Super Bowl 53 Prediction

Conference Championship record: 1-1 (Correct: Patriots Incorrect: Saints)
Overall record: 5-5

New England Patriots over Los Angeles Rams:  Recent history is riddled with examples of teams that rode a wave of lucky breaks, whether it was via bad officiating or some kind of miracle play, to a playoff W then turned around and lost their next game (2011 Patriots, 2014 Seahawks, 2017 Vikings). While I feel the Saints inability to score TD's on their early possessions and heinous opening drive in OT that ended with Drew Brees throwing a costly INT that allowed the Rams to kick the game-winning field goal played a sizable role in determining their unfortunate fate, Nickell Robey-Coleman's unflagged mugging/headbutting of Tommylee Lewis undeniably helped the Rams win the NFC Conference Championship Game and has subsequently made them susceptible to the unforgiving wrath of The Football Gods this week.

Even if I didn't let silly superstitions serve as the driving force behind my pick, I'd take the Patriots in this game. The manufactured "NO ONE BELIEVES IN US" card they've been playing since the playoffs started has lit a fire under their asses that's unlike anything I've seen from since at least 2014 when they knocked off the aforementioned Seahawks in Super Bowl 49. The Rams have a lot of vets that have stepped up big during this playoff run (Robert Woods, C.J. Anderson, Ndamukong Suh, Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters), but I just don't think they have what it takes from a mental or X and O's standpoint to knock off a team full of trained killers that's this dialed-in.

It also doesn't help that Todd Gurley, who is exactly the type of skilled pass-catching back that could give the Patriots slow linebackers fits, is a shell of himself right now thanks to an undisclosed injury that has severely limited his snaps all playoffs long, Wade Phillips has had very minimal success scheming against Tom Brady's quick release/short-to-intermediate passing game and Jared Goff's tendency to make bad throws while under pressure is exactly the type of fatal flaw Bill Belichick can easily exploit. Sean McVay's creativity as a playcaller and the Rams deep arsenal of receiving threats that match up favorably against the Patriots defensive backs not named Stephon Gillmore should help keep things close, but I just feel like this will end up being another well-earned victory lap for the most impressive dynasty in the NFL, if not professional sports history.    

2018 NFL Predictions Mania: Super Bowl, League Leaders, MVP and More

NFL football FINALLY returns this evening when the Atlanta Falcons head to Lincoln Financial Field to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. Before things officially get underway, I'd like to present to you a string of predictions for the upcoming season including playoffs, MVP and of course, Super Bowl 53 champion that are all but guaranteed to be proven inaccurate by the time the confetti falls from the rafters at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3rd. May the gridiron gods bless the 2018 season with less awful penalties, a more competitive AFC and most importantly, a glorious inaugural intro powerslide from the divine Cris Collinsworth on the NBC broadcast tonight. Happy start of football season everyone.  

Playoffs
AFC:
1.Patriots
2.Jaguars
3.Steelers
4.Chargers
5.Ravens
6.Texans

Wild Card:
Steelers over Texans
Ravens over Chargers

Divisional Round:
Patriots over Ravens
Steelers over Jaguars

Conference Championship:
Patriots over Steelers

NFC:
1.Vikings
2.Saints
3.Eagles
4.Rams
5.Falcons
6.Packers

Wild Card:
Eagles over Packers
Falcons over Rams

Divisional Round:
Vikings over Falcons
Saints over Eagles

Conference Championship:
Saints over Vikings

Super Bowl:
Saints over Patriots

Year-End Awards:
MVP: Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
Offensive Player of the Year: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Jordan (Saints)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Saquon Barkley (Giants)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bradley Chubb (Broncos)
Comeback Player of the Year: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Coach of the Year: Anthony Lynn (Chargers)

League Leaders:
Passing YDS: Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
Passing TD's: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Rushing YDS: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
Rushing TD's: Leonard Fournette (Jaguars)
Receiving YDS: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Receiving TD's: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Receptions: Michael Thomas (Saints)
Interceptions: Darius Slay (Lions)
Sacks: Cameron Jordan (Saints)
Forced Fumbles: Von Miller (Broncos)
Tackles: C.J. Mosley (Ravens)

Miscellaneous Awards:
AFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: Ravens
AFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Titans
NFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: Giants
NFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Panthers
Most Likely to Go 16-0: Patriots
Most Likely to Go 0-16: Dolphins
Coach Most Likely to Get Fired before December (excluding Hue Jackson): Adam Gase
Fanbase Most Likely to Rebel on Their Tyrannical New Head Coach by Halloween: Raiders
Odds I go against everything history and my gut has been telling me for the past 6 months by suddenly hoping aboard the Bears hype train if they beat the Packers in convincing fashion on Sunday: 5-1