Well, to wrap up my season numbers I finished with back to back weeks of 12-4 to bring my season total to 157-99. I finished higher than 3 of the Times Pic prognosticators. Not too bad for an amateur.
I don't know about you but I am excited to finally see the playoffs get here. It's one and out now and as I am sure you have heard many times already by players and announcers alike everyone has a clean slate and is starting at 0-0. This tournament could go in many different directions so I will pick as I usually do the day of in the morning for each days games.
Now for today's picks.......1st up is my Home Town Boys(Saints) trying to win there first ever road game in the playoffs. No matter what anyone says this is not an easy game. The Saints are roughly 10 point favorites going into this game. Do not for one moment think that Pete Carroll hasn't put that and all of the pundits comments throughout the locker room as bulletin board material. He will use that as a motivational tool just as he did in the season finale when everyone thought the Rams were the better team including yours truly. To help the Saints to win this game they will need to try to take the crowd out early. That may be a problem though, with the weather conditions which favor the Seahawks simply because they have 3 good running backs in Lynch, Forsett, and Washington where as the Saints are without their two main running backs in Thomas and Ivory. For the Saints to win, not only will Reggie Bush have to step it up but also either Jones or Wynn will have to emerge as the new between the tackles runners. On a rainy cold day short passes will be the only way the Saints can move the ball efficiently.This could come down to a field goal which brings me to another story line with kickers Garrett Hartley and Olindo Mare. Those of you Saints fans will remember the experiment with Mare with the Saints. He couldn't hit a Stop Sign from 10 feet when he played with the Saints. Since he has been with the Seahawks he has missed very few including a stretch of 30 consecutive field goals ending with a miss against Oakland on Oct 31st this year. For the season both kickers are close with Hartley going 25 of 31 and Mare 25 of 30. I would like to see some Karma come back for Mare today. We will shall see. I believe the game will be close but the Saints should prevail and win their first playoff game on the road.
Next up we have the Jets at Indianapolis. The way the Colts have played the last few weeks I just can't see them losing at home. I know the Jets want to go further this year but wanting to and actually doing it are two different things. The last 4 weeks Peyton Manning has been on FIRE! He has willed his team into the playoffs and I can't see them losing in this round. It may come down to another Adam Vinatieri field goal but the Colts will win. Enjoy the games and I'll see you tomorrow morning with my Sunday Playoff picks.
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