Tourney time

It's the most wonderful time of the year. I'm not talking about that joyous week after all the stress and obligations and annoyances from the holidays have finally passed. I'm talking the NFL playoffs. The bye-week Patriots will be sitting comfortably on their couches along with the rest of us watching what should be some very entertaining and close battles.

I haven't done the research -- because that's not what I do here -- but this may be the first time in NFL history that all four road teams (the wild cards) either have the same or better record than the four division winners. How will that effect the results? Who knows. Here are my largely uneducated picks for Wild Card weekend:

AFC

NY Jets (11-5) at Indianapolis (10-6): I could go with my heart and say Colts 45, Jets 3. But my head says Mt. Ryan and the Jets are the slightly better team. Neither has looked that impressive down the stretch but the Jets have more healthy weapons on offense and -- despite the loss of safety Jim Leonard -- the defense should be strong in the playoffs. The Colts are saying they plan on trying to match the Jets run for run with a healthy Joe Addai. Right. Manning will be throwing the ball all over the place. The two teams met in the AFC title game last year and the Jets squandered a 17-7 lead. This time they hold on. Jets 26, Colts 23.

Baltimore (12-4) at Kansas City (10-6): This is the game I'm most interested in watching. I predicted the Chiefs would capture the AFC West crown and they did. But it would have been more impressive of they hadn't lost to the Raiders in the season finale. But they did. This is the classic matchup of the playoff veteran (Ravens) vs. the playoff rookie (Chiefs). The veteran almost always wins. But Arrowhead will be red and rockin'. It will be fun to watch. I think Matt Cassell and the Chiefs channel some Patriot magic and shut down -- and shut up -- Ray Lewis and the Ravens. Chiefs 20, Ravens 13.

NFC

New Orleans (11-5) at Seattle (7-9): You read that right. 7-9. The Seahawks are the first team to make the playoffs with a losing record. And they did it in style, dropping seven of their last 10 games. But Pete Carroll and his squad are P'd and J'd to be in the playoffs and are -- incredibly -- at home. Like KC, Seattle is a very tough place to play. But the defending champs know how to win on the road. And they should win easily. The Saints have looked shaky at times, but this is the playoffs. They are the champs. The only question should be is it a high or low scoring game? That will all depend on the weather. The forecast looks decent -- for the Northwest. Saints 45, Seahawks 27.


Green Bay (10-6) at Philadephia (10-6): Michael Vick and the Eagles were all the rage a few weeks ago when they made that improbably rally against the Giants. That was a couple of weeks ago. Since then Mad Dog Vick has looked mortal-ish. As have the Eagles. But a team with Vick, DeSean, and LeSean are a potent offensive force. The Eagles will need all three against a ferocious Packers' D. Aaron Rodgers brings his own passing attack. These two teams are about as evenly matched as you can get. Tie goes to the home team. Eagles 21, Packers 20.