Nailed Saturday last weekend but Sunday had some genuine surprises. I did not expect the Falcons to let the Giants simply push them around in the Meadowlands. I did not expect Mike Smith to deliver such an inept performance from the Falcons sideline. I did not expect every member of Steelers roster to leave the game injured and for those remaining healthy (Ike Taylor, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu) to bee overwhelmed by Tim Tebow’s arm. Bizarre ballgame.

New Orleans Saints over SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

I’m torn on this game. I root for old school football and nobody played older school football in the NFL this year than Jim Harbaugh’s Niners. They are as talented a defensive front as there is in the game, suffocating against the run, and would tell you their ideal offensive game plan would be forty Frank Gore carries. Their problem is while Alex Smith has minimized his mistakes and managed games well, he has been an inaccurate mess in the red zone and left his team to settle for a million field goals. I know the Saints have been a different team on the road and on grass but I think this will be one Gregg Williams blitz too many for the Niners. Saints 23, Niners 20.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS over Denver Broncos

I’m not torn on this game. What Tim Tebow did to the Pittsburgh Steelers he will not do to the New England Patriots. I’m prone to believe the real Tebow was the one who failed to complete a pass over the month of December and not the bomb dropper we saw Sunday afternoon. You can’t find consistent success only throwing 30+ yard passes in the NFL. You have to throw a come backs. You have to throw accurately to the sideline. Belichick does not have the defenders Romeo has in Kansas City or Lovie has in Chicago but he’ll compensate for his lack of talent by preaching gap discipline from his front seven and toughness from his deep backs. His offense will score. New England 30, Broncos 16

BALTIMORE RAVENS over Houston Texans

Why? Because I believe the Ravens can sell out to stop the run and then bully T. J. Yates into sadness. Ravens 20, Texans 10

GREEN BAY PACKERS over New York Giants

I can’t get the image of the Bears dominating the front seven of the Packers on Christmas night with Kahlil Bell running the ball. The Giants don’t have the run game the Bears have but they’ve looked more capable on the ground as Brandon Jacobs has reemerged in the last few weeks. I see one of those games where the Packers jump out quick and the Giants keep chase but never quite finish it. Packers 30, Giants 24  

Fantasy Playoffs Continued….

• The individuals listed below (and myself) are still eligible to win six Lou Malnati’s pizzas. You have until kickoff of the first game Saturday to put in your selections.
• Select one offensive unit, one defensive unit and one special teams unit active this week.
• You can not select any of the units you chose for the wild card round. If you do so, even by accident, you will be disqualified from the competition.
• There are 23 eligible contestants left. Only the top ten (plus ties) will make it to the Championship Games.
• My selections this week. Offense: New York Giants. Defense: Baltimore Ravens. Special Teams: San Francisco 49ers.

Gpldan 

SidLuckman42 

Doc Nitty 34 

FQD1911 

#76 Mongo Murph 

do53 

thebigcheese 

TheConsummator 

CanadaBear 

DYLbear23 

SC Dave 

Jimwoww 

TheFifth 

JAB1 

BigT 

Elcaney 

Perno 

Albertintucson 

BearsFan4Life 

The Void 

Shannon Pankster 

Jokey