The Inaugural Podcast

As a new medium for enlightening the masses, the guru has moved into the world of podcasting. Teaming up with fantasy experts BirdofPrey18 and Mac Attack, he has joined the Triple Option, a talk show hosted by three of the world's premiere sports analysts. The inaugural episode was recorded this afternoon. The trio discussed the NFL Wildcard Round, the Winter Classic, and the BCS National Championship. A link to the podcast can be found here.

Super Bowl XLIV

NFL.com

It's here. After six months of anticipation and projections since NFL training camps opened in late July, it is now time for the climax of the season, the Super Bowl. (Shame on anyone who thought I was discussing the Pro Bowl.) The guru's immediate post-Brett-Favre as a Viking prediction called for a matchup between San Diego and Minnesota, in which the Chargers would be victorious. This early prognostication, made in August, fell just three wins short of coming true. The stars have aligned to feature a matchup of two of the NFL's most prolific passing attacks, setting the stage for an inevitable offensive shootout. Peyton Manning leads his Indianapolis Colts, fresh off of slicing through the league's top passing defense, against the high-octane offense of the New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans, playing in the first Super Bowl in the 43-year history of the franchise, combines an explosive passing attack with an electric, although leaky, defense. Sean Payton, in his fourth year as head coach brings a playcalling method that holds nothing back. They will need his aggression if they want any chance of slowing down Indianapolis. As proven by the Jets in the AFC Championship, the best way to counter the Colts' offense is to get in Manning's face early and often. Also proven in that game, Manning cannot be stopped for long; it's only a matter of time before he figures out the blitzes and coverages and begins to dissect a defense. For the Saints to succeed, they will need to confuse Manning early and light up the scoreboard from the opening kickoff. Easier said than done.

Offensively, the Saints have the personnel to hang with anyone. Their first option is to air it out with Drew Brees, only the second quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 5,000 yards in a single season. If their opponent manages to limit the aerial attack, they are fully capable of pounding the rock with bruising running backs Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell or dumping it off to the dynamic Reggie Bush. The Saints have too many weapons for defenses to halt their march into the endzone. (Get it?)

On the other sideline, Manning orchestrates an equally explosive offensive onslaught. While the Colts’ running game presents little threat (NFL worst 80.9 yards per game), the passing game is as versatile as they come. As All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis suffocated #1 receiver Reggie Wayne, Manning connected with the rest of this deep receiving corps. Pierre Garcon, second-year man out of Mount Union, led the way with an AFC Championship record 11 receptions and 151 yards against the Jets. Rookie Austin Collie, taken in the 4th round out of BYU, contributed 123 yards of his own. Tight end Dallas Clark, who caught over 100 balls in the regular season, chipped in with 4 receptions and a touchdown as Manning made due (and then some) without his top target.

The Saints’ defense was one of the most exciting to watch this season, recording 26 interceptions and 35 sacks, ranking among the league's best in both categories. These stats have caused many fans, particularly those who saw New Orleans turn in a #4 finish in the world of fantasy, just four points shy of #1, to believe they are one of the league’s best units. Those viewers are sadly mistaken. The Saints allowed 122.2 yards per game rushing, ranking them 21st in the league. This included the league’s 5th worst 4.5 YPC . They conceded 235.6 yards per game through the air, 26th in the NFL. While they may have forced many turnovers, they were unable to play shutdown defense. Their aggression will benefit them against Indianapolis, but if Manning can protect the ball, Indy should have no trouble moving the chains.

Indianapolis’ defense has improved from the heavily maligned squad of 2008, however they are still a liability. They rank 14th in pass defense, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 63.8% of their attempts, 7th worst in the league. This will haunt them against Drew Brees, who set the NFL record for single season completion percentage with 70.6%. Allowing 4.3 YPC, they were one of only ten teams to concede over 2,000 yards on the ground in 2009. Their interception and sack totals, which rely heavily on the pass rushing abilities of Dwight Freeney, were mediocre. Freeney is officially listed as questionable on the NFL Injury Report (link in the sidebar on the right) with what some call a sprain and others call a torn ligament in his ankle. Should Freeney be limited, the Saints would gain a tremendous edge.

Pierre vs. Pierre

Oddly enough, both teams possess players with the first name “Pierre.” Garcon, of the Colts, will likely play a major role in Indianapolis’ offense, but don’t expect the same level of stats he put up against the Jets. Reggie Wayne is Manning’s favorite receiver, who will be targeted more often now that he won’t be facing shutdown corner Darrelle Revis. Thomas, of the Saints, will be licking his chops to plow through Indy’s undersized front seven. After facing the stout run defense of Minnesota, the PT Cruiser (nickname not concocted by the guru) will gash the Colts’ D for considerable chunks of yardage.

Predictions:

Garcon: 5 receptions, 64 yards, 1 touchdown

Thomas: 12 carries, 73 yards, 3 receptions, 33 yards, 1 touchdown

Reggie vs. Reggie

Again both offenses rely on playmakers that share first names. Bush, of the Saints, is a dynamic return man. His elusiveness may lead to some long kick returns. I do not believe he will be effective running the ball because Indy’s front seven is among the fastest in the league. They will be able to contain him more effectively than some of the bigger, slower linebacking corps he has faced recently. Wayne, of the Colts, is likely to have a monstrous game. Removed from the unbreakable coverage of Revis, Manning will be able to target the New Orleans native more often.

Predictions:

Bush: 5 carries, 18 yards, 6 receptions, 54 yards, tons of return yards, 1 touchdown

Wayne: 7 receptions, 82 yards, 1 touchdown

Peyton vs. Payton

Manning was held under 300 yards just twice in the first ten games, once in a 299 yard effort against Baltimore and the other in a 42-6 win over St. Louis. He will reach that marker with ease if he is not challenged by the playcalling of Sean Payton and his coordinators.

Predictions:

Manning: 30/42, 312 yards, 3 touchdowns,

Sean and Co.: 4 sacks, 1 interception

Turnovers will be the key to Sunday’s battle. These offenses are near locks to score when presented with a short field. The Saints were outgained 475-257 by Minnesota in the NFC Championship. They escaped by the skin of their teeth by forcing five turnovers, including an interception on what might go down as Brett Favre’s last career pass.

Indianapolis set the NFL record with a 23 game winning streak. They have not lost any game in which they gave maximum effort. The lead will change hands many times, but at the end of the day, the Colts will be Super Bowl Champions.

Prediction: IND 37 NO 31

Image of the Week

AP

In anticipation of Super Bowl XLIV, the guru has chosen a photo of Santonio Holmes' game-winning touchdown grab in last year's showdown to be the Image of the Week. Holmes, who was named MVP, made his toe-tapping catch with 35 seconds left in regulation, completing the 78 yard, 2:07 drive that saw Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger connect with Holmes four times.

Despite the late touchdown, the Steelers were not yet out of the woods. After containing Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals prolific passing attack for three and a half quarters, a weakness was spotted in the Steelers secondary. Fitzgerald caught his sixth pass of the 4th quarter with 29 seconds to go before Kurt Warner connected with J.J. Arrington to move the ball into Pittsburgh territory. But the recently dormant Steel Curtain pass rush was reawakened, recovering a fumble after their sack of Warner. Roethlisberger took the knee to wrap up the game in which the Steelers prevailed 27-23.

Holmes finished the game nine receptions and 131 yards through the air. His play perfectly exemplified what greatness stem from a second chance. Holmes was suspended in October for marijuana possession. The play before the Immaculate Reception 2.0, he let a much easier catch go directly through his hands. Despite the drop, Roethlisberger had enough faith in #10 to go back to him, threading the needle with a beautifully thrown pass.

NFC Championship

The guru is issuing a warning to all citizens of New Orleans: Watch out for shrapnel from the inevitable explosion of the Superdome. Sunday's NFC Championship may become of the most exciting games in recent memory. The offenses are high-powered. The defenses are electric. The storyline is incomparable. Do not miss this game.

Minnesota's skill players will have trouble hearing Favre's audibles as the crazed fans of Louisiana will raise the decibel level inside the enclosed stadium. If this forces the Vikings to simplify their playcalling, they will have no hesitation to put the ball in the hands of Pro Bowl RB Adrian Peterson. While his 5th place finish in rushing yards was disappointing, much of the blame can be put on the offensive line, who were continually overpowered by opposing defenses. Peterson's ability to stay on his feet after contact and plow ahead for additional yards will pay dividends against a New Orleans defense starting defensive tackles Sedrick Ellis and Remi Ayodele, both weighing in at over 300 pounds. After unleashing Peterson on the Saints, who allow 4.5 YPC, Favre should see some open passing lanes to exploit. The ageless wonder may be missing his most explosive receiver, rookie Percy Harvin, who is listed on the Injury Report (link in the sidebar to the right) as questionable. Should Harvin be unable to play, the Vikings can still hurt the Saints with Sidney Rice and receiving tight end Vishante Shiancoe.

Drew Brees is at the helm of the NFL's most powerful offense. In 2008, Brees became the 2nd quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 5,000 yards in a season. A more balanced attack this year has caused a decline in yardage, but the potential remains. New Orleans is fully capable of picking apart Minnesota's 19th ranked pass defense. Defensive end Jared Allen creates problems for an offense that doesn't run with regularity. Minnesota finished the season with one of the league's most impressive run defenses. But linebacker E.J. Henderson was lost to a gruesome leg injury in early December.

Points will be plentiful. There will be turnovers. Harvin and Reggie Bush are ridiculously explosive. Both teams have Pro Bowlers in the secondary.

Prediction: NO 34 MIN 27

AFC Championship

Sunday's game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts will be contested by two completely contrasting teams. The Colts, coming off of a near-undefeated season, rely on the arm of Peyton Manning to outscore opponents. The Jets, who limped into the playoffs at 9-7, prefer to pound the ball up the middle and play shutdown defense. The AFC Championship will tell if Manning's air-it-out style can move the chains against Darrelle Revis and Co.

The Colts' offense is engineered for one purpose, letting Manning drop back and throw. Their running game is virtually nonexistent, averaging an unheard of 1.7 YPC against Baltimore. Against an aggressive Rex Ryan defense, the Colts' inability to run will resurface. Should Revis neutralize the dynamic Reggie Wayne, Manning will have to look at the rest of his deep receiving corps. More than likely, he will like what he sees. Between Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon (Mt. Union grad, more on that in the upcoming weeks), and Austin Collie, the Colts have the depth, despite being without the reliable Anthony Gonzalez, to challenge New York's top-ranked pass defense.

Mark Sanchez has matured at an astounding rate for a rookie QB, a pattern that must continue for the Jets' hopes to stay alive. Without a doubt, the backfield combination of Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones will pound through Indianapolis' undersized defense, but the Jets cannot afford to be one-dimensional. Sanchez will need to prove that he can hurt a defense through the air in order for Greene and Jones to see open running lanes. Part of Sanchez' success will rely on the hands of Braylon Edwards, who has shown inconsistency when it comes to catching a football. Look for tight end Dustin Keller to play a major role in New York's offensive gameplan.

The stats don't favor New York, but they seem to play with a grudge due to being continually counted out. The key stat lies in the Jets' inability to outscore Manning. They have only eclipsed the 30 point mark twice this season, once against the dysfunctional Raiders and another time in a meaningless Week 17 matchup with Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the Colts have reached that plateau seven times thus far.

Will the football gods punish Indianapolis for ignoring a perfect season and granting New York free access to the postseason? Or will the Peyton Manning have a chance to become the first MVP to take home the Lombardi Trophy since Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXIII? The guru predicts an Indianapolis victory. But it should be noted that, despite a 4-0 record on Saturdays, the guru has yet to accurately predict a winner on Sunday.

Prediction: IND 27 NYJ 17

NFC Divisional Round

Last week's NFC Wild Card Round included a game played by two of the most bitter rivals in the league, Dallas and Philadelphia. Their history is filled with a strong hatred of each other, and last Saturday marked the second time the teams had met in as many weeks. However, that matchup is now completely overshadowed, a strange feeling for America's Team, by the epic quarterback duel between future Hall-of-Famer Kurt Warner's Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers' Brett, excuse me, Aaron Rodgers. The teams combined for 96 points and 801 passing yards, while only one interception was tossed. Last week featured a game for the ages; will history repeat itself this week as Arizona takes on the high-octane New Orleans Saints?

Saturday, New Orleans hosts the Cards at the Superdome, a perfect venue for more passing records to be set. It sure is hard to doubt a team that put up 51 points against the NFL's #2 defense, but the guru does not believe a second straight NFC Championship game is in the Cards. (Get it?)

As previously mentioned, Warner torched the Packers' secondary, ranked 5th in the league, for 379 yards and 5 touchdowns. He completed 29 of 33 passes for a rating of 154.1, 2nd best in postseason history. He was sacked just once and didn't throw a single pick. He got some help from the Cardinals' suddenly lively backfield, who contributed 156 yards on the ground. These ridiculous stats came without star wide receiver Anquan Boldin, against a Green Bay defense ranked 2nd in total D, 5th in passing defense, and 1st in the rushing game. The Packers recorded 37 regular season sacks and picked off 30 passes, the most in the NFL. So yeah, the Cardinals offense is pretty good. But they have another formidable adversary to face, the Saints defense. New Orleans has 35 sacks and 26 interceptions of their own, against just 15 passing touchdowns. They should offer some resistance to Warner's crew, especially if Boldin does not play. (A link to the official NFL Injury Report can be found in the sidebar on the right, along with some other interesting websites.)

New Orleans' offense is among the most potent in league history, averaging over 40o yards per game. They are led by super-accurate passer (Click on that link.) Drew Brees, whose 18,298 passing yards over the past four seasons, including 5,069 in 2008, rank second to none. This aerial barrage is even more daunting than that of the Pack, who put up 422 passing yards of their own last week. New Orleans also earned the league's #6 rushing offense, averaging 4.5 YPC. The Cardinals rank 17th in the running game, yielding 112.8 yards per game and 4.5 YPC. With three members of the secondary listed on the Injury Report, Arizona is going to have a tough challenge slowing down the Saints' march.

The Saints started the season 13-0, but lost the final three games, causing many analysts to believe they aren't at the top of their game. You can be sure the players have heard this and that they want to silence the critics. Remember Brees is only the second QB, behind only Dan Marino, to pass for over 5,000 yards in a single season. Arizona let Green Bay throw for 422 yards and four touchdowns only a week ago. Since then the Cardinals have been roughed up, while the Saints have had extra time to rest and heal.

Prediction: NO 37 ARI 34

On Sunday, the NFC East Champion Dallas Cowboys will pay a visit to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. The media is excessively critical of the Cowboys' ability to win in December and January, but their recent play has seemed to silence the critics. Something you haven't heard, however, is that Minnesota has not won a home playoff game since the 2000 season. But the Vikings never had a leader quite like Brett Favre playing quarterback.

Dallas' passing offense is ranked 6th in the league, averaging 267.9 yards per game. They have thrown for 26 touchdowns and just 9 interceptions. Minnesota has recorded 48 sacks this year, tops in the NFL. Their pass rush is led by DE Jared Allen, whose 14.5 sacks put him just shy of Elvis Dumervil for the league lead. Surprisingly, this heavy pressure has not led to many turnovers. The Vikings have only tallied 11 interceptions, one of the lowest totals in the league. They conceded the 19th most yards this season (3,494) and allowed the eighth highest completion percentage (63.7). Dallas' three-pronged rushing attack is one of the NFL's most dominant, accumulating the seventh most yards (2,103) and the third highest YPC (4.8). The Vikings' run defense is one of the game's most fearsome, conceding just 87.1 yards per game, finishing behind only division rival Green Bay. They allow just 3.9 YPC, tying them with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati for 5th in the league. Their five touchdowns against ties them with the Packers for the NFL's lowest total.

Brett Favre has revitalized the passing attack in Minnesota, leading the Vikings to 259.8 yards per game through the air, up from 184.8 in 2008. Wide receiver Sidney Rice has broken out to become one of the game's elite. He caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards, fourth most in the league. Dallas' pass defense ranks one spot behind Minnesota at #20. They have recorded 42 sacks this season, including 11 from OLB DeMarcus Ware. They have forced the same 11 interceptions as the Vikings, but have yielded seven less aerial touchdowns. Minnesota relies on Pro Bowl RB Adrian Peterson, whose 18 rushing TD's were the most in the league. He ran for over 1,300 yards and averaged 4.4 YPC. He is what makes this offense go. Dallas has been stout against the run this season, allowing only 90.5 yards per game, fourth in the NFL. Opposing teams average just 4.0 YPC against the Cowboys and have only scored 7 rushing TD's.

These two teams look a lot alike. Both have playoff trouble and mediocre pass defenses. Both excel at rushing the passer and stopping the run. Both can get it done in the air or on the ground. Both have explosive offensive weapons in Minnesota's Percy Harvin and Dallas' Felix Jones. The guru gives the edge to Dallas for their recent success. They seemed to have peaked at the right time, for once.

Prediction: DAL 27 MIN 20

AFC Divisional Round

This past weekend, we watched both AFC Wild Card teams advance from the opening round of the playoffs. As I predicted in the AFC Wild Card Round post, the Jets overtook the AFC North champion Bengals. However, unforeseen by the guru, the AFC East champion Patriots were trounced at home by Baltimore. More division champions await the victors, as the Chargers and Colts play host to the Wild Card teams this week.

This Sunday, the Jets travel to San Diego to face the red hot Chargers, who have won eleven consecutive games. These two teams have not met since 2008, when the Chargers walked all over the New York Bretts. This week's matchup should look entirely different, given New York's additions of Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez, and others. Sanchez returns to So Cal for the second time since he left USC to enter the NFL. In his other appearance, albeit against the Raiders, Sanchez posted a passer rating of 114 and rushed for a touchdown.

Offensively, the Jets should have little trouble running against the Chargers' 20th ranked rush defense, who let up 4.5 YPC. They have allowed over 100 yards on the ground to six of their last seven opponents, the lone exception being the incompetent Redskins. San Diego's secondary is statistically mediocre, however they should have no problem defending the Jets passing attack. While Sanchez certainly showed great poise last week against Cincinnati, his stats were heavily padded by terrific runs after the catch by his receivers. His supposed top target, Braylon Edwards, will be in court this week facing assault charges. Edwards, who was acquired from Cleveland midway through the season, has already eclipsed Dick Clark as the Big Apple's biggest ball dropper.

San Diego has the most explosive offense New York has seen in quite some time. (No, the Curtis Painter led Colts don't count.) Philip Rivers garnered some MVP buzz this season, as he owned the NFL's 3rd best passer rating behind only Drew Brees and Brett Favre. He led the Chargers to the NFL's 5th best passing offense, tossing only nine picks in 486 attempts. While Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis has been spectacular this season, he will be challenged by the size of receiver Vincent Jackson (6'5" 230 lbs), who tied for ninth in the league with 1,167 receiving yards. Tight end Antonio Gates finished right behind Jackson with 1,157 yards of his own. He combines his size (6'4" 260 lbs) with tremendous athletic ability, making him a matchup nightmare in the redzone. The running game took a massive step backwards this season finishing 31st in yards with the league's worst 3.3 YPC. However, if the Jets blitz Rivers, he's more than content to dump it off to RB Darren Sproles, affectionately nicknamed the Pocket Rocket for his elusiveness.

The Jets had the NFL's best pass defense in the regular season, but Rivers averaged 333 yards per game against the Ravens, Bengals, and Steelers, ranked 3rd-5th in the league, respectively. (The AFC North is tougher than people seem to think.) Keep in mind that New York's stats were padded by playing eight games in the harsh climate of East Rutherford, NJ. Sunday's game will be played in sunny California. I believe the Chargers will be too much for the Jets to handle.

Prediction: SD 27 NYJ 20

Playing in the post-college football Saturday time slot, the Ravens pay a visit to Indianapolis to face Peyton & Co. We all know the story. Indy had a shot at the record books by going undefeated, but decided that Manning's health (and 100 catches for Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark) was more important. On the contrary, Baltimore squeaked into the playoffs by winning a complex set of tiebreakers with Pittsburgh and Houston, although it sure didn't look that way Sunday in Foxborough.

For the Colts, they live and die by the play of Manning. Their rushing attack is basically nonexistent, averaging a diminutive 80.9 yards per game and 3.5 YPC. Of course, Manning's name is near the top of the list in almost every passing category. He completed 68.8% of his passes (2nd), has a 99.9 passer rating (6th), 33 touchdowns (T-2nd), and 4,500 yards (2nd) despite sitting in the final few games. He has been sacked just 10 times in 581 dropbacks, an absolutely ridiculous ratio. However, he has thrown 16 interceptions, which ties him with Matt Cassel for seventh most in the league. The Ravens recorded a mediocre 32 sacks this season, but tallied 22 picks, tying them with Carolina for the fifth most in the NFL. However, they have yielded 3,419 yards through the air, placing them in 18th, far off from last year's 2,875 yards and 52.3% completion rate.

Offensively, it's no secret what the Ravens plan to do. They like to pound the rock. This season, they ran the ball 468 times, compared to just 510 pass attempts, a balanced ratio in today's pass-happy league. This formula has led to 4.7 YPC (4th) and 22 TD's (T-1st). Indianapolis will be forced to stack the box, daring sophomore Joe Flacco to air it out. Teams have ran with relative success against Indianapolis, averaging 4.3 YPC. This will be the key to Sunday's battle. If Indy can restrict Baltimore's rushing game, then they should have no trouble stopping Flacco. And if the offense stalls, Baltimore will be in a tough spot trying to play from behind. If they are forced to drop back and throw, Flacco will be at the mercy of the pass rushing duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, who combined for 23 sacks this year. The pressure caused by these two has led to a TD:INT ratio of 19:16, which is pretty good to say the least.

Baltimore's defense is not at the level its name is associated with. If their 2008 defense was playing, I would give them the edge. But, Indy is just too strong offensively. The Ravens will put points on the board with their running game. However, the NFL's MVP will be able to outperform his rival Tom Brady, despite the comparisons made between them. The Colts win thanks to their high-flying offense, if, and only if, Manning stays healthy.

Prediction: IND 27 BAL 17

AFC Wild Card Round

Going into Week 17, seven teams were in contention for the two AFC Wild Card spots. Analysts were in heaven, simulating every scenario and obsessing over the complex tiebreaking procedures. Entering Sunday with a "win and you're in" situation, both the Ravens and Jets emerged from the rubble to claim playoff berths. The AFC division leaders can take a deep sigh of relief as the Steelers, clearly the most dangerous team in contention, have been eliminated, despite Jeff Reed's two fourth quarter field goals. Warning to all Pittsburgh area convenience stores: Fill your paper towel dispensers! And to answer your question, that's a picture of Reed, not a random, burnt out, middle-aged beach bum.

The AFC Wild Card features another rematch from Week 17 as the Bengals host the Jets. In what was a meaningless game for Cincinnati, the Jets cruised (lame joke) to a 37-0 victory. Sunday's game marked the first time that the Bengals have been shut out since 2001, when the Super Bowl champion Ravens held them scoreless.

The key matchup will be New York's league leading rushing offense against a tough Cincinnati defense allowing 3.9 YPC. The Jets will likely limit QB Mark Sanchez to game manager mode. He has only attempted more than 20 passes once in his last five starts.

Offensively, the Bengals rely on the play of resurgent running back Cedric Benson, who sat out last week's matchup to rest for the playoffs. He is eighth in the league with 1,251 rushing yards, despite only playing in 13 games. Carson Palmer's performance (or lack there of) was disastrous in the harsh climate of East Rutherford, NJ. He completed 1 of 11 passes for 0 (not a typo) yards with one interception. That earned him a comically low QB rating of 1.7. Number 1 receiver Chad Ochocinco was completely shut down by Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis, but as usual Ochocinco had no trouble making excuses, attributing his poor performance to a knee injury. “Whether I had one leg or not, Darrelle did a great job.” Revis has shut down elite receivers all season, leading a Jets secondary allowing a league low 153.7 yards per game.

New York has allowed just 3.8 YPC this season, good enough for #4 in the NFL. They should have no problems containing Benson once the secondary shuts down the Bengals' struggling passing attack. With Ochocinco blanketed by Revis, Palmer will rely on former Jet Laveranues Coles, who has disappointed so far this season. When Sanchez and the offense take the field, Cincinnati will be able to stack the box. However, the Jets deeper backfield will outlast Benson, who will receive nearly all of the Bengals' carries. New York will win the impending battle of attrition.

Prediction: NJY 17 CIN 10

The AFC East champion New England Patriots will host Baltimore this weekend. These two teams met on October 4th in Foxborough, where Tom Brady led the Pats to a 27-21 victory. For those of you who value the complete history, the Ravens have lost all five meetings between these clubs, none of which occurred in the playoffs.

This week's matchup will feature the Patriots' 3rd ranked offense against Baltimore's 3rd ranked defense. Tom Brady will be without Wes Welker, who leads the NFL with 123 receptions. Baltimore will be able to roll coverage towards Randy Moss, who is tied for the league lead with 13 receiving touchdowns. New England's underrated rushing attack will have to step up against the Raven's D, who are allowing a league low 3.4 YPC.

Baltimore has the league's 5th ranked rushing attack, averaging over 130 yards per game and 4.7 YPC. New England can be run on, allowing 4.4 YPC, including a 6.8 YPC showing in the regular season contest between these two clubs. Joe Flacco has only eclipsed 200 passing yards nine times this season, and only five times in his last ten games.

This game will likely come down to the ability of Patriot receivers Julian Edelman and Sam Aiken to fill the void left by Welker. Expect Brady to target tight end Benjamin Watson early and often. In Weeks 12-16, New England rushed for 715 yards, a terrific 143 yards per game.

The key for the Ravens is for Flacco and the receiving corps to connect early, forcing the Pats to respect the pass. Otherwise, New England will stack the box and shut down Baltimore's dynamic backfield.

Prediction: NE 20 BAL 13

NFC Wild Card Round

With the NFL's Week 17 behind us, the playoff seedings have been determined. Strangely, both NFC Wild Card games are rematches of Week 17. On Sunday, the Cardinals hosted the Packers and the Eagles paid a visit to Cowboys Stadium to face Dallas. The same will occur next weekend.

Green Bay, winners of six of their last seven, came to Glendale clicking on all cylinders and scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. By halftime, the Packers had jumped to 26-0 lead, thanks to a safety early in the second quarter. In Arizona's defense, they removed some of their key players early on while Packers coach Mike McCarthy decided to let his starters play the majority of the game. Both teams lost Pro Bowl cornerbacks as Charles Woodson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie left the game in the first half. Both are expected to be in the lineup next week. Anquan Boldin and Calais Campbell also sustained injuries of unknown severity.

Although the Packers walked all over Arizona, outgaining them 345-187, this game should NOT be any indication of next week's showdown. The only stat worth mentioning from today's action would be in the interception column. Cardinals backup Matt Leinart threw two interceptions and had an additional one negated by the second quarter safety. Brian St. Pierre also saw action for Arizona, completing two of his four passes with a pick. Green Bay backup Matt Flynn threw an interception on one of his three attempts to finish with a QB rating of 2.8. Should anything happen to either starter, the fallout would dramatic, especially if the Cards are without Boldin.

The Packers bring the NFL's fifth-ranked offense to Glendale next week to face Arizona's defense, ranked 20th. Green Bay, owners of the #2 defense, should be back to full strength with Woodson in the lineup. Aaron Rodgers and Co. will be too much for Ken Whisenhunt's Cardinals to handle.

Prediction: GB 24 ARI 17

The media has long been critical of the Cowboys' late-season play, particularly that of QB Tony Romo. After back-to-back losses in early December, it seemed as though they were entering their annual recession. A victory against the then undefeated New Orleans Saints was followed by two consecutive defensive shutouts, a franchise first. Sunday's win marked the first time the Cowboys have had a post-December winning record since 1996, the year of their last playoff victory.

Playing the majority of the game against the Eagles' starters, Romo completed 70% of his passes and threw for over 300 yards. Marion Barber III and Felix Jones each received over a dozen carries and averaged 6.5 and 6.1 yards per carry, respectively. The defense gave the famed Cowboys cheerleaders plenty to cheer about, sacking Donovan McNabb four times and forcing two fumbles.

Although the Eagles had won six straight coming into Sunday's game, Dallas is the hot team. Strong showings on both sides of the ball led to this 24-0 blowout, the only time Philly has scored less than nine points this season. Playing in Cowboys Stadium, where over 100,000 fans attended Sunday's game, should give Dallas the edge.

Prediction: DAL 20 PHI 13