NFL playoffs - Who are you rooting for?

I’m especially interested in fans of teams not in the playoffs.

I’m a Giants fan. I think I’m pulling for KC. I like watching Mahomes play and I’d like to see Andy Reid win. The fact that it’s been 50 years since they last won the Super Bowl cinches it for me.

Baltimore, I guess.

I don’t really care though. I’d like New England to lose. Everyone else rates about the same to me.

Main priority is anyone but Patriots.

Among all non-Patriot teams, I’ll pull for the Vikings because of my fellow MSU alum Kirk Cousins.

Anyone but the Patriots. I’ll go with the Bills since it’s been a while for them.

I see I’m not the only one who thinks the Patriots are too big for their britches. I’ve been loving the Ravens since they beat them.

The Steelers are still in, right? My family’s from western PA, and so the Steelers have always been my first choice among teams in contention for the Super Bowl.

My team, the Ravens, made it - so obviously I’m rooting for them. From the NFC I’d like to see the Saints make it to the Super Bowl and be beaten by the Ravens.

Geaux Saints!

No, the Steelers missed the playoffs.

To help very casual fans, here are the upcoming games:

Saturday, January 4, 2020
Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans, 4:35 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, January 5, 2020
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints, 1:05 p.m. (FOX)
Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:40 p.m. (NBC)

The Divisional Round will be Jan. 11-12, 2020, and teams who had first-round byes will host.

Saturday, January 11, 2020
San Francisco 49ers vs. Lower Remaining Seed, 4:35 p.m. (NBC)
Baltimore Ravens vs. Lower Remaining Seed, 8:15 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, January 12, 2020
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Higher Remaining Seed, 3:05 p.m. (CBS)
Green Bay Packers vs. Higher Remaining Seed, 6:40 p.m. (FOX)

I doubt many are routing for the Eagles or Titans unless they’re already fans. I generally forget the Titans exist, for some reason.

I’m for the Seahawks, but if they don’t go far (and few think they will) I’d like to see the Ravens win it all. It would also be fun to see the Bills make it.

In order of how passionate I feel, I’ll be rooting for:

  1. 49ers
  2. Whoever is playing the Patriots
  3. Seahawks (a SF fan who doesn’t hate Seattle? Yup.)
  4. Baltimore? Or KC? I can’t decide between the two.

Buffalo. My wife is from Buffalo, so I’m practically required to root for them, but even if she wasn’t, I’ve always had a soft spot for the city and their teams.

Whoever is playing the Eagles and the Patriots. After that, maybe Buffalo, for my son-in-law’s sake.

I’m lucky this year, I guess - there aren’t any teams in the playoffs that I absolutely don’t like. I have two lists: one of teams I’d most like to see win it; the other of teams that I think will most likely end up hoisting the Lombardi trophy next February.

Teams I’d like to see win it

  1. Seattle
  2. Kansas City
  3. “Nawlins”
  4. Green Bay
  5. San Francisco
  6. Buffalo

Teams that I think have the best chance of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy

  1. Baltimore
  2. San Francisco
  3. “Nawlins”
  4. Kansas City
  5. Green Bay
  6. New England*
  7. Buffalo

*I put New England in there only because of what T.B. and B.B. have proven over the last couple of decades what they’re capable of come playoff time. But that team really, truly looks like it’s merely “running on fumes” going into the playoffs this time. We’ll see.

I think the Patriots Brady era is about to end for good. I predict Brady will not win another Superbowl. They look like they’ve been passed by. We’ll see.

I’ll root for the Chiefs, since Mahomes is so fun to watch. Can’t root for the Ratbirds. Can’t root for the 49ers either, it’s anathema to a Bengals fan. I would like to see Coach Zimmer get a ring but the Vikes are going to be outmatched. I guess New Orleans.

Geaux Burreaux, geaux Saints, geaux Chiefs!

OK, in that case, I’ll go with the Packers or the Eagles. I’ve always liked the Packers for being fan-owned, and I went to college in Philadelphia.

I’m rooting for the Pats, because I’m a Pats fan. I don’t think their chances are very good this year, but I’ll still hold out hope.

If not the Pats, I’ll hope for the Bills to finally win one, or the Saints.

Watching the “reaction” show to the QBs being unveiled for the NFL All Time 100 team they had Tom Brady and Brett Favre in the studio (along with Bill Belichick, Cris Collinsworth, and host Rich Eisen). As you may know Tom Brady grew up a HUGE 49ers and Joe Montana fan and he mentioned on the show how, “my mom loved Joe Montana!” Brett Favre then piped in: “So did mine!” To which Cris Collinsworth said, “Not my mom. She HATED Joe Montana!”

As long as they’ve got Bill Belichick coaching 'em and Tom Brady at quarterback, they have a shot (as far as I’m concerned). But losing earlier in the season to what turned out to be the top two seeds in the A.F.C. playoffs and losing in Week 17 to a pathetic Dolphins team that they had CRUSHED earlier in the season appears to NOT bode well for their chances this time. I’ve gotten to the point where I simply do NOT count the New England Patriots out until they are O-U-T, but they really are not going into the playoffs on a strong note this time. Not at all.

Baltimore, out of local loyalty.