Well the 2009 NFL post season is finally here and I ended the regular season in week 17 going 8-6-2 on my picks bringing my regular season total to 126-116-10.  So you finished +10if you followed me, hardly worth the headaches, but at least I made a little bit of money and it was one hell of a roller coaster ride along the way.  Now we look to the first weekend of the post season with the NFC and AFC wildcard games to decide who will move on in their campaign for NFL glory and the Superbowl title.  Below are the spreads and picks for this weekends NFC wildcard games.

Saturday, January 3rd

Atlanta Falcons  -2  51
Arizona Cardinals

My Pick:  The Cards won their season ender vs Seattle, but after clinching the division it was very noticable the change in attitude and urgency that the Cardinals displayed.  They seemed very lax and didn’t let a few losses really get to them.  This concerns me because a team like the Cardinals that haven’t been to the playoffs since before I was born really need to finish the season strong and make sure everything is clicking to ensure against any brain farts that may occur due to lack of preparation.  The Cards need to shift the focus from their passing game to their run game and Tim Hightower if they want to be successful against a stingy Falcons D that constantly puts the pressure on opposing QB’s.  This may be a heavy load for Hightower who has never played in the post season before, but I think he can be successful or at least enough to keep up with Michael Turner.  They will still go back to the pass when they are in trouble, but if the Cardinals think they are just going to go pass happy and trade TD’s through the air with the Falcons then they have another thing coming.  Matt Ryan in his rookie year has already given the Falcon faithful something to be very excited about for years to come and Roddy White is always there in the clutch to hook up and get that 1st down, then when you compliment him with Michael “the Burner” Turner you have a very potent offense that puts up big numbers.  AZ at home is nothing to get excited about, they should be more relaxed, but at the end of the day if they get in a shootout with the Falcons I don’t think they can keep up in the end.  The Cards need to bring their D to play and slow down Turner and keep pressure on Ryan.  If they can do that then they win the game straight up.  I really, I mean REALLY like the Falcons, but I’m not sure they are ready yet and with Kurt Warner being as old as he is with the team that he is on, I think its just fate that will decide this and AZ gets the W.  Take the points.

Sunday, January 4th

Philadelphia Eagles -3  42
Minnesota Vikings

My Pick:  Both of these teams are big surprises and got in on last minute flukes and blunders by teams in their divisions.  As predicted, the Eagles stoomped on the Cowboys in the season finale and Donavan McScrub actually played pretty damn good throwing 300+ yards and 3 TD’s.  Minny narrowly escaped the Giants in the 4th quarter winning by a lousy field goal to go up by 1 point with no time left.  This pick is very simple, they are playing in a dome so weather is not an issue, the Viks barely got the W against the Giants backup players while the Eagles took pleasure in bitchh slapping the Boys’ and their starters who were desperately trying to get the W and the last spot in the playoffs, McScrub is playing like the McNabb of old days while Tavaris Jackson still needs a couple seasons to iron out the kinks.  Both defenses are playing stout, but the fear that the Viks D brought in the beginning of the season has since faded and they are not the same top rated D that they once were.  Philly was all but written off this year as early as week 12, but now is resurgent and in the groove.  Bottom line is that Philly is just the better team here and at -3 it is is a steal and I foresee this closing at -4 before its all said and done.  Give the points now before it goes up, you’ll thank me later…

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