Here are my NFL Divisional Picks
(3-1 for the postseason, 170-85-1 for the regular season)
Bye teams: none
Bal @ NE – It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Ravens can turn it on in the playoffs and win some road games. As a Broncos fan, I’ve seen it happen all too recently. Now, I thought they’d lose last week to the Steelers; all season I’ve been saying that Baltimore is the best team in their division, but I thought a game in Pittsburgh would be too much for them. They proved me & a lot of other people wrong, but again, we really shouldn’t be surprised. Can they do it again in New England? It should be harder to do, but not impossible. The Patriots have been idle while the Ravens have been on a roll, and Tom Brady can be rattled by some constant pressure, which Baltimore can bring. Should be a great game, and a close one.
Car @ Sea – The Panthers are seemingly on fire. They won their last four regular season games, beat the Falcons for the division, earned a home game, and then beat the Cardinals. Now they’re off to Seattle; shouldn’t they have the same great momentum that the Ravens have? I don’t think so, and here’s why. If you watched their game against Arizona you saw a mistake-prone team, one that wins when their opponents play worse than them. Nothing I saw from the Panthers would scare me if I were the Seahawks, a team that knows how to win in the postseason. And the game is in Seattle, the 12th man, cold weather, all that. I can’t pick against the Champs here.
Dal @ GB – What’s that old saying, something’s gotta give? I think that applies perfectly here. The Cowboys are 8-0 on the road, oddly enough, and the Packers are 8-0 at home. So, since this game can’t end in a tie, someone’s perfect record is going to be marred. In the regular season, these teams had identical records of 12-4 and very similar stats all around. These are teams that can score and ought to in this matchup. My immediate reaction would be to pick the Packers; they just seem like the better team. But I’m worried about Aaron Rodgers. What if he tweaks his injury and has to come out? I guess you never know so you just gotta go with your gut.
Ind @ Den – Here we go, it’s Bronco time! Denver has been chomping at the bit since their Super Bowl loss, ready to prove that they belong. Well, the first game of the season was their first chance, and coincidentally they played the Colts. In that game in Denver, the Broncos went up 24-7 by halftime, winning the game by a closer score after they starting playing more conservatively. My point is, the Denver knows how to beat Indy. They get a second chance here, and I think the result will be the same. Peyton hasn’t been playing perfectly lately, but C.J. Anderson has, creating a running game that can win games on its own. Let’s go Broncos!