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2015 NFL Predictions: NFL Playoffs March Madness Elite Eight

By Dan Salem

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Our NFL Playoffs March Madness is down to the Elite Eight, with the Packers and Patriots stealing center stage. Anyone can make 2015 NFL Predictions, so we seeded all 32 NFL teams a la March Madness. Only one will be champion. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Check out more of the brothers in Seesaw Sports Debate on BuzzChomp. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.

Catch up on all the early round action, or jump below the bracket for the Elite Eight.

Round of 32:
1 – Cortez Kennedy/Seattle Seahawks division
2 – LeRoy Butler/Green Bay Packers division
3 – Steve Atwater/Denver Broncos division
4 – Mike Vanderjagt/Indianapolis Colts division
Sweet Sixteen:  Part one – Part Two

ALSO ON SPINZONE: Who’s among the Greatest QBs of All-time?

We ordered each team by their 2015 over/under line, then settled all tiebreakers with each team’s 2014 point differential. Check out Round one for full seeding and explanations.

TODD:

We have entered the elite eight of our NFL Playoffs March Madness bracket. The final eight seeds are an eclectic bunch, ranging from the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks to the 23rd and 25th-ranked Vikings and Jets respectively.

As we move toward our final four for the championship, let’s start with those Seahawks. In the Cortez Kennedy Regional Final, Seattle faces the aforementioned New York Jets. Most people would not have had the Jets moving this far through the tournament, but I’m not sure it mattered. I don’t see any other team in the region who could take down the Seahawks.

New York should be excellent on defense and has the skill players on offense to somewhat alleviate the pressure on whoever its starting quarterback ends up being. Neither side of the ball is dominant enough to topple Seattle though. There is a reason the latter was the top seed in the region and the top overall seed in the entire tournament. The Seahawks advance to the final four.

As for the regional final in the LeRoy Butler Region, we have a similar matchup pending. The Green Bay Packers take on division rival and long shot Minnesota. I won’t bore you with hyperbole and cliff hangers; the Packers win this and advance to the final four as well.

Minnesota is a popular sleeper pick for this season. The Vikings may in fact end up being the second-best team out of this region despite the awfully low seed. I am personally high on Kansas City this year, but Minnesota has a chance to be just as good if not better depending on the maturation of Teddy Bridgewater. That said, it is no match for Green Bay’s power. I would like Kansas City’s or even a healthy Cincinnati’s chances on defense better than what the Vikings can deliver, but in all likelihood, none of these squads would slow down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers attack. If anything, outscoring them is the easier path to victory, and that isn’t going to happen here.

Nov 3, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back

LeGarrette Blount

(29) is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker

Stevenson Sylvester

(55) during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

DAN:

I’m very pleased with how the Elite Eight turned out. We have a perfect balance of AFC and NFC, with a blend of last season’s powers and some potential surprises. Yet the Final Four looks to be much as anticipated, and my two Elite Eight matchups offer only slightly more drama than yours.

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The Steve Atwater Regional Final pits the Detroit Lions versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Detroit’s defense was outstanding last season, while Pittsburgh’s was average. Both teams had excellent offenses, but 2015 will paint a different story. The Steelers’ offense will be near the best in the NFL, while Detroit’s continues to be good but not great.

I also see Pittsburgh’s defense improving, ultimately pushing past the Lions in this matchup. While Detroit will continue to play at a high level, the Steelers elevate themselves into the Final Four.

Our final Elite Eight matchup is probably the best of the entire tournament so far. The New England Patriots face off with the Indianapolis Colts, in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship game. The Colts will be better this season, while the Patriot’s defense takes a slight step back. Yet I’m not convinced the outcome is any different.

New England has made four straight AFC title games for a reason. Indianapolis got blown out last season by the Patriots for a reason. Blame the footballs if you choose, but New England was better in every facet of the game. They are more experienced, and the best in the NFL at adapting to in-game situations and changes. The Colts will be very good, but New England is still better and advances to the Final Four.

The 2015 NFL Final Four is the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Three of four teams from last season return, but unlike real life, this tournament is up for debate.

Dan Salem is a Staff Writer for NFL Spinzone. He’s also Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp, and a New York Jets Analyst for Pro Football Spot. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram.

Todd Salem is a Staff Writer for NFL Spinzone. He’s also a Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp, a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, and an Analyst for Tipster Labs, among others. Follow him on Twitter.

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