No one took up my challenge to pick the NFL playoff games (presumably because I trounced them in the regular season), but I continue anyway.

WAS at SEA: The weekend starts with the biggest clunker. The offensively inept Redskins fly all the way to Seattle just to get trounced by a team better than them in every facet of the game. SEA

NE at DEN: This is the most scared I've been going into a Pats playoff game since they achieved "they always win" status a few years back. Granted they will be healthier than the last time they went to Denver, but the team has a history of losing in Denver, Belichick has a history of not coaching well against Mike Shanahan, and Tom Brady has had some of his worst games there. Still, nobody really trusts Jake Plummer, and while the Pats may be shaky, they still always win when it matters. NE

PIT at IND: Don't be fooled by last week's win over Jon Kitna. The Steelers do not have a good enough defense to stop Indianapolis, nor do they have a good enough offense to keep up with them in a shootout. IND

CAR at CHI: The Bears D may be overrated, but so are the Panthers. One week they win against a playoff contender, the next week they lose to a worse opponent. The Bears will surprise some people and won't lose until next week, when Seattle trounces them. I love the NFC, where the Seattle Seahawks are the best team by a landslide. CHI