The Blind Leading the Blind

Per ancient Greek lore, perhaps the best-known seer was the ironically blind Tiresias, who spent much of his life wandering the mountains of the Peloponnese-- the very same mountains under the shadows of which my father was born and raised. Although my prognostications during the 2019 NFL regular season resembled more of a roller coaster ride than those of a mythical prophet who was allegedly never wrong, there's a faint glimmer of hope that this ancient heritage somehow made its way to Pasadena. Tiresias was credited by some as the inventor of augury, the ability to interpret omens from the flight of birds. While only one game this weekend involves any birds, let's take a shot at all of them. So, as always, listen to me now, and believe me later.

Past Playoff Records

2019: 14-8
2018: 12-9-1
2017: 15-7
2016: 9-13
2015: 16-6
2014: 7-14-1
2013: 12-10
2012: 12-9-1
Overall: 97-76-3 (56%)

Sat 1/4/2020

1. Texans -2½ WIN
2. Bills/Texans under 43½ WIN
3. Patriots -5 LOSS
4. Titans/Patriots over 44½ LOSS

Sun 1/5/2020

1. Vikings +7½ WIN
2. Vikings/Saints under 49½ WIN
3. Eagles +1½ LOSS
4. Seahawks/Eagles under 45 WIN

Sat 1/11/2020

1. Vikings +7 LOSS
2. Vikings/49ers under 44 WIN
3. Titans +10 WIN
4. Titans/Ravens over 47 LOSS

Sun 1/12/2020

1. Chiefs -9½ WIN
2. Texans/Chiefs over 51 WIN
3. Packers -4½ WIN
4. Seahawks/Packers over 47 WIN

Sun 1/19/2020

1. Chiefs -7 WIN
2. Titans/Chiefs under 52½ LOSS
3. Packers +7½ LOSS
4. Packers/49ers under 46½ LOSS

Sun 2/2/2020

1. Chiefs -1 WIN
2. 49ers/Chiefs under 54 WIN

Calchas-lating the fate of flight in the NFL Playoffs

My father is from the Peloponnese peninsula in western Greece, now just a figment of the old world stuck in time, but once a great birthplace of ancient philosophy and development. Although my ability to predict the NFL regular season might dictate otherwise, there's some chance, no matter how faint, that I descended from this guy: Calchas, the Peloponnesian soothsayer, who was known mainly for his ability to interpret the flight of birds. We have Ravens and Seahawks and Eagles ready to soar, but Calchas might just say, "Nevermore." So, as always, listen to me now, and believe me later.

Last year's record: 15-7

This year's record: 12-9-1

Sat 1/5/2019

1. Colts +1½ WIN
2. Colts/Texans over 48 LOSS
3. Seahawks +2 PUSH
4. Seahawks/Cowboys under 43 LOSS

Sun 1/6/2019

1. Chargers +3 WIN
2. Chargers/Ravens under 42 WIN
3. Bears -6½ LOSS
4. Eagles/Bears under 41½ WIN

Sat 1/12/2019

1. Chiefs -5 WIN
2. Colts/Chiefs under 57 WIN
3. Rams -7 WIN
4. Cowboys/Rams under 50 LOSS

Sun 1/13/2019

1. Chargers +4 LOSS
2. Chargers/Patriots over 47½ WIN
3. Eagles +8 WIN
4. Eagles/Saints over 51 LOSS

Sun 1/20/2018

1. Rams +3½ WIN
2. Rams/Saints over 57 LOSS
3. Patriots +3 WIN
4. Patriots/Chiefs over 56 WIN

Sun 2/3/2018

1. Rams +2½ LOSS
2. Patriots/Rams over 56 LOSS

Alshon Jeffery and The Pythia-gorean Theorem

It is time to face the facts. Outside of boldly predicting the Rams would win the NFC West during the preseason at approximately 25-to-1 odds, I can't say I've had much success foretelling the ins and outs of the NFL this season at least when compared to the Ancient Greek version of the High Sparrow of Westeros: Pythia, the High Priestess of the House of Snakes. Indeed, my prophecies have generally been far worse than perhaps the most unlikely Nostradamus in professional sports, Alshon Jeffery. His ridiculous prediction could indeed come true, much like the broken clock in my basement that happens to be right twice a day. So, as always, listen to me now, and believe me later.

Record: 15-7

Sat 1/6/2018

1. Chiefs -8 LOSS
2. Titans/Chiefs over 44½ LOSS
3. Falcons +6½ WIN
4. Falcons/Rams over 48 LOSS

Sun 1/7/2018

1. Jaguars -8 LOSS
2. Bills/Jaguars under 39.5 WIN
3. Panthers +6½ WIN
4. Panthers/Saints over 48½ WIN

Sat 1/13/2018

1. Eagles +3 WIN
2. Falcons/Eagles under 41 WIN
3. Patriots -13½ WIN
4. Titans/Patriots over 47 WIN

Sun 1/14/2018

1. Jaguars +7½ WIN
2. Jaguars/Steelers over 41 WIN
3. Saints +4 LOSS
4. Saints/Vikings over 45 WIN

Sun 1/21/2018

1. Jaguars +9 WIN
2. Jaguars/Patriots under 46 WIN
3. Eagles +3½ WIN
4. Vikings/Eagles under 38 LOSS

Sun 2/4/2018

1. Eagles +5½ WIN
2. Patriots/Eagles under 48 LOSS

Somewhere Between Evenius and +3

While I haven't exactly been living up to my Grecian ancestor's legendary status, last year would suggest that there's a chance my NFL playoff predictions would yield a better return than say, this: TripAdvisor's stock performance in 2016. So, as always, listen to me now; believe me later.

Record: 9-13

Sat 1/7/2017

1. Texans -3½ WIN
2. Raiders/Texans over 36½ WIN
3. Seahawks -8 WIN
4. Lions/Seahawks over 42½ LOSS

Sun 1/8/2017

1. Steelers -10 WIN
2. Dolphins/Steelers over 47 LOSS
3. Giants +4½ LOSS
4. Giants/Packers under 44½ LOSS

Sat 1/14/2017

1. Seahawks +4.5 LOSS
2. Seahawks/Falcons under 51 LOSS
3. Texans +16 LOSS
4. Texans/Patriots under 44½ LOSS

Sun 1/15/2017

1. Chefs -1 LOSS
2. Steelers/Chefs under 46½ WIN
3. Cowboys -4 LOSS
4. Packers/Cowboys over 51½ WIN

Sun 1/24/2016

1. Falcons -4½ WIN
2. Packers/Falcons over 60½ WIN
3. Steelers +5½ LOSS
4. Steelers/Patriots under 50½ LOSS

Sun 2/7/2016

1. Falcons +3 LOSS
2. Falcons/Patriots over 58½ WIN

Theoclyminus Five and a Half?

While I haven't exactly been living up to my Grecian forefather's predictive abilities, I am confident my NFL playoff predictions are at least slightly better than this epic fail: David Pogue's 2006 iPhone prediction (read first sentence). So, as always, listen to me now; believe me later.

Record: 16-6

Sat 1/9/2016

1. Chefs -3 WIN
2. Chefs/Texans under 40 WIN
3. Bengals +2½ WIN
4. Steelers/Bengals over 45½ LOSS

Sun 1/10/2016

1. Seahawks -5½ LOSS
2. Seahawks/Vikings under 41 WIN
3. Redskins pk LOSS
4. Packers/Redskins over 44½ WIN

Sat 1/16/2016

1. Patriots -5 WIN
2. Chiefs/Patriots over 43 WIN
3. Packers +7 WIN
4. Packers/Cardinals over 49½ LOSS

Sun 1/17/2016

1. Panthers -1½ WIN
2. Seahawks/Panthers under 44 LOSS
3. Steelers +7.5 WIN
4. Steelers/Broncos under 40 WIN

Sun 1/24/2016

1. Broncos +3 WIN
2. Patriots/Broncos under 44 WIN
3. Cardinals +3 LOSS
4. Cardinals/Panthers over 48 WIN

Sun 2/7/2016

1. Broncos +4.5 WIN
2. Panthers/Broncos under 45 WIN

Mocking the Mayans May End in Ruin

At this point in the NFL season when it comes to foretelling the future, you could probably place me just above the Mayans. But, I've never seen an NFL Playoff season I didn't like. So, as always, listen to me now; believe me later. Last year's record: an unexciting, lukewarm 12-10.

Record: 7-14-1

Sat 1/3/2015

1. Cardinals +6.5 LOSS
2. Cardinals/Panthers under 37.5 LOSS
3. Ravens +3 WIN
4. Ravens/Steelers over 45 WIN

Sun 1/4/2015

1. Bengals +3.5 LOSS
2. Bengals/Colts over 48.5 LOSS
3. Lions +7 WIN
4. Lions/Cowboys under 48 WIN

Sat 1/10/2015

1. Ravens +7 WIN
2. Ravens/Patriots under 47.5 LOSS
3. Panthers +13 LOSS
4. Panthers/Seahawks under 40.5 LOSS

Sun 1/11/2015

1. Packers -6.5 LOSS
2. Cowboys/Packers over 53 LOSS
3. Broncos -7 LOSS
4. Colts/Broncos over 54 LOSS

Sun 1/18/2015

1. Seahawks -7.5 LOSS
2. Packers/Seahawks under 46 LOSS
3. Patriots -6.5 WIN
4. Colts/Patriots over 52 PUSH

Sun 2/1/2015

1. Seahawks -2.5 LOSS
2. Patriots/Seahawks over 47 WIN

NOTE: Selections recently changed/updated in italics.

Power of Prophecy: Call me Cassandra during the NFL Playoffs

In Greek mythology, Cassandra had the power of prophecy but the curse of never being believed. After this NFL Playoff season, this descendant of Cassandra will likely prove one of those two things wrong. As always, listen to me now; believe me later. Last year's record: 12-9-1.

Final record: 12-10 (I'm getting worse every year)

Sat 1/4/2014

1. Chiefs -2.5 LOSS
2. Chiefs/Colts under 46.5 LOSS
3. Saints +3 WIN
4. Saints/Eagles over 53.5 LOSS

Sun 1/5/2014

1. Bengals -6.5 LOSS
2. Chargers/Bengals over 45 LOSS
3. 49ers -2.5 WIN
4. 49ers/Packers under 45 WIN

Sat 1/11/2014

1. Saints +8.5 WIN
2. Saints/Seahawks under 46.5 WIN
3. Patriots -7 WIN
4. Colts/Patriots over 52.5 WIN

Sun 1/12/2014

1. Panthers +1.5 LOSS
2. 49ers/Panthers under 42 WIN
3. Chargers +9.5 WIN
4. Chargers/Broncos over 54.5 LOSS

Sun 1/19/2014

1. Patriots +5.5 LOSS
2. Patriots/Broncos over 56.5 LOSS
3. Seahawks -3.5 WIN
4. 49ers/Seahawks under 40.5 WIN

Sun 2/2/2014

1. Broncos -2.5 LOSS
2. Seahawks/Broncos over 48.5 WIN