Lessons from Saturday's Games, or, Trout's Sunday Playoff Picks

Lesson #1: "Favorites" or "Super Bowl favorites" don't really mean anything (see Ravens, Baltimore).
Lesson #2: Giving up huge plays won't necessarily kill you (see Saints, New Orleans).
Lesson #3: Trout was 2-for-2 on Saturday's games. Listen up.

Seahawks over Bears. I know they got schooled back in October at Chicago. I know their secondary is in shambles. I know they really shouldn't even be in this game given the shenanigans in the Romo Game. I know that Hasselbeck and Alexander haven't looked remotely like they looked last year. I also don't care about these things. This is the game where the vaunted Bears defense and special teams can't carry Grossman and an anemic offense anymore. Even though they're a heavy underdog road team, something about the Seahawks just feels right. It's like betting on the pony with the pretty name. Maybe that's why I never win money at the track.

Patriots over Chargers. I've bought into the the Brady/Belichick hype. Again, the Pats are a team with a destroyed secondary facing a favorite on the road. But also like the Seahawks, they're facing a young quarterback who has an increased probability of shitting the bed (yeah, Rivers has been significantly better than Grossman, but Schottenheimer's bad playoff mojo is probably enough to erase that edge). The Pats may give up big plays to Tomlinson or Gates or whomever, but I just think they're too smart to lose this one. (Note: those pictures to the right are actual pictures for the Patriots' cheerleaders 2007 calendar. Clearly the football franchise is just a cover for a softcore porn ring--but this man doesn't mind. By comparison, the Sea Gals are practically Amish).

Here's looking forward to the Pats/Colts matchup in Indy next weekend so I can hear the local newsmedia chirp about Peyton sucking and the history of the matchup and blahblahblahblah...