Have you submitted your picks for all 4 games?  How about your Super Bowl Bonus pick (worth 100 points)?  Just a reminder on those 2 items that they need to be submitted prior to the 4:30pm kickoff of the Saturday afternoon tilt.

Now to the games at hand as the most playoff points (cumulatively 23,337 representing 31% of the yearly total) are earned on your ability to pick the winning teams and scores for this weekend’s matchups.  Buffalo Bill has earned the most points in the Divisional Playoffs (4,344) and Ben the Butler, our current leader, has the highest points per game at 59.2 (plus he also holds the record for most points in a Divisional Round game – 205).  Pete the Terp has a record 383 points in this round.

Enough of the stats – let’s get to the heart of why you immerse yourself in this preview…

NFC #6 New Orleans @ #1 Seattle
Let’s forget about the 34-7 bashing in Week 13 when the Saints put up 188 total yards, now that the Saints have a road playoff victory under their belts are they ready to exact revenge upon the rested Seahawks?  History tells us that since the 2005 playoffs the #6 seed is 5-2 vs. the #1 seed.  Whoa!

It wasn’t really a Brees in Philly, as the Saints brushed off the Eagles last weekend with a final play FG.  But a win is a win and this one should be closer than Week’s 13 blowout in the great Northwest.

Seattle is not running on all cylinders right now, and are 2-2 over their last 4 games (including their 1^st and only home loss of the season).  The noise factor should set a new record.  Beast mode moves into the playoffs.  No reason for the Seahawks to be “Sleepless in Seattle” worrying about this one…

Seattle 38, New Orleans 17 (everyone becomes deaf), or
Seattle 26, New Orleans 23 (no new decibel level record), or
New Orleans 24, Seattle 17 (the #6 seed improves to 6-2 vs. the #1 seed…)

AFC #4 Indianapolis @ #2 New England
Have the Colts come down yet from last weekend’s game?  Does Bill Belichick even care?  What matters is that it’s Andrew Luck (appropriate last name) against Tom and the Brady Bunch.  Indianapolis cannot afford to be as sloppy as last weekend and come back from another 28 point deficit.  The Patriots have quietly gone about their business this year (12-4) once they got past the Aaron Hernandez controversy and should ride the veteran arm of their legendary playoff QB in a not-so-close game.  It’s gonna be rainy and New England seems to play better in those conditions.  Plan to stay up for this one…

New England 34, Indianapolis 27, or
Indianapolis 31, New England 30 (Adam Vinatieri on the last play??)

NFC #5 San Francisco @ #2 Carolina
Who are these Panthers?  Winners of 11 of their last 12 games, that’s who.  This will be 2 awesome D’s stacked up against each other, along with 2 young and dynamic QB’s.  So look for the running game to prevail.

The 49’ers dodged a frozen bullet last weekend in Green Bay and look to be primed to run the table.  Will WR Steve Smith be on the field for the Panthers?  Without him they’re just a “good” team.  The last home playoff win for Carolina?  Never…

Carolina 24, San Francisco 20 (Cam rushes for more yards that Colin), or
49’ers 24, Panthers 20 (your safer bet)

AFC #6 San Diego @ #1 Denver
What more can be said about the Broncos this season?  All-time record for points scored in a season (the first team to go over 600), Peyton with 55 TD passes and 5,477 passing yards (also records) vs. a team that needed 6 things to happen during the last 2 weeks of the regular season just to make the playoffs?

Forget all that – these 2 split their regular season series, with both losing at home (uh, oh Peyton).  The Chargers looked pretty good on the road last week in putting a whoop on the Bungles and their D has blitzing schemes that are going to create havoc for Peyton.  But Peyton has more toys than Santa and San Diego has less firepower to keep trading TD’s.  Orange you going to pick Denver?

Denver 37, San Diego 26 (as expected), or
San Diego 28, Denver 27 (as Matt Prater misses an 85-yard FG attempt on the last play, wide right!) – these Chargers are destined!!

Hope you have your favorite chair ready for the weekend and a frig stocked with your favorite football beverage.  It’s gonna be 4 great games!  You can keep up to date with real-time progress on each game thru www.hewessbt.com. But I have a commitment during the Saturday night game and may not post results until Sunday morning (unless Greg the Great can keep up for us).

Don’t forget to submit your 4 scores and Super Bowl Bonus pick by 4:30pm today!

~~ The Commish