Wild Card Weekend: My Predictions

Ok, you know that I'm a football fan because you read the list of things about me from yesterday. Becasue I told you last Sunday that I would do this, here are my predictions for this weekend's NFL Playoff games:

Saturday, Jan 7th

Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2; o/u 37).
I'm going to pick the Redskins on the road in this game. Their defense is playing well - better than Tampa's. Even though Bucs QB Chris Simms is playing well, the Patriots showed in Week 15 what you have to do to confuse him (Simms sacked 7 times). Simms is a rookie QB playing in his first NFL playoff game. That means too much pressure. Clinton Portis, the Washington RB will outshine Tampa Bay's rookie RB Cadillac Williams. Both coaches have won a Super Bowl, but Gibbs has won more big playoff games as a coach.
My Prediction: Was 21, @ TB 17
Actual Score: Was 17, @ TB 10

Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots (-7 1/2; o/u 37).
I'm picking the Patriots in this game. No one gives Jacksonville a chance to win this game. And rightly so. The Jaguars QB, Byron Leftwich hasn't played due to injury in 5 weeks. He'll be rusty. Jacksonville's other QB has limited starting experience. On the other hand Pats QB Tom Brady and Coach Belichick are 9-0 in playoff games the last four years. They know what it takes to win in the playoffs. The Pats defense is peaking at the perfect time. They are as healthy as they have been all season. The Patriots are hoping to set an NFL record for most consecutive post season wins. (Coincidentally, the last team to defeat the Patriots in the post-season was Jacksonville, 25-10 in the 1999 playoffs.) When you have arguably the league's best QB, the league's best clutch kicker, and the foremost defensive coach in Bill Belichick, you have to pick these guys to repeat until someone beats them in the playoffs.
My Prediction: @ NE 31, Jax 13
Actual Score: @ NE 28, Jax 3

Sunday, January 8th

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3; o/u 46) at Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers won in Cincy earlier this season. They know how to beat the Bengals. Run, run, run then run some more. Cincinati is slumping - losing two in a row and looking pathetic doing it. As long as Pittsburgh makes Cincy one dimensional, the Steelers win easily. The Steelers are largely playoff tested. The Bengals make their first playoff appearance since 1990. Though I'd like to see Cincy win, unfortunaltely, it's unlikely to happen.
My Prediction: Pit 31, @ Cin 23
Actual Score: Pit 31, @ Cin 17

Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (-2 1/2; o/u 43 1/2). Eli Manning struggles but Tiki saves the day, running for 160 & change. Carolina had a good defense but have been inconsistent. Their main ofensive threat, Steve Smith, can't do it alone. This game's going to be a shootout. I'll take the Giants at home.
My Prediction: @ NYG 40, Car 37
Actual Score: Car 23, @ NYG 0

Four teams have byes this weekend and will host games next weekend. The Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos are the top two seeds in the AFC. The Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears are the top two seeds in the NFC. The exact matchups for next weekend depends on who wins this weekends games. I'll make those predictions next Friday.