NFC
My pick: SAINTS. With home field and Drew Brees leading the offense, I'm going to keep the faith in the defense's ability to overcome its many weaknesses. Wish me luck.
The dark horse: PACKERS. You have to like a big-play offense and a defense that leads the league in takeaways. And something tells me quarterback Aaron Rodgers won't be overwhelmed in his playoff debut.
Pressure is on: VIKINGS. A loss at home in the divisional round changes all perceptions on a great regular season, the smashing success of the Brett Favre experiment and Brad Childress' contract extension.
AFC
My pick: CHARGERS. An 11-game winning streak and no fear whatsoever of maybe having to win at Indy make San Diego the most dangerous No. 2 seed.
The dark horse: BENGALS. They're definitely overlooked below the Colts, Chargers and Patriots, but the Bengals did sweep Ravens and Steelers, two physical teams, and nearly beat the Chargers in San Diego in Week 16.
Pressure is on: COLTS. They had a 14-0 record and the league's best momentum when they decided to throw it all away. Management believed resting starters for the playoffs was more important. What happens if they're wrong?
