STL/SEA: I'm going with the Rams here, mainly because of their postseason experience and that offense-- which, when it's on, can pile up points quickly.
NYJ/SD: Sorry, Jets fans. No dice. San Diego is the real deal, and your defense is struggling at a bad time. Add to that a pathetic offensive coordinator that Herman Edwards wants no part of and an inconsistent Chad Pennington, and you've got a long trip home to think about how a 5-0 start could have gone so wrong. That cheering sound that you'll hear in New York next Monday will be due to the firing of Paul Hackett, with WFAN's Joe Beningo and FSR's Bruce Jacobs leading the cheers.
DEN/IND: Heh. The over/under on TD passes for Peyton Manning in this game is 6. Have fun, Champ Bailey. Even if Dwight Freeney doesn't get three sacks, I have a feeling that he'll pressure Jake Plummer into making some poor decisions... and even if the Denver offense can score, the Colts can score more. I hope that Mike Shanahan brings a case of Pepto-Bismol, because he's gonna need it.
MIN/GB: In years past, this would be a no-brainer. Green Bay used to be so strong at home... but not this year. They've been vulnerable, and Ahman Green's nagging injuries make me a little nervous. Thankfully for Green Bay fans, though, Randy Moss is having a pity party for himself and has become a cancer for the Vikings, pitting player against player and proving that Mike Tice doesn't know what the hell he's doing.
So, recapping your winners for Wild-Card Weekend... Rams in a close one over the Seahawks, Bolts down the Jets and cost Hackett his job, Indianapolis beats the Broncos by 100 points, and Green Bay spikes Minnesota.
Other predictions?
** New England will lose at home, and that's coming from a Patriots fan... if they get Indianapolis, Peyton Manning will shred what's left of the New England secondary, even if Ty Law comes back. New England will also miss Richard Seymour a whole lot, too.
** The Eagles will break hearts again this year. I'm sorry, Eagles fans... but Terrell Owens is... errr... WAS your offense. I don't see any of your other WRs stepping up to make the big play, and that makes you pretty one-dimensional. Nobody is afraid of the Eagles now, regardless of where they're playing.
** Atlanta? Well... let's hope that the good Falcons team shows up. I think that they will, but that won't matter if they make the Super Bowl. Being the "class" of the NFC isn't exactly a boast, and Michael Vick's accuracy numbers are pathetic.
** Super Bowl? I could take the easy way out and just say that the AFC wins by default... but I'll play along and call a Falcons / Steelers matchup. With the NFC being so bad, you could really plug in a few different teams that all have legitimate shots at a Super Bowl berth (Falcons, Packers, and maybe the Eagles), but my gut tells me that the Falcons have the best shot. As for the AFC, with New England losing in the divisional round, I'm thinking that the Steeler defense (and home-field advantage) will win out over the Colts' offensive juggernaut.
