Greg Bedard Makes a Laughable Super Bowl and MVP Prediction

Peter King and his staff at "Monday Morning Quarterback" released their playoff predictions and NFL Award projections today - former Patriots beat writer and current MMQB writer, Greg Bedard tweeted the link. The next tweet was simply this:



Unleash the hounds, indeed, because these picks seriously show how much parity is in this league, even amongst its most highly respected prognosticators. The link to the article is here; however, I am just going to focus on our old friend, and perhaps my favorite writer in the business, Greg Bedard.


Greg Bedard's Picks:
Super Bowl Match-up: San Francisco 49ers def. Pittsburgh Steelers

MVP - Ben Roethlisberger

Let me preface this by saying that I am a Greg Bedard fan-boy. I do not believe that there are many that can do their job better than him. However, this is an atrocious set of predictions from top to bottom, and here are three reasons why.

1. The Chiefs are in the playoffs and the Colts are not.
-The Chiefs were 2-14 last season. There have been bigger turn-arounds (see: Luck and the Colts), but they have only added a great tackle in Eric Fisher and a mediocre quarterback in a revolving door of mediocre quarterbacks in KC - Alex Smith. How can one expect the Chiefs to do what the Colts did last year with Alex Smith, while also expect the Colts to have a down year with an offense that is one year older with more weapons? Bedard is most likely banking on a healthier Jamaal Charles, a better coach in Andy Reid, and an easy schedule to allow smooth sailing into the playoffs. However, the Colts have a quarterback that had one of the best rookie QB seasons in history who is a year older and a year more mature in the offense. T.Y. Hilton and Reggie Wayne are good targets, and Ahmad Bradshaw could provide some life into the backfield, or at least some competition for Vick Ballard.

2. His faith in the Steelers and Big Ben
-Bedard picked Big Ben to win the MVP this year. Over Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Calvin Johnson, and Adrian Peterson. In addition, he picked the same Big Ben who is without Mike Wallace, and has Isaac Redman starting at running back at least for the first game. Roethlisberger has not played a full season since 2008, and he had his second worst Total QBR rating in his career last year. His tight end to start the season is Matt Spaeth, the same Matt Spaeth who had six catches last year. This has got to be the most outlandish prediction I have ever seen.

3. The Falcons are losing to the Giants in the Wild Card
-By all accounts, the Falcons should not be declining in talent this year. They added Stephen Jackson, and every other weapon is back on offense. However, not only does Bedard have them in the Wild Card, but he has them losing to the Giants... The Giants go on to beat the Seahawks to get to the NFC Championship too. My goodness.