Wild Card Wrap Up

This is why I don’t gamble.

Despite the fact that I picked all four winners (Indianapolis, Seattle, New England, Philadelphia) in round one of the NFL playoffs, I also took the collar against the spread, as Kansas City, Seattle, the Jets and Eagles all failed to cover.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining about the results. I mean, the Eagles win and advance to face a tough Saints team in New Orleans, meanwhile the Cowboys fumble away a potential win over the Seahawks thus ending their season. What a gaffe that was. Somebody better check on Tony Romo today and make sure he’s not sitting in his car in his garage with the engine running.

I’m sure TOFU isn’t too upset about it. He’s sitting at home after one playoff game (in which he turned in a stellar, two-catch, 26-yard performance) while the Eagles, led by Jeff Garcia, are on a six-game winning streak and still alive. But that shouldn’t bother TOFU. After all, he’s got 25 million reasons why he should be happy. At least that’s what his skeezer publicist would have you believe.

So much for the notion that Larry Johnson would single-handedly carry the Chiefs past the Colts and their horrendous run defense. LJ finished with just 32 yards on 13 carries and the Colts overcame three Peyton Manning picks to move on. Baltimore awaits.

Could we be destined for yet another Colts-Patriots AFC championship game? The Patriots did a number on the Jets yesterday and now head to San Diego. Who really knows what to expect from the Chargers? Can you believe in Philip Rivers? Or Marty Schottenheimer? I’m really on the fence about this one.

Way back in May, CNN-Si.com writer Jeffri Chadiha penned a column in which he discounted the Super Bowl chances of five teams. The second team he mentioned? The Philadelphia Eagles. Chadiha’s peril of wisdom read:

“If I'm an Eagles fan, I have some major concerns about this offense. It's starting to look a lot like it did back in the days before Terrell Owens blew into town. There isn't a receiver who really scares a defense. The running game isn't intimidating either, not when Brian Westbrook will be splitting carries with Ryan Moats and the oft-injured Correll Buckhalter. Even with a healthy Donovan McNabb back at quarterback, there are plenty of reasons to think that the best days of this perennial NFC contender have passed. One look at the competition in the NFC East -- where Washington, Dallas and the New York Giants have improved -- should cement that opinion.”

I e-mailed this genius when I read the article, noting that the offense prior to TOFU was in three straight NFC championship games, and that Brian Westbrook was one of the most underrated players in the league, and that the receiving corps would be better than advertised. He invited his readers to e-mail him back at the end of the season, and when I do I will point how the not-so-intimidating Westbrook amassed better than 1,900 yards from scrimmage, how the Eagles went 5-1 against their vastly improved NFC East foes, and how the Eagles are the only team from the East still in contention. It warrants mentioning that Chadiha also tabbed the Kansas City Chiefs (9-7 and in the playoffs) and San Diego Chargers (14-2 and the best team in the league) as hopeless. Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this guy is stealing a paycheck. Next year when Chadiha publishes his ‘Five Teams with No Chance’ column, I’m flying to Vegas and betting the farm on those five teams (as long as the Cowboys are not among them).

Look for the second round picks later in the week.