NFL Playoffs Predictions

Using a similar method to the one used to predict the bowl games, I have devised a system for predicting the NFL Playoffs. Under this system, the playoff teams would be ranked as follows:

1. Patriots 4.2764
2. Colts 4.2592
3. Packers 2.7934
4. Cowboys 2.6441
5. Redskins 2.4540
6. Titans 2.3406
7. Jaguars 2.3165
8. Buccaneers 2.1508
9. Steelers 2.0636
10. Giants 2.0219
11. Chargers 1.9369
12. Seahawks 1.4917

Using these rankings, the playoff brackets would look like this:

4 Steelers
	5 Jaguars
5 Jaguars		2 Colts
	2 Colts
3 Chargers			1 Patriots
	6 Titans
6 Titans		1 Patriots
	1 Patriots

4 Bucs
	4 Bucs
5 Giants		2 Packers
	2 Packers
3 Seahawks			2 Packers
	6 Redskins
6 Redskins		1 Cowboys
	1 Cowboys

One odd note is that three of the four lower seeds are projected to win in the first round, which would mean there is not much of a home field advantage. Home field advantage was not factored into the prediction method, but, depending upon how accurate this is, it may be considered in the future.

In these projections, the Super Bowl matchup would be the still-undefeated New England Patriots versus the Green Bay Packers in a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI. Luckily for the Patriots, Desmond Howard retired five years ago, and hasn't been on the Packers since 1999. In fact, only 3 players remain on their respective teams from that Super Bowl. The only one remaining from the Packers is Brett Favre. From the Patriots, Tedy Bruschi sacked Favre twice in that game as a rookie, and Troy Brown played all 16 regular season games that year, but missed the Super Bowl with a hernia. Anyway, I will use a separate system to predict the Super Bowl, as it would have correctly predicted the last 10 Super Bowl winners (after they made the game mind you, when there are only two to choose from). Using this system, the result is as follows:

Super Bowl XLII
New England Patriots 1.0218
Green Bay Packers 0.2836

Therefore, I predict the Patriots will remain perfect and win Super Bowl XLII.