Playoffs picks: Is the NFC playing this weekend?

By Jeff

Maybe it's because I live in the Pittsburgh area, but I haven't heard any kind of talk about the NFC playoff games this weekend.

Of course the local media is focusing on the Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens game nonstop, with New England Patriots-New York Jets sprinkled in, but even the national media have hardly given the NFC matchups the attention they're giving the AFC.

Can you blame them, though? On one side, we have divisional rivals playing for the third time this year after splitting their games in the regular season. They are teams that don't like each other and make it very well known to the media that they don't like each other. Nothing is better in sports than when rivals play each other in the playoffs. The games are intense in the regular season and about 10 times more intense when it's win or go home.

Derrick Mason wishes he retired.

That's not happening in the NFC. No, in the NFC we have games that don't really get anyone excited unless they live in the Atlanta, Wisconsin, Chicago or Seattle areas.

Don't get me wrong, the Atlanta Falcons-Green Bay Packers game should be really good. Two young quarterbacks with great supporting casts makes for good football. But it's not sexy like the two AFC games are. These teams don't hate each other. There is no history of close games and broken hearts between them.

Then there is the Chicago Bears-Seattle Seahawks game. These are two teams that no one outside their fan bases thinks are as good as their current playoff positions. If you're like me, you were waiting all year for the Bears to come crashing down. But they never really did. It was weird. It didn't make sense. And then the Seahawks went 7-9, which has left many people across the country crying for a change in the playoff format.

Despite this lack of buzz, the NFC and AFC games do have one similarity. All four games are very unpredictable. Even though the Patriots crushed the Jets last time they played, you know Rex Ryan is going to be ready this time around and make a game of it. So it should be a great weekend of football.

And of course, after saying that the games are unpredictable, I'm going to go and make my picks below. I was 3-1 last week. The home teams are in caps.

PITTSBURGH (-3) over Baltimore: I wanted to cop out and predict this game as a push. Three points is the perfect line for this game, and it always seems like it's the spread when these teams play. The game will be physical and it comes down to making one or two more plays than the opposition. If that's the situation, I like Pittsburgh's chances with Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu.

Green Bay (+2.5) over ATLANTA: Really, this is a coin flip. The Falcons have the advantage of having Matty Ice playing at home, but the Packers have the much better defense. They stopped Michael Vick and I think they can stop the Falcons.

Seattle (+10) over CHICAGO: Why is this line so high? The Seahawks already came into Chicago earlier this season and beat the Bears. Vegas is just feeding the "Nobody believes in us" mentality the Seahawks have going right now. Anyone else going to find it funny if Seattle gets two home games this postseason?

New York Jets (+8.5) over NEW ENGLAND: The Patriots will win this game, but I just can't see it resembling the 45-3 flogging they handed out a few weeks ago. It's a very obvious statement, but the monster that is Bradichick will be the difference. Brady thrives at home, and Belichick thrives when other teams come after him and his team in the media. Belichick is going to stop at nothing to show Ryan who the better coach is.

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