Editor’s note: We picked the Packers game before the game started, and typed out this blog during the game.
Since both Justin and myself were busy the past couple of days, we decided to combine our Divisional Round picks into one blog. Live from the Jacobs’ residence in Lanark, IL – here are your picks for the 2008 NFL Divisional Round! (Home team in CAPS).
PATRIOTS (-13) vs. Jaguars
Justin: 13 points? Really Vegas? Really? You do know the Patriots love playing mad, and will probably just take a spread this low as another reason to get up for the game? Now Brady will probably score five touchdowns and Moss will do something that will give millions of viewers the bitter beer/I can’t believe that just happened face. I love the Jags, and against any other team I’d probably have them even money or even favorites, but not against THIS theam, THIS year. I’ve been picking the Pats minus the points all year, and they’ve came up big more often than not, whether I liked it or not. As much as I hate to love it, I’ll take the Pats… minus the points.
Chad: If you’re a Jags fan, there is no way in hell you can truly believe they can win. They blew a huge lead last week against the Steelers, only to sneak away with a victory with a last minute field goal. Garrard played his first bad game of the year, and it comes in the prelude to the game against the best team in the history of organized football. There are two Hall of Famers in the Patriots offense passing game, and not a single defensive back on the Jags that would’ve qualified for the Senior Bowl this season. Plus, Belichick used his ESPN Sports Almanac from 2050 to find out who they played this week, so he’s been preparing for the full two weeks – no doubt in my mind. Gimme the Pats against the spread, and straight up.
PACKERS (-7.5) vs. Seahawks
Chad: We want the ball, and we’re gonna score!! Ohhhh, Matt Hasselbeck. Rule No. 1 of being an NFL quarterback: Don’t make guarantees that you either can’t back up, or it’s so out of left-field that people will forget about it immediately after the post-game press conference. The Hawks looked like they were firing on all cylinders in the 4th quarter of last weeks game vs. the ‘Skins. Great! Except if you screw around for three quarters against the Packers, you’ll be losing by 24. If a game is in Green Bay has crappy weather…the pick is easy. Against the spread: Seahawks. Straight up: Packers.
Justin: I’ll take Packers to cover the spread and to win straight up. As a Ryan Grant owner for the latter half of the regular season I got to see first hand how far the Packers running game has come. While most of the experts believe that this game will come down to Seattle’s pass rush, I believe the key to this game is the running game. Although Favre makes me nervous in playoff games, I’ll take him and a good running game over Hasselbeck and a gimped Shaun Alexander.
COLTS (-8) vs. Chargers
Justin: Anyone who saw Norv Turner’s face last week probably knows where I’m going with this pick. I don’t get San Diego. They have, on paper, one of the most talented teams in the league – yet they always seem to dissapoint. I don’t know why anyone who wants to win in the playoffs signs Norv Turner as their head coach. In the playoffs it’s all about your head coach and your QB, this being true I don’t know if there has ever been a more over-matched team than these Chargers. I see the Colts playing Bob Sanders in the box for most of this game, stopping LT, and making Phillip Rivers beat them…. and that’s not happening. I’ll take the Colts minus the points.
Chad: I found out on Friday afternoon that the owner of the company I just started working for is a huge Chargers fan, and that he’s going to this game on Sunday. Sorry Jeff, but it just isn’t happening. With Antonio Gates out, there is virtually no way the Chargers can stretch the field. Yea, so what if they have Chris Chambers? The Colts will double him with the free safety, and as Justin said, NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders will stand in the box to help stuff LaDainian Tomlinson. Manning will probably be without his favorite target in Marvin Harrison, but the entire starting lineup is so well rested, that it shouldn’t matter. I mean, honestly, would you take Phillip Rivers in the RCA Dome without his No. 1 target? Give me the Colts against the spread, and straight up as well.
COWBOYS (-7.5) vs. Giants
Chad: Nothing sickens me more than the media talking about Tony Romo going on vacation with Jessica Simpson during the team’s bye week. They keep saying, “he doesn’t have his priorities straight.” Are you f****** kidding me? If Jessica Simpson says to you, “Hey, let’s go to Mexico for a couple days,” isn’t the answer obvious? If anyone says no to that, turn in your man card, and I mean turn that sonofabitch in now! Hell, half the women in America would go to Mexico with Jessica Simpson for a couple days, just to experiment because she’s that damn hot. Oh, and for anyone thinks that Eli Manning turned the corner, just wait until his team is down between 7-10 in the fourth quarter. Then we’ll get to see the real Eli. I’ll take the Cowboys against the spread and straight up.
Justin: I don’t know what made me more sick this last week; the Roger Clemens’ situation or the national media’s facination with Tony Romo’s dating habbits. There’s nothing wrong with Romo taking Jessica Simpson to Mexico during his off week, it’s his freaking off weak, let the man enjoy being the Dallas Cowboys’ starting QB! What worries me with this game is Terrell Owens’ high ankle sprain, but for all of Owens’ faults he is one tough SOB. On the other hand we have Eli Manning, who I just can’t trust in a bigtime playoff game against a good team, and no that doesn’t include Tampa Bay. Yes Eli plays better on the road, but Dallas will be a much more hostile enviroment than Tampa was. I’ll take Tony… and Jessica, minus the points.
Next post coming to you on Sunday night…enjoy the games everyone!
-JJ and CR
