Home teams get the edge this weekend

While the excitement is heating up in the National Football League with this weekend’s Divisional Playoffs, and while the home teams look to have a clear cut advantage this time around, the familiar settings did little for the local boys in the Wild Card round.

Three out of the four teams suiting up in their own locker rooms left their haunts empty handed as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, N.Y. Giants, and Cincinnati Bengals lost to their visiting opponents.

Only the New England Patriots were able to escape the postseason’s opening round with a win at home, but what else would you expect from the defending champions? That’s why many are gun shy when it comes to betting against them this weekend when they travel to Denver to face Jake Plummer and the Broncos at Mile High.

Joe Gibbs led the Washington Redskins to the next step toward Detroit for Super Bowl XL with a stunning win over the Bucs in Tampa, and while it wasn’t pretty, Mark Brunell and company got the job done in Florida.

If style counted for anything in football, Jerry Glanville would still be coaching. Since he’s out on the farm somewhere dressed in black, the gritty winners will continue to get the accolades.

Two years removed from playing in one of the most exciting championship games in the history for professional football, the Carolina Panthers returned to form by shutting out the Giants in New York, 23-0, to reach the next rung on the ladder.

Much like the Patriots, the Panthers have overcome a lot to reach this point in the playoffs, and are not to be taken lightly this weekend when they blow into the windy city to face Da Bears.

The game will match a pair of stingy defenses, but Jake Delhomme has more weapons to work with on the Carolina side of the ball—namely wider receiver Steve Smith and running back Deshaun Foster. Brian Urlacher, Nathan Vasher, and the dominating Bears’ defense have got Chicago believing again, and quarterback Rex Grossman has given the offense a little bit of the swagger that rookie QB Kyle Orton was unable to deliver.

The game should be interesting for sure, which is more than I can say for the inter-coastal match between the Redskins and the Seattle Seahawks.

The Starbucks Seahawks posted an impressive 13-3 record during the regular season, have the league’s most dominating running back in Shaun Alexander, and have a decided advantage by hosting the Redskins in Washington State.

This match looks like a snooze-fest on paper with the birds scalping the skins, but Seattle has a history of losing games it should win. I know a guy who dresses up as Captain Hawkman every time he visits the stadium. While he may look crazy when he does it, he is sane enough to know that this contest is anything but a sealed deal.

As for our local prognosticators, things were pretty smooth sailing as none of the gridiron gurus posted a losing record in the Wild Card round of Miller Lite’s Pigskin Picks. John Blanco, Will Hunter, and the estranged Rich Brooks each went 3-1, while Jon Cramer and the Lil’ Mahi broke even at 2-2. Everybody won with the Patriots and the Steelers, but Blanco and Hunter scored by opting for the Panthers in their unlikely blanking of the Giants, and Brooks shocked the football world when he went for the Redskins over Tampa in Tampa—and got it!

Since the games are a little easier to pick in the playoffs, the awarding of the case of Miller Lite had to be decided by a tiebreaker. Since all three got their Guaranteed Picks of the Week, the names of each member of the winning trio were put into a hat for the frosty goodness. The winner by skill, skill, and chance was Will. Pick up your suds bud, and enjoy.

* * *

Hunter

Of all of my Guaranteed Picks of the Week, this one has to be the toughest, so I am going to go with my gut and pick the Indianapolis Colts over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts have made it out this far and should be 100 percent focused on their road to the Super Bowl. Although Pittsburgh will put up an intense battle on the gridiron, they have to be sure their defense is ready for Manning’s air attack.

* * *

Blanco

My Guaranteed Pick of the Week is the Carolina Panthers over the Chicago Bears. Though I loved the Bears back in the 80s, I don’t think Urlacher and company will be able to do the “Super Bowl Shuffle” this year.

* * *

Brooks

My Big Daddy Sure Shot of the Week is that the New England Patriots will mount the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium in Colorado. In case anyone has forgotten, the Patriots are still the defending champs, and you can’t count out Brady and the boys. How many times have the so-called experts thought they were out of the picture? A lot, that’s how many. Don’t be fooled, I am cool and so are the Pats. Go Almeda!

* * *

Lil’ Mahi

My Guaranteed Pick for the week is “Da Bears”. Chicago’s defense with Nathan Vasher and Brian Urlacher will stump Carolina’s offense. I think the Bears will claw the Panthers into the “L” column.

* * *

Cramer

My Lock of the Week is the Indianapolis Colts at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Peyton and the boys have just been so tough. Even though they were a little shaky toward the end of the season, they should roam at home in the dome, and marvelous Marvin will catch four touchdown passes for my fantasy team.