2019 NFL Divisional Playoff Round

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I could have done better last week had I flipped a coin or used darts. My picks were like the kiss of death leaving me with a record of 17 and 14. On top of that the "double doink" left me feeling numb after the Bears loss to the Eagles. That game was tough on me with my two favorite teams playing each other. Parkey's eleventh missed field goal left me in a place where I could neither enjoy the Eagles win nor mourn the Bears loss. I just felt funny...just numb.

Here are my picks for the divisional playoff round, although based on last week, teams may not want me to pencil them into the win column.

Indianapolis Colts vs Kansas City Chiefs
Saturday 4:35pm on NBC

Two great offenses will step onto the field at Arrowhead Stadium. We will get to see an outstanding rookie quarterback vs. a candidate for comeback player of the year. These teams are even in every aspect except on defense. I still believe defense wins championships making a difference even in shootouts. Plus I think Hunt's actions have hurt the Chiefs on many levels. The Chiefs' home playoff losing streak continues.
Colts 35 Chiefs 24

Dallas Cowboys vs Los Angeles Rams
Saturday 8:15pm on Fox

I mentioned last week how the Cowboys' offense improved significantly with the addition of Amari Cooper. This improvement makes this team better than they look statistically on paper. Better offense also helps a good defense play even better. This week that defense will face an offense that has been one if the best all season. This game will come down to running backs, namely can either back be slowed down. This means both defenses will have their hands full. I think Dallas will have the advantage at the line of scrimmage.
Cowboys 30 Rams 27

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots
Sunday 1:05pm on CBS

A lot has been made of the Chargers' record on the road. While they are impressive away from home a trip to Gillette Stadium for a playoff game is an entirely different situation. The Chargers will face a Patriots team that is not a dominant team like in past years but they are still good. The Patriots offense will not stall like the Ravens last week. They will score but will their defense be able to keep the Chargers out of the end zone? These teams are evenly matched. Usually when teams are even I go with the better defense. However in this case I have to go with the Patriots who almost always find a way to overcome their own shortcomings.
Chargers 24 Patriots 27

Philadelphia Eagles vs New Orleans Saints
Sunday 4:40pm on Fox

Forget the score of their regular season game. This is not the same Eagles team as the one that gave up 48 points in November. The defensive secondary has come together covering better down the stretch, finally taking advantage of the pressure applied by their front four. The Eagles will play 4 quarters this time around, something they had not done most if the regular season. But the Saints are 13-3 for a reason and Drew Brees is, as always, consistently good. Brees and his receivers present matchup problems which will test the Eagles' secondary. I think this game will come down to two things. First, can the Eagles defense avoid giving up big plays? They must keep the Saints offense in front of them and they cannot afford any missed tackles. Second, will the Eagles stay patient with the run? They will have to if they are to win.
Eagles 21 Saints 27

Sorry fellow Eagles fans or, based on my last week's picks, maybe this is good for the birds, bolts, Rams and Chiefs.

Are You Really Calling the Police? Where is the Church?

I can still hear her scream. I remember the man falling as he ran past me. Now I think about that night every time I hear about someone calling the police on a person whose only 'transgression' is being black out in public. And each time it happens I find myself wondering where the church stands on this issue.

I thought about that night most recently after hearing the news that employees of a Portland, Oregon DoubleTree Hotel called the police on one of the hotel's guests. The guest, a black man, was in the hotel's lobby talking on his phone. Even after showing his key card and envelope with room number and check in date, Jermaine Massey was asked to leave. Portland police escorted him to his room where he retrieved his things. The officers then offered to help Massey find another hotel but he declined their help.

According to different media outlets the employees involved were fired. Most likely we will never hear their explanation as to why they needed to call the police on Mr. Massey. Most likely the explanation involves fear or suspicion based not on the actions of a hotel guest but upon what he looked like. We can only speculate on this as we have had to do so many times in 2018: as we had to do when police were called to a Philadelphia coffee shop where two men were waiting for a business associate. In the same way I can only speculate on what those women were thinking that night on a Philly subway platform.

I was in college at the time, headed home after a late night hanging out with some friends. Here in Philly we have a station where two subway trains meet. I entered the station for the Market-Frankford Elevated (the east-west train) and walked towards the passage that would take me to the Broad Street line (the north-south train). Along the way I saw two white women sitting on a bench while waiting for their train. As I passed both women wrapped their arms around their purses pulling them closer to their chests. I ignored them having no interest in their purses or their persons. My only concern was being on time for my next train.

As I reached the passage connecting the train platforms I heard a scream. Shortly thereafter a white man ran by me, tripping and falling a few steps beyond. He quickly jumped up and ran forward towards the Broad Street Line. Not until he turned the corner did I realize he was carrying a purse. By then it was too late, I would not have been able to catch him had I given chase. I hate to admit it but my first thought was “Ha, that’s what you get!” My second thought was that it was in my best interest to walk home instead of waiting for the train. I figured standing on the platform could only mean having to talk to the police. Under the circumstances I thought it best not to hang around. (I admit my own biases lead me to the wrong conclusions in both cases.)

Other than being black I have no idea what I had done that made the women clutch their purses so tightly as I walked by. I can only speculate about what they were thinking about me or about the white man who came later. Were they more comfortable around the white man before he mugged them? Did this comfort leave them vulnerable? Whatever the reason they were afraid of the wrong person that night.

Fear and stereotypical beliefs contribute to people calling the police on blacks who are doing nothing more than living. This is a heart issue. As such it is time for the body of Christ to decide where it stands. The church teaches that Jesus changes the heart for the better. His church needs to speak out as it has against discrimination in the past. We need to tell people how skin color is not an indication of criminal intent. The church needs to speak to the cultural change we need to see before another innocent citizen is harmed by a false report of a crime. It's time for the church to stand up.

2019 NFL Wild Card Round

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The last few years I have enjoyed trying to pick winners in the NFL playoffs. Last year was especially fun as I watched the Eagles take home the Lombardi Trophy while earning myself an overall playoff record of 17-10. This year I get to enjoy seeing both of my favorite teams in the playoffs, though only one will survive this weekend's wild card round. I'll tell you which of my favorites moves on but first let's look at the two Saturday games.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
Saturday 4:35pm on ESPN

These two teams split their games during the regular season with the road team winning each game. I expect both defenses to win the battles at the line of scrimmage forcing the offenses to play with quite a bit of discomfort. In fact both teams face the likelihood of becoming one dimensional, resting their fates on the arms (and for one team legs) of their respective quarterbacks. That opens the door for two great receiver performances by the Colt's Hilton and the Texans' Hopkins. The Texans do have an edge though, in that if either team can run the ball it will be the home team. In what should be a fun game to watch I just don't see the Colts winning twice in NRG Stadium. I think Watson outplays Luck leading his team to a win.
Colts 27 Texans 34

Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys
Saturday 8:15pm on Fox

The Seahawks have been very quiet this year, a stealth team with a solid record but without the noise that seems to surround some of the other playoff teams. They will arrive in AT&T stadium carrying playoff experience along with the league's top running game. They will face one of the league's best running backs and an offense that improved significantly with the arrival of Amari Cooper. Both quarterbacks are capable of making big plays when needed and this is likely to be a high scoring game. Which defense is more likely to make a critical stop in the 4th quarter? I think that will be the Seahawks defense giving them the win.
Seahawks 45 Cowboys 42

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday 1:05pm on CBS

I'm having a tough time with this one. On paper these teams are close. But the season's stats do not give the full picture of what the Ravens have been since they changed their depth chart at quarterback. Lamar Jackson has changed this team. I'm just not sure if he changes them enough to beat the Chargers. These teams are evenly matched. Can the Ravens defense slow Philip Rivers and a very balanced Chargers' offense? Can the Chargers slow down the Ravens' running game? The Ravens are on a roll and I believe they will move on.
Chargers 14 Ravens 27

Philadelphia Eagles vs Chicago Bears
Sunday 4:40pm on NBC

I grew up in Northwest Indiana where our tv stations came out of Chicago. I watched the Bears through the Walter Payton years, suffering each season until they shuffled to a Super Bowl win. More recently I have lived in Philadelphia for over thirty years suffering with the Eagles until last year's Super Bowl victory. Now my life long favorite sports franchise is playing against my home team. In the end I'll likely feel happy and heart broken at the same time. This is also a tough pick for me as I know one of these fan bases is about to throw me off the bus.

This should be a great final game in a fun weekend. Who wins will depend a lot on Doug Pederson. Now I know a coach normally cannot win or lose a game but in this case the outcome rests on Pederson's patience with the run. If he loses patience the Bears defense will make him pay with turnovers and even a score or two. I think the Bears defense finds the end zone at least once leading to a Bears win in a tight one.
Eagles 13 Bears 14

Sorry Eagles’ fans. That hurts me too.

These are my picks for wild card weekend. Who do you think is going to win?

I heard two radio announcers complaining that while defense wins championships, low scoring defensive battles are boring. What do you prefer, a low scoring defensive battle or a shootout offensive showdown?