Playoff Picks

I don't really get the common thinking on this weekend's Wild Card games. They actually seem to me pretty easy games to pick, although I guess we'll see. I think the Jags are the worst team in the AFC playoffs and don't stand much of a chance against the Pats. I don't understand at all why the Steelers are favored against the Bengals. As Bill Simmons pointed out, the Bengals beat them at Pittsburgh just a few weeks ago, and then lost some insignificant games. This is at Cincinnati, and the Bengals are hungry for a playoff win. They've also got a much better offense and Marvin Lewis knows how to create a defensive game plan. I really like the Bengals in that one. I also really like the Redskins. I just don't like the Bucs all that much, with an inexperienced QB and a team that has mostly beaten up on bad teams. This is a really good matchup for the Skins. Panthers-Giants is to me the toughest game to call. I favor the Panthers, because I've never thought that much of the Giants, and the Panthers are built for the playoffs. Obviously getting DeShaun Foster running for solid gains is the key.