Pick these

Ok, now that the Pick 'em Football League is over (a bunch of pick NFL games week to week for... uh...fun). I thought I would pick the playoffs...uh...for fun. Okay if nothing else, it's a ready-made blog topic, and after 3 nights of staying up past 1:00am courtesy of the BCS - I figure I didn't want to search too hard for one. Oh, and my picks are straight head-up, no spread used.

And just for kicks I will pay tribute to ESPN's love-fest for USC (who lost to Texas last night) and predict the outcome of USC vs. my NFL pick just as ESPN would have last week.

Saturday Games:
Washington at Tampa Bay - Chis Simms is the Steve Sanders (90210) of the NFL. Blonde rich kid who everyone knows because he has a famous parent, and while he enjoyed it at first, he's struggling to get out of his dad's shadow. Over the past few weeks he has played pretty well and with Cadillac Williams getting his second wind of the season, and they are at home they should prove as a tough team to beat. Except I get the feeling that Tampa has simply over achieved this year.

Washington has Joe Gibbs (Hall of Fame coach), Mark Brunell (veteran, time-tested QB) Clinton Portis and Santana Moss. Not to mention (until he signed an extension earlier this week) one of the most sought after Defensive Coordinators for a Head Coaching position in Gregg Williams. Steve Sanders was a lovable loser too - pick = Washington

USC vs Washington - USC - 457 Washington 7

Jacksonville at New England - Shhhhh - Jacksonville has the best record of any Wild Card Team. They would have won the division if Indy hadn't been around to almost go undefeated this year. And they have done it with no notice, and no fan fare. So it's completely in the cards that they can knock off the defending champs. The thing that concerns me is Byron Leftwich has been out a few games, and will return in this one without any work last week to find his groove.

So the question is, can Jacksonville hold off New England? New England finished the season winning 4 of 5. But they beat the Jets, Bills, and Jets again with Tampa Bay in there - not exactly the cream of the crop. The truth is New England seems to be the "Cosby Show" once they brought in Olivia to be the cute kid (instead of Rudy) and Cousin Pam to fill in the Vanessa spot. Still good at times, but nothing what it once was, and obviously on the decline. Bill Cosby always seemed to work hard to keep that show on top. Just as Tom Brady has worked harder this season than any other to get the Pat in the playoffs. But in the past, Jacksonville has tamed the vaunted Indy offense.

You just can't give me Olivia and say it's the same as Rudy... I don't know what that means. Pick = Jacksonville

USC with each player having one hand tied behind their back vs. Jacksonville - USC - 388 Jacksonville - 24

Sunday
Carolina at NY Giants - Eli Manning started off hot then got cold. Carolina started off hot, cooled off, and are supposedly hot again. I've made it perfectly clear as to my feelings on Eli Manning (here: http://tzundell.blogspot.com/2005/09/me-no-wanna-play.html ) and I would like nothing more than for them to get crushed like little ants that build an ant hill on a land mine... but I have to pick with a clear and objective head. This game is probably going to come down to defense more than the QB play.

The Panthers have to stop Tiki Barber (my favorite player named after a type of bar) who is having a career year averaging 5.2 yards a carry and having a handful of 200 yards games this season. The Giants have to stop DeShaun Foster who wrestled the starting job away from Stephen Davis. Carolina's D is simply geared more towards stopping the run than the Giant D is. The Giants have great pass rushing ends, and a decent defensive backfield.

Pick = Carolina

USC blindfolded vs. Carolina - USC 667 Carolina - 2

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati - And the best is saved for last. I think this will be the best game of the weekend. Here's how I see it - the Chicago Bulls had the Detroit Pistons, the Indianapolis Colts had the New England Patriots, and the Cincinnati Bengals have the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals have to overcome the Steelers to go to the next level even though they won the division they split the season series with the Steelers in unconvincing fashion. The Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger missed a few games and that contributed to them not winning the division.

Since this is a blog of analogies - the Steelers are the daddy at this point and the Bengals are the son. There are a few years when they play on the basketball and the dad beats the son consistently. Then there is the year where things change and the son wins his first game.

That game where the son takes over the father is a year or so away. The Bengals have the offense but don't have the defense quite yet. Plus they don't have the playoff experience. The Steelers seem to have success at home during the regular season and on the road in the playoffs. Well, they are on the road throughout the playoffs... and this one. Pick = Steelers

USC using only Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and Lindell White for offense and defense vs Steelers - USC 2978 Pittsburgh 24... in a nail biter.

So there you have it... right or wrong (history says "wrong") those are my thoughts and picks for this weekend, and for the hypothetical USC vs. NFL Playoff team matchups. Have a fantastic weekend!