NFL 2007 Divisional Playoffs

The divisional round of the 2007 NFL playoffs are upon us. Four great games to set us up for the final four teams in search of the Lombardi Trophy. First round byes are over, and the juggernauts of the NFC and AFC are ready to join the party.

Cue the NFL Films music, its time for some gridiron...


Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers
Brett Favre's last dance? According to reports today, probably not. The Seahawks response to being down against the Redskins was impressive in the Wild Card round. But this week they face a much better offense in the Packers. The Seahawks will be pressuring Favre all game long, but he still has the scramble power to help his team pull this out. Playoff game at Lambeau Field? Does not get much better than that.

Especially if you are this dude.

Packers win 31-20.

San Diego Chargers @ Indianapolis Colts
The Chargers have won the last two of three against the Colts in the regular season, including a victory in November in which Peyton Manning threw six interceptions (of course I was in the stands for that one, ugh). That was a Colts team coming off their loss to the Patriots, and which they were short some key players, especially on the offensive side of the football.

This time around Manning will have Dallas Clark, and as of right now, future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. Meanwhile, the Chargers ended the regular season with a six-game winning streak, and played solid football in the second half of the Wild Card game.

We will see if LaDanian Tomlinson can get something going in a big playoff game, which might be a tall task with Bob Sanders waiting in the backfield. This game will be on the shoulders of Philip Rivers, as it was last week for the Chargers. San Diego, say hello to a different Manning that you did not see in November.

Colts win 34-24.

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
Now we are getting to the fun ones. Can Eli Manning follow up his first playoff win with another quality performance? What color Cowboys jersey will Jessica Simpson be wearing?

The Giants are on an eight-game road winning streak and are a different team than the Cowboys saw in the regular season. Will Terrell Owens play? Of course he will. We were wondering the same thing when he was on the Eagles about to play in the Super Bowl. Expect to see TO playing in the game. He may be limited on what he can provide on the field but I still expect to see him haul in a TD.

Tony Romo better have his running shoes, because the Giants D-Line will be going at him all day. We will see the Cowboys get out to the early lead before Manning settles down and pulls this one out for the Giants.

Giants win 35-30.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots
The Jaguars are the team that everyone is deeming the favorite to dethrone the Patriots in the playoffs. I don't buy the hype.

Teams have proven that you can run on the Patriots towards the end of the season (see: Joseph Addai, Willis McGahee, Willie Parker), and a lot of people are doubting the linebacker core of the Pats, but I do not hear that junk. That core group are some of the most professional dudes in the league at those positions and will be ready for the challenge of taking on the running attack of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.

It will be a close one and that will work in the Pats advantage: they have been here before with this group.

David Garrard may take good care of the football, but he will have a couple mistakes in this game that the Pats will immediately capitalize on.

Patriots win 27-23.