Participants,

Next to Super Bowl Sunday, this is possibly the best weekend of the year for us NFL fans – 4 great games with no clear, overriding winners (are you betting against the Denver Tebows?).  I have spent the week visiting the practices of all 8 teams and without an ounce of uncertainty, will provide you with all you need to know before submitting your picks today (although I see a few participants have already submitted theirs – feel free to send me updates after you read this):

New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49’ers
Welcome back to the playoffs, SF (first time in 10 years).  Let’s hope your much-ballyhooed D can rise to the occasion and find a way (nobody has, yet) to slow down the Saints Marching machine.  Drew will playing outdoors for a change and a light Brees is expected.  New Orleans is favored by a whisker, but SF will most likely cave in under the pressure of the playoffs to the seasoned Saints.  So, we like the Saints in this one, especially since they have beat the 49’ers 6 straight times dating back to 2001.  However, the Saints have never (that’s right – never) won a road playoff game.  So, we like the 49’ers in this one…

SF 27 (will that be 9 FG’s by record-setting K David Akers?), New Orleans 23

Denver Tebows @ New England Patriots
As impressive as the Broncos were in their win last weekend against the banged-up Steelers, tonight is going to be the wake up call.  Brady has struggled at home in playoffs the last few years, but now he has the luxury of 2 offensive coordinators to ignore.  The Broncos will not be able to match the Patriots scoring, so we like the Patriots in this one.  But wait, Denver QB Tim passed for John 3:16 yards last weekend, so will some divine intervention (or interception or reception) come on a Hail Mary pass near the end of Q4 and keep Denver alive in the playoffs?

Denver 26, New England 24

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens
Not a lot of press on this one, as the other weekend matchups have overshadowed a great game.  Houston and rookie QB Yates dominated the Bungles last weekend, but this is where the ride stops.  Ravens LB Ray Lewis will introduce himself early and often and the Texans 4th string QB (would that be Brett Favre?) will be forced to come in.  Ravens other Ray – Rice – will pound away on the ground and there will be no more Flac(co) for Baltimore QB Joe.  This one is over early…

Baltimore 33, Houston 6

New York Football Giants @ Green Bay
Welcome to the tundra for the marquis matchup of the weekend.  Is the Giants D that good, or is the competition just that mediocre?  How will the Packer O-line hold up?  It’s the first time since Week 3 that the starters are all playing together (“Hi, I’m Brian Bulaga.  Hi, I’m Chad Clifton.”).  Do you dare bet against Packer QB Aaron Rodgers?  Or Eli Manning?  This one is shaping up to be a classic.

New York 17, Green Bay 16

Well, that does it for now.  DO NOT FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR SUPER BOWL BONUS PICK TODAY.