Wild card weekend picks

Last week: 3-1 (season: 6-5-1)

ARIZONA (+2) over Atlanta
Atlanta may be the better team, but on the road with a rookie quarterback against a playoff-seasoned veteran in a stadium with fans going crazy is not a situation I like. The shaky way the Falcons beat the Rams last week in a match they absolutely had to win doesn't bode well either.

Philadelphia (-3) over MINNESOTA
If Atlanta can get a win in Minnesota in a must-win game I think the Eagles can too. I'm taking the Eagles for three reasons; 1) 44-6 against a desperate and fully stocked Cowboys team is more impressive than 20-19 against a team of reserves with nothing to play for, 2) Adrian Peterson is having trouble protecting the ball, and coming up against an Eagles team that ravaged the ball from Dallas is not the antidote, 3) Tarvaris Jackson.

Baltimore (-3) over MIAMI
Baltimore has as good a chance as anyone to make the Super Bowl. The Ravens are playing as well as anyone right now, and it's entirely conceivable that they could beat Miami, Tennessee and Pittsburgh en route to the Super Bowl. Miami may be the worst 11-5 team of all time. Miami just hasn't beaten any quality opponents this year. Their one really impressive win, over the Patriots in week three was due entirely to the wacky wildcat formation no one had ever seen before. The wildcat formation has lost its wackyness now, and teams are prepared for it. Baltimore is the lock of the week.

SAN DIEGO (+1) over Indianapolis
This is almost criminal. It's ridiculous that an 8-8 team can be hosting a 12-4 team, it really is. The Colts don't match up well with this Chargers team. If MJD can look like OJ against this Colts team, what are a rejuvenated LT and Sproles going to do against this team. Peyton Manning can only will the Colts to a certain amount of wins, the road has to end somewhere, and I think it ends in San Diego.