NFL Playoffs: Eagles Or Giants...We're All Winners Since One Has To Lose

I was 2-2 last week overall and against the spread. We continue with the divisional round.

SATURDAY

Baltimore Ravens (12-5) vs.
Tennessee Titans (13-3)(-3)
4:30 p.m. LP Field
I’m not sure why Las Vegas is in love with the Ravens. I don’t get it. They are playing a team they already lost to at home, and it’s a team that’s had two weeks to sit and prepare for an offense that isn’t that complicated. And the Titans are only favored by three. Huh? Anyone else get that?

Look the Ravens have surpassed anyone’s expectations this season. They have completely overhauled their offensive line in less than two years. Joe Flacco has progressed, maybe not as much as Matt Ryan, but it appears that he was worth trading up for in the draft. However, he still struggles to lead drives when he doesn’t get the ball in the opponents’ territory. We’ll see a lot of Chris Johnson, a lot of Lendell White and a lot of ball protection for the Titans offense to assure that Flacco and company don’t get a short field. Plus, the Titans defense already confused the hell out of him once, I don’t see any reason to think that they won’t do it again.

Titans 20, Ravens 10


Arizona Cardinals (10-7) vs.
Carolina Panthers (12-4)(-10)
8:15 p.m. Bank of America Stadium
Even though this game could shape up to be an entertaining shootout, you can sum this one up in one line: The Cardinals are playing on the East Coast. They can’t win on the East Coast. They can’t play competitively on the East Coast. They usually don’t show up on the East Coast. Carolina should have no problems.

Panthers 38, Cardinals 23


SUNDAY

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6-1) vs.
New York Giants (12-4)
1:00 p.m. Giants Stadium
So…do Eagles fans still want to kick Donovan McNabb out of Philly? You sure about that? I can think of a few teams that could use him. The Lions, the Bills, the Bears all come to mind. Or about the team the Eagles just beat? The Vikings would have won that game with a quarterback that wasn’t physically handicapped. Do you really want to get rid of a capable QB with at least a couple of good seasons left in him?

As for this game, it will be as enjoyable for me to watch as last year’s Giants-Cowboys game. In other words, not enjoyable at all. The Eagles are playing better football the past month, but the Giants are the better team. I just can’t stress how important the bye week is in these divisional matchups. I can’t see the Giants losing twice to the same team at home. Especially when they’ve had an extra week to prepare. But the good news is that one of these teams has to lose.

Giants 27, Eagles 19


San Diego Chargers (9-8) vs.
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)(-6)
4:30 p.m. Heinz Field
The words Ben Roethlisberger and concussion don’t give me a whole lot of faith in the Steelers. I think if any home team is likely to lose this week, it will be Pittsburgh. You put a woozy quarterback behind a joke of an offensive line and bad things tend to happen.

However, if you thought the Ravens defense was opportunistic last week and all season, the Steelers defense has quietly been even better. There’s a good reason why James Harrison is defensive player of the year and not Ed Reed. He’s the best defensive player on the best defensive unit. Makes sense to me. And Philip Rivers tends to gamble a little too much. Factor cold weather in with a “gun-slinging” quarterback playing a nasty defense, and I can’t see San Diego doing all that much defensively. Pittsburgh’s offense should be good enough for 14 points, and their defense should hand them at least another 10. Should be good enough for a close win.

Steelers 24, Chargers 20