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Okay, so the NFL's regular season is over. Now, it's playoff time.
One strange and new thing: there will be a playoff game on Monday night. That's a new one, isn't it? Think it's probably a bit unfair for the team who wins and advances, and has to do that on a short week. But I guess they want the ratings.
In any case, here are my picks for the six games this first weekend of NFL postseason play:
Saturday:
Seattle at San Francisco - The Seahawks had to fight tooth and nail, just to get here. The 49ers clinched the division a long time ago, and just narrowly missed being the top overall seed for the NFC in these playoffs. So clearly, there enter this game as favorites. Seattle does have familiarity, obviously, which should help them to keep this game relatively competitive. Still, San Fran won both of the earlier meetings this season, and won the first one at home handily. I suspect that the Seahawks are able to make a game of it, but will fall short of an upset here. My pick: San Francisco
LA Chargers at Jacksonville - The Chargers seemed to enjoy more consistent success than did the Jaguars this season. Yet, I get the sense that the Jaguars might just be the team to beat in this one. Remember, the Jaguars not only won the first meeting between these two teams this season, but they actually blew out the Chargers in Los Angeles. But that was in September, and I believe that both of these teams are different than they were for that early season meeting. A blowout hardly feels likely, although it is not impossible. Still, the Jaguars feel like they really caught fire right at the end of this season, even if they hardly looked incredible last weekend against the Titans. Yet, they will be my pick to squeak by with a narrow win in this one, although this feels like it really could go either way. My pick: Jacksonville
Sunday
Miami at Buffalo - Like some other games this weekend, these two teams have some serious familiarity with one another. But the Dolphins will be playing without their starting quarterback. And the Bills still feel like a special team. An upset is not impossible, but in frigid Orchard Park, it feels unlikely. Actually, the weather is not supposed to be all that bad, even with temperatures close to freezing. it should be sunny and relatively calm. But the Bills feel like the better team, and I expect them to prove it on Sunday. My pick: Buffalo
NY Giants at Minnesota - My G-Men are back in the playoffs for the first time in what feels like a long time. They take on a Vikings team that they actually fought hard and nearly beat a few weeks ago. The Vikings were one of the NFC's best teams throughout the season, but they somehow feel vulnerable to me in these playoffs. Expect another close game, and I really hope that Big Blue can pull it off. However, looking at it objectively, my suspicion is that the Vikings are still the better team out of these two, and should win. My pick: Minnesota
Baltimore at Cincinnati - Another battle between division rivals who are obviously familiar with one another. The Ravens managed to beat Cincy in the first meeting, although only just. The Bengals won a convincing one last week, and remember, they crushed the Ravens in the two meetings last season. The Bengals feel like the far hotter, and overall better, team. They nearly won the Super Bowl last season, and they have also now won eight straight games. Being the better of these two teams, coupled with home field advantage, look for the Bengals to earn the right to advance. My pick: Cincinnati
Monday:
Dallas at Tampa Bay - Well, these two teams know each other pretty well, also, don't they? They had some big meetings in the past few seasons, and each of them were won by the Bucs. In fact, the Dallas Cowboys have never beaten Tom Brady in any meeting. Somehow or other, he has had their number, no matter what. And you know what? Even though the Cowboys were far and away more consistent this season, even having an outside chance at earning the NFC's top seed as recently as last weekend, they enter this game a bit suspect. Remember, these Dallas Cowboys do not have a wonderful recent history come playoff time. Despite being perennial Super Bowl favorites among many of their fans, and often being considered one of the teams to watch by pundits, they have generally failed to deliver on the biggest stage, in the biggest game. They enjoyed some glorious success in the 20tyh century, with five Super Bowl wins in eight appearances, more than any other team at the time. But in the 21st century, it's been a very different story. They have yet to win more than a single game in any postseason that they qualified for in the past quarter of a century, and have not reached the NFC title game since their last Super Bowl win, which was almost three decades ago. Then again, the Bucs also look suspect, don't they? This one, also, could go either way. But at the end of the day, my guess is that the Cowboys are the better overall team, and prove it here, finally earning their first win over Tom Brady in possibly his last football game ever. My pick: Dallas
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