Inside The Star
The final four are set. And never before has an entire nation been more united in who they are rooting for to make the Super Bowl than today.
The Buffalo Bills and the Washington Commanders.
Sorry Chiefs and Eagles fans, it’s not us, it’s you.
And we are never, ever, ever, getting back together. (And there is what I hope will be my only Taylor Swift reference for the rest of my life.)
When it comes to predicting the NFL playoffs, I’m not off to a great start, but at least I’m above .500 at 6-4.
Here’s where it gets odd though. I’m a perfect 5-0 in the AFC playoffs and a miserable 1-4 for the NFC games.
I blame the Commanders and Eagles, of course.
But now I have a dilemma.
After correctly picking Washington to beat Tampa Bay, I’m on a four-game losing streak in the NFC. It didn’t help that the NFC’s top two teams (by record) both laid an egg in their first games.
But did they have to let both NFC East teams make it to the NFC title game?
Worse still, the Commanders’ fanbase decided to ignore my correct pick in their favor the week before to jump on my pick for them to lose to the Lions.
They’re almost as bad as Eagles’ fans.
I said “almost”, people.
At least the Eagles’ folk knew better than to poke the bear. I had to tell the Washington gang that if they didn’t chill out, I’d pick them to win today.
They haven’t said a word since.
Here’s my picks for today’s title games:
2 p.m. / FOX
The Eagles can’t keep getting every break in the book to go their way, can they? In a just world they lose both of their playoff games this year.
This just ain’t a just world, baby.
Philadelphia does not have a passing game. If not for three big runs, that would have been their undoing last week.
So, it will come down to Dan Quinn’s defense today.
If they can contain Saquon Barkley, and make Jalen Hurts a pocket passer, they have a chance.
Washington will need to force turnovers, like they did against Detroit. They’ll also need Jayden Daniels to keep channeling whatever he’s been channeling these last two weeks.
The other dilemma to making this pick?
If the Eagles lose, Kellen Moore might be the Cowboys’ next head coach this week.
Look, there are enough former Cowboys players and coaches to excuse this pick.
Commanders 31, Eagles 24
5:30 p.m. / CBS
Hate ’em as much as you want, but the Chiefs turn it up when the playoffs begin.
That’s why they are gunning for their third straight Lombardi Trophy.
Kansas City has looked shaky this entire year. They have won some games – by hook or by crook – that they probably shouldn’t have....
