NFL Divisional Round Picks

Well I went 2-2 last week angering myself for not picking the Jets. Let’s see if I can improve on that this week…

Baltimore at Pittsburgh (-3)

We have been hearing all week how equal these two teams are and how closely every game that they play has been. What we haven’t heard is that the Ravens have never won a playoff game against Pittsburgh, that Roethlisberger is 8-2 in his career against the Ravens and 5-0 against Joe Flacco and that the Steelers have never lost (8-0) a playoff game when playing a divisional opponent. I will bare you the details so I don’t sound like a homer, but the difference in this one is Roethlisberger. Picks: Steelers (-3).

Green Bay at Atlanta (-2.5)

This game should be the conference championship but we’ll have to settle for it in the divisional round. As many of you already know I have been on the Packers and Aaron Rodgers bandwagon since the beginning of the season. I have also been on Mike McCarthy’s case since the beginning of the season. No point in changing now…I think the best player on the field in this one will be Rodgers and he gives the Pack a decided advantage despite Matt Ryan’s 20-2 career record at home. I also cringe thinking about a dumb McCarthy decision in the second half of this game that swings this one in favor of the Falcons – who, by the way, are flying way too far under the radar right now. Expect the Packers defense to shut down Michael Turner making the Falcons’ balanced offense one-dimensional and for Rodgers to make one more play than Ryan. Pick: Packers (+2.5).

Seattle at Chicago (-10)

The Seahawks shocked the world last week, well if not the world than at least me, putting new emphasis on the ‘nobody believed in us’ theory. From my perspective, however, last week was a classic “Any Given Sunday” moment for the Seahawks who I expect to come back to earth this week. Remember, in the Seahawks nine losses this year the average margin of defeat was 21 points and no loss was by fewer than 15 points. The Bears defense will shut down Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle running game and I don’t expect Matt Hasselbeck to play anywhere near the game he played last week. The only thing that could stop the Bears from winning this one comfortably is a couple of untimely interceptions by Jay Cutler, something that is entirely possible, but something that I do not think happens until next week. Pick: Bears (-10).

New York at New England (-9)

Have to give Rex Ryan and the Jets credit for not changing who they are. I don’t think I would be going around talking smack after the butt-whooping they received from the Patriots last month but that hasn’t stopped Ryan or his players from running their mouths. Since football isn’t a game won with your mouth, let’s talk a little football. There are two big things working against the Jets in this one. One is Bell Belichick, the best football coach on the planet. Belichick has had two weeks to prepare his team for this one and knows the Jets’ schemes inside and out. You know the Patriots will come prepared and put in the right position to win. The other thing going against the Jets, and this is the big one, is their quarterback Mark Sanchez. Sanchez looked terrible last week in the absolutely perfect setting for a road game. How can we possibly expect anything from him this week against a well rested Patriots defense in the cold, windy conditions of Foxboro? Brady will use his tight ends and Wes Welker across the middle to once again expose the safeties and linebackers of the Jets and the Pats pull away late for a comfortable win. Pick: Patriots (-9).

(Regular Season: 127-122-7; Playoffs: 2-2)