Cohen’s Corner Quick Hitters: January 25th – My bad picks + Cardinals, Suns, Wildcats, DBacks, and more!

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Did I not warn everyone several weeks ago that my playoff picks were going to stink? After another winless weekend, I stand 3-7 picking games in the postseason. I did pretty darn well in the regular season so not entirely sure why the awfulness in January,

With that said, I’m not going to give you my Super Bowl pick in this column. Why not you ask? It’s simply because I don’t have one yet…I have gone back and forth as to who will win the big game. Stay tuned for next week’s column with Super Bowl and Phoenix Open picks. One thing I will say, however, I expect this game to be very close and lower scoring than the public thinks. Right now the line is Patriots -3 with an over/under of 57.

The right way to go might be to just play the long shot MVP odds…

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Conference Championship Game Picks: Will the favorites win again?? + Grading the new coaching hires

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I’m not going to lie…it’s sad that there are only two NFL games this weekend. While most people get excited for the Super Bowl, I get sad for the end of the season. Hell, I’m more sad at the end of the college football season than anything…but that’s besides the point.

I was wrong when I said around midseason that the Chiefs, Patriots, Saints, and Rams would not all end up among the final four. These teams have been consistent all year and I’m confident that both matchups this weekend as well as the Super Bowl will be exciting!

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Before I make my picks below, here are my grades plus a quick thought or two on each of the new coaching hires around the league:

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NFL Divisional Round: A do-over for my playoff picks

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Last week’s picks were flat-out awful. Terrible. Couldn’t do worse. I’m a sports radio guy…and I went 0-4 straight up? Are you serious? So this week I’m going to reset my playoff predictions and we’ll see if I can get it right the rest of the way. I am due for a 4-0 week after all to even things out!

This week I’m not ignoring momentum (at least when it comes to my spread picks) so fade my choices below at your own risk!

San Diego Chargers v Baltimore Ravens

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Predicting the NFL Playoffs: An underdog comes out of the AFC & a favorite wins the NFC

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Spoiler alert: I’ve never been all that great at picking the NFL’s postseason…so by all means, fade the following playoff predictions as you wish. I’m not sure why – maybe it’s that when I pick all favorites, it comes up underdogs and vice versa.

So I’m going to split the difference this year. My AFC pick will be a road warrior come late-January. I mean…do you really trust Patrick Mahomes in his first playoff game? Or Andy Reid who chokes year after year in the postseason. Or a Patriots team, that while experienced, lacks viable playmakers on both sides of the ball?

In the NFC on the other hand, take the chalk for reasons you’ll see below…you probably won’t regret it. If I’m confident in one playoff prediction, it’s the team I have winning 3 games out of the NFC…

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Cohen’s Corner Week 17 NFL Picks + Hating Fantasy Football & Golden Blenders

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I hate fantasy football. I really do. To me it’s like a random bowl of candy just sitting there within reach. I just can’t resist.

This year I had TEN teams (yes…I know…WAY too many)…some expensive and some absolutely free. In true fashion, I won my two free leagues – The Daily Blender league, for which I will soon receive THE GOLDEN BLENDER I have craved since Fall 2017 when I lobbied to be in it…and THE FANATIC personalities league in which most of them didn’t care when they realized my eventual 16-0 team couldn’t be stopped.

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In my other eight leagues, all money leagues…a 2nd, a 3rd, a 4th, and five that missed the playoffs.

In my league, the one in which I’ve failed to win in all 22 years of existence, my team won six straight regular season matchups to end up 10-3. And then what? It just DIED in the playoffs to the tune of 0-2 and a fourth place finish.

So yes…that’s why I hate fantasy football. Is it really a “skill” or just plain old luck? Maybe a little of both.

Derrick Henry did NOTHING all season…until Weeks 14-16 when he was the best RB in the game. Who would’ve predicted that?

I’m bitter…really bitter…and as much as I like the idea of being the owner of a GOLDEN BLENDER, it still doesn’t make up for SO MUCH DISAPPOINTMENT!

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Cohen’s Corner Week 16 NFL Picks

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I think it’s time to once again revise my season-long predictions. Remember about six weeks ago when I said the Rams wouldn’t lose again the rest of the year? Yikes. And the Steelers being a Super Bowl team. Also not good.

So let’s take a look at how things stand going into the final two weeks of the regular season…

Right now with home field advantage likely throughout the NFC playoffs, how can anyone pick against the Saints? They’re so dominant in the Superdome. But then again, Drew Brees hasn’t looked sharp of late either. I have a hard time picking any of these NFC teams on the road this postseason therefore I don’t see the Bears or Cowboys beating the Rams in LA. So I guess that means the NFC Championship Game should be a doozy…Saints-Rams in The Big Easy.

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In the AFC, flip a coin…especially if the Chargers win out and the Chiefs lose in Seattle on Sunday (see my picks below). I’ll tell you this…I’m going to fade the Patriots at all costs and the Chiefs with Andy Reid’s spotty playoff history.

Who does that leave? A Saints-Chargers Super Bowl…Drew Brees against his old team! And guess who has a preseason future of those two teams at 150-1…

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Cohen’s Corner Week 15 NFL Picks

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I saw an article this week that emphatically stated that only four teams have a chance to win the Super Bowl this season: the Rams, Saints, Chiefs, and Patriots. On the surface, it’s hard to go against that notion. But let’s be honest – how many people would’ve given the Eagles consideration last season after Carson Wentz tore his ACL? All season I’ve been touting the Steelers as a darkhorse Super Bowl contender despite their poor start. But I’ll give you another team to absolutely keep an eye out for…the Los Angeles Chargers. When star RB Melvin Gordon is healthy, they have all of the components necessary to make a deep playoff run: future Hall-of-Fame QB, a dynamic rushing attach, excellent pass catchers, and a very underrated defense. Regardless of what happens against Kansas City on Thursday night…the Chargers will be a very tough out for likely the #4 seed (Pittsburgh / Baltimore) in the first round of the AFC Playoffs and I wouldn’t want to play them at any point. Let another team do the dirty work and take them out.

Oakland Raiders v Los Angeles Chargers

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College Football Bowl Season Expert Picks

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I’m one of those people who absolutely loves the college bowl games…hell, I’ll watch the Camellia Bowl or Bahamas Bowl if I’m sitting on my couch with nothing better to do. However let’s be honest, 41 bowl games is simply too many. I’m not a fan of 78 FBS teams in the postseason…it just seems oversaturated. Make the number around 30 bowl games + a 6 team playoff and I’d be a happy camper. But that debate is for another day…
In the meantime, enjoy some bowl thoughts and predictions from our Cohen’s Corner CFB experts – JB, Bear Down Steve, Producer Wes and me. These may not be as fun as our weekly CFB picks…but hope you enjoy nonetheless!
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Cohen’s Corner Week 14 NFL Picks

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Here’s the truth folks, Mike McCarthy should’ve been gone years ago…if not later than last offseason. His conservative playcalling in Green Bay has stifled the offense for years…and when you have an all-time talent at the QB position in Aaron Rodgers, more than one Super Bowl appearance is a must. After Green Bay’s playoff choke jobs in 2015 and 2016 (yes both were on the road – Seattle and AZ), a change should’ve strongly been considered. 2017 was a disaster without Rodgers and 2018 arguably has been worse with him!

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I appreciate as a Packers fan that McCarthy brought a Super Bowl championship to Titletown (Green Bay)…but I’m overjoyed that he’s now gone. My first choice to replace him would be John Harbaugh of the Ravens assuming he gets canned in January. Not likely but I think he has the motivational tools necessary to get the most out of Rodgers.

And hey Cardinals fans…congrats on your win in Lambeau Field last week. But that definitely did not do anything for your future success as I outlined last week in this space…

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College Football Season Picks Wrapup – Reviewing the Expert Predictions

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Looking back at our preseason predictions, it’s almost cringe-worthy to see how awful Jon, Steve, Shane, and I did.

Let’s first focus on what we did get right though:
-All of us had Washington winning the Pac-12 Championship Game and Clemson winning the ACC.
-Steve had Ohio State winning the Big 10 and I had Oklahoma winning the Big 12, though Jon had the correct Big 12 matchup with the wrong result.
-We all chose Alabama vs. Georgia in the SEC title game with three of us getting Alabama’s win correct.
-All four of us had Alabama and Clemson in the final four…though no one would’ve predicted Notre Dame or Oklahoma’s success.
-Jon called USC as this season’s most disappointing team and he very well might’ve hit this one on the nose.

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Now for where we really messed up…

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