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Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Sheepdog's picks for the NFL Playoffs Wild-Card Weekend

I don't do many posts on Saturdays, but today I am because I love football. I have since I was old enough to know what a football was. I like the strategy, the chess match, and the offenses and defenses trying to figure out what the other is doing. I've particularly enjoyed watching teams with good quarterbacks, wide receivers, and passing schemes throw the ball all over the field. The San Diego Chargers' teams of the late '70s and early '80s were really fun to watch. The "Air Coryell" offense led by quarterback Dan Fouts and the wide receivers of Charlie Joiner, Wes Chandler, and John Jefferson usually lit the scoreboard up. I loved it !! With tight end Kellen Winslow also catching a lot of passes, I believe the Chargers would have won a couple of Super Bowls during that era if their defense had been any good. But as they say, "Defense wins championships."

The NFL Playoffs will start in a few hours with Wild-Card Weekend. There will be four games played this weekend, two today and two tomorrow, and four teams will be "one and done." I do not believe this weekend will be good for the home teams. In fact, I believe 3 out of 4 home teams will lose. My picks are :
  • New Orleans @ Seattle - New Orleans wins
  • New York (Jets) @ Indianapolis - New York wins
  • Baltimore @ Kansas City - Baltimore wins
  • Green Bay @ Philadelphia - Philadelphia wins
Yeah, I know. The folks in Indy are already screaming, "There's no way the Jets come in here and beat us and Peyton." However, the fact is Indy has struggled all year and if Kerry "Just Call Me Turnover" Collins hadn't fumbled the center exchange late in Indy's game with the Tennessee "Thug" Titans last Sunday, it's likely Indy would have lost that game. As for Philadelphia being the only home team to win, it comes down to two words - Michael Vick.

If the Sheepdog goes 4 for 4, then next week's divisional match ups will be New Orleans @ Atlanta, New York (Jets) @ New England, Baltimore @ Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia @ Chicago. Furthermore, I believe that at least one of the number one seeds will be "one and done" next weekend. Which one ?? Check back as I'll pick 'em again next Saturday. Enjoy today's games.

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1 comment:

The Second Chance Sheepdog said...

Well, now I know why I am not a gambler and only pick games for fun. I only got 2 out of 4 right this weekend.