NFL Playoff Picks: 11 Bold Predictions for Divisional Weekend

Tim Tebow will have more passing yards than Drew Brees, the Baltimore Ravens will win by double digits and the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers game will be decided by a field goal.

These are just a taste of what is to come this upcoming weekend in the NFL playoffs.

Tebow's overtime one-and-done heroics are what we as football fans live for. The other three games from the Wild Card Weekend did not hold a candle to the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers game, but now, it's time for the big boys.

Green Bay must find a way to get by the underdogs from New York. Drew Brees must find his groove away from the Superdome. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are hoping "Tebowtime" doesn't translate in Eastern Standard Time.

The divisional round of the playoffs is here in the NFL, and crazy, unpredictable events will ensue. Let's try taking a stab at what should be an entertaining weekend of postseason football.

Aaron Rodgers Performs Like a Human

For 10 out of the 15 games Aaron Rodgers played this season, he threw a 66.7 percent completion rate or better. Basically, for 10 of 15 games, Rodgers was making a completion two out of every three throws.

That's insane.

His completion percentage for the entire season ended up averaging out to be 68.3. The man knew who to throw it to, where to throw it and when to throw it almost every time he went under center, which explains his 45:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Only twice did he dip under 100 points in the quarterback rating category. Of which, one was a 96.7 when the Green Bay Packers destroyed the Oakland Raiders, 46-16.

However, this will all change when he plays the New York Giants Sunday afternoon.

The last time Rodgers threw a pass was Christmas night versus the Chicago Bears three weeks to the day when they host the Giants.

Taking that kind of break from game action is not easy for a quarterback to get back into rhythm, and don't confuse this prediction with him going out and looking like Rex Grossman.

Rodgers will have a solid outing. However, he won't be completing 70 percent of his passes, nor will he be in 100's with his quarterback rating.

Tom Brady Throws Four Touchdowns

No, Tom; you'll be scoring four touchdowns this week.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have bowed out of the playoffs each year since their Super Bowl run in 2007 was stopped short by the New York Giants.

Brady has willed his team to victory by simply putting more points on the board than the other team is capable of, and that's exactly what he'll do against the Denver Broncos.

He has thrown four touchdowns or more 12 different times during his career in the regular season. Brady, however, has never thrown for more than three touchdowns in a postseason game.

That changes on Saturday.

Brady threw for two touchdowns and 320 yards in Denver back in Week 14. With Tim Tebow finding his inner quarterback just in time for the postseason, the New England Patriots will be forced to supplement for their porous defense by scoring every chance they get.

Houston Rushes for Less Than 100 Yards

Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens experienced defense are probably entering their last great opportunity to win a Super Bowl in the near future. Several players have started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on their careers, and this postseason is the time to take advantage of their No. 2 seed before their careers commence.

The Ravens sit as the second-best rushing defense in the league. The Houston Texans are second in the league in rushing offense.

With rookie T.J. Yates starting in his first road game, the Ravens' goal will be to take away the Texans ground game and force the rookie to beat them with his arm.

Despite Arian Foster having an outstanding outing versus the Cincinnati Bengals, his production won't be as affective this weekend.

Saints are Held Under 20 Points

The San Francisco 49ers have allowed the second least points in the league at an average of 14.3 points per game. They're first in the NFL in rushing yards against and fourth overall in total yards allowed.

Basically, the 49ers are really, really stingy on defense.

Enter Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints with their explosive offense that leads the league or is in the top six in all of the categories previously mentioned.

Although the Saints offense is incredibly dangerous, they are a different beast away from their environment. The track team offense that is the New Orleans Saints does not play the same on the road.

New Orleans had strange losses due to inept play versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the St. Louis Rams. San Francisco presents a much more formidable defense to lock down their offense.

Brees may have surpassed Dan Marino this year in passing yards, but the 49ers possess the type of defense that championships are made of.

To put it another way, the New Orleans Saints are a Mercedes Benz and the San Francisco 49ers are a Hummer.

Who wins in a head-on collision at full speed?

Giants-Packers Will Be Decided by a Field Goal...Again

Last time these two teams met, the New York Giants nearly derailed the then-undefeated Green Bay Packers. Mason Crosby bailed out the Packers at the New Meadowlands at the end of the game in Week 13.

When these two teams last met in the playoffs in 2008, it was Lawrence Tymes who sent the Giants to the Super Bowl on his 47-yard kick in overtime.

The New York Giants seem to be harvesting that old nostalgic feeling from 2008 where they get hot just before the playoffs and hit their stride in the postseason. Green Bay fans and personnel would be lying if they said that the Giants did not make them nervous.

Eli Manning and Co. will give the Packers all they can handle. Who wins it? I'm not exactly sure. It will, however, go down to the wire again at Lambeau Field.

Twitter Explodes with #Tebow Trending

Tim Tebow has been a sensation throughout the NFL, water cooler discussions and the media. Social media is no exception to the Tebow hysteria.

Twitter blew up once again Sunday night after Tebow and the Denver Broncos ended overtime in one play. Tebow must now out-duel Tom Brady.

Tom vs Tim round two will not be excluded from the #TEBOW trending. #TebowTime is twitter time.

Whether the Broncos win or lose, #TEBOW will be running through the Twitter universe.

You can find me on Twitter @JustinSparks22 if you care to see what I think about Tebow's performance.

Frank Gore Goes off

Frank Gore has enjoyed one of the better years in his career during 2011. Add to that the success of the San Francisco 49ers, and you have a happy running back.

The New Orleans Saints are 12th in the league against the run. The 49ers are eighth in the league running the ball.

Gore has slowed down from his strong first half of the season, but the bye week should serve him well. Being able to rejuvenate his legs during the off week and taking a light load during Week 17 will allow Gore freshen up for the postseason.

Unlike a quarterback, having basically three weeks off does not affect a running back in a negative way. Most running backs in the second half of the season do not participate 100 percent in practice throughout the week. They're busy maintaining their bodies through the grind of a season.

San Francisco will look to establish the run and will ride Frank Gore through the postseason. My prediction is that Gore will pass the 100-yard rushing mark and see the endzone more than once versus the Saints.

Baltimore Wins by Double Digits

The Baltimore Ravens met the Houtson Texans earlier this season in Week 5. Matt Schaub was still atop the saddle for the Texans, yet Baltimore won by 15.

This time around, T.J. Yates will be leading the Texans into Baltimore. A frenzied crowd should be in full voice as Baltimore's veteran defense licks their chops to get at the rookie.

Playing in Houston versus an opposing rookie quarterback is one thing, but this opponent presents a different beast.

Baltimore did endure strange losses to lesser teams in the regular season, yet they played up to their opponents as well as they played down to others. Baltimore swept both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals while also beating the San Francisco 49ers.

All three plus the Texans were their only playoff opponents during the year. Expect the Ravens to flex their championship-caliber muscles in the second half of this matchup as they lengthen their lead.

Giants-Packers Combine for 45 or Less

The "frozen tundra" may not be rock hard when the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants meet this time around compared to their 2008 NFC Championship meeting.

One thing will remain the same in this year's matchup: The Giants want to establish the run.

The best way to keep Aaron Rodgers and the Packers from scoring is by keeping them off the field. That's exactly what New York will try to do.

The Giants have rushed for over 100 plus yards five of their last six weeks, including 172 rushing yards in the Wild Card game this past weekend against the Atlanta Falcons.

Establishing the run will accelerate the game's speed and cut down the amount of possessions per team. Green Bay and New York will trade blows and scrap for points in what should be a close contest.

If their first meeting tells us anything, expect a tightly contested game with a fantastic ending.

Ray Rice Has a Rushing and Receiving Touchdown

The Baltimore Ravens can be summed up like this: As Ray Rice goes, so does Baltimore.

In the Ravens' four losses, Rice was held to 57 rushing yards or less. Don't expect that to happen.

I know, I know. The Houston Texans have the fourth best rushing defense and rank in the top five throughout the league in the big four categories of total points, rushing average, passing average and total yards average.

Rice will be the focal point for the Ravens offense this weekend. He ran for 101 yards in their Week 5 meeting, but do not expect him to be held out of the endzone a second time.

The Baltimore running back can bust out for a big run on any given play and is lethal in the screen game. Expect him to score on a rushing attempt and turn a screen into a defense-splitting touchdown.

All-Harbaugh Super Bowl One Game Closer

Two of our favorite NFL holidays could be shared with the Harbaugh family during the 2011 season. Thanksgiving Day and the Super Bowl are arguably the two biggest days for professional football in America.

It's engraved into our culture. Golf, turkey and football remains the tradition in the Sparks family for Thanksgiving Day.

Now, it could be an all-Harbaugh Thanksgiving and Super Bowl party.

If you've read any of my previous playoff prediction pieces, you know I'm rooting for this like a cop who's rooting for the red light to turn on at the Krispy Kreme factory.

It's old school football. Great running backs, stern defenses and savvy coaches make up both teams.

Both are No. 2 seeds and both will win this weekend. The San Francisco 49ers have the toughest task of the two Harbaughs, but they're stellar front seven should give Drew Brees problems.

After all, the New Orleans Saints aren't so daunting away from the "Big Easy."

Harbaugh Super Bowl is just one more weekend away after the divisional round.