Free NFL Playoff Picks for Week 2  

Ouch! So the first week of the playoffs felt a lot like being a Seattle Seahawk, I imagine. I mean, I picked three losers, (Hawks, the Chargers, and the Pack) and the Seahawks lost three times to the Rams in one year, twice at home. Okay, I feel a little better than the Hawks, because I still put most of my eggs in the one basket I was damn sure about. The Colts manhandled a pathetic Bronco team, and also managed to almost bust the over all by themselves. I also must admit that I might have gone with my heart a little with Green Bay and Seattle. This week I promise to think with my head a little more, ignoring what I want to happen as a fan, instead, giving you a glimpse of the greed Lucky Lester possesses while at his best. Last weeks sad 1-3 record puts me at 123-119-8 for the year.

Jets @ Steelers Preview: This shouldn't be a good game. I love Coach Edwards and I even fancy the Jets team whose young defense can flat out play. But the Steelers are too good to lose at home to a Jet's team that played its heart out last week. The game might be competitive for a while, and if the Jets can find ways to slip Curtis Martin through the cracks I don't see in the Steeler defense then the game could be closer than I expect. The Steel Show has been just as good as their 15-1 record insists. They've outplayed good teams, and dominated most bad teams. They had trouble against the Jets earlier in the year, but something tells me they've got it figured out at this point. The Jets seemed to slip more and more as the year went on, while the Steelers gained respect week after week, ending the season with the best record. Ben Roethlisberger makes his playoff debut, and people are questioning if he'll have the poise and gusto to get the job done in a big game. The way I see it, this kid has been questioned since he got drafted. He was picked behind two guys at his own position. Well, Ben beat the Eagles and the Patriots this year, and knows how to win. That's that.

THE BET: Jets @ Steelers(-9) - Nine is a big number to sling down, but this Steeler team has the punch to knock out a Jets team that lost their way into the playoffs. You're welcome, St. Louis. Big Ben will find the seams needed to get his team into the AFC Championship. Don't expect him to do it by himself though. The two-headed, nicely aged monster of Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, will have a lot to do with the victory on Saturday. And while I'm giving credit to those who deserve it, let's not forget the newest version of the Steel Curtain. Some young guys grew up this year, and some old guys came to play. A lethal combo for one of the leagues best defensive units. If you are looking for a little Hollywood, or some motive in this one, look no further than Duce Staley and the chance of a Pennsylvania showdown. How bad would number 22 love to meet the NFC's best team in an Eagle-Steeler showdown on Super Bowl Sunday? The Steelers have won too many games to feel heat from the Jets. All bets aside, they know how to win.
Pittsburgh-27 Jets-13 - Game Date: 01/15/05 16:30 ET

Rams @ Falcons Preview: If the Falcons defense has a weak spot, it has to be their secondary. If the Rams offense has a strong point, it has to be their deep passing game. If this sounds like a tough match-up for the favored Falcons, it is. Mike Vick is leading this Falcon team, and he'll have a lot to do with the outcome of a big game. Two years ago, Vick tormented Brett Favre and the Packers. This Saturday we'll all get to see how much he's grown. Unfortunately for Mike, he still hasn't got the super receiver he's wanted. Peerless Price, a good second receiver, has had a rough time against number one corners. Warrick Dunn has played well, and should see his fair share of touches this weekend. When the Rams have the ball, well, you never know. A smart thing to do would be giving the ball to Stephen Jackson, who has showed why the Rams picked him as Marshal Faulk's successor. What will happen is ultimately up to Mike Martz who, unfortunately for the Rams, decides the outcome of too many games. With Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, not to mention the emergence of Shaun McDonald and Kevin Curtis, the Falcons have much to deal with. Don't expect a low score here.

THE BET: Rams(+7) @ Falcons - This is the betting world, so I'm taking a flyer here. I'm not just taking the Rams, I'm taking the Rams to win. The game is too much of a coin toss to go any other way. Any given Sunday, the Rams could get torched by a stellar Mike Vick. But just as possible, Mike could be mediocre. Look for him to struggle in this game he should win. With Martz calling deep passes against a secondary that is questionable at best, the Rams could finally get to 10 wins. And to think, it only took them 19 weeks. I guess 19 weeks with 10 wins is better than 17 weeks with 12. Ask San Diego. The Rams W here is only paying +230, which only insists on the possibility. They are 7-point underdogs, which usually pays around +270. Odds makers are smarter than I thought. Take the high-powered Rams offense in this one. They could very well take advantage of the weak secondary residing in Atlanta.
Rams-38 Falcons-28 - Game Date: 01/15/05 20:00 ET

Vikings @ Eagles Preview: The Vikings kicked into high gear against the Packers in Green Bay. Could that mean they found the Viking team that was 6-0, and rated as one of the top teams in the league? Or did they stumble upon the early season Packers that started out 1-4? Though I'd never risk my life on either one, I'd guess the first is more likely. Randy Moss is back, both on the field and off. His antics had me rolling, and the media ticked off. This bodes well for the Vikes. When Randy is on, he's giving the world a piece of his mind. When Randy is on, he's making the Vikings a pretty good football team. The Eagles starters haven't played a game for about 4 weeks. I'm not suggesting that they will be out of football shape, or even rusty, but they still are without their biggest offensive weapon Terrel Owens. The Vikings are a tough match-up for the Owens-less Eagles, who will have all they can handle in Philly. The Eagles still boast one of the Leagues top defensive units, All-Pro Donovan McNabb, and Coach Andy Reid. But will that be enough against a confident Viking team?

THE BET Vikings(+9) @ Eagles - I don't see 9 points between the final scores. If the Eagles win, they'll win ugly. If the Vikings win, it will be an offensive game with both teams scoring plenty of touchdowns. So, the way I see it, taking the Vikings at +9 is the safest bet, and a good one at that. The Vikes discovered themselves in a cold game of hide-and-seek at Lambeau field last Sunday. What they found looked pretty good, intercepting Brett Favre 4 times, and scoring easily and often in the freezing cold. The Vikings did two things last Sunday, they proved they could walk into a tough cold environment and win, and they showed they could play good football. Both were things I didn't believe after a regular season finale loss to the Redskins, of all teams.
Vikings-31 Eagles-27 - Game Date: 01/16/05 13:00 ET

Colts @ Patriots Preview: Ah yes. The game I've been waiting for. Peyton Manning and friends get another crack at the team that manages to end Colt hopes so often. Whether its last year's playoffs or the first game of the regular season, the Patriots have taken it to the Colts. Does it end here? That is the question. Peyton Manning has played out of this world, accounting for 5 touchdowns last week against the Broncos (4 passing, 1 rushing). The Patriots are beaten up in the secondary, which seems to be paving the way for a Manning triumph. Tom Brady, and even more importantly, Corey Dillon will do their best to keep this rivalry the way it's been, Patriotic. The forgotten man in all this might be the most important factor of all, Edgerrin James, has been underrated all year. He managed over 2000 yards from scrimmage in only 15 games, rushing for over 1500. While Dillon seems to be getting the most publicity, don't count out Edge, who could give his team exactly that on Sunday in New England.

THE BET: Colts(+2.5) @ Patriots - What a game this will be. The odds makers are almost favoring the Colts here. You may be asking what I'm talking about, seeing as though the Colts have 2.5 points, but listen, and you may understand. Two teams that are relatively equal usually are separated by three points on Sunday. The Home team gets 3 points for hosting the game, and that's that. Now equal is a relative term, but being a fan, I have just as good a guess as anyone. The Colts, who have lost to the Patriots every time they've ever played, or so it seems, only get 2.5 points in New England. This tells me, the odds makers think pretty highly of the Colts. I also think highly of them. Manning and his Rambo-Shed full of weapons, (James, Harrison, Wayne, Stokley, Clark, and Pollard) can dominate a football game. If the Pats, who barely beat the Colts in week 1, are expecting to find the same team they beat, they will have an off season in their near future. With Ty Law out, this game gets much tougher for the defending champions.
Colts-34 Patriots-27 - Game Date: 01/16/05 16:30 ET

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Lucky Lester

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