In light of the fact Jesse Herron of the WCOFF struggled so mightily this year in the Pick'em Challenge with WCOFF veteran Scott Atkins, I felt inclined to offer my take on the NFL Playoffs to spare Jesse further embarrassment.  And for those taking part in the WCOFF Post Season Challenge, you'll want to play close attention here as your fate could very well be defined by picking players on the teams I predict will go deep in the playoffs and wind up in Miami.

The NFL's second season starts Saturday afternoon when the Bengals host the NY Jets.  How bad did the Bengals look on Sunday Night?  In a "win and your in" game for the NY Jets and with the Bengals presented the opportunity to earn the #3 seed in the AFC, the Bengals laid and egg and their punishment is to face the leagues top defense in consecutive weeks.  The Jets have two things working for them as they enter the playoffs; they run the ball well and they can defend.  The Bengals will need a healthy Chad Ochocinco who received positive news from an MRI earlier today.  Don't forget the Bengals, while they lost some games that made you wonder just how good they were, this is the same team that swept the AFC North this year.  And this week's game will be in Cincinnati instead of the unfriendly confines of Giants Stadium.  But the Jets were 5-3 on the road this year (yes I know one of those wins was againt a Curtis Painter led Indianapolis Colts team), but it's still a winning record on the road with a rookie QB which speaks to the importance of running the ball and playing good defense.  Prediction -   NY Jets 20    Cincinnati  17

It's hard to beat a good team three times in a season and that's exactly what the Dallas Cowboys will need to do if they expect to finally win a playoff game in the Tony Romo era.  It's been since 1996 that the Dallas Cowboys have experienced a win in January.  Romo's been playing like a legitimate MVP candidate as the Cowboys finished the season strong and he'll need another impressive performance against a much more active Eagles defense this week.  The Eagles weren't their blitz happy self last week in Dallas but don't expect Romo to enjoy the same peace and quiet in the pocket this week.  Key for Dallas will be their ability to run the football as well as they did last week when Marion Barber and Felix Jones both went for 91 yards on a combined 29 attempts.  A solid running game means the Cowboys are winning the time of possession battle which means bookend pass rushers, Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware, are fresh in the 4th quarter.  The Cowboys present the classic "hot team" situation with a quarterback who seems comfortable in his own skin.  Prediction -  Dallas 30   Philadelphia  17

Hmmm.  Do you think Bill Belichick will rethink a few decisions he's made this season?  First it was the Pats / Colts debacle with Bill's decision to go for it on 4th down with the lead against the then unbeaten Colts and now it's his strange management of playing time for players last Sunday.  Unfortunately the latest questionable decision resulted in weakening his teams chances to go deep in the playoffs as the teams leading receiver, Wes Welker, will be replaced by a rookie in Julian Edelman.  The Ravens have injury concerns of their own in the form of All Pro Safety, Ed Reed.  These two teams met earlier in the season with the Patriots winning a close game 27-21 at home.  The Ravens have played well on the road, winning in San Diego 31-26 in week 2 and losing narrowly to the Colts at home, 17-15 in week 11.  Prediction -   Baltimore 24    New England  23

The Arizona Cardinals host the Green Bay Packers in the final of the three returning match ups from Week 17.  Ken Whisenhunt told Peter King of SI the Cards had two gameplans ready for the Packers Sunday -- one if the Vikings lost and one of they won.  The fact that Minnesota won meant Arizona couldn't get a first-round bye in the playoffs, and so the Cards turned to Column B.  The Cardinals return many of the same players that came within seconds of winning the Super Bowl last year.  The birds have been a mystery all year, one week looking like a team that belongs in the upper echelon and the next week looking like the Cardinals most of us in St. Louis remember.  Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Anquan Boldin are battling injuries and the Cardinals will need both players productive if they are able to win against a Green Bay Packers team that has put up 36, 48 and 33 points over the last three weeks.  Prediction -   Arizona 31   Green Bay 27


January 17th Schedule

Arizona at New Orleans - The Saints right the ship and win convincingly over the Cardinals.  Points will be scored in this battle of premium offenses so fantasy owners in the WCOFF Post Season Challenge take note.  Prediction - New Orleans

Dallas at Minnesota - Favre is one and done as the Dallas pass rush is too much to handle for the Vikings.  Romo makes a few "Favre like" plays to pull it out for the Cowboys in the 4th quarter.  Prediction - Dallas

Baltimore at Indianapolis - As referenced earlier, the Colts win a real close game against the Ravens during the regular season and this match up on paper is one that should concern the Colts.  Manning gets it done however and leads the Colts into the AFC Championship Game.  Prediction - Indianapolis

New York Jets at San Diego - The hottest team in the NFL will win here as the Jets cinderalla story comes to an end.  Mark Sanchez's return to the West Coast doesn't end well as Philip Rivers and his strong receivers, Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd prove to be too much - even for the leagues top cornerback in Revis.  Prediction - San Diego


January 24th Schedule

Dallas at New Orleans - Dallas ended the New Orleans Saints bid to become only the second team in recent history to run the table in the regular season.  Better yet, they did it in the Superdome.  As it should be, it gets difficult here to pick a winner as it's a match up of two very good teams.  The Cowboys will have played three really important games in as many weeks.  A much more rested Saints team will prevail and send Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to Miami. 

San Diego at Indianapolis - So who will the Saints be playing in S. Florida?  It will his former team in the San Diego Chargers.  The Colts have won a lot of close games this year and it's because they have the greatest quarterback in the game running the show.  Jim Caldwell will have had an amazing run as a rookie coach taking over for a legend in Tony Dungy, but the run ends with the Chargers once again getting the best of Indy.  For whatever reason the Chargers know how to run the ball against the Colts, neutralizing Dwight Freeney and his pass rush.  Sproles plays a factor in special teams and L.T. does just enough to finish off drives for Rivers, Jackson and Gates. 


Super Bowl XLIV - Miami, FL

New Orleans vs. San Diego

In a year when the Washington Redskins have faced turmoil and unrest week after week, it will be a former Redskins Coach in Norv Turner who has the last laugh in the 2009 season.  Turner and the Chargers will keep the Lombardi Trophy in the AFC as the Chargers defeat the Saints in a high scoring affair in Miami.

There you have and there you are.  Make your Post Season Challenge selections with your eyes on the prize and full knowledge of who will be playing who each week in this year's NFL Playoffs. 

Disclaimer - Even if I'm totally wrong, it can't get any worse than Jesse's regular season performance.  You'll want to attend the Main Event in Las Vegas this year if for nothing else than to see a diehard Titans fan dawn a NY Jets jersey at the Main Event Draft on Saturday, September 11th.