PLAYOFFS!?!?!?!?

The playoffs are here! While the end of NFL RedZone for the year leaves me with great sadness, it is the playoffs that keep me going. The lines for these picks are directly off of Bodog.com, so dont get mad at me if it is different from what you have....

Jets @ Bengals - In this game I am taking the Bengals at -3 and the over at 34.5. Why? The Jets destruction of the Bengals last week was a major tease for Jets fans. It was like being at a bar dancing with the hottest chick there, she seems into it, you're nailing all of your coolest dance moves, things are going great. You even get her number to hang out again next week. Then, you meet up a week later, find out that she was really just in the mood to dance last week, find out further that she was pretty hammered when she agreed to go out with you, and then, when you go to the bathroom, she sneaks out the door, crushing your hopes. This is how Jets fans will feel. Everyone is talking them up based on last week's performance, forgetting that 3 weeks ago, their own coach stuck a fork in 'em. Cincy will come out and be an entirely different team from the team the Jets saw last week, and the Jets won't have an answer readily available.

Bengals - 24 Jets - 13 *** caveat!: My pick for the over completely depends on the weather in Cincinnati, which has the potential to be -3 with 40 mph wind gusts if history is any indication. In that case, the over/under should be 3.

Ravens @ Pats - I am taking the Pats at -3.5 and the over at 43. Why? Lost in all the drama surrounding Wes Welker's season-ending injury is the fact that the role he plays in that offense isn't necessarily a difficult role to fill. Julian Edelman has shown, on several occasions this season, that he is capable of being a dependable receiver who runs excellent routes, which is really all Wes Welker is anyway. Remember, Welker wasn't The Great White Hope when he was with the Dolphins. He was just solid. Then he comes to NE, has Randy Moss clearing the underneath routes for him on every play, and all of a sudden he is irreplaceable. Not so fast, Bostonians. Welker's good, but you'll see that he's really just a cog in the system this weekend. The offense will play better than you expect and simply outscore the Ravens.

Pats - 38 Ravens - 24

Packers @ Cards - I am taking the Cards at +1.5 and the over at 47. Why? The Cards are in a similar situation as the Bengals. They laid down and took a beating last week, knowing full well the real game was coming up this weekend. Both teams in this matchup sport explosive offenses, and I've heard plenty about how good Aaron Rodgers is, but what about Kurt Warner? The man suddenly goes from being a solid pro QB during the regular season to a first ballot Hall of Famer during the playoffs. His receivers are better than the weaponry Rodgers has to choose from, as are his RB's, and the two defenses are about the same. Add to that the can of disrespect the Packers opened on the Cards last week in a meaningless game, home field advantage, AND the fact that my roommate is picking the Packers (he's a mush), and I think you have what should be a thrilling Cards victory.

Cards - 34 Packers - 28

Eagles @ Cowboys - I am taking the Birds at +4 and the under at 45. Why? For all the talk about these 2 offenses this season, there have only been 60 points scored in 2 games between these teams. The Cowboys defense is undeniably good. The Eagles will not be able to put up 35 points on 5 long TD's on this D. The Eagles need to adjust to utilizing more screens and draws to catch this aggressive D off guard, then take advantage when a big play presents itself. Having said that, I don't see them scoring more than 21 on the Cowboys, which brings us to the Eagles D. The Eagles D admittedly played conservatively last week, opting not to employ their aggressive blitz scheme. Romo and Co. got comfortable and, given the time they had to develop plays, it was no wonder the Birds couldn't stop the "Boys. However, especially with the game well in hand in the second half, you had to get the sense the Eagles were holding back, electing to save some sets and looks for this week. Everyone knows Romo is 3000% worse with pressure in his face, and everyone knows the Eagles D is predicated upon pressure. I expect the Eagles to come hard and fast this week, getting into Romo's head, and unraveling the Cowboys offense from there.

Eagles - 21 Cowboys -17