NFL Playoff Predictions Week Three

Since the games are being played today, I thought I'd revisit my picks. If you'll recall, when rounding up the results from last weekend, I went with the Saints over the Bears in the NFC and the Patriots over the Colts in the AFC.

In the AFC Title game I still like the Patriots. The game promises to be a big one as it continues the Pats-Colts rivalry that's dominated that conference for the past several years. And the Patriots have never looked more vulnerable. But I can't go against that 12-1 playoff record. Some people, though, are because they think the Colts defense has stepped up to another level in these playoffs. I'm not quite convinced. They've done well in their first two games but you have to look at the opponents there. Last week the Ravens came within one big play of winning that game. And their offense isn't exactly stellar. The previous week, the Chiefs would apparently have run against an eleven man front – it's easy to stop the run when you crowd the line and your opponent refuses to pass. I remain convinced that Brady can pick them apart. And if the game's close at the end, you just know he's going to pull off the win even if he has to drag the rest of his team kicking and screaming.

Over in the NFC I'm having some doubt. The saints have become a very trendy pick and that makes me nervous. I think they have a chance to pull the upset but I think it's still the Bears game to lose. The game's in Chicago, after all, and the weather's going to be awful and that favors the Bears. The Saints are a dome team and designed to run on that track. The Bears defense is showing signs of weakness thanks to injuries and attrition which is why I think they're vulnerable but it's still pretty good. And people seem to be writing Rex Grossman off as terrible quarterback. He's not. He's an inconsistent quarterback who's as likely to have a great game as he is a bad one. I think he's due for one bad game in the playoffs and that's going to cost his team. But against the Saints and their banged up secondary he might have a field day. The game's really a toss-up at this point.

But I picked the Saints because I think they have a decent shot. So I'm going to stick with them. We'll have to see how they're played out.