Benster and D Pick Your Games - Wildcard Round with Handy AI Synopsis Edition

 So old dude, thanks for helping to get this posted this week - I am having some computer issues this week, so I'm relying on you to keep our vast audience informed!

I don't mind - I got the info you sent, along with a handy AI-generated synopsis that I'll share at the end. We'll have to see how accurate the AI is....

So quick programming notes about the college football semifinal games. I was busy this week dealing with my recalcitrant computer, and we ended up not picking them. That being said, Notre Dame vs. whomever wins in Dallas is going to be very interesting. 

Well, it looks like it's Ohio State, so it's a matchup among the most annoying fanbases possible, but it still means Paul Finebaum will have a sad.

I'm sad, and not very happy

And that's always good when Paul Finebaum has a sad. Meanwhile I’m interested to see how things shape out in the Wild Card round. So watch me work!

𝐋𝐨𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 (-𝟑) 𝐯𝐬. 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐬 This game is an underrated one to me. The Texans have had bad injury luck, and the offseason champion narrative isn’t conducive to winning. The Chargers of course are dealing with the horrible fires out in LA, and thankfully got out to Texas. While I think that Jim Harbaugh can’t win on a level playing field, Houston is going to win comfortably thanks to Stroud playing well and a bounce back effort from their defense. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬 𝟐𝟑, 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐈𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝟐𝟎.

It's a tradition unlike all others - the Texans hosting a playoff game on Saturday afternoon! It seems to happen every year. I suspect the Chargers will be a contender for bigger things next year - although Jim Harbaugh is a weasel, he's a good coach. But I'm with you this time - Texans have incentive and the wherewithal to pull this one out. Houston 27, Chargers 24.

𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐡 𝐘𝐢𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐬 (+𝟏𝟎) 𝐯𝐬. 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬 The Ravens are a team that I think has some unfinished business, and that will start on Amazon Prime? Why in the world are you putting a playoff game on Prime Video? Did you learn nothing from the Peacock debacle? What the heck did they spike your pizza with at the NFL lunchroom? Anyway, the Steelers are tough to watch on offense, and I don’t think they are going to have enough of their high end  defensive talent to steal a win. It’s time we have a serious talk about Mike Tomlin and if he is maintaining the Steeler standard. If you excuse me, I may have to hide from the Yinzers. 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝟒𝟐, 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝟎

Don't worry about the Yinzers - your work has too many multi-syllable words so they won't be able to figure it out. But yeah, I think the Ravens are going to be a very tough out. What I worry about is that Justin Tucker, the previously invincible kicker, has had the yips all season It won't matter this week, but next week? Stay tuned. Ravens 28, Steelers 13.

𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐬 (+𝟗) 𝐯𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐨 𝟏𝟑 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 Denver making the playoffs is a nice surprise. Bo Nix certainly looks good, and it’s hard to think that Super Bowl 50 was the last time we saw them in the playoffs. Buffalo is a team on a mission. This Bills team feels different, and I get the sense that Josh Allen seems to think that it’s his time to get a ring. There is obviously one team I want to win, but if my team can’t get it done, Buffalo would be the best option. 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟕𝟎, 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝟓𝟖

So bet the over? I think Buffalo wins, too, but Denver is coming. Kansas City has to be hearing hoofbeats. Bills 34, Broncos 23.

𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 (+𝟓) 𝐯𝐬. 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 Last week was unacceptable by the Packers. I get that the Packers were going to lose eventually to the Bears, but playing not to lose and some dumb coaching really bothered me. Thankfully both Jordan and Hurts are going to give it a go. What killed the Packers in Brazil was not stopping Saquon, and I would make Hurts win with his arm. At the end of the day, the Packers are playing with house money just like in Dallas a year ago. Though of course you know that I am a massive homer. 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝟐𝟏, 𝐄𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝟏𝟔

The Eagles are good, but they are hardly invincible. The Packers get most of their defense back and they should be stout enough to give Saquon Barkley a challenge. Hurts is coming off a concussion and that could limit his ability to perform at the top level. The Packers need to get a quick start. If they do, they win. If not, it's going to be a long day. This time I choose to be optimistic. Packers 28, Eagles 23.

𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 (+𝟑) 𝐯𝐬. 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 Dan Quinn should be considered for Coach of the Year. The Commies doing this well wasn’t something I had on my bingo card. Tampa Bay has a strong defense, and Baker Freaking Mayfield takes a special pleasure in ruining people’s dreams. While I do like Jayden Daniels as a future star, he is going to have to wait for his first playoff win. 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐬 𝟐𝟑, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝟐𝟎

Tampa is a problem. And they will continue to be a problem. Would not be surprised if they find their way into the NFC Championship game, which means they beat whatever we're calling Washington these days and an NFC North team. Can they do it? Hard to say, but they win this week. Bucs 34, Commanders (I think that's what they call them these days) 24.

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐭𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 (-𝟐.𝟓) 𝐯𝐬. 𝐋𝐨𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐚 I hope everyone in LA is doing well after what’s happened out there. As for the game, I was really frustrated with the Vikings. Thanks to Sam Darnold not showing up, I lost my chance at back to back fantasy titles. The Vikings are facing a team that beat them for reasons besides the refs, and Stafford is going to have his best weapons with game reps this time. The bottom line for the Vikings is that this is a game that they can’t lose. If they lose, then all of the hard work that KOC did goes up in flames. I also have a message to the Griddy Man. If you want to be the best wideout in football, you have to prove that the Vikings can have more success with you than they had with Diggs. Diggs has won 3 playoff games in Buffalo and could win one with Houston. You have won a grand total of 0 playoff games despite having a wealth of talent around you. Should the Vikings lose, then a ton of questions have to be asked about if they need to consider trading a big piece to get some draft picks that they need. The Rams have no pressure, as a lot of their leaders have their ring, and are playing for a city that needs something good to happen. 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝟐𝟖, 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝟏𝟒.

So you snuck a Very Special Comment into a regular comment? Very efficient of you! And your argument is actually fairly compelling. But I think the Vikings are better than the Rams. Expect this one to be a shootout and the Purple have more bullets than the Rams. Vikings 38, Rams 31.

So, the Yahoo email gave us a summary of this post! Here what it said:

Benster shares his insights on the college football semifinal games, expressing interest in Notre Dame's chances against the winner in Dallas and discussing the potential outcomes of the Wild Card round, while also offering opinions on various teams' chances and highlighting a message to the Griddy Man.

A message to the Griddy Man! That's actually right! Nice job, AI! But no, you don't get to write this feature. Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.