NFL Picks - Wild Card Week

The NFL regular season is history -- I was 8-8 in week 16 picking winners (137-80-5 on the year), while Las Vegas was 8-8 picking winners in week 16 (154-79-7 on the year).

I was out of town for Week 17, so I didn't make any picks, and it really doesn't matter anyway!

Here are my picks for Wild Card Week (solely based on my Power Ratings with a 3-point edge for home field - Las Vegas odds in () ):

SATURDAY, 3 January:

Philadelphia (9-6-1) (-3) at Minnesota (10-6): Minnesota by 2.5
Indianapolis (12-4) (-1) at San Diego (8-8): Indianapolis by 5

SUNDAY, 4 January:

Baltimore (11-5) (-3) at Miami (11-5): Miami by 1
Atlanta (11-5) (-1) at Arizona (9-7): Atlanta by 2

Here are my NFL power ratings after the regular season:

1. Tennessee Titans (13-3) -- 32.2
2. New York Giants (12-4) -- 30.1
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) -- 29.9
4. Carolina Panthers (12-4) -- 29.3
5. Indianapolis Colts (12-4) -- 29.2

6. Baltimore Ravens (11-5) -- 28.2
7. New England Patriots (11-5) -- 27.6
8. Atlanta Falcons (11-5) -- 27.0
9. Miami Dolphins (11-5) -- 26.4
10. Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) -- 25.0

11. Minnesota Vikings (10-6) -- 24.7
12. New York Jets (9-7) -- 22.8
13. Tampa Bay Bucs (9-7) -- 22.6
14. Chicago Bears (9-7) -- 22.4
15. Arizona Cardinals (9-7) -- 22.1

16. Dallas Cowboys (9-7) -- 22.0
17. San Diego Chargers (8-8) -- 21.4
18. New Orleans Saints (8-8) -- 21.1
19. Houston Texans (8-8) -- 19.6
20. Washington Redskins (8-8) -- 19.5

21. Denver Broncos (8-8) - 18.8
22. Buffalo Bills (7-9) -- 17.9
23. San Francisco 49ers (7-9) -- 17.4
24. Green Bay Packers (6-10) -- 15.4
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) -- 13.0

26. Oakland Raiders (5-11) -- 12.1
27. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1) -- 10.5
28. Seattle Seahawks (4-12) -- 10.5
29. Cleveland Browns (4-12) -- 10.2
30. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14) -- 5.7

31. St. Louis Rams (2-14) -- 4.4
32. Detroit Lions (0-16) -- 0.1

My Chargers pulled off the impossible - making the playoffs by winning their last 4, and having Denver lose their last three. However, Tomlinson and Gates were hurt in the last game, and may not be at full strength for this week. The Colts have a 9 game winning streak, the Chargers a 4 game winning streak. The Colts beat the Bolts 23-21 on a last-second field goal earlier in the season. My heart says Bolts...my head says Colts. I think the Colts win this one 38-34.