NFC wild-card round
| SATURDAY, JAN. 8 | ||
 | Qwest Field, 4:30 p.m. ET, NBC |  |
| SUNDAY, JAN. 9 | ||
 | Lincoln Financial Field, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX |  |
Saints vs Seahawks
If you read my prediction in the Chiefs/Ravens game, you saw that I listed Seattle as a place where the home crowd can really affect the outcome of the game. But when your team is offensively feeble, dry and impotent at best, how enthused and loud do you expect the crowd to be? Starting (and injured) qb is a shell of himself, the running game is non-existent, and their star receiver (coming off a breakthrough year) was labeled a bust for the most part of his career.
I'm not really in love with the Saints this year and despite going 11-5, it seemed as if they went 5-11 compared to last year. Of course the offensive numbers dropped off and plummeted with the key losses to running backs Ivory, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush the early part of the season. Brees quietly threw for 30+ td passes this year, but their offense wasnt nearly as explosive compared to last season. If the Seahawks (7-9 division champs) had any offensive threat to complement their potential raucous crowd, I'd go with Seattle in an upset. But they don't.
SAINTS 27 Seahawks 10
Packers vs Eagles
Oh boy, now we're talking prime-time. This is when my sports prognostication is truly tested and things get a little hazy. This is when I truly have to separate my mind from my heart and my objectiveness is truly challenged. On the surface, you want to go with and root for the redemption story in Mike Vick and the Eagles. But the Eagles loss to this very same Packers team at home earlier this year, and Vick played the majority of that game!
Of course that was the same game the Packers knocked Kevin Kolb out of his starting position and gave way to Vick, but does it really matter? Vick had a good game, but they still lost. Granted, you could argue if Vick started that game, the complexion of the game wouldve been different (as well as the outcome). But I'd counter with, "the Packers game planned for Kolb not Vick, and Vicks play caught them off-guard."
Bottom line is this: It's Aaron Rodgers vs Philly's porous defense juxtaposed with Mike Vick vs Green Bay's stout defense. Rodgers is an upper echelon qb with a great touch, zip, and accuracy to his ball. He has great intangibles (leadership, cool under pressure, confident) coupled with a knack to make right mental decisions. Vick is an athletic freak that possesses that "x" factor: run for an 80 yard td or pass for one anytime. If you ask me who do I like or who's better, Vick or Rodgers, I'm reluctantly going with Vick RIGHT NOW. But I may favor Rodgers vs Philly's dee over Vick facing Green Bay's dee (Heisman winner/Def player of the year C Woodson, Pro-bowl safety Collins, DT BJ Radji, and possibly this year's Def Player of the Year Clay Matthews).
**************THIS COULD BE THE WEEKEND'S UPSET GAME, I REPEAT THIS COULD BE THE WEEKENDS UPSET GAME******************
My mind is telling me Green Bay, but my heart is telling me Vick. Always bet on black.
EAGLES 34 Packers 31
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