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By Editor, Section NFL
Here we go with the first round of the playoffs. While the matchups on paper don't look like they'll be very exciting games, anything can happen in this crazy NFL season. Check out more in depth analysis on our podcast. You can download the podcast directly (running time 34 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
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2006 Playoffs: Wild Card Round Picks
Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts (-7) | Saturday, Jan. 6. 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC Vin Diec: This is the chic upset pick this weekend but not so fast. Throughout this season, the Colts have won when everyone else picked against them. At Denver? Beat em. At New England? Beat em. At Dallas? Well, two out of three ain't bad. The Colts are also 8-0 at home where the fast track will allow Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne to run all over Ty Law and Patrick Surtain. And don't forget about Dallas Clark. He'll do some damage in the passing game too. Larry Johnson is a great back and the Colts are a terrible rushing defense (you knew that already) but what happens when Manning (the good one) and Company jump out to a 10 or 14 point lead? Even with that suspect defense, the Colts will beat the Chiefs who are inconsistent and cannot win on the road. The Chiefs' road victories this year were against Arizona, St. Louis, and Oakland. I am unimpressed. Colts in a laugher. Indy over Kansas City Ryan McGowan: And now, it’s time for my favorite January traditions. The start of “24”, the opening audition episodes of “American Idol,” the humor of seeing the gym a lot more crowded with short-lived New Years Resolutioners, and the annual Colts playoff collapse. What an unfavorable circumstance for Indy and its historically bad defense to have to go against Larry Johnson and the Chiefs, when they had a shot to perhaps take on the Jets’ phantom running game. By the way, picking between Herm Edwards and Tony Dungy is enough to send my head spinning in all different directions. Conventional wisdom says to take the home team in the playoffs. Not when that home team gives up 173 rushing yards per game and allowed ALL SIXTEEN opponents to rush for 100 yards. Oh yeah, and they recently lost to the Houston Texans. I’m taking the upset on the road. Kansas City over Indy Trevor Freeman: I love Kansas City in this game and I cannot believe they are getting 7 points. The KC-Jets two team teaser is lining up as one of the great ones of the season. Kansas City not only covers but they win this game outright. Herm Edwards is a conservative guy and that will actually help him in this game as I see Larry Johnson carrying the ball close to 40 times. The Chiefs dictate tempo in this game and pull the upset. Kansas City over Indy RJ Warner: Of all the teams everyone is talking about for the Super Bowl, nobody is talking about Indianapolis. Good, that's the way it should be, because the only way Peyton is going to Miami is if daddy can get tickets. The Colts' defense isn't going to get him there, that's for sure. That being said, I think the Colts still have enough to win this game. Larry Johnson is going to get his yards, but so is Peyton Manning and the Colts offense. It's a pretty safe bet that this game is going to be a shootout, and do you think the Chiefs can outscore the Colts? In the Dome? Indianapolis gets through to next week, but it ends there. Indy over Kansas City
Vin Diec: Talk about two teams going into the tank for the playoffs. Both have lost 3 of their last 4 and are pretty much being counted out of the running - as they should be. Even though Seattle's known for their home field advantage and their 12th man, they are a below average team this year and the home field only got them to 5-3. While Shawn Alexander is coming on as of late, I expect Romo to chuck the ball up to TO, Terry Glenn, and Jason Witten for a couple of touchdowns. Both Seattle's starting CBs are out for this game. It should be a tight game as both these teams stink. Dallas over Seattle Ryan McGowan: Are they kidding? Two mediocre 9-7 teams battling it out in the Great Northwest isn’t my idea of January NFL excitement. The Cowboys should just quit after losing to Detroit last week. How great was it to watch Romo get stopped short of the goal line on 4th and 1? I know I and every other Cowboys hater enjoyed that one. Conversely, Seattle rebounded from three straight losses to beat (whoop-dee-doo) Tampa Bay. I don’t think either of these squads is going to be beating down the doors of the ’85 Chicago Bears anytime soon. Forced to make a pick, I’ll have to go with the more experienced Seattle team playing at home. Seattle over Dallas Trevor Freeman: This game is proof that the 49ers are not that far away from being an elite team in the NFC. All they need is one more good draft class and the nonplayoff team schedule. Both these teams stink. Choosing a winner between these two teams is like judging a beauty contest between Ashlee Simpson and Nicole Richie. Take Dallas and hold your nose. Dallas over Seattle RJ Warner: The best thing about this game is one of these two teams will be eliminated, as both don't deserve to even be there. I think Dallas, despite the last few weeks, is a better team than Seattle, even at Qwest Field. I think the most favorable match-up in the entire Wild Card round is the Dallas receivers vs. the depleted Seahawks' secondary. Owens, Glenn and Witten should be able to run free throughout the Pacific Northwest Saturday evening, only if Romo can stop thinking with his you-know-what for a minute and get them the ball. If Romo can settle down, hold on to the ball and get passes off, Dallas should be able to win this game. Dallas over Seattle
Vin Diec: Everyone loves a good underdog story but I'm not buying this Jets team. Who exactly have they beaten? Aside from shocking New England at NE in November, the Jets have beaten the juggernauts of Houston, GB, Minnesota, Miami and Oakland to get to the playoffs. Bill Belichick is going to coach circles around Eric Mangenius. The student is not ready to beat the master yet. And is anyone going to tell me that Chad Pennington is going to outplay Tom Brady? Cause that's what's going to have to happen for the Jets to win. If the Jets were playing the Seahawks or the Cowboys, they might have a chance. New England opens up a can of whoopass on the Jets and they can fade quietly into the offseason. New England over NY Jets
Ryan McGowan: The Border War is back! You have to love the storylines in the ongoing New York-Boston feud. Dent, Boone, Schilling, Ortiz, Parcells, Belichick, Curtis Martin, and now Mangini. The Mangenious certainly showed he is worthy of his place in the Parcells-Belichick coaching tree by leading the Jets to an improbable playoff berth. And yes, they did knock off the mighty Pats in Foxborough in November. All that matters little. The Patriots are playing their best football of the season, they are healthy (except for Rodney Harrison, which is a big blow, but they were without him for most of the season already), they still have Belichick and Brady on their side, and the Jets can neither run consistently nor stop the run. Dillon and Maroney have a field day and the Pats win by two touchdowns. New England over NY Jets Trevor Freeman: You have to take the Patriots in this game due to the playoff history of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. However I think this game will be close. That 9 point number is absurd. This game has backdoor cover written all over it. Take the Pats to win but take the Jets to cover.New England over NY Jets
RJ Warner: The Jets smell upset, Belichick is smelling his hoody. But the worse that thing looks, the better he has his team prepared to kick some former-prodigy ass. I see the Patriots and Brady (who is 5-0 at home in the playoffs) controlling this game and keeping Penny and the Jets under wraps. The whole Mangini-Belichick thing is fun for the bloggers and the Bayless's, but the real show will be Brady and the Patriots moving on to San Diego for a huge showdown. The Jets befuddled the Patriots in the muck back in November, but New England, with their defense and clicking passing game (they can run too) is just too playoff-savvy for New York. New England over NY Jets
Vin Diec: The only way the Eagles lose this game is if Tiki Barber goes off for a record setting day. While Tiki has traditionally been an Eagles killer, he's only averaged 63 yards rushing in two games this season against the Eagles. Meanwhile the Giants have started giving up huge chunks of yardage on the ground the past few weeks while the Eagles have found their running game behind Westbrook and Buckhalter. If the Giants stuff the box, Jeff Garcia will beat em in the air. If the Eagles stuff the box to stop Tiki, can Eli Manning do the same thing? Shockey is gimpy and Plaxico Burress has a reputation for shrinking in big games. Barring any Tiki miracle, the Eagles win this game. Philly over NY Giants
Ryan McGowan: I hate seeing these intradivisional matchups in the playoffs. It’s enough to play a team twice in a season; asking them to play someone three times is a little too much. Still we are given two of them in the first round this year. Go figure. I think I’m going to have to go with the Eagles here; the Giants have simply not been there the second half of the season. Half of them were probably secretly pissed that they won in Week 17. Coughlin’s job is as good as gone, but why haven’t we heard more talk about Andy Reid for Coach of the Year? New York’s defense will struggle, and I see the Eagles getting up early and crushing the Giants’ spirit early. Look for the Giants to mail it in early in the second half and for Philly to rack up at least a two-touchdown win at home. Philly over NY Giants Trevor Freeman: The Eagles are going are humming right now and will knock off the New York Giants. I would go with a final score of 24-13 right now if I had to make a prediction. Philly over NY Giants RJ Warner: The Giants can be a dangerous team with the talent they have, and they could play the Tiki angle on a surprise run deep into the NFC playoff abyss, but they got an unfortunate draw in a pistol-hot Eagles team. No team in football is playing better than Philly right now, and it sets up perfect for them that they don't have a momentum-killing bye. The Eagles dominated the Giants for 7 1/2 quarters this year, a fluke Giants comeback in week two notwithstanding. All they have to do is key on Barber and let Eli throw the game right to them. This one will be decided by turnovers and I think New York/New Jersey commits more than Philadelphia. The Eagles move on to New Orleans while Tiki moves on to the "Today Show." Philly over NY Giants
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