2015 NFL Predictions: NFL Playoffs March Madness Round 3

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 three has the Denver Broncos’ 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.

DAN:

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!

Round one – Seattle Seahawks division
Round two – Green Bay Packers division

Here is how the NFL Playoff Bracket looks after two rounds:

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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 explanations.

TODD:

Moving right along to the Steve Atwater Region, the Denver Broncos take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in our first matchup. Denver has some major questions heading into this season, but nothing problematic enough to get tripped up by the Jaguars.

Jacksonville had its share of moments in 2014, but they were too few and far between. The young wide receiver corps is very inexperienced, which isn’t helping Blake Bortles develop behind center. I really like Julius Thomas at tight end as a pass catcher to alleviate some of that, but there isn’t enough here in Jacksonville on either side of the ball. This team is still a few years away from competing, and that’s if Bortles is the right guy at quarterback.

While Denver is an easy pick in my first game, my second game is a bit trickier. There, the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the St. Louis Rams.

If this game were to happen in real life (and it actually will in week three), it’d be strength against strength: the Pitt offense facing the Rams defense. Pittsburgh may have the best offense in the NFL once Le’Veon Bell returns from his suspension. The offensive line is still far from elite, but the skill players are unmatched across football.

Offensive line struggles are what St. Louis thrives on. The Rams have the best defensive front four in the league, and an all-around good defensive unit. The other side of the football isn’t there yet for this team though. All point production will be resting on the shoulders of a number of real injury risks. Todd Gurley is a rookie who hasn’t played any football in quite some time; Nick Foles is coming off of a lost season at QB, and this will be his first year in St. Louis; Brian Quick was sidelined for more than half of 2014 and is the team’s top receiver on the outside.

Pittsburgh has some issues on defense, but it is the better all-around football team compared with the Rams. I like St. Louis as out playing its seed so to speak, but this is a tough matchup to overcome.

June 9, 2015; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback

Peyton Manning

(18) prepares to pass during the start of mini camp activities at the Broncos training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

DAN:

My first matchup of round three it’s a real nail biter. The Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers were both playoff teams last season, although only the Lions had a winning record. I see the Lions taking a step back from their eleven wins just slightly in 2015, while the Panthers move forward and improve on their mere seven victories of a season ago. Yet with both teams moving in opposite directions, it’s not enough to cause an upset in this matchup.

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