Mikey's NFL picks

Last week: 2-0 Season record: 160-106-1 Well, it all comes down to this.  One more game and then seven months of darkness.  Well, not completely, but the rest of winter, all of spring and most of summer will pass before we see another NFL game that counts.  But before that, we have this one mighty match up and it's a gift from the football gods--right down to the fact that Brady and Belichick will be nowhere near this thing.  So let's get to it! Kansas City vs. San Francisco at Miami --I've purposely refrained from reading or watching any of the hype this past week, but I'm about to dive in.  This is a dream game for hardcore football fans--the explosive offense of KC and the dominant defense of San Fran.  The Niners' punishing run game against a KC defense that is better against the pass than they are against the run, but still underrated.  That means the Niners will try to move the chains and eat up as much clock as possible to keep Patrick Mahom...

Last week: 2-2 Season record: 158-106-1 Every year the same thing happens.  We're all excited for the season to kick off, and then we blink and it's Week 9.  We blink again and they're talking about playoff scenarios.  One more blink and here we are on the verge of Championship weekend, four teams remaining to determine who will hoist the Lombardi trophy in 16 days.  So remember to savor these last few games, especially since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will be watching them from their respective couches.  Tennessee at Kansas City --The paths these two teams took to get here are interesting.  The Titans squeaked in with a Week 17 win and some other things that fell into place.  Then they vanquished the defending champs and the AFC's 1-seed who everyone had been anointing world champions, with fast and hard-hitting defense, efficient and lethal QB play from Ryan Tannehill, and a human steamroller in Derrick Henry.  The Chiefs had a solid seas...

Last week: 0-4 Season record: 156-104-1 First of all, wow.  Last week was a bloodbath for my picks, and I'm annoyed and embarrassed.  But what I am not is disappointed in the games.  That was maybe the most entertaining round of wild card games I can ever remember.  Every game was a nail biter and there were some just crazy plays and moments and swings in momentum.  Let's hope the divisional round, i.e. the best NFL weekend of the year, lives up to last week's excitement. Here we go..... Minnesota at San Francisco --So the Vikings eliminated the favored Saints IN the Superdome.  It was the second time in three years that the Saints got knocked out by Minnesota on the last play of a game.  And it was the third straight gut-wrenching loss and season ender for the Saints, who still are smarting from that blown PI call in the NFC title game last year that sent the Rams to the Super Bowl.  But now the Vikings have to continue their road swing an...

Last week: 9-7 Season record: 156-100-1 The appetizers are over, and it's time for the main course.  Wild Card weekend is always great, with games on Saturday and Sunday; and next week's divisional round games (also on Saturday and Sunday) will be even better.  So let's get to it! Buffalo at Houston --The Texans are once again playing their annual Saturday afternoon game on Wild Card Weekend, and they are hosting these upstart Bills who are not really so upstart anymore.  I know JJ Watt will be back on the field and I know the Texans are at home and I know they won their division.  But I think Buffalo is a better 10-6 team than Houston's 10-6.  Bills 23, Texans 20 Tennessee at New England --The Patriots were getting ready to accept their usual bye week before the divisional round when they were punked by the fucking Dolphins AT HOME.  There are suddenly no guarantees for this Pats' team, especially when this very physical Titans' team comes in--a tea...