Week 18 Predictions - FINAL WEEK IN NFL

The speaker took a break from their podcast during the holiday season but returned to discuss week 17 of the NFL. They summarized the results of various games and shared their predictions. They also expressed frustration with people blaming a player for an injury and emphasized the physicality and danger of the sport. The speaker mentioned a game that was canceled due to a serious injury and praised the support shown by players and coaches. They concluded by mentioning the upcoming week 18 games. Well, hello there. It's been a while. I took a little bit of a break from recording my podcast because I was quite busy with the holiday season. But now that we're in during the last week of the NFL and there were some crazy things that happened in week 17, I thought I would go ahead and come on back. So what we're going to do is we're going to jump in and talk about week 17, and then I'm going to go ahead and give you my week 18 predictions and kind of give an update on the playoff picture as of right now. Going back into week 17, there was a lot of things that happened that I needed to happen and that I wanted to happen, so I'm not too disappointed. Kind of a speed through of this, the Cowboys played the Titans and the Cowboys needed to win that game. I actually predicted that they would and they did. The Titans also needed a win. It would have helped them out. What's going to be more important is their week 18 game. So it really didn't matter that they lost that one. For the Cowboys, it matters because the Eagles also lost their game, which shockingly I predicted because the quarterback situation was sticky and it just seemed like this might be a cautiously optimistic time for me to be rooting for the Saints to defeat the Eagles and that did happen. So now that's putting the NFC East title in an interesting position. The Cowboys need to win their final game. The Eagles need to win their final game, but if the Eagles lose, then the Cowboys will take that spot. But moving on, we also have the Dolphins with the Patriots. The Dolphins could technically afford a loss there. They're still in the playoff picture right now. However, it would have been helpful for them to win. However, I actually put that the Patriots would win that game and they did win that game. So that's helped them out a bit because they are also still in the playoff picture. There's still a sticky quarterback situation with the Dolphins. Tua is still out. There's been a lot going on with that. So it'll be interesting to see what happens with the Dolphins going forward. Cardinals at Falcons, that game did not matter, though I did predict the Falcons to win and they did. Both teams are out. For the Bears at Lions, Lions needed a win and I predicted that they would win that game. The Bears, it didn't matter. They are out of the playoff picture. The Lions ended up winning that game. Now another game that really honestly didn't matter much, the Chiefs have already clinched a game. They were playing the Broncos at Chiefs home. The Broncos are out, so it didn't matter for them. So the Chiefs ended up winning that game anyways. Another game not so much mattering, I mean it mattered a little bit but not too much, the Colts who were out playing at the Giants who needed to win to clinch a spot, though I believe they still would have been in the running if they had lost that game. The Giants ended up pulling off a win there. Then I already talked about the Saints, but the Eagles, somehow the Saints ended up pulling it off and I did predict that, so I was cautiously optimistic there. Panthers at Buccaneers. Now this game I was being, I was really split on it. I ended up predicting that the Buccaneers would win it. I was trusting Brady and he delivered. Now the Browns at Commanders, the Commanders needed a win here in order to stay in the playoff picture. They did not win. I thought they would, they didn't. The Browns who were out of the playoff picture ended up winning that game. Jaguars at Texans. Now the Texans are really, it doesn't matter at this point. Going into that week they were 2-12-1. The Jaguars, they were still in the hunt for a title in the playoffs and they ended up winning that game. So for them it was important, for the Texans not so much. Jaguars won. I predicted that correct. 49ers at Raiders. The Raiders are out. The 49ers had already clenched. They were the West champions, but I thought it would be an easy win for them and it sure was. Then we have the Jets at the Seahawks. Now both teams had a slim chance in week 17 to make it to the playoffs. I did put that the Seahawks would win that game and they sure did win that game. The Jets did not win their game. Vikings at Packers. So I actually predicted that the Vikings would win that game and I was incorrect and so actually Green Bay is still in the playoff picture and they have a chance to make it. Like an actual real chance. Not like a 2% chance. They have a good chance. So I got that prediction wrong. Then we have the Rams at the Chargers. The Rams are out. It didn't matter for them. The Chargers have already taken a spot in the playoffs. They won that game. I predicted that right. And then our final, well kind of final game of the week was the Steelers at the Ravens and I thought the Ravens would take an easy win there and they did not. The Steelers won. Then we have our final game that ended up not being completed. It was the Bills at the Bengals. Now I predicted the Bills to win. The way that the game had been played for like the first quarter, actually the Bengals were dominating. So I probably was going to be incorrect on that. I thought it was going to be a really good game to watch. It should have been, but then things took a tragic turn and I don't really have much to say on what happened with DeMar Hamlin that the media hasn't already covered. But I will say, I was frustrated watching that game for a couple reasons. Well, frustrated isn't the right word to use. I was shocked. Okay. So I'm watching this all unfold live and something that's really annoying me right now is people are trying to find a reason to blame Tee Higgins, who is the person that DeMar Hamlin tackled in the incident where DeMar's heart stopped. It was a clean hit from what I saw. They did collide at a high speed, but that's the name of the game. People are trying to blame Tee Higgins somehow, cast blame like, well, he shouldn't have done this or whatever. And that's not deserved. It was clean. There would have been no penalty on the play over that tackle. It was clean. Now here's what people need to turn and realize. They need to realize, yes, this is a sport for entertainment. And this is where I'm getting into like my shock factor from that night. Yes, this is a game of entertainment. It's meant to entertain us, but we don't really take into consideration the physicality of this sport. These are 200 pound plus men slamming into each other, colliding into each other. Yes, they have padding. Yes, they have helmets, but that's only going to do so much. I, on the side, do aerial arts. So we'll be on fabrics that are suspended from the ceiling. And when we're practicing, yes, we have crash pads below us, but if I took a fall from up top, that's still going to hurt. That's not going to feel good. We have the means to protect ourselves. We have the safety measures in place, but that doesn't mean it's not going to hurt us. It doesn't mean it's not dangerous. It doesn't mean people can't get seriously hurt or injured from it. Same thing with football and same thing with other major sports that we enjoy and watch every day. These are real people who are doing things that are dangerous for their bodies. You'll see NFL players who are long retired, who are a lot older say, the things I did when I was in my 20s, I feel that now every day when I wake up. Because it doesn't feel good when they're getting hit. They get up and they keep going and they play for an hour long, right? But that doesn't take away from the fact that that's painful and it's going to have long-term repercussions. So as clean as that hit was, I mean, it was a freak accident. That's what it was, a freak accident. And I think we need to take into consideration that these are real people doing real dangerous things with their bodies for the sake of our entertainment. And what really got me on the shock part is one, the whole thing was just shocking in general. Two, the NFL just seemed to not want to cancel the game. Now there's all sorts of weird reports about what was going on in the field and ultimately they did cancel the game. There's some weird coin toss something being discussed in terms of the seating for the Ravens and the Bengals and whatever. But it took them way too long to come to that conclusion. We sat there for an hour waiting to hear what was going to happen and that should not have been the case. The moment a man's life was put into question, that game was done. I dare just say that if the NFL had been like, no play this game, the players and the coaches would have refused. They would have refused. I mean, there's no way anyone was in the mental state to play a game or coach a game or even watch a game. Like I would not have enjoyed the football game after that. I would've been thinking about the players on the field the whole time. After watching them visibly distraught on both sides of the field, both teams were visibly distraught. They were crying. They didn't know what was going on. I did like seeing that the Bengals players were supportive of the Bills players as well as the coach because that was really big of them. They did not have to do that, but there was some humanity in that and I loved it. Joe Burrow going over to Josh Allen, that was amazing. And I mean, I get kind of chill picturing it because that was a good man out there being like, this game's done. I'm going to go over and make sure my opponent is okay because of what just happened, what we just witnessed. And no one was okay. This whole thing was insane. But as far as right now, it seems like Jamar Hamlin's doing well. The last I've seen, he's been able to talk to his teammates. He's been able to communicate with his family. And so things are taking an upturn for sure. So that brings me into week 18, the final week of the NFL. The first game, we've got a couple of Saturday games. We've got the Chiefs of the Raiders and the Titans of the Jaguars. The important game of those two is the Titans of the Jaguars. The Raiders are out. The Chiefs, they're probably going to win anyways. That's my prediction, though that game doesn't really matter for them either. There's a good chance they play some of their backups, you know, give the starters a rest. But then we do have the Titans of the Jaguars, and this game is important because this is a title on the line. I do think the Jaguars will win that game. And we'll talk more about the playoff picture later, but that's my prediction for that. Grounds of the Steelers, this game doesn't matter so much. I do think the Steelers will win it. I think, actually, technically the Steelers could make the playoff, but they need a few things to happen. So they do need to win that game. So if the grounds go, it does not matter. Then we have the Ravens at Bengals. Now, I did think the Bengals to win. If they win, then I don't believe it's gonna matter as far as this coin toss stuff that they talked about. But the Ravens, if they win, then that would come into play. I'm not certain how the Bengals' mental state is going to be going into this game. I'm sure they're shaken. I'm sure all NFL players are shaken up, truthfully. But I do think that the Bengals and the Bills especially, because they were there and they witnessed this crazy thing happen. But I think the Bengals can pull it off and they can win against the Ravens. Then we have the Vikings at the Bears. The Bears are out. It doesn't matter for them. The Vikings are really just playing as far as the seeding is concerned, I believe. I do predict the Vikings to win that game, but it doesn't matter. Either way, they're in the playoff. Patriots have Bills. Now, the Patriots do need to win. Technically, if they lost, they could still make the playoff, but it would be best case for them to win that game. I do think the Bills will win that game. They're playing for DeMar at this point. I do think their mental state will be interesting, but they're playing for DeMar. So that's going to factor in in a good way. They've got these special patches made that they're going to be wearing on their jersey to support him and represent him. So Bills will probably win that game. So they don't need to win it to stay in the playoff picture, but it might help them out anyways to just have that momentum. Chess at Dolphins. Both teams have a sticky quarterback situation here. The Dolphins do need to win and they also need the Bills to win if they want to get in the playoff. So potentially, the Dolphins could pull this win off. I predicted they will. They have the home advantage. I know the quarterback situation is a mess, but they can pull it off. And then if the Patriots lose to the Bills, then they've got a spot. Buccaneers at Falcons. Falcons are out. Doesn't matter for them. Buccaneers are in the playoff. So again, doesn't really matter for them, but I do think they'll win that game. Then we have the Panthers at the Saints. The Panthers are out of the playoff picture. The Saints are also not in the playoff picture. So this game doesn't really matter. It's a write-off. I think the Saints will win it. Texans at Colts. Another game that does not matter, yet again, because both teams are out. The Colts will probably win it. Cardinals at 49ers. The Cardinals are out. Doesn't matter for them. The 49ers have clinched a spot in the playoffs. Doesn't matter for them either. They'll likely win. Maybe play some of their backups a bit. Now Cowboys at Commanders. Commanders, they got knocked out last week for the playoff picture. The Cowboys are still in, and they've got a spot, guaranteed. Now it's just a matter of who's going to be the East champion, and they need to win in order for that to happen with an Eagles loss. If they win and the Eagles also win, it doesn't really matter for the Cowboys. So I think it's going to be a tough game, but I do think the Cowboys can pull it off, and they can win that game. Then we have the Rams at the Seahawks. Now the Rams are out. Doesn't matter for them. The Seahawks technically can make the playoffs still. If the playoffs were to start today, then they've got a spot. But if they win, and the Lions also win against the Packers, Seahawks are in. I do predict the Seahawks to win that game. And then we have the Giants at the Eagles. Now this game does not matter for the Giants. They've got a spot. They are in contention for the NFC East title, so for them it really doesn't matter. They have been rumored, from what I've seen, that they're going to rest their starters. I've also seen that Jalen Hurts for the Eagles might play, so unfortunately I'm going to predict that the Eagles are going to win this game and take the NFC East. I hope I'm wrong. And we have the Chargers at the Broncos. Now this game does not matter either. Broncos are out. Chargers have a spot. Chargers might win that one though. Lions at Packers, this game does matter. The Packers need to win in order to take the playoff spot. The Lions need to win, and they also need the Seahawks to lose in order for them to make the playoffs. So technically they both still have a chance. Packers is going to be easier for them, and I do think the Packers are going to win that game. That brings me to the current playoff picture in the NFL. On the AFC side, we have in the number one spot the Chiefs, number two Bills, three Bengals, four currently, if the playoffs were to start today, Jaguars, five Chargers, six Ravens, seven if the playoffs were to start today is the Patriots. Currently still on the bubble are the Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans. For the Dolphins to take a spot, they need to win, and they also need the Bills to defeat the Patriots. For the Steelers, they're currently in the ninth spot, they need to win, and they also need the Dolphins to lose, and the Patriots to lose. So not quite a big chance there, but still technically one. Now the Titans, if the Titans beat the Jaguars, then they're in. If the Jaguars beat the Titans, then they're in. See what I'm saying? So, and actually technically though, technically the Titans, even if they win, the Jaguars still have a spot in the playoffs. Okay, and here's how. Because they either lose, and then the Bills, the Jets, and the Browns win their respective games, and they're in. Or they just win and they clinch the spot, so it's easier for them to do that. NFC, Eagles are currently, so this is all if the playoffs were to start today. Okay, the Eagles are number one spot, 49ers number two, three Vikings, four Bucks, five Cowboys, six Giants, and currently in the seventh spot are the Seahawks. In order to keep that spot, they need to win, and they also need the Packers to lose to the Lions. On the bubble though, the Lions could slip into a spot if they win, and the Seahawks lose. So basically both those games are highly contingent on one another. Then the final team in the NFC who still could technically make the playoffs are the Packers, and all they need to do is defeat the Lions, and they've taken that spot. So basically the Packers could steal the Seahawks' current standing position, because if the Lions lose, then the Seahawks don't have a shot. The Seahawks need the Lions to defeat the Packers, but the Lions need the, it's a whole puzzle, but you get the picture. So that's my predictions and what's going on for week 18 of the NFL, as well as a little bit about what happened in week 17 of the NFL. It was a crazy week. I love seeing that the league is kind of getting together, and standing behind one another, and bringing some humanity into the game that we all love to watch. I appreciate you guys tuning in. I'm excited to keep going forward and talking about the playoffs and what happens there. But in the meantime, you can find me on audio.com at MoProblems13. You can also find me on TikTok and Twitch at MoProblems13, as well as Instagram at Mo.Cruz, and you spell it like Tom Cruise's last name there. Thank you for tuning in, and I hope you have a great weekend watching football.