2015 NFL Predictions: NFL Playoffs March Madness Round 2

Anyone can make 2015 NFL predictions, so we took all 32 teams and re-created March Madness. Its the NFL Playoffs March Madness style, until one team is champion. Round two has the Green Bay Packer’s division. 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.

TODD:

Before the NFL preseason gets underway, let’s make some good ole predictions. But these won’t be anything generic. Instead, we throw the entire National Football League into a seeded bracket tournament a la NCAA March Madness!

Here is how the NFL Playoff Bracket looks after Round One:

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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 picks.

DAN:

In Round Two of our NFL Playoffs tournament we head to the LeRoy Butler region, headlined by the two seeded Green Bay Packers. I realize we are technically in round one of the bracket itself, but to keep things straight forward, we will have four rounds to open up our tournament, one for each region.

When a two seed faces the 31st ranked team, it usually means a boring blowout with few storylines. But the Green Bay Packers versus the Tennessee Titans has two marquee quarterbacks involved. Until proven otherwise, Marcus Mariota is a marquee quarterback. Every NFL rookie drafted as high as Mariota is marquee, and Aaron Rodgers is a bigger and badder word than marquee, because it simply does not do him justice. He’s a “Bad Man” as Stephen A. Smith likes to say.

Despite a fun quarterback matchup between these teams, there’s no debate which is the better squad. The Green Bay Packers easily advance against an improving and sure to impress Titans team. The Packers are in the Super Bowl conversation, however, while Tennessee is lucky to finish with a winning record.

My second matchup of Round two pits the tenth ranked Kansas City Chiefs against the 23rd ranked Minnesota Vikings. Doesn’t it feel like the Vikings are grossly underrated in this tournament?

I love what the Chiefs have put together the last few years. They should play above .500 football this season. But the script has flipped in Minnesota. Adrian Peterson is alive and well. So is wide receiver Mike Wallace, and I’m firmly in the camp that believes quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is about to break out in a big way. After an excellent rookie season in which he threw for nearly 3,000 yards, with almost 65% completion and more touchdowns than interceptions, Bridgewater is on track to start dominating under center.

Both teams have strong offensive weapons, but Bridgewater will be infinitely more dynamic under center than Alex Smith. Mr. Reliable is all well and good for Kansas City, but it doesn’t win them this matchup. I’m picking the upset. The Vikings advance in the tournament.

Jan 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) looks to throw in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

TODD:

My matchups in the LeRoy Butler Region begin with the Cincinnati Bengals taking on the New York Giants. Although the seeding in this matchup is ever so close (15 versus 18), unfortunately I believe this matchup is not. The Giants are simply a mess. Jason Pierre-Paul refuses to tell his own organization how many fingers he has; the secondary is one injury away from being a disaster; the offensive line is already a disaster.

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The only thing that holds this team together is Eli Manning and the wide receiving corps. However, just a few days ago, the Giants signed veteran James Jones presumably because Victor Cruz won’t be ready for the start of the season. The Bengals advance almost by default here but also because they are a very solid football team.

In my other matchup of this region, things are even more clear. The Philadelphia Eagles matchup against the Chicago Bears in a game of two accurately seeded franchises. The Eagles have had their problems this offseason, and a lot has been turned over on this roster. However, the offense still contains a number of talented pieces, including new running back DeMarco Murray. Everyone got on Chip Kelly for the players he gave away, almost purposefully ignoring the players he brought on like Murray and Kiko Alonso. Philadelphia is arguably the best team in the NFC East.

For Chicago, the story is much different. This team seems to be plummeting fast. Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and the offensive pieces are still in place, but Brandon Marshall was replaced by Eddie Royal and a rookie; not to mention the fact that this returning group wasn’t very good last year, finishing 21st in total offense and 23rd in scoring offense.

On defense, things are even worse. The Bears were atrocious in 2014, finishing as the 30th-ranked defense in football and allowing 27.6 points per game, good for 31st in the NFL. Veterans were brought in to solidify the secondary, but linebacker remains a huge question, as does the front seven as a whole.

This matchup is a pushover; Philly advances easily.

Here’s how the NFL Playoffs Bracket looks after two rounds:

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.

Next: NFL Playoffs March Madness Round One revisited

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