Playoff Picks

First let me rant. Jerry Rice went on his (no doubt extremely popular) Sirius satellite radio show and laid into Randy Moss. Why? Rice invited Moss onto his show to discuss the record he broke that previously belonged to Rice. Moss declined the interview. How did Jerry Rice respond? He went on the show and called the comments Moss made after the game "a slap in the face, but that's typical of Randy Moss."

Moss' comments after the game: "I don't think me breaking Jerry Rice's record is special," Moss said. "I think shutting you guys up is what made it special, all the negativity, all my critics."

Now why would Randy Moss say it's not special? How about maybe the perspective that Rice gave a few weeks earlier on Mike & Mike about the possibility of Moss breaking his record?

[I'm paraphrasing but only a little] "Moss has had a good year but I did it in 12 games. Randy Moss is going to play 16 games and the NFL is going to just take it upon themselves to give him my record?" I was watching this on ESPN2 live at the time and he was shaking his head in clear disgust.

So. Rice is basically saying that he wouldn't even recognize the record being Randy Moss' because he did it in 12 games (even though it's Most Completions in a Season), but then Randy Moss is supposed to gush and be completely honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as Rice and bow to his greater achievement?

Jerry Rice, '72 Dolphins, Dan Marino, you guys are such bitter miserable people (Marino was clearly disgusted during Peyton's pursuit of his TD record). Why are these people so insecure? We're talking about the greatest receiver ever, one of the greatest teams ever, and one of the top 5 greatest QB's ever. Why do you have to be such jackasses?

You wonder why Randy Moss doesn't feel breaking the record is special? Well, it's a dubious honor when the previous record holder whines that you even qualify for it.

End of rant.

On to the picks:

Wild Card Weekend

Washington @ Seattle: Washington is the feel good story, and they're playing better than Seattle right now. First upset of the week.

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh: Willie Parker is out for the season and the defense of the Steelers is closer to a silk sheer curtain than an Iron Curtain, but I'm still picking them because I think Jacksonville is one of those teams that folds early in the playoffs and the experience of the Steelers and the poise of Big Ben will trump the big running game and accuracy of Garrard.

New York @ Tampa: Good night New York. You're not going to do anything against that defense and you used your "out of your head" performance last week.

Tennessee @ San Diego: San Diego. Titans have no shot in hell. I'm guessing San Diego is already game planning for the Colts.


Divisional Playoff Weekend

Washington @ Dallas: And the feel good story ends here. Cowboys at home, T.O. plays and makes a contribution and they roll over the emotionally and physically exhausted Redskins

San Diego @ Indy: Harrison may play but he's not going to stretch the field and he's going to get beaten up. As long as it's the LT show they have a shot, but I think Indy gets up early and the LT show becomes the Rivers disaster in the 4th quarter and the Colts win.

Tampa @ Favre: It's the defense that will win this for Green Bay.

Pittsburgh @ New England: UPDATE: I originally screwed up and put Jacksonville here, but since they lost to Pittsburgh in my picks above, that makes this impossible. All of the hesitation and marginal worry I had about facing the Jaguars doesn't exist when facing the Steelers. They just simply can't stay with the Patriots. Polamalu missed the regular season game, but he gets lost in Tom Brady's eyes too easily and jumps the wrong route. This is a lopsided victory for the Patriots.


Championship Weekend

Indy @ NE: Not actually a close game. Dwight Freeney's absence is going to kill the pass rush that was so important in week 9. Also, there won't be 14 penalties on the Patriots either. I think this will be more reminiscent of the 2003 AFC Championship than the 2006 AFC Championship.

Green Bay @ Dallas: I actually like Green Bay here. I think they've been very consistent and unless T.O. is 100% or close, I think Green Bay finally beats them. I'm expecting a Tony Romo mental error game here (not a fumbled field goal attempt, but interceptions galore).

Superbowl

Green Bay vs New England: REVENGE!!!! No kick off returns for TD and this is in Arizona. Dry, fast field. 48-21 Patriots.

Evil triumphs over the Ultimate Warrior, the reign of terror and classlessity continues into the offseason with bitter anger slowly subsiding among the rest of the nation.....until draft hype begins when everyone remembers that they Patriots will be picking 7th.....anger rises again....subsides until late July when the CAN THEY GO PERFECT AGAIN? hype starts up.

Happy 2008 everyone. Enjoy the games this weekend.