1st Round Playoffs- What to Watch

[ChickenNuggets]

It's time for the playoffs, so it's ALL worth watching!

G1 - (4-4) R1#3 Richland @ R2#2 Maple River (5-3)
This one is a rematch from Week 2. Maple River won 24-8 in the first matchup. I expect a similar outcome this time around.

G2 - (3-5) R7#3 Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood @ R8#2 Surrey (5-3)
These two teams have not met this season. Surrey is the home team and has been a quality team all year. MLS had to scratch and claw to get into the playoffs. I'm predicting Surrey wins handily.

G3 - (4-4) R3#3 Larimore @ R4#2 North Star (4-4)
These two teams have not played this year. Both have been banged up. The strength of Larimore is their power run game. Their weakness has been defending the pass. Northstar has been a solid team when their QB is healthy, but he has missed a few games this year. If he's healthy they could throw the ball around and find success. If he's not available they could struggle in this one. My prediction- If Hagler plays, Northstar wins. If he doesn't, Larimore wins.

G4 - (3-5) R2#3 Hatton-Northwood @ R1#2 Wyndmere-Lidgerwood (6-2)
Wyndmere/Lidgerwood may be playing without their QB1, but I don't know if that is enough to change the outcome of this one. I'll predict the Warbirds at home by 3+ scores.

G5 - (2-6) R5#3 Kidder County @ R6#2 Hettinger County (4-4)
This has the makings of a good ball game. Hettinger County won the regular season matchup 16-12. While I think it will be another tight game, I'll take the home team to win by 10.

G6 - (4-4) R6#3 Hettinger-Scranton @ R5#2 South Border (7-1)
I think South Border is the best team that will be playing this weekend in the entire state. They beat Hettinger/Scranton 40-14 back in week 3 and I think it will be a similar outcome this time around.

G7 - (4-4) R4#3 New Rockford-Sheyenne @ R#2 North Border (5-3)
Interesting matchup here. NR-S defeated North border 36-26 in week 2 of the season. North Border has been playing much better football as of lately and has made a change at QB since that first game. This is the only game this week that I think the team who lost in the regular season will get the win in the post-season in the rematch. North Border wins by 14.

G8 - (4-3) D8#3 Tioga @ R7#2 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn (5-3)
These two did not play each other in the regular season. WNG did beat Surrey who defeated Tioga and they gave Divide County all they wanted whereas DC blew out Tioga. I'll take WNG to win this one by 20.

[Flip]

A couple of QB questions.
1) Isn't the North Star QB healthy now? I know he missed some games earlier.
2) North Border actually made a QB change? The kid they have playing now is very good IMO. I'm surprised the coaching staff thought they had someone better.

[defensewinsgames]

I'm going to predict that out of 8 games only 3 of them are within about 10 points. Vast majority of round one will be blow outs. Hope I'm wrong but I don't think so....welcome to the playoffs here is your 20+ point loss. Hoping I have to eat crow on Monday...

[WalkingStick]

I only foresee NR-S/N. Border & Larimore/N. Star as remotely close games...I think the rest are blowouts.