VIKINGS HOMER SECTION by Guest Writer – ‘A-SQUARED’

This Sunday’s matchup puts a red hot Dallas Cowboys team up against a medium-chilled Minnesota Vikings team. Dallas has been on fire since their week 15 win over the then-undefeated New Orleans Saints, while the Vikings started the year off winning their first 6 games before suffering their first defeat to last year’s Super Bowl Champion Steelers.  They then won four in a row before finishing the season losing 3 of their last 5.  So some would think the Vikings are limping into the playoffs while the Cowboys are steam rolling ahead at full speed.  Which on the surface looks to be true – but after halftime of the week 16 game against the Bears, the Vikings looked to be their dominant selves as Adrian Peterson ran like a man possessed, taking no prisioners. I say as long as the Vikings O-line plays up to their capabilies and keeps that maniac Demarcus Ware out of the backfield, and if they can keep their two turnover prone stars from turning the ball over, they should win this game.

DeMarcus Ware, professional Bad MF

One thing that scares me is Dallas is the healthiest team in the playoffs while the Vikings will be playing without their middle linebacker EJ Henderson, which is a much bigger blow to the Vikings defense then the media would lead anyone to believe.

Keeping in mind that the Vikings are 8-0 at home and well rested, I say Minnesota wins this game 31-20 in a semi-blowout.

And one more thing – F*ck Tony Romo.

JETS HOMER SECTION

I am proudly picking the Jets to mop the floor with the San Diego Chargers.  New York will be on the road, against a team who has won 11 straight games in as sound a fashion as can be imagined, but will walk away the victor.  Punishing run game.  Punishing defense.  Corners unintimidated by the receivers or the quarterback.  Jets prevail.

I know Chuck Woodson won the Defensive Player of the Year, but Darelle Revis is the best corner in the league, period.

I know, as much as I hate to say it, Philip Rivers has played the best season of his career, and he looks to be improving almost every week.  That is scary to me.  I don’t like that.  But as biased as I am, I do honestly believe that the Jets are more than capable of winning this game.  The one weakness of this Chargers team is their run defense, and the Jets love to run right up the middle, down your throat.  Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene will pound the rock all game long, while Princess Tomlinson sits visored on the bench, probably with one of those Chargers parkas on, even though it will be about 70 degrees out.

Mark Sanchez can complete the 15 or so passes that will be required of him and the Jets will go on to face their rubber-match destiny, the Indianapolis Colts.

RAVENS BANDWAGON JUMPER SECTION

It worked for me last week, so I will go with it again this week.  I thought for sure the Ravens would get exposed last week against New England, even though I was pulling hard for the Baltimore club.  The Ravens came through in electric fashion, brutalizing the Patriots into submission on both sides of the ball.

Ray Rice and Willis McGahee should be able to plow through the Colts offense, and Joe Flacco should be able to feed Derrick Mason and Todd Heap in the redzone.  I think the Ravens can play with Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense, making life hard for No. 18 before the snap, and for the Indy wideouts after the snap.  I think the Ravens’ special teams and linebackers will benefit from the indoor turf at Invesco Field.  I think Indy has bad karma after folding tent against the Jets.

But despite all this going against Indy, I am picking them to win because I want them to lose.  Just play along.  Colts 28, Ravens 21.

ARIZONA at NEW ORLEANS

It’s an awfully sexy trend among media types to go with the Cardinals in this game (how convenient that so many Homersota media types like AZ, giving the VIkes home field for the theoretical NFC Championship game), but I’m going with the Saints, and here is why: the itch for this team to be playing meaningful football had to be driving the Saints crazy all week, and by the time they take the field, they are going to be frenzied maniacs with a surgically-precise leader at QB.  Yes, N.O. looked lackadaisical against Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Carolina, and that’s because they were.  Now it’s time to flip the switch, and I trust in this Saints squad – that has been quality for a few years now – to do just that.  Saints 34, Cards 23.

contact email: nick.thomas@flyingpigskin.com