Super Bowl or Bust; Playoff Predictions Part One

Time for my predictions for the first round of the NFL 2006 playoffs. It should be a fun week, so let's get right to the analysis.

Jets at Patriots

An atypical playoff game at The Razor with sunny skies and expected temperatures in the 40's. Call it global warming, I call it a heated rivalry. This is the game of the week for sure. 

The Jets have been rolling along since these two teams last met in week ten, going 5-2. Eric Mangini has taken the talent he has and they have produced. Chad Pennington is the comeback player of the year and somehow the team managed ten wins despite their two top running backs totaling just below 1,000 yards rushing. The defense has some nasty in it with Jonathan Vilma and Kerry Rhodes. The Jets are very good with the no huddle offense but will the two-minute drill be enough to offset a poor running attack and the ingenious game plan schemes of the Patriots?

A key number that Belichick loves to emphasize is Points Against, and the Pats are 2^nd in the NFL in that statistic. Laurence Maroney is back for New England. Bad news for the Jets when you have the 1-2 punch of him and a healthy Corey Dillon able to exploit an opposition allowing 130 rushing yards per game. On the flipside, the Pats will be without SS Rodney Harrison, a key part of their defense. Shuffling for injuries are something they are used to for many seasons now, so they will adapt.

The Pats have the playoff experience, the coaching, and Tom Brady. The Jets will hang around but New England moves on. The only question left is how weak or strong the post-game handshake is between the two head coaches.

Pats 27-21

Chiefs at Colts

This game is actually more meaningful for San Diego and no doubt they will be rooting for Kansas City to pull off the upset. Chiefs lose, and the Chargers potentially face the Pats.