NFL Divisional Playoffs Predictions: Who's Winning and Why

Just three more weeks and eight teams are all that remains of the 2007-2008 NFL season. Of those teams, six division champions and two wild-cards are still left standing with dreams of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after completing their run of the gauntlet. With the Wild-Card games now behind us and the match-ups only getting better, the divisional round promises some of the best action of the season.

Seattle Seahawks (10-6) at Green Bay Packers (13-3) - Saturday, 4:30pm, Fox

After a tremendous victory over the sentimental favorite Redskins last week, the Seahawks get rewarded with a trip to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers on Vince Lombardi's old stomping grounds. For as good as Seattle can be, there was some trouble spots in last week's box score that they seriously need to iron out if they are going to go into Green Bay and steal this game. First of all, their conversion rate on third down was horrendous, when they were just 2 for 11, or 18%. Then again, this could be largely due to having to consistently pass on third down, as they still weren't able to get a running game going and faced more third and long situations than any team should have to. Against a team like the Packers, they will also have to do a better job of controlling the clock, something they also failed to do against Washington despite winning the game.

For Green Bay, this has been a tremendous season already, as Brett Favre and company have managed to do more with this franchise than most expected of them heading into the season. They ranked second to only Green Bay in total offense and while they ranked just 21st in Rushing offense for the season, the second half emergence of Ryan Grant proved to fill the one need Favre has had for the last few seasons. While they ranked near the middle of the pack (11th) in total defense, the Packers were especially stingy on third down, where they allowed opponents to convert on only thirty-three percent of their chances, which ranked third in the NFL. The week of added rest will help to rejuvenate a team that was struggling with a few bumps and bruises as the regular season came to an end.