ASA's Super Bowl prediction
ASA's Super Bowl Prediction - 2010-11
ASA’s NFC CHAMPION IS…
Minnesota Vikings (+600)
Yeah, yeah we know. We picked the Packers to win the NFC North, so why the Vikes to make it to the Super Bowl? Our opinion is, both of these teams will make the playoffs whether it be via a Division Championship or a Wildcard, and once you get into the post-season dance, it’s a new season. Minnesota will be very motivated to get to Dallas to play in the “Big One” after smelling the roses last year before getting stuck with a thorn late in the NFC Championship Game. As you probably remember, Minnesota traveled to New Orleans to play the Saints with the winner moving onto the Super Bowl. Despite complete domination by the Purple People Eaters (31 first downs to 15, 475 yards to 257) a late interception cost them a game winning FG attempt. The Saints went onto win in OT and then cruised past the Colts in the Super Bowl. Oh what could have been for the Vikes. That has been sitting in the back of their minds the entire off-season. Of course, Favre hasn’t “officially” announced his comeback as of this writing but come on. We know he’s coming back. He already had the surgery he needed on his ankle and has been seen throwing to local high school WR’s. He ain’t retiring folks. We don’t expect him to have the year he had in 2009 with 33 TD’s and only 7 picks, however he won’t need to be perfect with the solid team surrounding him. They had the 5th best offense in the NFL last year in total YPG. Their offensive line is very good and Adrian Peterson, despite being underutilized last year, is still the best in the biz. On the other side of the ball, the Vikings were 6th in total yards allowed. Their rush defense was impenetrable as usual allowing only 87 YPG. Their pass defense was torched a few times but overall they were solid when they had to be. Just ask Drew Brees who only could muster 189 yards passing in the NFC Title Game. NFC North rivals Green Bay and Minnesota were second and third in point differential respectively and both will make the playoffs. We like Minnesota’s experience of getting to the NFC Championship game last year giving them an edge. At +600 to win the NFC, this one is tough to pass up.
ASA's AFC CHAMPION IS...
New York Jets (+600)
What’s not to like about the Jets 2010 offseason? They brought in a bevy of play-making veterans and didn’t lose much from last year’s squad that lost the AFC Championship. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Antonio Cromartie, Brodney Pool, and Santonio Holmes are all new faces that will step in and make an instant impact. Taylor, Cromartie, and Pool give more depth and experience to a defensive unit that ranked #1 in the NFL in both points allowed and total defense in 2009. With all-pro DT Kris Jenkins also returning from injury, this defense is going to be scary good in 2010. On the offensive side, QB Mark Sanchez had his ups and downs as a rookie starting quarterback, but look for a big step forward in his sophomore campaign. He will be much more comfortable and confident in this offense and less likely to make silly mistakes (20 interceptions last season). It also helps that he operates behind the arguably the NFL’s best offensive line and has two more-than-competent running backs to hand the ball off to, Tomlinson and Shonn Greene. Head coach Rex Ryan, former long-time defensive coordinator for the Ravens, showed his ability to game-plan and frustrate opposing offenses in the Jets surprising run to the AFC Championship. They were the last team to notch their spot in the postseason, but they definitely proved that they belonged. They had big wins over Cincinnati, San Diego, and had halftime lead over the Colts before losing in AFC Championship. Indianapolis, New England, and San Diego will all be strong in the AFC in 2010, but we like New York. They have a stout defensive unit, the NFL’s top offensive line, and a QB that we feel is going to take a giant step forward in his 2nd season as a pro. The Jets players will be more comfortable playing under Rex Ryan in his 2nd season as head coach and we are going with the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets at +600.
In the end when the dust settles we like the Viking to come out on top in the Super Bowl