NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks, Plus San Diego Chargers Thoughts and Questions

Here we are on the eve of Wild Card Weekend in the NFL and I have no dog in the hunt (No that was not a Michael Vick reference).  Being a Chargers fan, I find myself dealing with the disappointment of not making the postseason for the first time in five years.  It seems crazy not to be playing this weekend.  It normally takes at least 18 weeks to end a Chargers season, not 17!  Oh well, it's not so hard to remember a time when the playoffs were not even mentioned in the same breath as the Bolts and rightfully so.

I'm going to do my post a little different this week.  I'm going right to the picks and then I will throw in some random thoughts and questions that I have regarding the Chargers at the end.  Okay?  Here we go!

Season Total: 155-101

Enjoy the games!

SATURDAY GAMES

Saints vs. Seahawks

Who could have guessed this matchup at the beginning of the year?  Last year's champs traveling to Seattle to play the 7-9 Seahawks.  Well, like it or not the winner of the NFC West was below .500 for the first time in a non-strike year and the division champs get to host the wild card team, no matter what their record is.  So be it.

I must admit that there is one storyline that I am glad that I don't have to see in this game.  Drew Brees vs. Charlie Whitehurst may be the worst possible scenario that a Chargers fan could watch.  Two ex-Chargers going at it in the playoffs in a year where the Bolts are at home watching would be brutal.

Thankfully, Pete Carroll has chosen Matt Hasselbeck to lead his team in the first game, and rightfully so.  Hasselbeck has the most postseason experience of all of the NFC QBs.  He has even played in a Super Bowl.  He also torched the Saints defense earlier in the year.

The problem for the Saints is that even though Hasselbeck threw for 366 yards against the Saints last time, Brees threw for 382 and won the game 34-19.

When I first heard of this matchup I thought it may be close.  Then, as I saw the results of their earlier game this season, I figured a Saints blowout.  Finally, I looked at the weather report and saw that it was going to be cold and wet in Seattle.  That may pose a challenge for Brees and his passing game.  With Pierre Thomas out, the Saints will not have the best running game and will have to be able to pass in the wet.  That may keep the game close, but not close enough for the Seahawks to win.

Saints 24, Seahawks 17

New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts

What a strange game this is!  The Colts did a great job just to make it to the playoffs this year.  The Jets, on the other hand, stumbled into the playoffs after a disappointing season littered with controversy and scandal.

Next, you have a head coach talking smack about the other team's quarterback (Ryan toward Manning), and a quarterback who is saying all the right things and not biting the bait.

To make things worse, the Chargers will get a second-round draft pick next season, instead of a third-rounder if the Jets win, as part of the Antonio Cromartie trade.  That means that real Chargers fans have to get over their petty hatred of the Jets and actually root for them to win!  EWWW!!

As for the game, I don't see the Jets doing so well this week.  Mark Sanchez has been injured and quite ineffective in the last couple of weeks. 

LaDainian Tomlinson started out the season looking like the LT of old, and ended it looking like an old LT.

The Jets starting safety is out.  Not good when facing a QB like Manning.

Rex Ryan is trying to get in Manning's head, but may only be stoking the fire.  I don't see Manning choking in the pressure, even though his nemesis, Antonio Cromartie is on the other side of the line.

Peyton and Co. have beaten Rex Ryan teams four of the five times they have faced each other, including last year's AFC Championship Game.

I hate to say it but I see the Colts winning this one.  Now the Chargers will have to hope that Cro gets a long-term deal as that is the only other way that the draft pick turns into a second-rounder.

Jets 20, Colts 31

Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs

I will be the first one to admit that I had the Chiefs pegged wrong this year.  I didn't think they could play solid football for the entire season, and except for a couple of instances, they did.  They have an outstanding running game and a quarterback in Matt Cassel who shows flashes of brilliance, but is in all reality a decent player.

The Ravens, on the other hand, are very solid against the run and will force Cassel to beat them.

If this game were being played in Baltimore, I would predict a big win for the home team.  But it's not.  This one is in KC, were the Chiefs enjoy a huge home-field advantage.  The Chiefs are 7-1 this year at home and feel they can beat anyone in their house.

The Ravens are a solid road team as most teams are who have great defenses.  Defense rarely slumps and doesn't care where the game is.  It's the flashy offenses that tend to play great at home and struggle on the road.

Personally, I think the Chiefs should be very proud of themselves, but the end of the line has come.  If I had to pick between Matt Cassel and Ray Lewis in a battle of wills, I'm going with Lewis every time.

Ravens 34, Chiefs 20

Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

This is the game of the week!  I'm really looking forward to this one.  Earlier in the year, the Packers went into Philly and won by a touchdown.  Now, Michael Vick has stepped to the forefront and could totally change the result of this rematch.

Then again, is Vick really 100 percent?  My guess is no.  My next guess is that if he is 100 percent at the beginning of the game, he won't be by the end.  Vick was getting chased and hit all over the place last week and I see no reason why the Packers won't do the same this week.

The Packers have a great defense and a quarterback who is every bit as dangerous as Vick.  Plus I think Aaron Rodgers is itching to prove that he has really picked up the mantle that Brett Favre dropped on his way out of Green Bay and is ready to run with it.

Should be a close one, but I see the Packers being too much for the Eagles.

Packers 27, Eagles 24

There you have it!  There are all of my picks for the Wild Card Weekend.  Let me know what you think!

Now, on to some Chargers talk. 

Each week, I normally recap the previous game of the Chargers and preview the next.  This week, I don't really care to recap the Charges victory over the Broncos and their next game is not for a long time! So, I think I will just bring up my take on some Chargers topics and maybe you can give my yours.

1. Is It Time To Fire Norv? 

Believe it or not, I say no.  The only reason I say no is that there will most likely be a temporary lockout this offseason which will shorten the time that teams have to prepare for the upcoming year.  A new coach will not be able to get everyone up to speed with all the new plays and terminology if a lockout happens.

2. Is It Time To Fire A.J. Smith? 

Hmmmmm.  I have to give him one more offseason, and one more regular season as well.  Smith has 21 unrestricted free agents to figure out what to do with.  I don't think it would be very nice to dump that on a newbie.  I do think that Smith has drafted poorly the last three years and his arrogance has cost him the respect of his players and the Chargers fans.  But let's face it, he has put together a pretty darn good team when they are on their game.

3.  Was the Special Teams Coach a Scapegoat? 

Yes!  Don't get me wrong.  I do think he had a terrible year and I do think that the special teams were the No. 1 reason that the Chargers are not playing this week or next.  But remember back in Week 5 or so that Norv was asked if they would be firing Crosby?  Norv raved about him and said he was an excellent coach.  He even brought up how Crosby was Special Teams Coach of the Year a couple of years ago.

So, he was a great coach during the season, but horrible after?  Yes, he had to deal with a lot of injuries.  Yes, he had to deal with a lot of guys who didn't belong on the field.  NO, the special teams should not have been that bad no matter how many excuses he had! 

My question is if you were going to fire him, why not do it during the season and get someone in who might be able to fix things?  Why wait until it's too late while all along saying how great he is?  Now I feel like the Chargers screwed this guy.

4.  What Do I Think of Philip Rivers? 

I think he is a hell of a quarterback, and honestly, I think he is a great guy as well.  It is true that Rivers did and said some stupid, immature things in the early stages of his career.  That being said, he has grown up a lot since then and if you ever listen to the man speak, he says all the right things and just wants to play football.

Yes, Rivers can get mouthy.  So can Tom Brady and Brett Favre.

Yes, Rivers can get a pouty, disgusted look on his face.  So can Peyton Manning.

No, Rivers hasn't won a ring.  Neither did Dan Marino.  By the way, I believe Manning has only won one and that was in his sixth season.  Rivers just finished his fifth year as a starter.

Yes, many NFL fans say they "hate" Philip Rivers.  I would bet there are only a small handful of teams that would not trade their starting quarterback straight up for Rivers right now.  Those fans who hate him now would be dancing in the streets of their hometown.

5.  Will the Chargers Make the Playoffs Next Year? 

I believe they will.  However, it's hard to answer that without knowing what A.J. Smith will do with all of the free agents.  It could be a drastically different team next year.

Also, the schedule will not be a friendly as it was supposed to be this year.  The Bolts will play the AFC East and the NFC North, I believe.  One thing is for sure.  If the Chargers do make the playoffs next year, they will be battle tested and ready to play anyone.

That's all for now. I look forward to reading your comments and discussing the games and the Chargers with all of you.  Thanks for reading!