Doug's Football Picks - Divisional Playoffs

Last week's playoff games were amazing. Only one home team won, the Seahawks shocked EVERYONE by upsetting the Saints, and those good for nothing Packers somehow cheated and beat my Eagles.

Seahawk game aside, my picks last week were VERY close. Even when I got it wrong, my points were pretty damn accurate. Long story short, feel free to rely on my picks when beating money on the games.

Hit the jump for my picks:
Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Breakdown : This is going to be the game of the week and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the winner of this game goes on to the Super Bowl.
Both teams have great defenses, so its going to boil down to who's offense plays/gameplans better. I think Ben Roethlisburger is a better QB than Joe Flacco, but the Ravens have too many weapons.
X-Factor : Ray Rice.
Final Score : Ravens 34 / Steelers 27

Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons

Breakdown : Atlanta has the best record in the NFC, has been consistently great throughout the regular season and still doesn't get much respect. Green Bay barely squeeked into the playoffs, but are playing above their expectations.
Packers are not known as a great running team, but they ran all over the Eagles and won the game on the ground. Unfortunately for the Pack, Atlanta isn't going to sleep on their run defense like the Eagles did.
X-Factor : Home field advantage.
Final Score : Packers 17 / Falcons 24

New York Jets vs. New England Patriots

Breakdown : The Jets loooove talkin shit.  Cromartie and Rex Ryan both have been spitting nonsense this week, and while that may work against a Colts team that was banged up, the Patriots are not the Colts.  I think this is a bad move, but shit talking really isn't going to sway a game's outcome.
Patriots DESTROYED the Jets last time they met, but I have to think that Rex is going to overanalyze that game and come up with a good gameplan and shut down Woodhead and the 2 rookie tight ends. I can see Revis lining up against Welker and Cromartie challenging Branch to go deep. LT will make the Patriot's defense look terrible all day. Upset of the week.
X-Factor : LaDainian Tomlinson
Final Score : Jets 34 / New England 31


Seattle Seahawks vs Chicago Bears

Breakdown : Seattle had a great game last week, but if that game was in New Orleans we'd see a much better matchup this week.  Julius Peppers is going to pressure Hasselback all day and Urlacher and the safeties arent going to allow Lynch to have the type of game he had last week.
X-Factor : Matt Hasselback (in the Bears' favor)
Final Score : Seahawks 13 / Bears 41