NFL 2011: Playoffs -- Championship Round

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Who cares about football with Newtmania sweeping the nation? Okay, I live in another nation, thankfully, but even here, north of the border, Newt is the big story. Well, okay, maybe only at this blog, but still. It's crazy. President Newt? Is that even possible? (Short answer: no. Longer answer: never.)

No, we still care about football here, particularly Richard, a life-long Giants fan who grew up near NYC, and while my spirits are still drained from that Steelers loss a couple of weeks ago, I'm still enough of a football fan to care about today's games. Though, I admit it, it pains to me to root for the Patriots and Giants. They're just not as detestable as those other teams coached by the Harbaughs.

Anyway, let's look at how we're going and get to our picks -- even though it's already halfway through the second game.

We went pick'em for the regular season, and Richard won, but now we're using the spread and a new scoring system:

-- Wild Card round: 2 points per game;

-- Divisional round: 3 points per game;

-- Conference Finals: 4 points per game; and

-- Super Bowl: 5 points.

 

Here's how we did last week (divisional round): 

MJWS: 2-2 = 6 points

RKB: 2-2 = 6 points 

The Kid: 0-4 = 0 points 

 

Ouch. Tough week for The Kid. As for me, I was 0-2 on Saturday and 2-0 on Sunday. Actually, we all went 0-2 on Saturday.

 

I certainly don't regret taking the Saints, nor even the truly awful Tim Tebow plus 13.5 points -- that's just too big a line. I just didn't think he and that ridiculous offence would suck that badly against the Pats and their mediocre (at best) D. I was (barely) right to go with the Texans, getting 7.5 points against the Ravens. They lost by seven. And Richard and I both thought the Giants would cover in Green Bay. The difference is that he actually picked them to win. I didn't go that far.

 

When you think about it, though, it made sense. The Giants offence was one of the best in the league down the stretch. New York has one of the best receiving corps in the league and a better running game than the Pack. Eli is no Rodgers, but he's undeniably been a near-elite QB this year. The Giants D-line is awesome, while the Pack have struggled on D all year. And while the Packers had two weeks off (and Rodgers three) and hadn't played a really meaningful game in ages, the Giants were peaking at just the right time. Yes, the Giants had some luck on their side last week, but even so they were the better team. By a lot.

Anyway, here's how we're going so far in the playoffs:

MJWS: 5-3 = 12 points

RKB: 3-5 = 8 points

The Kid: 3-5 = 6 points 

 

Here are today's games:

Baltimore at New England (-7)

N.Y. Giants at San Francisco (-2.5)

And our picks:

Stickings' Pickings

Picks: New England, N.Y. Giants.

I was going back and forth on today's early game but ended up taking the Pats. I just thought they had too much offence even for the Ravens and would win by at least a touchdown. Brady & Co. just seemed a bit off today. I'll admit, though, Flacco always surprises me with how well he can play, if only in spurts, and he gave his team a chance if not to win at least to tie. Cundiff almost never misses a FG attempt like that -- 31 yards. He's usually money, as they say. Crazy. It's a good thing I don't gamble on this madness.

I've been on the Giants side all week, but the weather had me doing some second-guessing earlier today. I've been down on the Niners all year, though, never believing in their D (even after they beat the Steelers, with Big Ben barely able to move), and while I've come to see how good they are, particularly their front seven, I just think the Giants are better, even in the rain: better QB, better receivers (though Vernon Davis has certainly decided to be an elite player again, and that TD in the first half showed just how good he can be), equally good RBs (Bradshaw/Jacobs vs. Gore), and that great D-line (Pierre-Paul, Tuck, Umenyiora, Canty). Sure, San Fran has the better secondary, a much better group of LBs (led by ILBs Willis and Bowman), and a really good D-line as well (led by DE Justin Smith), but I think the Giants can narrowly outscore the Niners in a low-scoring game. And that's where we are now: 10-7 Giants early in the third.

Barry's Tea Leaves

Picks: New England, N.Y. Giants.

I suspect that New England will beat Baltimore by more than one TD. Brady plus Welker plus Gronkowski vs. an aging Ravens D. And Flacco not being on the same planet as Brady. Something like that. Anyway, that should be enough.

As for the Giants and Niners, I have no idea. As a life-long Giants fan, I'm too close to this one to be objective. Whatever happens, the Giants have made this a fun season for me and for that I'm grateful. It's only a game and if it's not fun, why bother watching?

I'll say the Giants by a touchdown, but it could go either way. Here's to hoping the Giants' defence gives Alex Smith headaches all day. My guess is that this one will come down to QBs and that Manning will have a better game than Smith. Too many good qualities for both teams to list and these teams are too closely matched to bother going through it. Both sides probably consider themselves teams of destiny, I suppose, but someone has to win and someone has to lose. Too bad about that.

Comfortable Kid

Picks: New England, N.Y. Giants

(Looks like we're all going the same way today. -- MJWS)