2014 FIFA World Cup Bracket Predictor Challenge!

Greetings and salutations from the long-too-dormant KTND staff!

You may be aware that we are merely TWO WEEKS away from the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.  The football (or soccer, if you’re so inclined) World Cup Finals is the biggest sporting event in the world.  Because this event is so big and because our March Madness Bracket Challenge was so successful, we are proud to announce our first ever FIFA World Cup Bracket Predictor Challenge!  The winner of this competition will receive EIGHTY AMERICAN DOLLARS ($80)!

The rules are quite simple:

1.      Create an account on ESPN.com, join the private Bracket Predictor group “TBOD Podcast” and enter the password “ktnd2014.”

2.      Fill out your bracket.

3.      Make sure you have a Twitter account and are following these accounts: @AmplifiedtoRock @AarontheBrain @NickGator @TheLasnerSport @TBODpodcast & @KeepNoiseDown.

4.      Cheer your country/bracket to victory!

5.      Winner will receive their prize via PayPal.

And that’s all there is to it! No entry fee. No other requirements.

So tell your friends and get them involved as we spend a month celebrating the world’s game, THE BEAUTIFUL GAME!

The KTND March Madness Bracket Challenge!

by AmplifiedtoRock

It's that time of year again.  The time of year when men and women, boy and girls, and everyone in between take their chances with filling out a bracket comprised of 64+ teams, many of which they have never heard of and/or seen.  I am, of course, talking about March Madness.  Ever year, millions of people across America compete to see who is the best at deciding where upsets will occur and which schools will fit into Cinderella's glass slipper.  Why?  Because it's fun, dagnabbit!  Some compete for high stakes.  Some compete for the fun of it.  Some compete just because everyone else is doing it.  That brings me to the blog post you are reading right now.  You see, I have a very important announcement:

PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET!  HEAR YE!  HEAR YE!  I HEREBY ANNOUNCE THE FIRST ANNUAL KEEP THE NOISE DOWN MARCH MADNESS BRACKET CHALLENGE!

It costs nothing to play, but you'll be pleased to know that the winner of the competition will receive a $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

Again, entry into the competition is FREE!  To play, you just need to go to HERE and register an account.  Once you have done that, follow THIS LINK and enter the password "keepthenoisedown5x" without quotes to be entered into the league. 

You may submit your bracket anytime between the time it is released in the evening of Sunday, March 16th until just before tip-off at noon on Thursday, March 20th.

Also, AND THIS IS MANDATORY, you MUST be following @KeepNoiseDown, @tbodpodcast, @NickGator, @AmplifiedtoRock & @AarontheBrain on Twitter in order to be eligible for the prize.  If you should win the competition and are not following these 5 accounts, the next highest finisher will be awarded the prize.

Any questions?  Comment below, tweet us or send an email to KeepTND@gmail.com. Happy picking!

WrestleMania Reaction - WrestleMania X

by AmplifiedtoRock

Yesterday, Nick and I collaborated with Billy Carpenter of 4CRWrestling.com as part of his WrestleMania Reaction series.  We reviewed the sights and sounds of WrestleMania X in a fun podcast that you should all check out.  You should also follow Billy on Twitter at @4CR_Billy and subscribe to his podcast network. It's really solid stuff.  Check out our WrestleMania Reaction episode HERE.

The Gator Pit #1

Brought to you by Nick Gator

I'm hoping this will be the start of a weekly thing where I come on and do my best Larry King impression, giving my musings on wrestling and anything else that strikes my fancy. If you like what I have to say then you should be following me on Twitter.

* I know many of us were hoping for the return to WWE of our favorite Chicago son, a guy who has held world titles and is beloved across the world. Unfortunately, Colt Cabana stayed home Monday night.

* Speaking of this past Raw, it was one of the better ones in recent memory. The "hijack" movement has led to Twitter accounts for upcoming venues. If that's what it takes to get excellent shows every Monday, then by all means keep it up.

* Also, the person who brought the "Cena Fears Freight Train" sign has won the game of life.

* Harley Race used to carry a gun in his bag. Today, wrestlers carry an extra Playstation controller.

* I love food with heat to it but I do not like food that's hot for the sake of being hot. Unless you're in a contest to win a t-shirt or something even nicer, I don't see the point.

* Watched WrestleMania 3 on the WWE Network. Why does Hulk Hogan think he can piledrive Andre The Giant? WHY? Also, why does the babyface try to piledrive the bad guy right onto the cement floor? Like John Cena today, Hogan did some things that are not exactly white-hat good.

* With NXT running on Thursdays, wrestling fans finally have something they can enjoy watching that night of the week.

* I am hoping for additional NXT arrivals to the WWE main roster as much as the next guy but you can't deplete the developmental talent pool. Continue bringing in new folks and those who are talented enough will not be forgotten.

* Leo might have gotten robbed at the Oscars but I think his harem of models will cheer him up. Just conjecture on my part.

* The best wrestling movie of all time? Body Slam starring Dirk Benedict and Roddy Piper. Take that Mickey Rourke. 

* Bill Apter popping up on the WWE Network makes me smile. 

* I love a backslide. The next person who wins an important match with a backslide becomes my new favorite wrestler of all time.

* What's the motivation for a neck tattoo? I asked someone earlier but he snarled and told me to stay down whatever that means.

That's all I can muster this week. You're out of touch, I'm out of time. 

Have any questions you want answered? Tweet them to me @NickGator or email keeptnd@gmail.com. 

IT'S SABBATICAL TIME!

by AmplifiedtoRock

During the question and answer session of today’s WWE 4^th Quarter Earnings Report conference call, Vince McMahon was asked about the status of CM Punk.  In response, McMahon said, "He is taking a sabbatical. Let's just put it that way."  With investors concerned about the absence of one of WWE’s top performers, his answer was political and ambiguous.  It was also perfect.

To everyone outside of the company, the CM Punk situation is a mystery.  Neither Punk nor WWE had made any statement about the performer’s status with the company outside of an official denial by WWE on Monday that he had been released.  As such, it was expected that there would be some sort of inquiry during the call as to what his current status was.

McMahon clearly found himself in a tough situation.  If Punk is, in fact, gone from the company without any plans to return, he had to find a way to spin the loss of his second biggest star.  If Punk’s absence is part of some elaborate creative angle, McMahon didn’t want to give it away.  And, of course, if the situation is entirely up in the air, with Punk’s imminent return or permanent exit still to be determined, McMahon would want to be careful with how he described it, lest he accidentally concede any leverage he may have.

All that being said, I think McMahon’s use of the word “sabbatical” to describe CM Punk’s absence from the WWE was the best way to sum up a situation that is apparently, as of now, unresolved.  He gave nothing away and didn’t lie.  As a business move, I don’t think he could have handled the question any better.

Now, of course, a lot can be read into his tone of voice when he gave his answer (I thought he sounded frustrated and almost annoyed), but that would only be more speculation.  That being said, here are my thoughts.

I simply cannot buy into the idea that CM Punk’s absence and apparent deletion from current WWE television programming is a storyline.  Punk was in a similar situation in 2011 and I find it very difficult to believe that the company would go to that well again not three years later.  CM Punk’s authenticity has played an enormous role in making him the star he has become, and that authenticity would take a huge hit if he was a willing participant in such a similar angle so soon after the first one.  I also find it difficult to believe that WWE’s creative team is capable of the sort of complex, intricate and multi-faceted storytelling that would be required to work not only the majority of WWE’s audience, but the thousands of writers, internet smart marks and dirt sheets.  I’m not saying it’s impossible.  WWE has shown its ability to keep a secret before, with Chris Jericho’s 2013 Royal Rumble appearance being a shining example.  It just seems highly improbable here. 

As of right now, I believe CM Punk is gone from the company with no plans to return at any point in the near future.  I don’t think, however, that this necessarily implies he will stay away.  It is very possible that Punk could return to WWE television and creative during the build up to WrestleMania, but if this happens (and it is a very big if), it means that something or someone managed to change his mind.  Perhaps a month or two away will be all he needs to clear his mind.  Perhaps Vince McMahon will work his famous Jedi mind tricks to lure Punk back.  Perhaps he just misses being on the road with his girlfriend.  Whatever the case may be, I believe Punk’s current status is in his own hands, and not some group of writers’.  Vince McMahon said nothing today to change my mind.

The Ultimate Warrior According to The Ultimate Warrior

By NPC Del

According to his interviews, the Ultimate Warrior "was sent in a capsule, from a place far from here." He claims that he was given the power of the Ultimate Warrior in "[his] final meeting with the gods from the heavens above." He's also said that he can "feel the power, floating through the veins, of the warriors," and that he "feel[s] the injection from the gods above," further implying that these mysterious gods are the source of his power. To date, Warrior's gods have yet to be implicated in any of the steroid scandals surrounding the WWF/WWE.

Warrior made frequent references groups of "warriors" other than himself. Information on these other warriors is scant, consisting entirely of cryptic, poetic references. Warrior has stated that "the family that [he] live[s] for only breathes the air that smells of combat," and that he "looks to the skeletons of warriors past." He has also discussed loading a spaceship with rocket fuel so that it could be boarded by the warriors.

The emergent narrative seems to be that the Ultimate Warrior is a member of a caste of slave-soldiers, who serve a technologically advanced alien race whom they do not understand and regard with religious Reverence. The Ultimate Warrior, as his name implies, is possibly the greatest and the last surviving member of this race. Warrior has said that he "live[s] for anger and frustration" and that "Nightmares are the best part of [his] day." In context with his statements about his fellow warriors, this implies post-traumatic stress resulting from conflicts fought under orders from his alien masters. His statements clearly imply that they used their technology to grant him physical enhancements, explaining his ability to survive suffocation, cobra venom, and poisoning by an expert practitioner of voodoo.

NPC Del is approximately ⅓ of the @npccast by volume. You can follow him on the Twitter machine at @npcdel.

NFL Picks - Super Bowl

by AmplifiedtoRock

Today is the day.  Not only does the long NFL season culminate in today's Super Bowl between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks, but it marks the end of Keep The Noise Down's NFL picks competition.  In actuality, it was over as a contest a few weeks back thanks to a late push by Aaron the Brain, but we have to go through all the formalities.  Of course, it’s a different story for who finishes in the basement.  Nick and Corey enter the final week tied.  Who will win?  We’ll just have to see.

Thanks for following along with us this season.  It's mostly been an experiment for us this year, but it has definitely been fun and it has given us some ideas for what we can do next year to make our competition bigger, better and more interesting for you the reader.  We'll have some announcements as to how that ends up taking shape as we approach next season.  For now, we should get down to business.  If you listened to the first episode of The Brothers of Destruction Podcast, you know who Aaron and I have this week.  Corey agreed with us, but Nick went the other way.  Who did we pick?  Look below!

KTND NFL PICKS STANDINGS

Aaron the Brain – 66-42

AmplifiedtoRock – 58-50

Nick Gator – 51-57

Corey Santiago – 51-57

KTND NFL PICKS – SUPER BOWL XLVIII

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS. DENVER BRONCOS

Amp:  Seattle

Aaron:  Seattle

Nick: Denver

Corey: Seattle

The Brothers of Destruction Podcast - Episode 01

by AmplifiedtoRock

It's been a long time coming, but Aaron the Brain and I have finally recorded our first podcast! We named it for the legendary tag team of the Undertaker & Kane:  The Brothers of Destruction.  Our plan is to record an episode every week discussing the latest goings on in the world of sports (both real and fake).  In this first ever edition of the Brothers of Destruction Podcast, we discus Super Bowl 48, the current state of the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Heat,  the Winter Olympics, CM Punk's departure from WWE and Daniel Bryan. Check it out!

This is a new venture for both of us, so we're anxious for feedback, both positive and negative.  Leave us a comment here or catch us on Twitter: @AmplifiedtoRock and @AarontheBrain.  You can also comment at the offical KTND Twitter @KeepNoiseDown.  Thanks for your support!

Check out the podcast HERE!

Subscribe to our feed HERE!

NFL Picks - Conference Championships

by Aaron the Brain

KTND NFL PICKS STANDINGS

Aaron the Brain – 64-42

AmplifiedtoRock – 56-50

Nick Gator – 49-57

Corey Santiago – 50-56

It isn't often that when we get to the conference championship weekend that the 4 teams left are the consensus best teams in the league, but that is exactly the case. All season long, the Broncos and Patriots have been the class of the AFC. Meanwhile, the Seahawks were atop the NFC standings from start to finish this season, and while Carolina had a great season, they went into their game against the 49ers last week as a home underdog, which speaks volumes of who the public considered the better team. 

These games are being billed as polar opposites. There's the "Legacy Game" in the AFC, in which Tom Brady and Peyton Manning go head-to-head in the postseason for the 4th time, as each tries to accomplish something legendary. For Brady, it's the opportunity to start at QB in a record 6th Super Bowl, and potentially win a record-tying 4th. For Manning, it's a chance to become the 3rd QB to take two different teams to a Super Bowl, and potentially the first to win with two different teams. The other game is being billed as an ugly, slugfest between two teams who hate each other and who are considered the two most physical teams in the league. So let's get to the analysis, shall we?

New England @ Denver

Current Spread: Denver -5

This will be Brady-Manning XV, and Brady has been the victor in 10 of the 14 previous matchups, including a 2-1 record in the 3 postseason matchups between the 2, but I'm not a big fan of applying stats from a decade ago to a game played in 2 days. There isn't much that can be carried over from games played between these two when Peyton was a Colt. However, these two players (and most importantly, teams) did play earlier this season. In a game played in cold, nasty weather, neither team played near their best. Three first quarter fumbles by the Patriots were turned into 17 points by Denver, and the lead ballooned to 24-0 by the half. In the 2nd half, Tom Brady set the tone with a TD drive to open the 3rd quarter, and the Broncos gave New England the opportunities they needed to come back by turning the ball over three times of their own, including a costly one in overtime when a short punt bounced off of Tony Carter and was recovered by New England to set up their game-winning score in OT. It's hard to know what to take out of such a crazy game, but a few things were very telling.

In a game played in frigid temperature, the Broncos did most of their damage on the ground, rushing for an astounding 280 yards on perhaps an even more astounding (for a Peyton Manning offense) 48 carries. The Patriots consistently dropped 7 or 8 into coverage, daring Manning to check to running plays at the line of scrimmage, and time after time Manning took what the Patriots gave him, and while the Broncos amassed a ton of yardage on the ground, when the Patriots stopped turning the ball over the Broncos struggled to score. That's because when Manning went to pass into the Patriots defense, he didn't find much success. Manning finished the game 19/36 for just 150 yards. This isn't the first time this strategy has worked against Manning. The Patriots routinely used this strategy when Peyton was in Indianapolis and didn't have much of a running game to speak of, and the Jets used the same strategy to knock off Peyton and the Colts back in 2010. The only way the Broncos can make this strategy pay off is if they can run the ball effectively and consistently, and make the most of their red zone opportunities. One thing that bodes well for Denver is that the Patriots have been one of the worst teams in the league at defending the run, so there's no reason to believe Denver won't have similar success running the ball this time around...unless New England unexpectedly changes their game plan.

Last week New England threw a curve ball by running the ball on 46 of 73 plays for 234 yards in a game similarly billed as a battle of elite QBs. However, in the game against Denver earlier this year they ran on just 31 of 83 plays for an okay but not great 116 yards. Much of that was probably due to the fact that they fell behind by so much, but it's hard to ignore that Brady completed over 80% of his passes in the 2nd half for nearly 9 yards per attempt. That wasn't an aberration, as for much of the year the Broncos were one of the worst pass defenses in the league. However, they have improved recently. Over their final 3 games of the regular season, the Broncos pass defense allowed an average of just 5.3 yards per pass attempt, and despite struggling late last week against the Chargers, they did hold Philip Rivers to just 45 yards passing on 12 attempts in the first 3 quarters. If the Broncos do decide to be more balanced this time around, they will also have to deal with an underrated Broncos' run defense that has actually been one of the best in the league this season.

It's ironic, but in a game in which everyone will be focused on the quarterbacks, much of this game will be decided by which team can establish their running game and stop the other team from doing so. Of course, if there are turnovers, they could also go a long way in telling the story. In this rivalry, it's usually been Manning that makes the bigger mistakes, but this time around if he can trust his running game and his defense, and make the plays when they are there, he has the better team. So he should come out on top. I'm not a fan of giving the Patriots 5 points, though.

Prediction: Broncos 24 Patriots 20

San Francisco @ Seattle

Current Spread: Seattle -3.5

The last two times the 49ers have played in Seattle, they've been outscored 71-16, including getting dominated 29-3 back in Week 2 this season. Seattle's defense is for real, and they've been downright nasty at home. However, if there's one area where they could be exploited, its in the run game. While Seattle was the league's best pass defense this year, giving up just 5.4 yards per attempt, they were merely pretty good against the run. While it isn't like they've been gashed, it should be noted that they and the Carolina Panthers each gave up 3.9 yards per rushing attempt this season, and the 49ers ran up 126 yards on Carolina's rush defense last week. Even in their loss in Seattle, the Niners managed to run for 100 yards on 20 carries. If San Fran is going to have any chance in this one, they are going to have to do what they weren't able to do back in Week 2, which is avoid turning the ball over. In that meeting, the Seahawks forced 5 turnovers, which they turned into 13 points. Their defense also got on the board with a safety. In a game where points will be at a premium, any defensive score, or score set up a turnover could be fatal.

San Francisco's offense has been much better over their current 8 game winning streak, which has coincided with the return of Michael Crabtree. However, Seattle won't need to be overly concerned with Crabtree, as their corners matchup well with both Crabtree and Anquan Boldin. The question is whether Seattle generate offense on their end. For the Hawks, their offense revolves around the physical running of Marshawn Lynch, who holds 3 of the 4 highest rushing totals in a game against SF over the past 3 seasons. In Week 2, Lynch ran for 98 yards and 2 TDs on 28 carries against San Francisco's defense. 

In this game, which will be billed as two physical teams who will slug it out in the trenches, the game will likely be decided by which quarterback plays better, which will probably mean the quarterback who doesn't turn the ball over. I expect this game to be close, and low-scoring, and to be decided by turnover margin. This season, no team had a better turnover margin at home than the Seahawks, so I'm taking the Hawks at home.

Prediction: Seattle 16 San Francisco 12

KTND NFL PICKS – CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Amp: Seattle

Aaron: Seattle

Nick: Seattle

Corey: San Francisco

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT DENVER BRONCOS

Amp: Denver

Aaron: Denver

Nick: Denver

Corey: Denver

NFL Picks - Divisional Playoffs

by AmplifiedtoRock

KTND NFL PICKS STANDINGS

Aaron the Brain – 63-42

AmplifiedtoRock – 55-50

Nick Gator – 49-56

Corey Santiago – 49-56

It’s time for the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs.  This is where things get serious, so once again, we give you Aaron the Brain’s thoughts as he handicaps this weekend’s NFL Playoff action.  The crew’s picks are included at the end.

Before we move onto this weekend's slate of games, let's see how I did last week. Straight up: 2-2.  Against the spread: 4-0.  An Andrew Luck miracle and an Andy Dalton meltdown (two things that are prone to happen) kept me from having a perfect weekend. Still, if you bet all my picks against the spread, you had a pretty stellar Wild Card Weekend. Let's keep it going into the Divisional Round!

New Orleans (11-5) @ Seattle (13-3)

Current Spread: Seattle -8

It was 6 weeks ago that these two teams met on a Monday night in Seattle with the driver's seat for home field advantage in the NFC on the line. In that game, the Seahawks completely manhandled the Saints in front of the loudest crowd at a sporting event in history. The Hawks did it with defense, scoring an early defensive TD, and holding the Saints to just 7 points on just 188 yards of offense. And the Hawks did it with offense too. Not only did they run through the Saints to the tune of 127 yards, but Russell Wilson also scorched them through the air with 310 yards and 3 TDs. The Saints looked overwhelmed by the crazy atmosphere as well as the dominant opponent. So how do the Saints expect to change the outcome this time around? Ironically, their biggest key defensively will be to do something they did a decent job of not only in the first game against Seattle, but also last week against Philly. If the Saints are going to have any shot, they will need to stop the run. Despite getting slaughtered the last time they visited the Clink, the Saints actually managed to hold the Seahawks to just 3.3 yards per carry. Last week, the Saints were able to hold the league's most prolific rushing offense to just 3.6 per carry. No team ran the ball a higher percentage of time more than Seattle this season, so if the Saints are going to have a chance, they'll need to start there. After that, they're going to have to figure out a way to do a much better job of pass defense than they did last time in Seattle, which should only be made tougher by the fact that Seattle expects to get back Percy Harvin, which should add an element of explosiveness to the Seahawks offense that they have been missing all year. Ultimately, the Saints will need to do a much better job of applying pressure on Russell Wilson, whom they sacked just once in their prior meeting. I do expect the Saints to give a more inspired effort this time around, and it's hard to expect Drew Brees to struggle as badly as he did against the Legion of Boom last time, but this still feels like a buzzsaw game. The Saints are coming off a tough, emotional, road victory last week, and now they go into the toughest place to play against arguably the most physical team in the league coming off a bye. The Saints D will hang tough early, but they will crack eventually.

Prediction: Seahawks 30 Saints 13

Indianapolis (11-5) @ New England (12-4)

Current Spread: New England -7

The Patriots played the majority of the season without their best receiving threat (Gronk) on offense, without their best defensive lineman (Wilfork), and without their best linebacker (Mayo). They still have Brady and Belichick though, so here they are in the Divisional Round after another 12-4 season in which they earned a bye in the first round. After falling behind 38-10 last week, it looked like the Colts were on their way to their 2nd straight Wild Card round disappointment, but Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton had other ideas. A 35-6 run later, and the Colts are into the 2nd round for the first time in the Andrew Luck era. Despite the touchdown spread, these two teams are very equally matched. Both teams pass more than they run, but when they run the ball fairly effectively. But let's face it, this game is going to be about the quarterbacks. While Brady might be the best ever, Andrew Luck may be budding into the best right now. Both teams do a good job of protecting their signal callers, too. Defense is where the biggest difference lies between these teams, particularly defending the pass. While neither of these teams have figured out how to stop the run, the Pats have done a much better job this season of defending the pass, thanks mainly to Aqib Talib, who should shadow Hilton all game. If Talib can limit Hilton's game changing plays, the pressure will be on Indy's other less touted receivers to step up. When New England has the ball, the Colts will be relying on Robert Mathis to apply consistent pressure on Brady, but without a consistent guy on the other side, expect a lot of double teams. I expect both teams to put up points, but the Patriots will put up more. Still, if you're betting, I'd take the Colts and the points.

Prediction: Patriots 34 Colts 28

San Francisco (12-4) @ Carolina (12-4)

Current Spread: San Francisco -1

A rematch of a November slugfest in which Carolina won 10-9, two of the best defenses, and two of the most dynamic young QBs, face off for a chance to get to the NFC title game. Carolina comes off of a bye week, but their top receiver, Steve Smith, is nursing a sore knee. San Fran, on the other hand, is rolling and getting healthier. In the previous meeting, the 49ers were without Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis on offense, as well as Aldon Smith on defense. While there should be more points scored this time around (it would be hard not to top 19 points), this will still be a defensive struggle. Both of these teams want to run the ball, and both defenses are better than average at stopping the run. What this game will likely come down to is which defense can contain the other team's playmaking QB. Cam Newton has enjoyed a breakout season when it comes to limiting mistakes and engineering game winning drives, but Colin Kaepernick, who was limited to just 91 yards passing (16 rushing) in his first meeting against the Panthers, has been on a tear ever since. Over his last 8 games, Kaepernick has thrown 13 TDs and just 3 INTs. This one will be tight, and I have been going back and forth on it, but San Francisco is rolling, and I just don't know if Carolina has enough firepower on the outside, so I'm taking the Niners. Prediction: 49ers 20 Panthers 17

San Diego (9-7) @ Denver (13-3)

Current Spread: Denver -9

The Chargers have the whole team of destiny feel after winning 4 in a row to get into the playoffs, and dominating the Bengals last week. Then there's that weird stat that the Eagles' last 5 opponents in home openers have gone onto win the Super Bowl. Superstition isn't the only reason to like San Diego this week, though. After all, they've already won in Denver once this year, beating the Broncos 27-20 back in Week 15. Peyton Manning is out to show that playing in bad weather in January isn't his kryptonite. That may be so, but one thing that has proven to give Manning trouble is teams that can run the ball on his defense and keep Manning off the field. That's what happened in Week 15, and it's been a popular and effective strategy for beating Manning in the past. While San Diego will no doubt try to control the game with their running game, Denver could also benefit from utilizing their running game against a soft San Diego defense that has struggled to stop the run all season. Of course, Denver's bread and butter is still Peyton Manning throwing to his talented weapons, and with Wes Welker returning this week (he missed the Week 15 game), Denver also figures to have an advantage over a week San Diego defense. The Chargers will probably put some points on the board, and if they can chew up a lot of clock, this one could be close. I just don't see Peyton Manning going down as a huge home favorite 2 years in a row.

Prediction: Broncos 38 Chargers 24

So to recap... Straight up, I like Seattle, New England, San Francisco, and Denver against the spread and I like Seattle, Indianapolis, San Francisco, and Denver

KTND NFL PICKS – DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Amp: Seattle

Aaron: Seattle

Nick: Seattle

Corey: Seattle

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Amp: New England

Aaron: New England

Nick: New England

Corey: New England

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS

Amp: San Francisco

Aaron: San Francisco

Nick: Carolina

Corey: San Francisco

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS AT DENVER BRONCOS

Amp: Denver

Aaron: Denver

Nick: Denver

Corey: Denver

NFL Picks - Wild Card Playoffs

by AmplifiedtoRock

KTND NFL PICKS STANDINGS

Aaron the Brain – 61-42

AmplifiedtoRock – 55-48

Nick Gator – 49-54

Corey Santiago – 48-55

The NFL’s postseason has arrived and, though our picks competition continues, we figured you needed a bit more than our names and who we’re going with.  To this end, we give you Aaron the Brain’s analysis of each of this weekend’s four NFL Wild Card playoff games.  After you read his analysis, you may figure out why he’s winning.  You’ll also find our picks.

Kansas City (11-5) @ Indianapolis (11-5)

Current Spread: Indianapolis -1.5

These two teams met in Arrowhead in Week 16, and after a score by the Chiefs on the opening drive of the game, the rest of the game was dominated by the Colts. In that game, not only did the Chiefs turn the ball over 4 times to the Colts' 0, but KC also missed a FG. This is interesting, because KC led the AFC (2nd in the NFL) in turnover margin on the season. It isn't a complete aberration, though, as the Colts were 2nd in the conference in TO margin. I would expect this game to be much closer as far as turnover margin, which should make for a closer game in general.

All things being equal, I believe KC actually has a slight edge. Despite Andrew Luck already on the edge of being elite, neither of these teams have a particularly prolific passing game, and while neither team is great at stopping the run, the Chiefs have been far more effective at running the ball, so look for Jamal Charles to have a big game. Of course if the game is close, which I expect it will be, I won't be surprised if Andrew Luck outplays Alex Smith with the game on the line.

Prediction: Kansas City 24 Indianapolis 23

New Orleans (11-5) @ Philadelphia (10-6)

Spread: Philadelphia -2.5

The Eagles have been arguably the hottest team in the league, winning 7 of their last 8 games. Aside from a blip a couple weeks ago against Minnesota, Philly has been rolling heading into the playoffs. The Saints, on the other hand, went from challenging for home-field throughout the playoffs to needing to win in Week 17 just to make the postseason.

The Eagles gained more yards per play than any team not quarterbacked by Peyton Manning this season, and they didn’t just do it by running the ball for a staggering 5.1 yards per carry. They also led the league in yards per pass attempt at 8.7. They’ve been especially good over the past two months when they’ve scored a whopping 33.25 points per game over their last 8. The Eagles have also been one of the best rush defenses in the league, but their weakness is their pass defense. Philly has given up more passing yards per game this season. That’s where New Orleans will have a chance to stay in this one. Drew Brees should have every opportunity to shred the Eagles’ suspect secondary since the Eagles have one of the worst pass rushes in the league, and New Orleans has one of the lowest sacks allowed percentages in the league. Expect a shootout, and in a shootout I’m going with Brees.

Prediction: Saints 38 Eagles 34

San Diego (9-7) @ Cincinnati (11-5)

Spread: Cincinnati -7

San Diego was a long shot to make the playoffs going into last weekend, but after a hard fought win and a good amount of luck, they find themselves in the tournament with nothing to lose. The Bengals had a great regular season, and finished strong winning 5 of their last 6. One of those wins was a 17-10 win in San Diego back in Week 13. In what was mostly a defensive struggle, the Bengals did a better job of running the ball, but it was a blown coverage by San Diego's secondary that allowed AJ Green an easy TD that was ultimately the difference in the game.

In the first game, San Diego moved the ball decently well, but struggled to put points on the board due to 3 turnovers, which was uncharacteristic for a team that turned the ball over just 21 times all season. However, it wasn't uncharacteristic of a Cincinnati defense that forced 31 turnovers over the course of the season. Despite holding Cincinnati to just 17 points on 354 yards in their first meeting, San Diego was actually last in the AFC in yards allowed per play this season, and Cincinnati has been on a scoring tear of late. The Bengals have averaged 37 points per game over their last 4 since playing the Chargers. Meanwhile, the Chargers have averaged over 29 a game since that game as well. Expect more scoring in this one, but expect the Bengals to offer more resistance than the Chargers. I don't think they'll cover, but I'm taking the Bengals.

Prediction: Cincinnati 31 San Diego 28

San Francisco (12-4) @ Green Bay (8-7-1)

Spread: San Francisco -2.5

The Niners are playing their best football of the season coming into the playoffs. They've won 6 in a row, outscoring their opponents by an average of 26.5 to 15.7 over that span. Green Bay sputtered with Aaron Rodgers out, but survived until his Week 17 comeback in which they beat the Bears to secure their playoff spot.

This will mark the 4th time these two teams have played in the last two seasons, rare for teams not in the same division. In the last 3 games, SF has won all 3, outscoring the Packers 109-81 (an average of 36.3-27). In the last 2, Colin Kaepernick has shredded the Packers' D both on the ground and through the air. With Green Bay's defense being towards the bottom of the league both against the run and pass, I would expect that to continue. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers will have his hands full against a tough Niners' defense. San Fran should continue their dominance against the Packers, even in Lambeau.

Prediction: San Francisco 38 Green Bay 24

KTND NFL PICKS – WILD CARD PLAYOFFS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Amp: Kansas City

Aaron: Kansas City

Nick: Kansas City

Corey: Kansas City

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Amp: Philadelphia

Aaron: New Orleans

Nick: Philadelphia

Corey: Philadelphia

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS

Amp: Cincinnati

Aaron: Cincinnati

Nick: Cincinnati

Corey: Cincinnati

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS

Amp: Green Bay

Aaron: San Francisco

Nick: Green Bay

Corey: San Francisco