Well the Wild Card week of the NFL Playoffs consisted of three duds and an instant classic.  I don't know if that then qualifies it as a "good" football weekend, but that Packers-Cardinals game was fun.  Hopefully this week will have more competitive games, and historically the Divisional Round does have the best match-ups.

But before we get into analyzing this week's games, I want to update the standings for the Unofficial Playoff Pick 'Em League that I'm keeping track of.

Jesse: 3
The Suze: 3
Jim: 2
Daytrader: 2
Rose: 0
Greg: 0

Now, this week you get 2 points for every correct pick (against the spread) so if you didn't send me your picks you can still get in the action by sending them to adzler514@gmail.com.  As you can see, everyone else is still tied with Rose and Greg.

OK, now to the analysis!


Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints (-7.0)
In case you were wondering, the over/under on this game is 57.  And I would take the over in a heartbeat.  These are arguably the best two offenses left in the playoffs, and maybe not so arguably the worst two defenses left.  In my mind, I pretty much equate these two offenses.  They both have a quarterback that can throw the ball and receivers that can catch the ball.  I give the Cardinals a slight edge in the receiver category, but the Saints get an edge in the running category.  But do you think that these teams will even try to run the ball?  As I mentioned, the defenses are both pretty lame, so it comes down to intangibles for me.  The Saints have the home field advantage, but the Cardinals have the experience advantage.  The last game that the Saints won was a 26-23 win over the Falcons on December 13th.  That's a long time to go without a win.  The Cardinals are flawed, especially on defense, but the Saints are overrated.  I see this game being close, so that alone tells me to pick the Cardinals against the spread, but I see Arizona winning this game, so I'm definitely taking the Cardinals.  Quick fact: Since the NFL went to this 6 team conference playoff structure in 1990, no NFC #1 seed lost their first game since the Cowboys lost to the Giants in 2007.  The Giants lost as the #1 seed last season.  Might the new trend continue???


Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts (-7.0)
The Colts have lost their last THREE home playoff games when they've had a Bye in the Wild Card Round.  That's pretty incredible.  The Colts have won more regular season games in the 2000s decade than any other team in any other decade in NFL history, yet they have only one Superbowl title.  I guess you could call them the Atlanta Braves of the '90s, although Atlanta did lose FOUR times in the World Series that decade.  But the playoffs have been a struggle for the Colts.  Some argue that it's because they never play out their games during the end of the regular season since they have everything clinched.  I'm not so sure about that.  The past two years they've been knocked out by the Chargers, a team that is built to beat them.  I don't think that Baltimore is that kind of team.  The Ravens can obviously run the ball, and that will eat up the clock and keep the Colt offense on the sideline.  But the Ravens cannot win this game through the air, which means that the Ravens cannot fall behind.  And I'm not sure that the Ravens' defense can stop Peyton Manning.  The loss of Wes Welker was a huge deal for the Patriots last week, and Tom Brady didn't have anyone to throw the ball to.  The Colts have a deep and talented receiving corp.  I can't see the Ravens stopping the Colts.  I think that this game might be the only blowout of the weekend as the Colts cruise.


Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings (-3.0)
Well this match-up isn't as good as Packers-Vikings would have been, but it's damn close.  The "red hot" Cowboys head to Minnesota and take on their old nemesis from the '90s Brett Favre.   Just how much is left in Favre's tank?  That's the question for this game.  He looked great against a lame duck Giants team during the last week of the season, but before that...yuck-o.  This game is going to be won in the trenches.  Offensive line versus defensive line.  These two teams might be the two best balanced offensive and defensive teams left in the playoffs, which means that the winner has a good shot of representing the NFC in the Superbowl.  So that means that the winner is going to be the team that wins the all important (and often forgotten) Special Teams battle.  A kickoff or punt return for a touchdown.  Maybe the punter that is better at playing the field position game.  Perhaps a long field goal.  Things just look too even everywhere else.  Two gun-slinger quarterbacks...two good running games...two good receiving corps...two defenses that can get to the quarterback.  I don't know enough about these team's Special Teams to make a confident pick, but I like Dallas in this game.  Wouldn't it just make sense for Dallas to win and Arizona to win and then have the NFC Championship Game played in Jerryworld?  Of course it would.


New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers (-9.0)
Did you know that if the Ravens win and the Jets win, the last game ever played at Giants Stadium would be the AFC Championship Game?  Wouldn't that be something?  Anyway, that would require the Ravens to win (which I don't think is going to happen) and the Jets to win (which you'll have to read on to find out what I think).  The Jets just shut down the Bengals last week, and should have won by more if Braylon Edwards catches that long touchdown pass.  But San Diego is on an ELEVEN game winning streak!  WFT!  Phillip Rivers is poised to win his first Superbowl this season, joining him with Eli Manning and Ben Roethlesberger (who has two), basically cementing that 2004 draft quarterback class as one of the best in NFL history.  But speaking of 2004, let's not forget that the Jets went into San Diego in the Wild Card round of the playoffs and beat the Chargers, albeit with Drew Brees at quarterback.  Now, I know that Mark Sanchez is a rookie quarterback, but last year as a rookie Joe Flacco of the Ravens won his first two playoff games, so it can be done.  The Jets' defense is for real, and although Thomas Jones is a little banged up at running back, have you seen Shonn Greene.  And let's not forget kicker AND last week's punter Jay Feely.  I know that he's a kicker, but he's a damn good football player.  If the Jets can run the ball and control the time of possession, they might gave a chance to win.  Regardless of winning though, I think the Jets will keep it close enough to cover, although if they get down big early, it'll only get worse if they need to rely on Sanchez to throw all over the place.  We might see a new playoff interception record by the Chargers' defense.