Chika Okafor's Superbowl Predictions
Last Updated on Sunday, 17 January 2010 22:26 Written by Chika Okafor Wednesday, 13 January 2010 05:04
Superbowl Prediction
The NFL playoffs are on the horizon and are sure to be entertaining. But before I discuss the postseason, I would like to gloat about my preseason prediction. At the beginning of the year I predicted that the San Diego Chargers and the Minnesota Vikings would be at the top of their respective conferences and face-off in the Super Bowl. In addition, I chose the Cinncinati Bengals as the sleeper in the AFC and the Dallas Cowboys as the sleeper in the NFC. As it stands, my Superbowl picks have a relatively good chance of coming to fruition in the next few weeks and the Bengals and Cowboys have proved to be surprise contenders in their respective conference. I will boast about my correct or partially correct prophecies when they infrequently come along. Without further ado, I give you my prediction of the winner of the Superbowl XLIV.
Much maligned, and rightfully so, for their undeniably terrible play at the beginning of the season, the Chargers have recovered winning their final 11 games to close out the season making them the hottest team going into the postseason. Phillip Rivers has been the main reason for the winning streak and is finally receiving the recognition that he deserves as the one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Lacking the elite arm strength, Rivers makes up for his deficiencies with great anticipation and accuracy and leads an extremely explosive and efficient Chargers’ offense.
The Chargers’ defense is nothing special but consisting of playmakers such as Shawn Merriman and Antonio Cromartie gives their defense a chance to contain the prolific passing offenses that they might face in the playoffs. The best way to attack this defense is to run right at them because of the gaping hole in the middle of interior defensive line due to the loss of the great run-stuffer, Jamal Williams, for the season. However, teams have been unable to fully capitalize on this weakness because of the Chargers’ seemingly ability to score at will which renders teams with no other choice but to take to the air just to keep up with the Chargers. My belief that teams will not be able to shut down the Chargers’ offense coupled with the number of pass-first teams in the playoffs—nine out of the eleven remaining teams—leads me to assert that the Chargers’ weakness on defense will not be sufficiently exploited.
The Chargers have been, according to some NFL pundits, the most talented in the last couple of years but nevertheless, have been unable to win the big one. Because of that people look at this team as underachievers. I beg to differ. The Chargers have suffered significant injuries to their most important players in each of the last couple of seasons. LaDainian Tomlinson and Phillip Rivers have suffered injuries going into the playoffs and last year, Shawn Merrimann was lost for the entire season. The Chargers are finally healthy—well, with the exception of Jamal Williams—going into the playoffs and I fully expect this team to be lifting the Lombardi Trophy come the seventh of February.
I should note that my pick of the Chargers holds some sentimental value. I love Phillip Rivers because first and foremost he is a great quarterback and secondly, because of his attitude and demeanor on the field. His abrasive and cocky nature is quite amusing. I like his willingness to dabble in some verbal spats with the defensive players despite the fact that he is essentially vulnerable on every play and his actions are more than likely to amplify the motivation of opposing defenders to “clean his clock”. Rivers has been an outstanding performer since he was drafted in the 2004 NFL draft alongside “Big Ben” Rothlisberger and Eli Manning. Unlike those two quarterbacks, Rivers has never won the Superbowl and therefore, has been considered by many to be the third best quarterback among the three throwers of the pigskin. Statistically speaking, Rivers has performed at a higher level than his draft counterparts evidenced by a better career quarterback rating, a substantially better touchdown-interception ratio, an equal completion percentage in comparison to Big Ben and a five percent advantage in comparison to Eli. All that Rivers lack is a championship and I hope that he attains one this year to unequivocally establish his position as the number one quarterback from the 2004 NFL draft and possibly thrust himself into the stratosphere that inhabits Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Guarantee of the Playoffs: The New York Jets will not win the Superbowl. Reasons why? Succinctly put, no rookie quarterback has won the Superbowl. Mark Sanchez will not be the first.
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