Kansas City Chiefs 9-7
at
Indianapolis Colts 12-4

Line: Colts -7 / 51

SH's View: Chiefs 34 - 31 Colts
The Colts porous run defense meets Larry Johnson's 111 yards per game and despite Peyton Manning's phenomenal talents the Chiefs win by a FG (or less) in the closing minutes of a high scoring game.

CD's View: Colts 31 - 20 Chiefs
If this were in KC I'd go with the Chiefs, but indoors on that turf I still like the Colts despite what the Steelers did last year. If the Colts get an early lead, they will neutralize the running game.

DK's View: Colts 38 - 24 Chiefs
Everybody is dwelling way too much on how Larry Johnson is going to run over the porous Colts defense. Those who think that need to take into account the Chiefs pathetic record on the road, regardless of how weak or strong the opponent is. Johnson gets his yards and a score or two, but that’s it. Indy protects this house.

FINAL SCORE:
Colts 23 - 8 Chiefs

Dallas Cowboys 9-7
at
Seattle Seahawks 9-7

Line: Seahawks -3 / 46.5

SH's View: Seahawks 17 - 13 Cowboys
A clash of teams that crawled into the playoffs. The Seahawks disappearing offense will be just good enough to top the Cowboys disappearing defense. A punt return could be the difference in an ugly game.

CD's View: Seahawks 26 - 13 Cowboys
What do Arizona, San Francisco and Detroit have in common ? (Insert joke here) Answer: they beat either Dallas or Seattle in December. In the Battle for the Right to Get Blown Out Next Week, Seattle comes up "Big".

DK's View: Cowboys 27 - 24 (OT) Seahawks
Talk about the Don’t-Care-Bowl of the Week. Neither one of these teams is any good, and that’s saying a lot for a Seahawks team with their skill players. But if Arizona and San Francisco can go into Seattle and win, a motivated (for one week only) Cowboy side will go in and manhandle them.

FINAL SCORE:
Seahawks 21 - 20 Cowboys

New York Jets 10-6
at
New England Patriots 12-4

Line: Patriots -8.5 / 37.5

SH's View: Patriots 24 - 21 Jets
This will be a much closer game than many think with Belichick matching wits against his former protege, Mangini. Adjustments and experience will be crucial as the game wears on and that is where the Pats have the edge.

CD's View: Patriots 24 - 13 Jets
The biggest drama: Will Mangini & Bellichick exchange blows at midfield after the game? I've learned the hard way not to bet against Brady in January - despite being the media's darlings, the Jets will lose after Pennington throws 4 interceptions.

DK's View: Patriots 31 - 13 Jets
This one is a no-brainer. Forget what happened in Week 6: This is the playoffs and against powder puffs like the Jets the Pats will roll.

FINAL SCORE:
Patriots 37 - 16 Jets

New York Giants 8-8
at
Philadelphia Eagles 10-6

Line: Eagles -7 / 45.5

SH's View: Eagles 28 - 10 Giants
Does a .500 playoff team stand a chance? Nope. The veteran Eagles have won 5 straight and Eli & Company will be number 6 - Tiki Barber's TV career starts on Monday.

CD's View: Eagles 33 - 21 Giants
I can't think of a team in greater disarray going into the playoffs than the Giants, losers of 6 of their last 8 games. And how can you root against Jeff Garcia, the best Philadelphia Comeback Story this side of Rocky Balboa?

DK's View: Eagles 27 - 10 Giants
The Giants are 8-8. Do I need to say anymore? Jeff Garcia has more than proven that the west coast offense run in Philly is much more to his liking than the one he ran in San Francisco. Look for about 280 yards and three scores from Garcia. Tiki Barber gets his 100 yards but no scores and starts reading for movie parts later that night.

FINAL SCORE:
Eagles 23 - 20 Giants

Indianapolis Colts 13-4
at
Baltimore Ravens 13-3

Line: Ravens -4 / 41.5

SH's View: Ravens 20 - 14 Colts
I along with many others were surprised when Indy's D showed up last week. It will make many appearances this week as the Ravens all but shut down Peyton Manning. He will probably manage 2 TD's but it will also be joined in the stats by 3 INT's.

CD's View: Ravens 26 - 21 Colts
The Ravens are still my pick to win it all this year, so I'll go with them this week although this may be the toughest obstacle between Baltimore and a championship. Peyton vs. the Ravens' defense is an intriguing matchup, but the game may be won on the ground in rainy conditions and that favors the Ravens. Just because the Colts shut down Larry Johnson last week does not mean they're suddenly a great defense and stopping Jamal Lewis may be an even tougher assignment. Matt Stover kicks 4 field goals and Ravens win.

DK's View: Ravens 23 - 14 Colts
Ravens play ball control against an improving Indy defense and get Matt Stover within field goal range on a number of occasions. Ray Lewis & Co. beat Peyton Manning to a pulp, forcing mistakes and turnovers. If Indy couldn't get to the Super Bowl under the best circumstances they had last season, they certainly aren't going to under these circumstances.

FINAL SCORE:
Colts 15 - 6 Ravens

Philadelphia Eagles 11-6
at
New Orleans Saints 10-6

Line: Saints -5 / 49

SH's View: Saints 24 - 17 Eagles
This looks to be a great game between to overachievers in the face adversity. Garcia and Westbrook will be game but the huge home field advantage will carry the Saints through as the Eagles try to tie it in the final minutes.

CD's View: Saints 34 - 28 Eagles
What a great weekend to be a football fan. This may be parity at its finest when it would not be a huge surprise if any of the 8 teams were winners this week. Of the 4 games this is the toughest for me to call. You've got the surprising Jeff Garcia and the under-rated Brian Westbrook on one side, and the even more surprising #1 passing offense for the Saints led by Drew Brees, plus the emotional factor of this game being played in New Orleans. The Saints are just too good and riding too magical a season to bet against...

DK's View: Saints 24 - 21 Eagles
The second best playoff game of the weekend. Eagles defense blitzes mercilessly but Drew Brees still finds his receivers and the multi-faceted Saints offense does enough to get into the end zone. Jeff Garcia gets beat up early then puts it together late, but doesn't come up with enough at the end.

FINAL SCORE:
Saints 27 - 24 Eagles

New England Patriots 13-4
at
San Diego Chargers 14-2

Line: Chargers -4.5 / 47

SH's View: Patriots 30 -  28 Chargers
If the Pats had to play the Ravens this week the outcome would be different, but their playoff pedigree will give them the edge in this match up. LaDainian Tomlinson will run free  but Phillip Rivers will spend much of the game on his back or scrambling for dear life. Likely a great game that will go down to the wire.

CD's View: Patriots 34 -  31 Chargers
I think I'll skip a prediction on this one and just say that the "New Diego Patriargers" will lose to the Ravens next week. But if I HAD to pick it, I think I'd go with the upset since there is bound to be one this weekend and I went with the favorites in the other 3 games. Yes, LT is tough to stop, but if anyone can figure out a way to do it Belichick can. Plus the Chargers could fall victim of Schottenheimerization, a rare disease that affects football players in January. Plus Teddy Bruschi donated $85,000 to Roseville High to have the weight room named after him.

DK's View: Patriots 31 -  28 Chargers
This year's best playoff game to date. Nobody has stopped LT yet and the Pats won't, either. But Phillip Rivers' inexperience and immaturity under playoff pressure will matter against the playoff-tested experience of Bill Belichek and Tom Brady. And as usual, Marty Schottenheimer will figure out a way to screw this up.

FINAL SCORE:
Patriots 24 -  21 Chargers

Seattle Seahawks 10-7
at
Chicago Bears 13-3

Line: Bears -9 / 37

SH's View: Bears 13 - 3 Seahawks
Who needs to be worried about Rex Grossman? Kyle Orton could win this game. The Bears get a sub-zero stroller where their D dominates, with or without an offense.

CD's View: Bears 20 - 13 Seahawks
The Bears should be huge favorites in this game: home field with a chance of snow, strong running game & defense, and a Seattle team that looked bad down the stretch and made it through their wild card game only due to one of those fluke plays that will be talked about for years. Yet there is doubt solely because of one player on the field Sunday: Rex Grossman. Which Rex will show up? I'm guess the one that's not bad enough to lose to the Seahawks.

DK's View: Bears 38 - 7 Seahawks
Don't be fooled by Rex Grossman's recent play; even he can't screw this up. Seattle is the worst team left standing. In the blast chiller that will be Soldier Field, Lovie Smith's defense alone will probably account for three of Da Bears' touchdowns. And you thought Ohio State looked bad...

FINAL SCORE:
Bears 27 - 24 (OT) Seahawks

New England Patriots 14-4
at
Indianapolis Colts 14-4

Line: Colts -3 / 48

SH's View: Patriots 35 - 28 Colts
The first two rounds I predicted the Colts will lose, so why change my tack now? Yes, I am a diehard Pats fan, but this is prediction from the head not the heart. Through all the injuries and adversity, the Belichick and Company will once again find a way to break America's favorite pitch guy's heart. Brady was at times awful against the Chargers but when it counted, he was there to take advantage of the meltdown. He won't have two bad games in a row.

CD's View: Colts 30 - 20 Patriots
On ESPN's Cold Pizza this morning Skip Bayless whined, "I've lost sleep over this prediction". A little over-stated, but close to the way I feel about this game. On Sunday, Peyton Manning will become either Dan Marino if he loses or John Elway if he wins. This looks like the best chance the Colts have to finally reach the Super Bowl with the title game at home against a Patriots team that appears not quite as good as their other Super Bowl winners. But how can you go against Belichick and Brady in a championship game? Forget about all the hype over Vinatieri, if it's a close game the Pats will win. But I don't think so, Manning will finally have a good game against a beat up New England secondary.

DK's View: Colts 28 - 21 Patriots
By far the best game of the day. A shootout up to a point, because the Colts’ defense is peaking at the right time. No Ty Law and no Rodney Harrison means that Peyton Manning finally picks apart the Patriot secondary at home. New England’s defense is not nearly as good as Baltimore’s, and in Indianapolis that will matter. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are too smart and too experienced to just lay down and die, and they will figure out a way to stay in this game. In the end, though, Tony Dungy and Manning finally get it done. Call it a hunch, but even a blind man eventually hits the target.

FINAL SCORE:
Colts 38 -  34 Patriots

New Orleans Saints 11-6
at
Chicago Bears 14-3

Line: Bears -2 / 43.5

SH's View: Saints 21 - 12 Bears
So we have the good ol' Bears stumblin', tumblin', and not exactly rumblin' into the NFC Championship game where they run into the offensive buzz saw of Team Katrina. The Saints are now America's Team (sorry Dallas). The emotion will keep them warm in the Illinois tundra long enough for Sean Payton to show why he was named coach of the year, and why Rex Grossman can't win the big game.

CD's View: Bears 13 - 9 Saints
Until yesterday I was ready with my pick of the Saints: the better team on paper, great offensive weapons vs. a shaky inexperienced offense on the Bear side, momentum and the feel of a team with the cliché: "this is their year".
If they were playing in New Orleans it would look like a blow-out waiting to happen. Then I heard this stat: teams who play in a dome are 0-9 in championship games played outdoors. That's a tough trend to overcome.
Worse, the predicted weather for Sunday is a 70% chance of snow and a high of 30 degrees. Like most of America I will be rooting for the Saints, (despite my dread of enduring two weeks of hearing "the Saints are Marching ... Into the Super Bowl" from witty sports guys), but my head says the Bears will win ugly.

DK's View: Saints 27 - 21 Bears
If it was going to be colder I might have gone with the Bears. If the Bears D couldn’t put the breaks on a pathetic Seattle offense then what makes anybody think they are going to stop the best offense in the land. Saints have way too many weapons on offense, and Drew Brees has shown that even under immense pressure he can get his throws off accurately. The Deuce has picked the right time to show his running chops, and that opens things up for Bush, Horn, Henderson and Colston. Yes, defense wins championships, but N’Awlins’ offensive line has quietly gone about controlling the line of scrimmage. The sentimental favorite finally gets to the Big Dance.

FINAL SCORE:
Bears 39 -  14 Saints