Sunday's Divisional Round Picks

2-0 yesterday thanks to the Ravens wide receivers & a dominating performance by the Packers, let’s see if I can keep the magic going for a perfect weekend! (Home team in caps)

Seahawks (+10) over BEARS

This matchup pits two teams that I still scarcely believe won their divisions over teams (the Packers & Rams) I’d swear were better. Maybe I don’t respect either one because my Giants manhandled both (beating them by a combined 58-10) or it could be they have the two worst offenses in the playoffs (Seattle’s 28^th & the Bears are 30^th). Regardless one of them has to move on here to lose to the Packers & despite last week’s brilliant performance & their victory in Chicago in week 6 (23-20) I like the Bears. Da Bears actually have a solid defense, especially against the run (2^nd in the NFL), & by making the Seahawks one dimensional they should force them into enough turnovers to win the game (Seattle has the worst turnover differential of any playoff team -9). However I hardly expect Jay Cutler & Lovie Smith to cover such a generous spread.

Chicago 27, Seattle 20

PATRIOTS (-9) over Jets

In week 2 the Jets beat the Patriots 28-14, in week 13 the Pats took out revenge with a 45-3 massacre. So how the hell did that happen? First the Patriots played at home where they’re unbeaten this season (& where today’s game will be played), secondly Randy Moss & his baggage were gone in favor of Brady’s old favorite Deion Branch & everyman running back/Jets castoff Danny Woodhead, & Tom Brady had returned to his peak form. However the most important difference between the two games is hardly shocking at all, the turnover differential. In the first game the Pats turned it over three times to the Jets zero, in the rematch those results were reversed. In fact, despite the Patriots 30^th ranked pass defense, turnovers have proven to be essentially the sole key in beating them. The Patriots shattered the NFL record this season for fewest turnovers with nine, but they had three in each of their losses & two in their one overtime win (in those three games their opponents had only one turnover). So if the Jets plan on winning today they’ll need to win the turnover battle by at least two. Problem is the Jets are quarterbacked by Mark Sanchez & the Patriots by Tom Brady, so that ain’t happening. As for the spread Bill & Tom are going to want to lay the beat down & I’ll take my chance with them.

Patriots 34, Jets 24

Saturday's Divisional Picks

Last week we were blessed with three fantastic games, including one of the biggest upsets in playoff history (Marshawn Lynch!), & one stinker (thanks a lot Charlie Weiss. No seriously, thanks, that’s the only game I predicted correctly. ). This week we have the odd phenomenon of every matchup having already happened this season with both division rivalries in the AFC having split, the Falcons having defeated the Packers 20-17 in Atlanta back in week 12, & the Seahawks going on the road to beat the Bears 23-20 in week 6. With every team being familiar with the other this becomes an even more intriguing weekend. Now on to the picks! (Home team in caps & I’m only picking today’s games because I’ve got to get to the UA/ASU showdown)

BCS "National Championship" Pick

Tonight we get to watch the most hyped “national championship” (the quotations get removed when we get a playoff so that an undefeated team with the best defense in the country, TCU, actually gets a chance) since the epic Texas/USC game that saw Vince Young almost singlehandedly beat the defending champion Trojans lead by Matt Leinart & Reggie Bush before they all went on to fantastically successful NFL careers. One team has an explosive offense that plays at a breakneck pace; the other features the best professional quarterback in college football. Of course you already know all of this so the question is who will win?

Why Football Still Matters

Today I was going to write up and post my picks for the NFL’s wild card round, but with today’s tragic events it is difficult to look at the NFL Playoffs and view them with any kind of importance. A nine-year-old girl and as many as five others have been shot down in cold blood and a U.S. Congresswoman and at least ten others are currently in the hospital fighting for their lives. All of their family members, and indeed the entire country, are just hoping, praying, and waiting for good news to come. On such a day how can we be expected to care, or even should we care, about the results of a couple of football games? Are they not meaningless when lives hang in the balance? Would it even be right to enjoy watching a game of football today?

If your answers to the above questions are that football doesn’t matter in the wake of today’s events and we should all be focusing on praying for the victims of this heinous crime and not watching a meaningless game that’s fair enough, but I disagree with you.

Now I’m not saying that what has happened isn’t terrible (indeed terrible, or any other word, falls far short as a description), and we should all pray for the victims, their families, and the shooter. What I am saying though is that, if anything, today was a reminder that life is fleeting. Thus we should not spend all day glued to the news as the pundits recycle the same information for hours on end. Gabby and the rest of the victims will not recover any faster if you are watching CNN. Do not spend your whole day in mourning; continue to live your life as best you can. Most importantly make sure to still have fun. Take advantage of another miraculous day you have been granted on this earth and do what makes you happy, whatever it is that fulfills you. For millions of people, including myself, that will mean watching football for a few hours.