Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner - NFL Divisional Playoff Winners

With a pair of potentially thrilling NFL divisional playoff matchups taking place this Saturday and Sunday, the most popular sport in North America will once again take center stage in nearly every sports fan's consciousness.

Pro football lovers that want to know which teams are going to win their respective matchups and move on to their conference championships are in luck as your 'handicapping homeboy' has got the answers to every football fans' questions.

This look at each matchup, followed by my predictions on each contest will go a long way toward helping Associated Content NFL lovers everywhere enjoy the game - and break the bank on their respective football pools.

With kickoff times for the weekend's opening games just hours away, let me get busy.

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints

Analysis: Pro football lovers everywhere are salivating at what they expect to be a high-scoring affair and I expect these two offensive-minded teams not to disappoint.

The Cardinals looked absolutely unstoppable on offense last week with Kurt Warner throwing five touchdown passes while playing without one of his top targets in veteran wideout Anquan Boldin.

Arizona's defense however, left a lot to be desired as they were torched by Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers who threw for 422 yards and four TD's.

The Cardinals were very fortunate to recover two of the three fumbles they laid on the carpet last week but can't afford to give Drew Brees and the Saints' offense any extra chances to score.

Arizona has scored at least 31 points in three of their last four games and I believe they will reach the 30-point plateau again in this contest against a New Orleans defense that has allowed at least 23 points in six of their last 10 games.

For the Saints to beat the red-hot Cardinals in this contest, they are going to have to play much better on offense than they did in losing three consecutive games.

In their two losses prior to their regular season finale, New Orleans was held to just 17 points in each outing and haven't reached the 30-point plateau during the stretch after scoring 30 or more in five of their previous six games.

To make matters worse, New Orleans has been one of the worst teams in the league against the spread recently as their 2-8 ATS mark over the last 10 games shows.

New Orleans does have one big thing going for them that the Cardinals don't and that is the fact that they have been one of the best turnover ratio teams in the league (+11) while the Cardinals ranked 24th in the turnover department (-7).

The smart money on this matchup is on the Arizona Cardinals to cover a seven-point spread I believe is a bit too high for such a fine offensive team as the Cardinals.

New Orleans has gone a profitable 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against a team with a winning road record, but I don't like the Saints' five-game ATS losing streak coming into this contest or they way the team played over the final month of the regular season.

The Cardinals have gone a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games as a road underdog and are my pick to cover the NFC divisional money line in this contest in what I believe will be a narrow, heartbreaking loss for Arizona.

Eric's Expert NFL Pick: Cardinals +7

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts

I called last week's Baltimore win over New England and I feel very strongly that this game represents another excellent opportunity to cash in with an easy winning wager.

The Colts have beaten the Ravens seven straight times and I don't expect them to lose this contest either against a Baltimore team that has failed to top the 20-point plateau in each of its last four losses.

While I like Indianapolis to win this game, I'm backing the Baltimore Ravens to cover the NFC Divisional playoff odds as a 6-point road underdog and snap their 0-6 ATS skid against the Colts.

The Road team in this rivalry has gone 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings and the Ravens have gone a robust 7-2 ATS in their last nine playoff road games.

Baltimore averaged just about one point per game less than Indianapolis this season while allowing three points per game less than the Colts - and those numbers could very well spell trouble for the Colts.

I'm taking Indy to win, but Baltimore to cover the AFC Divisional playoff odds while the Under plays out as well.

Eric's Expert NFL Picks: Baltimore +6 Points/Under 44 Total Points

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

The Dallas Cowboys - and quarterback Tony Romo in particular - have looked absolutely phenomenal for the better part of the last eight weeks.

However, I like Minnesota Vikings in this matchup for more than one reason.

First and foremost, I think Brett Favre will beat the 'Boys pressure and blitz packages by finding the receiver that attracts single coverage and make the Cowboys pay.

Minnesota has one of the game's best running backs in fleet-footed Adrian Peterson and I believe his ability to both, run and catch the ball out of the backfield will help keep the Cowboys honest and on their heels.

The Cowboys will also have to overcome Minnesota's stellar 8-0 home record this season and dismal 0-5 SU mark in their last five games in Minnesota, not to mention the 'Boys' 0-4 ATS record in their last four matchups against the Vikings in Minnesota.

The favorite in this series has gone a spotless 7-0 ATS in their last seven meetings while the home team has gone a consistent 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings. The Cowboys have also recorded a poor 1-5 ATS in their last six games against the Vikings.

In addition to playing the Vikings to win this game and cover the slight NFL point spread, pro football gamblers that like to play the Total should know that the Under has gone 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Eric's Expert NFL Picks: Vikings -2.5 Points

New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers

Analysis: The New York Jets may be the proud owners of the league's No. 1 defense, but they are going to have their hands full against a Chargers team that could end up in this year's Super Bowl.

New York has gone an impressive 4-0 ATS in their last four road games and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall, but red-hot Chargers have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five playoff games and 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.

San Diego has beaten New York in two consecutive games and has the better team when you look at all three phases of the game.

I expect San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, one of the game's best young quarterbacks, to beat the Jets' constant blitz packages by either hitting tight end Antonio Gates or gifted wideout Vincent Jackson whenever they see one-on-one coverage.

I think the Chargers take a lead into the half in this contest and force the Jets to play catch-up.

The Jets had a great run this season and clearly have a bright future, but I don't believe they are ready for the elite Chargers just yet nor will they cover the NFL point spread in this contest.

Eric's Expert NFL Picks: Chargers -7 Points