The time has finally come. Playoff football is here.
The NFL playoffs start this weekend with four, count ‘em, four games: two on Saturday and two on Sunday.
I mean, who doesn’t love playoff football? Its do or die. Win or your out. Go big or go home.
Here are my picks for this upcoming weekend…
Saturday, January 5
Washington Redskins @ Seattle Seahawks,4:30 p.m.
–The Skins are riding an emotional high right now and have been since the death of Sean Taylor. They have won four straight behind QB Todd Collins (huh?) who they believe gives them the best chance to win instead of rookie Jason Campbell. They’re 4-4 on the road.
–The Seahawks find themselves in the playoffs again with a 10-6 record. They’ve looked shaky all season, specifically the running game. But Hasselbeck has the boys ready. They are playoff tested and made it to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, only to lose to the Steelers. They’re 7-1 at home.
–My Pick: I’m going with the Redskins. Their defense is strong and could be the difference. They’re fired up and they believe they can win. Riding an emotional high can take a team really far, but only so far before they come down.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 8 p.m.
–The Jags are led by QB Garrard and have found a better-than-average two-back system with Taylor and Jones-Drew. Their offense is strong and the defense is almost as strong. They’re 11-5 overall (with one win against the Steelers already) and 5-3 on the road.
–The Steelers have looked strong at certain points this season and terrible at other times. Injuries have plagued them as well. They’re 10-6 overall and 7-1 at home. Look for them to switch up the game plan against the Jags and pass quite a bit.
–My Pick: Everyone is drinking the Jacksonville Kool-Aid right now…except me. But there’s no way I’m gonna go against the Steelers at home. It is hard to beat the same team twice in one season. They’re going to pass all over the Jags. Look for a shootout.
Sunday, January 6
NY Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m.
–The Giants have been pretty consistent this year. However, they can’t seem to win the big games when they need to, which seems to be the story of their team the past few years. They’re 10-6 overall with an impressive 7-1 road record.
–The Bucs have been one of the league’s biggest surprises this year. Its the best they’ve looked since going to the Super Bowl in ‘02. They’re 9-7 overall with a 6-2 home record.
–My Pick: Quarterback play on both sides is the main factor in this match-up. I give the edge to Garcia and the Bucs simply because Eli doesn’t perform well in big games…and I don’t like him.
Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers, 4:30 p.m.
–The Titans had a late season overtime loss to the Chargers in early December. Their offense is strong and their defense is stronger. They’re 10-6 overall but only have a 5-3 road record.
–The Chargers looked terrible early in the season, but finished strong with six straight wins and an 11-5 record. The running game is back on track and they’re 7-1 at home.
–My pick: I’m going with San Diego, make no mistake about it. If Phillip Rivers plays well, there’s no way they won’t win. Simple as that.
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