Conference Title Sunday

Before we get to the picks, let's talk about the one game I got wrong last week.

The Ravens screwed me out of going 4-0 last week so badly I might never pick them to win anything ever again. Remember when I talked about punting being a good thing in that game? Well, it's REALLY REALLY good when you find yourself up 21-7 on the road. Let your defense win that game. Honestly, the game was over when Ray Rice fumbled on that screen pass. You don't recover from that momentum swing and the Steelers are experts at accepting choke-jobs. If you're aiming a gun at your foot, Pittsburgh will do all it can to make you feel comfortable as you pull the trigger.

Seriously though, kneel down three times and punt EVERY drive. If Baltimore would have done that, we would be watching a playoffs where the last four teams are all teams that I wouldn't mind see winning the Super Bowl and I can't even tell you how rare that is. But now, because of the Ravens' "stupidness," I have to bite my nails for the rest of the playoffs hoping this stupid Steelers' team with no offensive line or running game doesn't bullshit their way to yet another Super Bowl.

Picks.

Packers at Bears,
3:00 pm, Sunday

The line for this game: Packers -3.5.

That's all I need to know to pick this game.

The Bears and Packers split their regular season match ups. The Bears won at home (they'll be playing at home) and the Packers won BARELY at Green Bay when they needed it a hell of a lot more than the Bears did. You can't give a road team this many points against a team with a better record on the road who they aren't even better than. It's the biggest hex ever.

Now I'll give you the fact that the Bears don't win pretty and the Packers played better than they have ever played since the preseason in that Falcons game but that's exactly why the Bears are a bad match up for the Packers. The Packers need to find a rhythm. They play fast-break football on offense and defense and yet, their coach often plays to lose. Does anybody remember that they should have lost to the Eagles after outplaying them all game? Way to keep your foot on the pedal, McCarthey.

The Bears don't even have a rhythm. They win games in the grey areas. They get turnovers, big plays on offense and they have the best special teams in the league. They don't get the instinctive worry that the Packers would get if they notice their game is thrown off by the cold, the wind or the other team and they don't have the pressure of America's backing.

I like Aaron Rodgers, but I would just LOVE to see Jay Cutler in the Super Bowl.

Bears over Packers,
28-24

Jets at Steelers,
6:30 pm, Sunday

This is probably the toughest task Rex Ryan has had thus far in the playoffs.

Rex "Let's Get A Fuckin' Snack" Ryan has successfully hidden/accentuated the talents of Mark Sanchez perfectly so far in the playoffs. Against a team that reaps benefits better than any team I've ever seen, it's going to be quite the task.

But you know what? Screw it.

For the team he has in this landscape of the NFL and for where his team fits into the league, he is the best coach in the NFL. I think he can do it.

Jets over Steelers,
14-13