All lines come from Danny Sheridan from the USA Today as of 1/6/11. Home team in CAPS.
Saints (-10 ½) vs. SEAHAWKS
Home field advantage in Seattle will be underestimated. The crowd will be all hopped up on false hope and Starbucks. When you’re 7-9 and in the playoffs you know you’re playing with the house’s money. The Super Bowl Champs are going into the game sans Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory. That leaves the brittle Reggie Bush, an underachieving Julius Jones and two practice squad scrubs carrying the New Orleans rushing load. Can the Saints make it through the playoffs with a questionable running game and Brees chucking the ball 40 plus times? Maybe. Should they have any problem eliminating the Seahawks? Probably not.
This would be the biggest update in NFL playoff history if the Seahawks win, right? I’m not a Pete Carroll fan but I’d love to hear his pre-game speech.
Impact player for SAINTS: Jimmy Graham
Impact player for SEAHAWKS: The 12th Man
PICK: SAINTS (-10 ½) (But a little closer that what is expected)
COLTS (-3) vs. Jets
Mark Sanchez needs to play like he did at the beginning of the year. The Jets must be successful running the football. If they get into third and long situations Freeney, Mathis and company will be looking to unload on #6. This is when mistakes happen. If the Jets can get above average games out of Tomlinson and Greene they can thrive.
Quick, how many rushing touchdowns did Greene and Tomlinson score this year? 8
How many 100 yard rushing games did they combine for? 2
If the game is put onto the shoulders of Mark Sanchez the Jets are in trouble. Oh, did I mention the Colts have Peyton Manning?
How can one Manning ooze so much confidence and the other always looks like he got his pants pulled around his ankles in front of 80,000 people? How did this guy win a Super Bowl? You say because of David Tyree. Nonsense. I say because of Patrick Crayton. Cowboy fans will remember that dropped pass in the Wild Card game. The Giants should have never found their way out of Dallas.
What if the Colts had a healthy Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and Bob Sanders? Who do you pick if they’d make it to New England? I don’t know either. . . . .Someone auto play this game on Madden and let me know the results.
This game will be close for a while, but I see the Colts winning and covering.
Impact player for COLTS: Pierre Garcon
Impact player for JETS: D’Brickashaw Ferguson
PICK: COLTS (-3)
Ravens (-3) vs. CHIEFS
Hmmmm. Why do I think the Chiefs are going to win this game (or at least cover)? They looked horrible in their finale. Their offensive coordinator (Charlie Weis) might mentally be in Gainesville already. They are playing a balanced and experienced team. The Ravens have only allowed 5 rushing touchdowns on the year and are relinquishing a paltry 3.9 yards per rush. All signs seem to be point to Baltimore. Not so fast. . . .
The Chiefs led the NFL in rushing yards. They have a quarterback that can manage the game and play mistake free. Although their defense isn’t great, it does still rank #14 in the league. Upset! Upset! The Chiefs win and will be the talk of the NFL. . . for at least a week.
By the way, if I was the offensive coordinator for the Ravens I would get Ray Rice 8 to 10 catches a game. He currently averages 3.9 catches a game. Not bad, but it could be sooooo much better.
Oh, yeah. Arrowhead baby!
Impact player for RAVENS: Haloti Ngata
Impact player for CHIEFS: Jamaal Charles
PICK: CHIEFS (+3)
EAGLES (-2 ½) vs. Packers
Both teams are putting up over 24 points a game. The over/under on the game is 46. I say, take the over and count your Hamilton’s all the way to the bank.
I’m excited to watch this game. I expect Rodgers and Vick will be as advertised. It’ll be a contest to see who makes the first mistake. I’m tired of DeSean Jackson’s showboat antics. We need someone to chase him down the field and knock the ball out of his hands while he is Jitterbugging into the end zone. Don Beebe, anyone? (Leon Lett nods)
It’s the Packer’s time. No running back? No tight end? No problem. After the 2011 playoffs I look for Rodgers to be mentioned along side Brady, Brees and Manning as the best.
Have you ever heard 67,594 people collectively gasp for a breath at the same time? Wait until Vick goes down. I can feel it coming. Then it will be up to the Jekyll and Hyde performance of Kevin Kolb.
FYI – Vick is going to be fantasy gold next year. How can I get the #1 pick? I’m thinking about trading the naming rights of my second child, but with my brainwashed friends I know I’d be stuck with Brutus Dumas. Ouch.
Cheer up Philly, you have one of the best pitching rotations in recent memory. Good things are coming your way.
Impact player for EAGLES: Vick, Vick, Vick
Impact player for PACKERS: Clay Matthews
PICK: PACKERS (+2 ½)
My son is 1 month old today. I get the feeling when all is said and done and I’m lying on my deathbed reflecting on my life I will revert back to the times I was feeding him in my arms. He would just look up at me and stare into my eyes as he prolifically sucked on the nipple. I would look down and do the same. I wonder what he’s thinking about. Does he recognize me? What will he look like as he gets older? Will he be left handed? Will he be able to throw (and hit) a curve ball? Our eyes are locked and everything else around us is white noise. This is the time the will serve as the crown jewel in my life.
. . . . unless Notre Dame can ever win the national title again.
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