Divisional Recap/Championship Sunday Preview

vs. W/L: (2-2)
VS. ATS: (0-4)
vs. Aggregate: (3-1)

It was a rough week ATS, as we completely whiffed on all the games. Those games which we predicted as close ended up being blowouts and the one blowout we predicted ended up being an upset by the J-E-T-S. Once again, the Chargers choked at crunch time, but after having failed on an annual basis, it wasn’t entirely a shock. Give credit to the Jets, as their defense confounded Rivers all afternoon and it’s just another lost year in Paradise. The Cowboys also underperformed on the big stage last week, but Son of Bum was rewarded with a three-year extension. Winning one playoff game in 15 years sure pays a lot more than it used to. The Saints’ defense gave Warner a real thumping, and that may have been it for the battered quarterback’s career. If so, then his next stop will be in Canton in a few years. Let’s look at the final four…and hope for two really well-played games.

At Indianapolis -7.5 NY Jets 39.5

This is a tough predicament for Patriots’ fans: which team to root for? Even though they’re a “New York Team”, it’s hard not to root for Rex Ryan and the team he’s put together this year. On the other hand, Peyton Manning and Indy don’t have much of a following around these parts, though he and his team are highly respected. The Jets’ improbable Cinderella run continues, and this time Manning needs to bring his ‘A’ game, as the Jets will probably be blitzing like crazy. But everyone knows what Manning will do. He’ll counter the blitz with slants and quick hitters. The Jets’ D should be able to limit what Manning will offer but won’t be able to shut down the offense entirely. The Jets’ only hope is to keep pounding the rock as they did against the Bungles and Chargers and wear down Indy’s defense in the second half. People keep focusing on the success of the Jets’ D, but Indy’s is pretty stout as well. Indianapolis should win, but the Jets have nothing to lose, they’re fully prepared and will give Manning everything he can handle. Don’t discount the possibility of another Super Bowl III…it could very well happen.

Projected Final Score: Indianapolis 24, NY Jets 17

At New Orleans -3.5 Minnesota 52.5

Both teams are coming off highly impressive wins last week, but…that was last week. The Vikings at home are a juggernaut. On the road, they’re slightly above average. Barring a complete choke job, the Saints should win this game without much trouble. They’ll be playing before an insane home crowd with a unique opportunity to go to the Big Game for the first time in franchise history. What more could they ask for? On the other side, this is most likely Favre’s Last Stand (I know, we’ve heard this many times before). AP has been rather human in the playoffs, and if he has anything less than a stellar outing, Favre will be limited in his opportunities to move the ball. On defense, the loss of Henderson still hurts the Vikings, though the other linebackers stepped up quite well last week. There simply seems to be too much momentum rolling in the Big Easy these days, and it will be a big day for Brees and the Saints. For a great American city that’s still recovering, it couldn’t come at a better time.

Projected Final Score: New Orleans 34, Minnesota 24