WEEKLY PICKS
DIVISIONAL WEEKEND

Christopher Kay’s Weekly Picks

Saturday

Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks haven ’t gotten much respect from anyone this season and now it’s time to prove they deserved some.  The Redskins have the longest current winning streak, but luckily escaped with a victory last weekend in Tampa Bay.  Their offense was horrible and if they play like that again, this game will be over quickly.  The reason the Redskins have the longest current winning streak is due to the fact the Seahawks lost to Green Bay in the season finale (because they rested their starters) which snapped their 11 game winning streak.  The Seahawks are also undefeated at home and as long as they don’t take the Redskins lightly, which really shouldn’t happen in the playoffs, this should be Seattle’s first playoff victory in a very long time. 
Seahawks over Redskins 31-17

 
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
The Broncos are the #2 seed in the AFC, yet it feels like they’ve done it quietly.  Their have been some games they’ve lost that they really had no business losing.  Jake Plummer has to continue playing mistake free football and not get caught up in the playoff pressure and start throwing an abundance of interceptions as he’s done in the past.  The added rest should help them as well.  As long as the Broncos don’t get psyched out by the Patriot Super Power Mystique, they should be able to win this game and advance.  Everyone is loving the Patriots right now, but why?  Tom Brady didn’t have a good game last week, and at the half against the Jaguars it was only 7-3 for the Patriots.  They were playing pretty sloppy and only woke up in the second half since the Jaguars really couldn’t do anything.  Which Patriots players are injured and will not play?  No one knows thanks to Belichick.  Regardless, the Broncos at home will end any hope of a Patriot threepeat. 
Broncos over Patriots 27-24

Sunday

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts
The Steelers were playing dirty against the Bengals, and they ’ll most likely try to do the same against the Colts in hope of throwing them off their finesse game.  It won’t work out and Manning will be true to form and score a lot of points against the weak Steeler secondary.  Troy Polamalu is a Pro Bowler, but his performance against the Bengals was far from stellar.  The other plan for the Steelers will be to run the ball all day and keep it out of Peyton’s hands, but when Peyton touches it, he’ll score early and force the Steelers out of their game plan.  The Colts are on a mission, and barring a major melt down this will just be another notch in their belt on the way to the Super Bowl.  At home, in the dome, there just isn’t much of a way to stop them when they come to play, which has been always this season (with possibly one exception that we all know about).  The Colts are really well rested, whereas the Steelers are coming off a physical fight with the Bengals.  This all spells trouble for the Steelers faithful. 
Colts over Steelers 34-21

Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears
Here’s another rematch from the regular season, as are all these games.  In the regular season, this was the game that validated the Bears and their season.  No one believed in them until after this game and the way they manhandled the Panther offensive line.  John Fox will have certainly learned something from the last game and protect Jake Delhomme at all costs, and try to run the ball more effectively.  Steve Smith will get his catches again, and this time he’ll break one for a touchdown.  This game will be very physical and whoever wins it will be too beat up to advance to the Super Bowl.  The Panthers, when they want to, show up to play hard and can beat almost anyone.  These are the playoffs so they’ll show up en masse.  This season has been a great surprise for the Bears, but they’ll be the only team to get upset this Divisional Playoff weekend. 
Panthers over Bears 16-13