Predicting the entire 2020 NFL season before training camp
Conference Championship predictions
AFC Championship Game: 2 Baltimore Ravens at 1 Kansas City Chiefs
A rematch from the regular season and a game that everyone wants to see, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson clash in a battle of the league’s next generation of great quarterbacks. And while each will have their role to play in determining who wins the AFC, this matchup comes down to the defense.
Though Kansas City retained Chris Jones, their secondary is worrisome. More importantly, the Baltimore secondary is elite, as is the improved front seven. That gives them the edge in this matchup and the defending Super Bowl champions are sent packing at Arrowhead. AFC Champions: Baltimore Ravens
NFC Championship Game: 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 New Orleans Saints
The one major thing that would worry me about the Buccaneers and Brady in the postseason is playing in cold-weather climates. After playing in Dallas and San Francisco, they play the NFC Championship Game in a dome.
While Drew Brees and the Saints offense can have success against the Bucs secondary, the same is true for Tampa against New Orleans’ pass defense. And when you get down to it, I’m taking Brady’s postseason track record over what Brees and Co. have endured in recent years. NFC Champions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Super Bowl LV prediction
Baltimore Ravens vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers get the chance to make history here as the first team to ever play a Super Bowl at their home stadium. Funny enough, it’s the first game at Raymond James Stadium that they’ll get to play in the entire postseason. Unfortunately, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are waiting for them.
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Again, even if the Baltimore offense isn’t in its same form as last year, I believe Jackson will progress as a passer and, more importantly, that the defense will be better. They have the bodies to match up with the Bucs’ passing-game weapons and, ultimately, bring another Super Bowl to Baltimore. Super Bowl LV Champions: Baltimore Ravens