The bad news: I came into the post season down 14 games to Gabe with 11 to play, which pretty much made aforementioned 4-0 Wild Card record meaningless.
Anyway, here are our picks for Round 2
Last Week: Dave 4-0, Gabe 2-2
Season: Gabe 138-115-5, Dave 126-127-5
Cardinals (+7) at Saints
Dave: Saints - With the Packers out of the playoffs, I'm officially rooting for the Saints from here on out, as well as a Saints-Chargers Super Bowl. Actually, I'm pretty much rooting for anyone but Dallas because, quite frankly, Cowboys fans overreact after even the most marginal of wins the way an old lady's bladder overreacts when she gets nervous. Both scenarios are quite annoying and should be avoided at all costs. As for the showdown where defenses will be left on the sidelines, this game comes down to Drew Brees not doing what Aaron Rodgers did last week: Giving the ball to Kurt Warner and his offense on a short field by turning it over. Neither team is prolific running the ball(though it's nice that Duece McAllister is back for N'Awlins) and neither team plays enough defense to think that this won't be another shootout like last week's Packers-Cards Wild Card(*tear*). I think people are sleeping on the Saints because of the way the last three weeks played out for them, and it's hard to bet on a team that choked away a 21-point lead at home and needed a fumble in overtime to advance. Saints by 10.
Gabe: New Orleans - If there were a theme to my picks this week it would be "Rest vs. Momentum." That is the chic question to ask during this round of the playoffs. I typically lean towards the team with momentum rather than the team that hasn't played in two weeks, or in the case of the Saints, hasn't played meaningfully in three or four weeks. I am going against that philosophy in this game for one reason...Kurt Warner. These teams are remarkably similar. Great quarterbacks, elite receivers, below average running games, and incredibly pourous defenses. The difference is in the quarterbacks. Drew Brees and Kurt Warner are both accurate qb's who can tear up a defense, but Warner is old and less mobile. I think this game is going to be a shootout but the Saints D is going to be able to get to Warner more than the Cards get to Drew Brees. So I'll take the Saints, led by (it's been far too long) Drew Breeeees, to win by 9.
Ravens (+6) at Colts
Dave: Ravens - Even with a week(or three) of rest, it's hard not to expect this game to be close given a. the Colts don't have much of a D to stop Ray Rice, b. the Ravens D will be smacking Peyton Manning in the mouth routinely and c. Joe Flacco sucks out loud. The Colts could bog down on the run and force Flacco to beat them, but that would make too much sense. Peyton throws a couple of picks but I think this is inevitably won on a late field goal. Colts by 3.
Gabe: Colts - I am once again going against my tendency to pick the team with momentum. The Ravens will not be smacking Peyton Manning around. Somehow that guy magically doesn't get hit. The layoff means the Colts will be well rested and, more importantly, they'll have had time to watch film and breakdown the Ravens schemes. Manning is the best at reading the defense and reacting. I think it is going to take the Colt's a little time at the beginning of the game to knock the rust off, but after that I think they'll cruise. Now, is it possible that during the "rust-knocking-off" time the Ravens run wild and build up a 17 point lead, sure, just ask the Patriots about that. I just don't think that is going to happen. Colts by 7.
Cowboys (+3) at Vikings
Dave: Cowboys - I'll tell you what: I'll allow you to Google Brett Favre's famous playoff performances in '98(Super Bowl against Denver), '01(against the Rams), '03(against Atlanta), '04(against Philly) and '07(against Gabe's Giants) right now, if you promise to come right back when you're done laughing. Also, Google Adrian Peterson's fumble history. Man, this really goes against my hope that Dallas won't make the Super Bowl. Cowboys by 7 in a coaching disaster-piece by both squads.
Gabe: Cowboys - The more I think about it, the more I think this might be the easiest game of the weekend to pick. People always want to talk about the Vikings elite offensive personnel. They have AP and an aging Brett Favre, but outside of them, who scares you? A rookie wide-out? A tight end who at one time was the 3rd tight end on the Giants' depth chart? Now look at the Cowboys...Tony Romo is playing the best football of his life right now. Miles Austin is playing great. They have Marion Barber and Felix Jones running the ball. In addition, and this might be the most important, they have Jason Witten. If I had a secondary theme for the Sunday games it would be "uncoverable tight ends."
Ok, now please allow me to put my football nerd hat on for the rest of this. Everyone talks about the Vikings defense and the numbers they put up. Well, last week, in their first four plays, the Cowboys came out in four different formations. The Cowboys have the offensive personnel to be able to deftly switch from a basic two RB-two WR set to 5-wides with an empty backfield to two tight ends, and so on. This throws a defense way off. It creates match-up problems for a defense and it makes them hesitate and think about their assignments. Oh, and the Cowboys defense is pretty good too. Cowboys by 10.
Jets (+7) at Chargers
Dave: Jets - The Chargers are the masters of epic fails when it comes to the playoffs, which makes my preseason Super Bowl pick of them winning the Super Bowl(as well as the potential of picking the champion for the 2nd year in a row) tenuous at best. San Diego struggles against the run, which is the one thing the Jets do well. On top of that, better receivers than Vincent Jackson have struggled on how to figure out the combination to beat Master Lock Revis, which means the game comes down to whether the Jets can stop Antonio Gates. I say they can't, but a heavy dose of Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones wears down the clock and keeps it close. Chargers escape a nail biter, and win on a late missed field goal by Jay Feely. Chargers by 2.
Gabe: Chargers - I know the Jets are the sexy pick this weekend. I don't like them for a few reasons. One, travel. The Jets have to go all the way across the country for this game. That always has an effect. Two, their defense. That's right, their crazy good blitz first defense. I don't think they match up well with San Diego. Let's say Darrelle Revis does his thing and takes Vincent Jackson out of the game. Who is going to cover Antonio Gates? (Remember what I said about uncoverable tight ends?) Who is going to cover 6'5" Malcolm Floyd? They still have LT and Darren Sproles coming out of the backfield. And, they have Philip Rivers delivering the ball to all of those guys. The Jets are going to want to control the ball with their running game and keep the game in the 17 to 20 points per team range. I don't think they'll be able to keep the Chargers offense down. Chargers by 9.
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