All of the preparation has led to this - the start of the NFL playoffs! Strangely, all of the opening weekend games are rematches of earlier games, and THREE of them pit the same teams who played each other the last week of the season. That has happened only once before in league history! Moreover, I feel the same results will occur, despite having played the teams and knowing what's in store.
Saturday Jan 9th
#5 New York Jets (9-7) at #4 Cincinnati Bengals (10-6): The Jets ended the regular season very strongly. Of all of the AFC playoff teams, the Jets are the team with the most momentum. However, momentum alone will not win playoff games. "Defense wins championships" they say, and that rings true in the NFL. No team in AFC has a better defense than the Jets. If Mark Sanchez can avoid making costly mistakes, the Jets stand a good chance to win. However, the Bengals are very opportunistic. If Sanchez does make a mistake, they'll make him pay for it. Can Sanchez handle the "big stage" of the playoffs? If this was any other rookie, I'd question that. However, Sanchez comes from USC, who play "big stage" games every year. He can handle the pressure, and avoid screwing up enough for the defense to win the game. JETS, 20-16
#6 Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) at #3 Dallas Cowboys (11-5): The Eagles return the site of their most horrific defeat of the season, the 24-0 shellacking administered by the Cowboys last week. That game cost them the number two seed, the NFC East title, and a home game. I don't think the Eagles will be skunked again, but I also don't think they'll win. The Eagles have looked lackluster in recent weeks, and the Cowboys even beat them earlier in the season, when the Eagles were playing well. The Cowboys shrugged off their "December curse" this year, and I think Coach Wade Phillips will be successfully able to win his first playoff game as a head coach. As the Cardinals proved last year, playoff runs make for great "curse breakers." COWBOYS, 27-14
Sunday Jan 10th
#6 Baltimore Ravens (9-7) at #3 New England Patriots (10-6): The Pats may not lost last week, but nobody knows how to prepare for the playoffs better than Bill Belichick. The Ravens will play tough, and I'm almost tempted to pick them, but I like the Patriots in the postseason. PATS, 23-20
#5 Green Bay Packers (11-5) at #4 Arizona Cardinals (10-6): After the two weeks that the Pack has had, is there ANYONE who truly believes the Cardinals can beat them? I didn't think so. PACK, 34-20
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