal over.

While fighting the crowds and doing all that walking around Times Square the kids started to get hungry, so we started looking for a place to eat. We had thought that the ESPN Zone would have been a great place to grab a bite. Unfortunately, after walking up and down 7th Ave for several block we came the realization that the eatery was no longer there.  As we were searching for the ESPN Zone my youngest son noticed on the marquee of Planet Hollywood that Marshawn Lynch was going to be there signing autographs at 6pm. After seeing that we had no other choice, my son insisted that we had to eat there and wait for Lynch, much to my oldests' and mine objections.  Before heading back towards Planet Hollywood though, we stopped in at M&M World.

At M&M World the kids wanted to get some team colored (Broncos & Seahawks) M&M's. We looked around and found a display of 7 ounce packages each of which had individual team colored and logo stamped candies inside. Each bag was $13.99 each (outrageous I know) but was buy one, get one free. So we bought 4 packages 2 of each team, 1of each to eat later, 1 of each to save as souvenirs.

Also while we were in the store Mike Francesa from  the radio station WFAN was there broadcasting his show, my youngest sometimes watches him on TV and wanted to see him in person, even if it was for just a brief second. We left M&M World and headed over to Planet Hollywood.

We got to Planet Hollywood just before 4pm and I was surprised to see that the place was pretty empty considering that one of the premier running backs in the NFL was going to be appearing there in just two hours. There were just a few noticeable Seahawks fans hanging out in the bar area and a handful of families sitting at tables in the dinning room. We sat down, ordered our drinks and meals and then while they were being served I inquired about Marshawn Lynch's appearance later in the evening.

Our waiter was a great sport (which earned him a very nice tip by the way), he and much of the wait staff didn't know much about what was happening later on, but he asked his supervisors a few different times for us and the people sitting next to us, for information.  When he did finally have details, we were pleased to find out that the management of Planet Hollywood had decided to give all those currently in the restaurant preferential treatment to be at the head of the line for an autograph and to meet Marshawn Lynch. That was great news. We finished our dinner by 5:30 and then moved into the waiting line, Marshawn was to arrive by 6pm and start greeting people after a brief press conference. As these things go, 6pm came and went without Lynch's arrival.

While waiting there, standing in line we did find out the reason why Lynch was there. He was there with and his cousin, Josh Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49er Hall of Famer Joe Montana's wife Jennifer Montana, promoting their charity Beast Mode. They were there to sell Beast Mode 24 necklaces which Montana designed. Even though 80% of the profits from the sale of the necklaces were going to the charity at $124 each, the price was out of my league.  

About 15 minutes prior to Marshawn Lynch's arrival (somewhere near 6:30) Joe Montana walked in and caused a big stir, no one was expecting him to be there and people rushed to see him. He was polite but refused to take picture or sign autographs with the general public. He was just there to support his wife and the charity event.

After Lynch's arrival, he spent a good 25 minutes with Montana and other dignitaries who were there supporting Lynch's charity event. He made it to the stage and said a few words about his Beast Mode charity and what inspired him to start it. He then talked to the media for a few more minutes (he didn't seem to have any problems doing that contrary to what was going on during the NFL's Media Day event this past Tuesday in Newark) and then sat down greeted and signed autographs for us. Lynch signed a football and a couple of Super Bowl XLVIII programs for us. He was courteous to the kids and made sure to say hello to each of us. After waiting in line to see him for nearly 90 minutes, I was happy to see that he was a really good guy.

Afterwards we headed back to Penn Station to catch the next train home but on the way, we took just few more pictures to remember the day. It was quite the expeirence!

If anyone was thinking of attending Super Bowl Boulevard, today is the last day of the event. Get there soon, it ends at 10pm.

Madden 25 Predicts Super Bowl XLVIII Winner: Broncos over Seahawks

For the tenth year in a row EA Sports has run a number of simulations using it's Madden NFL video game to predict the outcome of the NFL's biggest game - the Super Bowl. This years simulations were run using the Xbox One version of Madden NFL 25.

If you're a Broncos' fan - good news. Madden 25 says that the Broncos will defeat the Seahawks 31-28 in overtime! Now wouldn't that make this Sunday's game super special.



In its ten years history of  game simulations, EA Sports and its Madden NFL game franchise has predicted the winning team correctly 8 out 10 times with uncanny accuracy. It's good enough reason as any to place my money on the Broncos:


- Super Bowl XLVII
Madden: Ravens, 27, 49ers, 24
Actual score: Ravens, 34, 49ers, 31

- Super Bowl XLVI
Madden: Giants, 27, Patriots, 24
Actual score: Giants, 21, Patriots, 17

- Super Bowl XLV
Madden: Steelers, 24, Packers, 20
Actual score: Packers, 31, Steelers, 25

- Super Bowl XLIV
Madden: Saints 35, Colts 31
Actual score: Saints 31, Colts 17

- Super Bowl XLIII
Madden: Steelers 28, Cardinals 24
Actual score: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

- Super Bowl XLII
Madden: Patriots 38, Giants 30
Actual score: Giants 17, Patriots 14

- Super Bowl XLI
Madden: Colts 38, Bears 27
Actual score: Colts 29, Bears 17

- Super Bowl XL
Madden: Steelers 24, Seahawks 19
Actual score: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

- Super Bowl XXXIX
Madden: Patriots 47, Eagles 31
Actual score: Patriots 24, Eagles 21

- Super Bowl XXXVIII
Madden: Patriots 23, Panthers 20
Actual Score: Patriots 32, Panthers 29


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