Tennessee (WC #1) @ Baltimore (4th Seed) Sat 4:30pm
In case you haven't noticed, I haven't thrown any real zingers in yet. This is the playoffs: this is too serious for the Beyonce references or the comparisons to TV & movie heroes you haven't heard of in years. This is a game that I anticipate will make me almost as hot as the Saturday night game following it! Titans and Ravens: two good defensive units, one with big time passing game, one with major running game, both with prime MVP candidates. There's only a few things more tantalizing than this game that I can think of off the top of my head: track #2 on Beyonce's CD (sorry, guess I'm just to perverted to go without!), Cincinnati Skyline Chili, a nice pinch on a cold day (pinch of what?), and a snifter of the Beam to go with it. All those things are great, but they are much better when enjoyed during a playoff game like this (hey, Beyonce during half-time of every game? How's starting the petition?). Let's take a look at the Titans. Tennessee finished the regular season a little sluggish, and McNair's injuries (as well as the loss of Billy Volek) didn't help matters. The Titans did win their last 3 games, assuring their place in the postseason, as the AFC was very tough this year. However, this team struggled in games it should (and was) winning easily: a 2-pt win over Buffalo, a 3-pt win over Houston, a 7-pt loss to the Jets, a 7 point win over Atlanta (giving up 31 to that Falcons team?) gave Titan fans a lot to worry about coming down the home stretch. Despite the injury bug, McNair finished the year with 3,215 yards passing and 24 TD's versus only 7 interceptions (an ungodly ratio). This guy is throwing at a clip of 8.0 yards a reception, also very impressive. He received pretty good protection, taking only 19 sacks all year, and all of this without the benefit of a respectable running game. It's safe to say almost every fantasy player out there would rather have Eddie George on their softball team rather than their fantasy team. The guy was awful this year: 1,031 yards (more than I guessed, but I'd rank that as "bad" by Eddie George standards) rushing, only 5 TD's, and averaging only 3.3 yards a carry. Fans got a nice glimpse of the future, as Chris Brown got some carries in the later part of the season and played well (12 carries for 46 versus a very tough Miami defense, and 10 carries for 69 yards versus Houston). I don't expect you'll see too much of either RB this weekend as the Raven's D won't be letting too much rushing go on (we'll get to this in a minute). One huge advantage for the Titans is their receiving corps. Derrick Mason, when healthy, is one of the best WR's in the game and is rarely acknowledged as such. Justin McCareins had his best season yet (granted, it's only his 3rd, but still his best) and proved to be a major force in the end zone with 7 TD's (only 1 less than Mason). Drew Bennett is back and played a major role in Tennessee's last regular season win. Erron Kinney is proving to be a capable QB with good hands. I believe McNair could make any WR look pretty good, but these guys provide a great supporting cast for the bulk of the offense. They will need to have a big game. Baltimore's pass D is tremendous, allowing only 175 passing yds a game. However, they have given up 19 TD's thus far through the air, and that number is a little high for a team with such excellent talent in the backfield. If the Titans want to advance, they will have to lean on their patchwork MVP to get the ball downfield, and the all the receivers had better bring their top games.

Baltimore is a puzzling team, but I love their style. Come this time of year, I feel, and it's been proven, that nothing beats a great defense and a top running game as a lethal tandem. Baltimore has that chemistry, and they will ride it as far as it will take them. How many of us were watching Jamal Lewis go for that record last week against a tough Pittsburgh defense, in a game that had absolutely no bearing on the playoffs? It was a great game, and though Lewis came up one good run short, he has firmly planted himself on the short list of great RB's in the game right now. He is the offense of the Ravens, and every team they've faced has known it, and few have stopped him. He'll get his shots against what may be the best rushing defense he's faced yet. The Titans' D finished the regular season as the top-rushing defense in the land, giving up only 81 yards a game on the ground. Can Lewis do it alone? I believe he'll have to: after starting off nicely, QB Anthony Wright has fallen back to earth in recent weeks. He hasn't broken the 200 yards passing mark in 4 games, and he's found the end zone 5 times in that same span, he's thrown 5 interceptions as well. However, the Ravens are 3 & 1 in that span, so I guess you can't really complain (though the loss to Oakland is not only reason to complain, it's yet another reason to question the existence of a higher power). Wright will take his best throws at a defense that is giving up 225 yds passing a game. I don't expect you will see Wright throw too many TD's (the Titans have allowed only 20 passing TD's, only 1 more despite giving up 50 more passing yards a game), but he'll give TE phenom Todd Heap a few good looks. Heap is a going to be a major factor in this game. I don't know that the Titan's have an answer for the Stormin' Mormon, as Heap is too tall and too powerful for most LB's to cover. This is a great match up! The Ravens love to run the bullet; the Titans are excellent at shutting down the run game. The Titans love to pass the ball; the Ravens are as good as it gets at stopping the pass (by the way, Chris McAlister should get some defensive Player of the Year votes as he has shut down an impressive list of top receivers this year). These two teams don't meet up for tea and crumpets too often, and their history of hatred has been pretty well covered if you watch Sportscenter or listen to sports radio, or if you actually watch football. Now for the facts that will sway my decision. One: Brian Billick OWNS Jeff Fisher, having never lost to the Titans' coach (5 & 0). Two: Baltimore averages 8 more points scored at home than on the road, and the Ravens' record at home through the regular season was 7 & 1 versus 3 & 5 on the road. Three: this is owner Art Modell's last year as the owner of the Raven's, and Modell has been a league innovator and a man of historical importance in the NFL (Cleveland fans, start sending your virus attachments and eff you emails now). It seems to me the Ravens will be beyond pumped for this game: it will be like Ray Lewis on a 3-day crack binge night in Baltimore. Ray Lewis will be the man to watch, as always. He is a major factor in every game, and he really steps it up (if that is possible) in the playoffs. He'll be after McNair (who is still not 100%) and his passes. He'll be all over the field, and you can forget about George and Chris Brown. R-Lewis, along with buddies Terrell Suggs, Marques Douglas, Peter Boulware (if he's a go, as his health is an issue), Tony Weaver, Kelly Gregg, and Edgerton Hartwell will make sure the run game is not a factor for Tennessee. With that in mind, and with Chris McAlister and Ed Reed patrolling the backfield, it's hard to see the Titans putting up enough points to win this one. I'm taking the Ravens to send Modell out with a bang. This Ravens team is going to be very tough in these playoff games, and they have the makeup to go deep in the tournament (it doesn't sound right calling it a tournament, but essentially it is). The Titans are good, and McNair is very good, but his arm won't be enough to overcome this top dog defense. I believe Jamal Lewis can run against anyone, and though he may struggle a bit, he will provide enough offense to get the Ravens on the board (especially with Jevon Kearse as a question mark, as he is listed as questionable), not to mention what the defense may add to that effort. The Titans may have averaged 28 points a game during the regular season, but they are way to beat up to (their "Questionable" list for this game is longer than my write-up for this game) score that much in this one, and the Ravens should advance to the next round.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Baltimore Defense, Jamal Lewis, Steve McNair (Questionable), Todd Heap, Matt Stover, Gary Anderson, Titan Defense

2nd String: Marcus Robinson, Derrick Mason (Questionable), Anthony Wright, Justin McCareins, Travis Taylor, Eddie George, Chris Brown, Drew Bennett, Erron Kinney

Prediction: Titans 13, Ravens 21

The Panthers come into the playoffs as one of the most successful expansion teams in NFL history. In only their second season as an organization, they reached the NFC Championship game. This year they came in as a favorite to make the playoffs as the representative from the NFC South. They didn't disappoint, capitalizing on a poor season from defending Super Bowl champs Tampa Bay and winning the division. Take a look at the regular season results and you'll notice this team is coming in from a 3 game winning streak. You'll also notice those 3 wins came against very bad teams (Arizona, Detroit, and the Giants). Before the closing streak, this team had lost 3 straight to much tougher competition, including a 4-point loss to this Dallas team. It's no secret this team relies heavily on the rushing game, lead by Stephen Davis (finished the year with 1,444 yards and 8 TD's). Davis is the heart and soul of this team as the Panthers use his hard running style to wear down the opposition. In an attempt to rest their star after a rough season, the Panthers gave Davis limited action in the last 3 games (13 carries, did not play, and 11 carries respectively). Sometimes this is just what a player needs to come into a playoff game rested and ready of battle. However, there are times when this strategy can backfire, as the player hasn't seen game action in a few weeks and may struggle to find the groove he once had in the regular season. Davis will give the tough Dallas D a true match. In November, Davis received 26 carries but picked up only 59 yards. Dallas will key on him again in this game, and they will let QB Jake Delhomme try his best to be the hero. Delhomme enjoyed a nice season in his first as a starter: 3219 yards passing, 19 TD's, and a handful of come-from-behind wins. Delhomme has lead his team to key victories, including early season wins over New Orleans, Indy, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Washington. However, against Dallas, Delhomme didn't fare as well: only 175 yards passing with 1 TD and 1 pick, his 3rd worst QB rating of the year. Dallas will bring big time pressure on Delhomme, keeping him on the run and forcing him to make quick decisions with the ball. Jake's favorite target, Steve Smith, needs to find a game he hasn't had in several weeks. Smith is a capable set of hands, and he's been clutch in late game situations. However, he has only 2 TD's in his last 7 games. He hasn't seen 100 yards in 2 months (he picked up 99 yards versus Arizona, but that is the only whiff he's had at 100 in that time). The big concern for the Panthers has to be on defense. This unit came into the year tabbed as possibly the best unit in football, and they are loaded with big time playmakers. However, in their last 6 games this unit has allowed opponents an average of 21 points a game, and in a defensive battle like this game will be, that number may prove to be too big. If Carolina wants to win this game, they will need a top effort from their secret weapon: special teams, namely their return game. Rod Smart and Steve Smith are great return guys, and the one thing Parcells has harped on all year is the struggles on special teams his Boys have experienced. It is hard to rely on this aspect, as Carolina has returned only 1 kick for a score. But if they can get good field position with big returns, they can rely on the leg of John Kasey and the rushing of Stephen Davis to do some damage. If you love defensive football, this game is right up your alley. I would expect a lower score than their first match up when Dallas won 24-20. The big question: who will throw the ball? I wouldn't expect either team to run for too many yards, and Davis may not be a big factor until he gets into the red zone. Both teams are well coached, both teams have solid kickers, both teams have capable (but not flashy) QB's. I'm going with Dallas for two reasons: I feel the Boys have a big time advantage with their receiving corps, and the Dallas defense gets the edge as well. Dallas has maybe the best motivator the NFL has seen in decades as well. This game would mean a ton for this squad that has proven almost all of us wrong this year, and proven to be a much better squad than any of us imagined. Carolina is a solid team, and they will make this a tight game, but their defense isn't playing as well as they need to in recent weeks, and I fear they won't be able to keep the Boys' number low enough to win. As I look at these first round games, I feel the Boys have the best shot to upset. I believe if the Panthers don't run for 100 yards, and if the Dallas D can keep Davis under wraps as they did several weeks ago, they have a huge advantage. The key player to watch: Dallas CB Terence Newman. In keying on Davis and letting Delhomme take his shots, Newman is likely to get the responsibility of covering Steve Smith. Newman has been huge in recent weeks, possibly earning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Dallas will let backfield stud Roy Williams roam, pressuring the QB and seeking out Stephen Davis as well as making his normal big plays in the backfield. This makes Newman the big dog in the Dallas coverage, and if he can keep the ball out of Smith's hands, I don't see the Panthers scoring enough to win. Stephen Davis may prove me wrong: if he plays well and gets his yards while finding the end zone a couple of times, then Carolina could win. I'm not willing to bet the mortgage on this happening, and thus I'll give my pick to Parcells and his defense.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Dallas Defense, Billy Cundiff, John Kasay, Stephen Davis, Quincy Carter, Richie Anderson, Jason Witten, Carolina Defense

2nd String: Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Terry Glenn, Joey Galloway, Antonio Bryant, DeShaun Foster, Troy Hambrick, Aveion Cason, Muhsin Muhammed, Kris Mangum, Ricky Proehl

Prediction: Boys 20, Panthers 14

Seattle (WC #1) @ Green Bay (4th Seed) Sun 1pm
Seattle squeaks into the playoffs by the seat of Nathan Poole's butt, and they are rewarded with what may be the hottest team in the NFL right now. After putting up 10 wins for the first time since 1986, the Seahawks will try to continue their winning ways versus a Green Bay team that handed them a huge loss (35-13) in Week 4. Offensively the Hawks bring a nice mix of weapons. Matt Hasselback had a great year, some would say a Pro Bowl type of year (instead, this week's opposing QB will make the trip to Hawaii): 3,841 yds (4th in the NFL), 26 TD's versus 15 picks. Shaun Alexander had another solid year, putting up 1,435 yards rushing with 14 TD's, his most productive season thus far. Darrell Jackson proved to be the WR worthy owning on your fantasy squad, catching passes for 1,137 yards and 9 TD's. This offensive squad (along with the other contributors, of course) scored an average of 25.3 pts/game, ranking 7th in the NFL in the category. This team can score….. at home. On the road, the Chickens were 2 & 6, picking up wins in Arizona and San Francisco. However, with the exception of the blowout in Green Bay and another tough loss in Minnesota, the Seahawks lost the other 4 road games by an average of only 6 points. However, you can punch a hole in that balloon by noting the Hawks scored an average of that 6 points lower when they were on the road. This team has not shown they can get it done outside the confines of their own domain. They are pretty weak, at best, on defense as well. There defensive unit gives up an average of about 20 points a game, with opponents earning an average of 110 yards rushing a game as well as 218 yards passing a game. Not horrible numbers, but necessarily great. A sign of their "conflicts" on defense is the starting lineups: in 16 regular season games, the Hawks opened with different defensive starting lineups 13 times. Here's one nice thing to say about their D: they allowed a 100-yard rusher only 4 times this year. Of course, one of those 4 was Ahman Green (118 yds, 2 TD's). It will be interesting to see how the Hawks approach this game. You can bet the Hawks will bring their passing game: with Holmgren's West Coast offense, this team rarely hand the ball to Alexander more than about 20 times a game. In their previous game, Hasselback threw the rock 39 times, but failed to put on in the breadbasket. The Hawks haven't deviated from this style of offense all year long, so it's hard to say they will suddenly change this week. They have a shot: the Packer's D isn't especially strong versus the run or pass (212 yards passing/game; 106 yards rushing/game allowed). The real question is whether or not they can make some big plays, and whether or not Matt Hasselback can be effective in the cold. Gametime forecast in Green Bay calls for 30 degrees with a very small chance of precipitation. I don't doubt Hasselback can make the plays, but his receivers need to hold on to the ball and they need to earn some yards after the catch. Turnovers will play a big factor as well. Both teams came out of the regular season almost even in turnover margin (-1 for Seattle, 0 for Green Bay). In their first match, Hasselback threw 1 pick and Alexander lost 1 fumble. May not sound like much, but it was enough to cost Seattle two good opportunities to possibly change the chain of events that day.

Green Bay is coming into the Playoffs on a wave of emotion. They have won 4 in a row, they "snuck" into the playoffs by beating Denver to win the division as Minnesota choked (I said it), and after the loss of Brett Favre's dad, many have suggest this is a team of destiny, lead by some sort of celestial force. I'm not ready to throw this team in a box and call them "Angels in the Outfield" just yet, but they have played some great football in recent weeks. Of course, let's temper that statement a bit: those 4 wins came against the Bears (not a walk-over team, but not in the class of Green Bay yet), the Chargers, the Raiders, and a Denver team that sent most of it's players to the showers about 10 minutes before gametime (I'm not saying Denver laid down, but would you rather face Jake Plummer and Clinton Portis or Danny Kannell and Mike Anderson?). One thing that really jumps off the page when you look at the Packers season: they were never blown off the field by an opponent. The Rams beat them by 10 points (not a drumming by any means), and that was the worst point margin for the Pack in their losses. They have looked ugly at times, like the loss in Detroit 5 weeks ago. But hey, that Detroit team also beat the Rams this last weekend! If you take an honest survey of the numbers, although there is no denying Brett Favre is the emotional general of this team, there is also no denying that Ahman Green is the man in Green Bay. Green put up 1,883 yards rushing with 15 TD's. A phenomenal year, but let's put it in proper perspective. The man ran for 100 yards or more 9 times, and the Packers benefited by going 7 & 2 in those games. In Green Bay's six losses, Green missed the 100 yards mark in 4 of them. So, to sum it all up: give the damn ball to Ahman Green. He's also proven to be a worthy receiver, scoring 5 TD's on receptions. At Lambeau Field, the guy averages 5.7 yards a carry! Favre needs to get this guy the ball so he can take advantage, again, of the soft defensive line the Seahawks will tote into Green Bay. Another guy Favre will be looking for is Javon Walker. Walker, in his 2nd season, has come on strong of late, catching 5 TD's in his last 5 games. It's not a big secret that the Packer work wins from offense. Their defense isn't horrible, and they are capable of making plays, but they don't necessarily keep opponents off the board. Over the course of the regular season, they kept teams to an average of bout 19 points a game. However, this number should be qualified as they play both the Lions and the Bears twice, as well as (this year) the Cardinals, San Diego, and Oakland. If we take out those teams (as well as the last game in which they played the Denver Crush, as the local Arena team actually made the trip for the Broncos), the Packers gave up an average of about 23 points a game, and they picked up a record of 4 & 4 in that span of games. In my humble opinion, this game comes down to some simple facts that you can't break down with all the numbers and stats (though they do support them). One: Green Bay is playing at home, and at Lambeau in the playoffs, the Packers are 11 & 1 at home in the postseason. Two: the Seahawks are not equipped to stop Ahman Green, and unless Green fumbles so often the Packers can't recover, he will walk all over the Seahawks. Three: this Seattle team is good, but they are luck to even be in this game, and they aren't up to this challenge just yet. They are well on their way, but their defensive woes will keep them from advancing this year. Look for Green Bay to hand the ball to Green all day. Look for the Hawks to battle offensively and put up a much better fight than they did months ago. Look for Green Bay to pull out the win in a high scoring, offensive battle that could swing other way with a turnover or two (but don't bet on it).

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Ahman Green, Brett Favre, Matt Hasselback, Shaun Alexander, Darrell Jackson, Javon Walker, Bubba Franks, Ryan Longwell, Josh Brown

2nd String: Koren Robinson, Bobby Engram, Robert Ferguson, Donald Driver, Packer Defense, Najeh Davenport, Wesley Walls, Itula Mili, Maurice Morris, Seattle Defense

Prediction: Seahawks 21, Packers 28

Denver (WC #2) @ Indianapolis (3rd Seed) Sun 4:30pm
Indy hasn't won a playoff game in 8 years. They haven't won a playoff game at home since 1970. I wasn't even freakin' conceived yet! Question of the week: will the Colts stop the run? It's like asking, "Will I win the lottery?", or "Is Mike Tyson playing with a full deck?", or "Is there a bigger freak on the planet than Michael Jackson?": you are not 100% sure, but you've got a pretty good idea. This is a match up that has to scare Indy fans. They got WORKED just two weeks ago by this same team at their own crib, but to call this Denver team visiting this weekend "the same team" would be a big mistake. The Broncos will have their ace RB, Clinton Portis, in tow and healthy as he's been in weeks to take a crack at the porous defense. Games like this really scare me as a prognosticator of sorts. You know the teams are going to be making big adjustments, and you don't really know what to expect. The question of Indy's ability to stop the run is very intriguing, as they have struggled all year to make adjustments with some sign of progress. Through the regular season, the Colts gave up an average of 124 yards rushing a game, not to mention the 19 rushing TD's and 13 rushes for 20+ yards they gave up. Indy also finished closer to the bottom than the top of the NFL in scoring allowed, giving up an average of 21 points a game to opponents. This team gave up some huge points to visiting teams this season: 23 to Carolina, 21 to Houston, 31 to the Jets, 38 to the Patriots, and of course 31 to Denver. Look at the rushing totals in those games: DeShaun Foster for 85 yds AND Stephen Davis for 76, 109 yds for Domanick Davis, 105 yds to Curtis Martin walker and all (just kidding, I love Curtis Martin), 42 yds to Kevin Faulk (if you don't think NE wants a RB next year, just look at that number and hum that song from Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the other…."), and 136 yds to Quentin Griffin AND 56 to Mike Anderson. Unbelievable. Totally unbelievable, the lack of ability by this Colts' D to find a way to stop the run. I can't imagine this team making the kind of adjustments that are severely needed to stop the bleeding. So, I'm going to go with this assumption: if the Colts are going to win, they need to score more than a couple of TD's and FG's to do it. Sound fair? There is no question they can do it, but Peyton Manning is going to have to throw for more than 146 yards, and Edge James is definitely going to need more than 10 carries for 42 yards as well. Here's the problem: Denver has been pretty good at keeping opponents off the scoreboard. They have given up an average of about 19 points a game, a much better number than the 21 put up by Indy (in the world of "average scoring stats," that 2 points is a pretty decent gap). You take a look at the Denver schedule and see the scores of their games: the best any opponent did this season was 30 by New England (again, not counting the last game versus Green Bay, as the local Denver Girl Scouts were back in coverage). They had about 4 games where the opponent put up a "high" number (say 24 points or more). Here's the kicker: name one guy in the Broncos' defensive backfield. Off the top of your head, name one. One freakin' guy. I thought of Kenoy Kennedy and Deltha O'Neal. That's it! One: Deltha O'Neal has had a very bad season and has not been used as a starter too often as the season has worn on (he's actually been used on offense more often in the games I've watched). Two: I LIVE IN DENVER! And yet, despite not having any Pro Bowlers or household names in their defensive backfield, the Broncos have kept opponents to 177 yards passing game. Not that there isn't hope: Daunte Culpepper hung 277 on 'em (in Minnesota, in the dome on turf, the biggest point of hope you'll find Colt fans), and Tom Brady stuck 350 on them too. If the Colts are going to win, Peyton Manning will have to join this select group of QB's that have found a way to go deep on Denver.

Denver's offense is capable of some big numbers, but with one condition: only if Jake Plummer is healthy. Without Plummer, the Broncos really struggled to produce any consistent offense. That may be why the Packers beat 'em by 28 last week and why the Donkeys only managed 3 points of offense: no Jake. We all knew Jake could change and be a better QB in Denver, but he has been a stud thus far. His numbers aren't mind-boggling: 2,182 yards (remember he missed a nice chunk of games due to injury) with 15 TD's and only 7 INT's. When's the last time you saw Jake with only half as many picks as TD's? Not only that, but the guy is averaging 7.2 yards a reception! That is impressive, and give him credit. He does play in a nice scheme, and he's given a chance to succeed unlike in Arizona, but you won't put up numbers based on the coach or scheme alone (just ask Tim Couch or Patrick Ramsey). Of course, every football fan knows about Clinton Portis by now. 1,591 yards (missing 3 games total by the way), 14 TD's, and one hell of a highlight film to put together. He is not only helping Plummer get some space and respect from defensive units, he's reaping the benefits of having a good QB to keep defenses guessing as well. He's turned himself into guaranteed top 3 fantasy pick next year (in most leagues, unless you play with morons). This team will give it a go much like two weeks ago. I know the running game got all the attention, but Plummer had a very nice game as well: 14 of 17 for 238 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. It was a great balance of running and passing, though they found much more success running the ball. The Colts do have a very respectable pass defense, allowing only 176 yards passing a game through the regular season. I believe the Broncos will come at this game the same way they did two weeks ago: a nice balance on offense and see what the defense can do. That is the key to this game, or any Indy game for that matter, and this is why they lost to Denver two weeks ago. This Colts team has come from behind, and they have won games by big margins and small. However, they may have let themselves get too comfortable in their ability to come back (remember the huge comeback versus Tampa Bay on Monday Night earlier in the season?). When a team, like Denver, is able to run up the score by running the football, their job becomes much easier in the second half. For starters, it is much more tiring for a defensive line to chase and stop the run all game long. They will wear out. Second, once they have a lead and they've done it with rushing, and they continue to rush the ball well, they now control the pace of the game as well as the clock, the time of possession, and the scoreboard. If they keep running, and they keep the ball away from Peyton Manning, the Broncos can win. And they could do it again this week if the Colts can't stop the run!

I'm adding a third paragraph, just to state my case. I believe Denver will not win, and here is why. Although the Broncos have a solid overall defense, they are missing some key players to injury, most notably John Mobley and Ian Gold. I'll admit Bertrand Berry has picked up some of the slack, but the Broncos will not get pressure on Peyton Manning, and this is key. The Colts need to do two things: they need to run early, and they need to run often, and they need to let Edge work his magic. By doing so, unlike two weeks ago, the Colts can gain control of the game clock and the pace of play. They can wear on the defensive line, and they can do what Denver did to them! They have a great RB, and they need to use him EARLY. By using him early, they open up chances later in the game for the passing game. When the Broncos jumped ahead, they could protect against the pass easier as they knew the Colts had to start going down the field to catch up. This game will be a role reversal. The biggest difference: Denver, and no team for that matter, has a good shot at keeping Manning under 200 yards and 0 TD's twice. He's too good, and he's got Marvin Harrison. I didn't mention Marvin intentionally through this whole preview: he had a nice game two weeks ago (6 catches, 85 yards), but they didn't hook up in the end zone. Denver won't keep Manning to Marvin out of the end zone again, and Reggie Wayne should become a bigger factor as well. Edge should get his 25 to 30 carries, and even if the defense let's some running go, they should be able to keep Denver "respectable" enough to win. I'm taking the Colts, and though I expect this game to be a great battle, I think you'll see a different approach from Indy, and it will work at putting an end to that horribly long streak for Indy as they pick up a home playoff win.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Peyton Manning, Clinton Portis, Marvin Harrison, Edge James, Jake Plummer, Shannon Sharpe, Mike Vanderjagt, Jason Elam, Marcus Pollard

2nd String: Reggie Wayne, Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, Brandon Stokley, Denver Defense, Quentin Griffin, Mike Anderson, Colt Defense

Prediction: Broncos 23, Colts 30