NFL Divisional Round, Sunday Games

DALLAS (-7) Giants: Tomo Romo takes a vacation and there are some that feel this is the worst action he could have taken with his offense struggling. It’s his off week and management gave him the green light to go to Mexico. If you had an off week and the money to travel, would you stay at home and prepare for the day you came back to work? He’s prepared for the Giants twice already this season and needed time away from football. This is exactly what the bye week is for. For the teams who have earned the right, they can take a week off and get totally away from the game, clear the mind and get back to work fresh the next week. Brett Favre did not go to Mexico, but I bet that he did not look at any film until this past week. You think Brady was watching film last week as he was spotted going out in New York with his girl friend?

Dallas is an elite team when their offense is clicking, but above average when the offense has struggled. I say this because the Cowboy defense is overrated and do not have the ability to win a game on their own. I feel DeMarcus Ware and Gregg Ellis are the best two players on the defense, after that, a lot of hype. Terrence Newman and Anthony Henry are decent, Roy Williams is a big hit safety, but is mediocre in pass coverage. Who on the Dallas D-line inspires confidence? Dallas will not win this game with their defense alone.

The Giants are on a high, no denying that. The Patriot game has infused this team with a lot of confidence, especially in Manning. In the Patriot game he looked in total control, in the Tampa game he looked Phill Simms esque, boringly efficient with a just move the chains mentality. It seems to me that Manning is most comfortable when he comes up to the line, looks over the defense and makes an audible. The Giants chances of winning depend on them running the ball with Jacobs and Bradshaw. However, where there was doubt early in the year if Manning can win important games, there is confidence now in Manning that he can.

The Giants defense is playing well, their offense is moving the ball, and there is total confidence in Tom Coughlin going into Sunday. The Cowboys offense will be better than it was in the last quarter of the regular season. I do not see this game as a blowout in either direction.
Pick: Giants (+7)

COLTS (-10) Chargers: LaDanian Tomlinson is the best RB in football, and he can take over any game. If Dungy prepares his defense for the run and they are successful in stopping L.T., then the Charger offense will fall on the shoulders of Norv Turner’s ingenuity and Phillip River’s arm. Not very confident in that proposal, especially since Antonio Gates is probably out. Defensively the Chargers will not stop the Colt offense. I’m a big fan of Louis Castillo, Antonio Cromartie had a tremendous season and Shawn Merriman is a beast, but as a unit, the Charger defense will not stop the Colts with their full assortment of targets for Manning to throw to. I picked the Chargers to win the AFC in the preseason, but do not see them winning this game and will struggle to cover the spread.
Pick: Colts (-10)