Picking The NFL Playoffs: Gambling On The Games

Where's an augur at when you really need one?

Ancient augurs could foretell the future by, among other talents, talking with and observing birds. And as the Trashmen once sang B-b-b-bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word this weekend.

We have a bundle of birds flocking into the playoffs. The Arizona Cardinals, when one throws Phoenix rising in the mix, are a possible double bird play.

But will the birds fly south?

NY Jets plus 2 1/2 @ Cincinnati Bengals [o/u 33 1/2]

Sexy Rexy Ryan, like the Eagle Andy Reid, has more of the Sea Creature thing going on then a bird of prey look.

But the Jets blasted the Bengals last week. Or maybe the tame cats laid down a bit and then things got a little out of hand as the Jets played wiped out and Ocho Cinco creep-ed away whimpering at the halftime.

Ocho does not like the contact Rex Ryan's number one ranked defense brings but what about the other Bengals? Bengal back Cedric Benson is back and ready to batter the Jet front.

The Jets will be running in frigid Cincinnati also, because if the Bengals open a big lead the Jets offense with its rookie quarterback is not going to come back. 

The Jets have a very good defense, not what it was when the mammoth Kris Jenkins was at nose tackle, but still solid. But the Bengal bunch is better then what is showed last week in its Gotham go to the ground game.

At home expect the Bengals to bounce back. Cincinnati has the better quarterback and a defense directed to stopping the Jet run.

Jet quarterback Sanchez and the Jets will get some playoff wins just not this year.

Bengals over Jets 20-9   

Philadelphia Eagles plus 3 1/2 @ Dallas Cowboys [o/u 45]

Some reports say Andy Reid and his Eagle brain trust held some blitz packages and offensive wrinkles back last week in its massacre in Dallas.

If Andy did some strange version of the Rope A Dope last week he is a dope. Why lose the chance of a bye, a division title, and a home game to conceal some blitzes from a team it faces twice each and every year?

Wade Phillips, and Tony Romo, have never won a playoff game. Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb have a history of choking, or throwing up, in big games.

Reid abandons the run, even if its working, and reverts to his pure panic attack offense in key games. The Cowboys are coming together and the Eagles will miss the late defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

Johnson's creative defensive schemes covered up a lot of Andy Reid errors in Eagle big games over the last decade.

Wade Phillips gets the win, and takes the hat trick from Philadelphia, in Jerry World and it's maybe the last time McNabb wears Eagle green.

Cowboys over Eagles 31-21

Baltimore Ravens plus 3 1/2 @  New England Patriots [o/u 43]

The Pats are battered and in a rebuilding year. Baltimore has a good, but aging, defense that will also need retooled soon.

The Pats still can not run the ball and their defense is a shade of what it once was.

The Ravens will run with Ray Rice and pressure the banged up dump Tom Brady. Randy Moss will miss Wes Welker.

The Ravens behind Ray Rice croak Nevermore to the Brady Belichick home playoff winning streak.

Giselle is going to have to give her quarterback some back rubs after the Baltimore beating.

Ravens 22-20 over Patriots

Green Bay Packers pick @ Arizona Cardinals [o/u 47]

Yet another instant replay in a weird week of repeat.

The Pack pounded the second string Cards last week.

But did it mean anything?

The Packer defense under Dom Capers has gotten better as the season progressed.

Aaron Rogers will have a big day against the banged up Card defense. The Cards offense will not have Anquan Boldin at full speed enable the Pack defense to concentrate on Larry Fitzgerald.

Packers put away Red Birds in the desert.

Packers 28-26 over Cards

Good luck and Happy hunting on Wild Card weekend.

Money Won is twice as sweet as money earned-Fast Eddie Felson