Playoff Previews: Hells Bells V.

1st Rounders
QBs: Ryan Tannehill v. Drew Brees
Ryan Tannehill has a plus matchup from the outside, Baltimore is ranked #27
against opposing QBs and just gave up 38 and 32 in the last two weeks, they are
the #1 defense vs. RBs so that may attribute to the pass happy ways from
opponents. But something that remains true about the Dolphins playing against
dominant run defenses..Tannehill doesnt perform well in those games. In 2
weeks against Detroit (8) and the Jets (7) he has put up 12 and 8. Another stat
about Tannehill, in the past 4 weeks he is averaging 18 ppg, and in those games
he is averaging 11 rushing yards per game; but rewind another 4 weeks when he
was going on a tear dropping 24 ppg, during this time he was averaging 48 rushing
yards per game and coincidentally in those 4 weeks played 0 dominant run
defenses. I expect a decent game from Tannehill, he should at least hit his
average as Baltimore is giving up 21 ppg to QBs and he is averaging 19. Now onto
Brees, he has the luxury of playing a team that he has already played once, and
fortunately this time he is in the dome unlike last time. Brees is coming off of his
most dominant performances of the season as he just recently dropped 38 and 40
in consecutive weeks. I see him continuing this tear that he has been on and
improving on his 19 point outing that he had vs. the Panthers last time.
Advantage: 1st Rounders
RBs: Bell v. Charles and McCoy:
This week seems like a week in which the bells are going to ring if you catch my
drift, facing up against the #26 and #22 rush defenses these two have some good
matchups. As if matchups werent enough to say LeVeon will do good, just look at
his past few weeks: 33 & 34. If LeVeon gets what he has been getting these past
few weeks then I would expect another big game, hes averaging 32 touches per
game these past 2 weeks, and had he not played two dominant run defenses the
few weeks before I would imagine that those numbers would have started
happening earlier in the season. Joique is a different story, although he has a
great matchup he isnt near as consistent as his counterpart. But thats not to say
he cant do a lot of damage himself as he is coming off a season high 23 vs.
Chicago. This Bucs defense is slightly better than the Bears but not much, hes a
boom or bust every week but I see him as a solid 15 type of play this week. With
respect to the #1 and #6 players in the draft Im not going to sit here and say
theyre going to suck this week. Charles faces the #2 defense against RBs and
McCoy the #10, luckily for the 1st Rounders both players have been playing very

well lately and hopefully this play continues. To me Charles will be fine as he has
had success against good run defenses already this year (95 yards vs. NYJ and 159
vs. Seattle) and Arizona just gave up 134 yards on the ground to Atlanta. Now
McCoy is playing much better now that his lineman have come back from injury,
which is promising, its also promising that he has had success against Arizona this
year who has been consistently better than Seattle vs. the ground attack. I think
this matchup will be close but LeVeon puts it over the top for his spot.
Advantage: Hells Bells
WR-TE-Flex: Jeffery, Evans, DHop, Reed v. Thomas, ODB, Jennings, Gronk
Jeffery has been a stud as of late, touchdowns in each of his last 3 games while
totaling 57 points in those contests. The Cowboys have only given up 8
touchdowns to WRs all year so theoretically it will be a tough matchup for him.
Evans has slightly fallen off as these past few weeks he has slipped off of his
dazzling pace of 29.8 ppg and fallen back to earth at a mere 8.75 ppg the past two
weeks. The Lions defense is currently #3 against WRs so this too could prove to be
a difficult week for him if the Bucs cant get going early. Hopkins actually has a
great matchup as he sees Jacksonville this week, unfortunately the Jags are 26th
against the run and with Foster back for another week I expect them to pound the
rock slightly more than they did against a pitiful Tennessee defense last week. He
could blow up, or he could blow, well have to wait and see. Demaryius and ODB
have been stellar for quite some time, Thomas has 9 straight double digit games
and has been averaging 22.6 ppg in that time period. Meanwhile ODB has 7 of his
first 8 games in double digits and is averaging 17.6 in his last 6, oh and he sees
that wonderful Titans defense that Hopkins saw last week. A few weeks ago
LeVeon dominated the Titans 31st ranked defense for 33 and Jennings looks to do
the same thing, since coming back from injury he is averaging 28 touches per
game and that is more than enough touches to make a significant impact. In a
battle of TEs Im taking Gronk strictly because when hes healthy he is the best TE
in NFL history (yeah I said it).
Advantage: 1st Rounders
Rams and Bailey v. Lions and Parkey:
As I mentioned in the last preview, defenses are 75% luck and 25% opponent, I
think the Lions have an easier matchup going against the Bucs but that is only a
25% advantage in my opinion and considering Parkey and Bailey are only 1 point
away in averages I see them as a wash in this situation.
Advantage: 1st Rounders but by a very slim margin.

Overall
I feel that both teams have advantages and for that matter each category could
go either way, LeVeon and any of the Hells Bells WRs could put up game changing
numbers but on the other side of the coin, so could anyone on the 1st Rounders. I
see this game being closer than what other people may think strictly because
some matchups are bad and because we dont know who will be healthy and who
wont be. Im taking the 1st Rounders but not by a ton.
1st Rounders: 125
Hells Bells: 120