Predictions

You read it here first.  These picks are NOT against the spread.

Wild Card  1/9-1/10
Houston over KC
Pitt over Cincinnati

Seattle over MN
GB over Washington

Division Playoffs 1/16-1/17
Pitt over Denver
NE over Houston

Seattle over Carolina
AZ over Green Bay

Championship Sunday 1/24
NE over Pitt
AZ over Seattle

Super Bowl--2/7
NE over AZ

College Championship--1/11
Alabama over Clemson

Last year, I was very accurate with these. However, I did predict that Carter would defeat Reagan in 1980.  So do not bet anything substantial on the basis of this wisdom.

On the subject of wisdom, my brother and I--under the heading of The Raccoon Lodge--have participated in a pool this past year as we have for the last 10 years or so. In one year, we actually won the pool.  We really do know a lot about professional football. The two of us can respond to many questions about football that others would be hard pressed to answer.  Yet, this year we have failed so miserably in this pool that it is remarkable. On Thanksgiving weekend we were doing so poorly that we agreed to let Sophie, my brother's 1 year old granddaughter make the picks. The only reason we did not, was because we forgot during the hubbub of the Thanksgiving gathering.

The pool requires that one bet against the spread. As I wrote in the Madness of March, betting against the spread is like flipping a coin.  The leader in the pool of 61 teams has predicted 55% of the games correctly. This is very good. Only 11 out of 20.And this player is in first place.

Where is the Raccoon Lodge?   I just checked, with reluctance. To be clear this year I did most of the picking.  On a couple of occasions we picked together and my brother on a couple of occasions did the honors.  Again, we know football.

We are all by ourselves in 55th place out of the 61 teams.

Again, my picks above are NOT against the spread. These are the teams I think will win.  It is very interesting to note for those interested in such things, that three of the four HOME teams this weekend are underdogs. The pundits believe that Seattle will beat Minnesota at Minnesota; Pittsburgh will beat Cincinnati in Ohio, and Kansas City will defeat Houston in Texas. The only home team that is a favorite is only favored by 1 1/2 points and that is the Redskins who are playing in DC and are favored over the Packers.