NFL Divisional Playoff Predictions

This week it stands to reason that the task I face is far more daunting than the last. For sentimental reasons Green Bay Packers fans will wish that their beloved Brett Favre remain a god as he throws for 300 yards against Seattle in a 31-7 win, running that turncoat Mike Holmgren out of town. Ah, if things were so easy...On the other hand, New England entertains guests as well as a house party in Lowell. So red-hot Jacksonville has that to look forward to, meaning belligerent fans as well as the fact that they are playing arguably the best team in the league.

But the best games of the week are New York at Dallas, a game that the Cowboys would do well to win, unless the coach wants owner Jerry Jones to run him out of town the way Jones has done to countless others, Hall of Famers among them. The other game pitting San Diego at Indianapolis will tell a lot about the only other team capable of beating the Patriots in the AFC--if they are playing their best on that particular day. Look for tons of points in the game.

Saturday

Seattle at Green Bay - The Seahawks' first game showed their biggest weakness, allowing teams to crawl back into games. In this case the Redskins threw their way around Qwest Field, treating the Hawks secondary like bastard step-children for about eight minutes in the second half. Then the real Seahawks came alive, destroying Washington with precision passing and two clock-killing drives. On Saturday the Packers have to jump on Seattle early and put them away late. If they don't Seattle's defense is good enough to turn this game into a low-scoring affair, one that would favor the Seahawks and that clock-eating pass offense. Also, Seattle has scored more than a few touchdowns this year off of opponent miscues and Favre has a tendency to be erratic. Both Favre and Hasselbeck have had good seasons with both throwing for about 4,000 yards, respectively. The Packers have to be favored in the matchup since they have had a few weeks to rest. But rest can be a killer, and keep in mind that a Wildcard team has made the Super Bowl three of the last four years. Though the Packers' offense is more than capable of doing damage to a stellar Seahawks defense, it won't happen at Lambeau. The game will be close though.

Seahawks 27, Packers 24

Jacksonville at New England - The Jaguars come into frosty Boston looking for some redemption for being the AFC playoff doormat of this decade. It seems they always come up short, whether it's in Denver or elsewhere. This time, though, it does seem to be different for Jacksonville, who haven't had this much hype since Mark Brunell was throwing for a million yards per game (well, about 400). The irony to the whole matchup is that the irreplaceable Fred Taylor (yep, the one Brunell handed off to) is still on the squad and contributing. The Jags defense is tough as usual. Just ask Pittsburgh how their day went after the Jags let them score one touchdown. But the team they're playing is arguably one of the best the game has ever seen. New England ended the season with a perfect 16-0 record in the regular season. They have the best of everything at every position. They take a workmanlike approach to every game and though their style is not pretty it does get results. If ever there was a perfect machine the New England Patriots is it. But are the Jacksonville Jaguars for real? It seems every year that the NFL has one team of destiny. Last year it was the New Orleans Saints. Is this the year of the Jaguar? Unfortunately, no. Tom Brady & Co. will have another stellar day and await the Indianapolis Colts or the San Diego Chargers in the AFC title game.

Patriots 38, Jaguars 14

Sunday

New York at Dallas - On Manning Day you will first get to see Eli, the kid brother of Peyton and the more reserved of the two. He'll have Brandon Jacobs to hand off to and the Giants will try to control the clock and keep the ball out of Dallas' hands. The Giants defense is as good as advertised, with possibly the best front in the NFL. They all but hammered the Buccaneers in the Wild Card game, with Michael Strahan getting nine tackles and a sack. The Giants will need a repeat, and possibly, a better performance from the defense, along with a solid passing attack to beat the Cowboys. Dallas, on the other hand, has dominated teams, including Green Bay, and looked woeful against others, especially the last two they played. Something has to give here, and it will, resulting in the Cowboys answering their critics, including their irrepressible owner. Wade Phillips' laid-back approach is just what the well-rested Cowboys need, a mixture of locker-room nightmares and pretty boys, not to mention a vast array of talent. And the Cowboys are playing at Texas Stadium, a place where they only lost twice all year.

Cowboys 28, Giants 20

San Diego at Indianapolis - This is the game of the week without question. San Diego has had success at Indianapolis in the past, including this season's 23-21 nail biter. For the Chargers to be successful they must rely on LaDainian Tomlinson, their All-Pro running back, to keep the Colts off the field. Philip Rivers, the Chargers quarterback will never be mistaken for Dan Fouts, but he's no Ryan Leaf. Rivers is capable of running the Chargers' offense and finding Antonio Gates on 10-yard routes. That will keep the chains moving and give the Chargers defense a chance to embarrass Peyton Manning, as this day has been christened Manning Day and is considered a holiday in New Orleans, New York and Indy. After the day is done, though, the only thing Manning will want is a nice warm bath and the game to be a distant memory. One of the hardest things in sports is to repeat and the Colts are about to find out on Sunday at the RCA Dome. Even so, the game will be wild, as Charger-Colt battles usually are.

Chargers 35, Colts 31