Chick Picks: 2009-10 NFL Playoff Predictions, Prelude to Super Bowl XLIV

Predictions definitely get easier when teams start clinching divisions and wild cards in week 15. I made my predictions early this year on December 2 when I wrote, "Could the Vikings Take on the Saints and Then the Colts to Win Super Bowl XLIV?" Well, I got one thing right, the Vikings clinched their division and made it to the playoffs. Also, the Cardinals made it. I'm 2-for-2 on that topic. If you read the article, you will see my predictions have not changed all that much. I am merely expanding upon my primary pics.

The Vikings made me a bit nervous with their poor performance against the Panthers in week 15, but I have a feeling they will step things up against the Bears and the Giants in the final 2 games. Brett was severely disappointed in everyone after that game. You could tell from the post media conference. I think they just got "less hungry" after hearing they clinched the division playoff spot just before the game. But that is no reason to let defenders like Pepper beat up on your quarter back. They need to look at the next 2 games as competitive practices to prepare for the playoffs.

And what happened in the game they lost to the Cardinals? Did the cardinals offensive line just step up to protect the head injured Kurt Warner, or were the Vikings throwing the game because they want to ensure they play the Cardinals and not the 49ers in the playoffs. "According to NFL-great-turned-analyst Tony Boselli, who mentioned it on Westwood One's radio broadcast of the game" said they thought Bryant McKinnie, Vikings left tackle, may have had a "tell" in his line up stance that tipped off the Cardinals Defense as to the type of play the Vikings Offense was planning. (See Full Story)

So far, the teams that have earned a spot in the NFC are the Eagles who have clinched a wild card, the Vikings, the Saints and the Cardinals who have clinched their division, and the Packers, Cowboys and Giants are fighting for the second wild card in that conference.

I'm going to predict that the Giants will probably surface with the additional wild card because their standings are better than the Packers or the Cowboys. The Giants will be playing the Vikings in the last game of the season and I'm going to bet Childress benches Brett Favre to keep him healthy for the playoffs. There has already been a huge debate, even in the game against the Panthers that they didn't win. Brad wanted Brett to sit and Brett wanted to play, but he was getting killed by Pepper and it wasn't very smart of him to stay in the game regardless of their teams overall ability to keep up with the Panthers who were just hungrier than the Vikings that night. Read what Brett had to say about that on my content page "Favre Nearly Benched..."

The AFC is a little more difficult to commit to on predictions at this point. Obviously, the perfect season Colts have clinched their division with home field advantage. I'm looking at the Chargers, the Bangles, and the Patriots to clinch the divisions with the Ravens and Broncos moving into the Wild Card position.

Despite what happens in the playoffs, I am really eager to see the Vikings get a second shot at the Cardinals as well as a chance to play the New Orleans Saints, which we learned are not unstoppable after the Cowboys maimed their winning streak in week 15. But as Brett said in his conference after their game last week. "You can be beaten any time, any place."

It's only Monday, but I can hardly wait another week to see how this turns out for the Packers, the Cowboys, and the Giants. I am also excited to see the match up with the Vikings and the Giants, who have yet to play this Season.