After a thoroughly embarrassing Wild Card Weekend, its time for some redemption. (Or a chance at epic futility…either way you have to be on the edge of your seat, right?)

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints

I picked the Saints at the beginning of the season and I’m sticking with them. Yes, they played like crap the last 3 games of the season. Yes, the Cowboys whooped them in their own house on a national stage while they were going for perfection. But this team is too talented, has too many playmakers, and played too well the whole year to fall apart now. This game is much more about how the Saints play than the Cardinals and Kurt Warner. Sit back, get a frosty beverage and watch the points pile up. Pick: Saints

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts

Doesn’t it just feel like the Colts season ended with Curtis Painter fumbling versus the Jets? The look on Peyton Manning’s face, the overall mood of the team, and the total outrage and disappointment by the entire fan base really makes it seem like the Colts season was over. They’re the number one seed, have the current no-doubt MVP, and have several playmakers. So why am I picking the Ravens? Because I watched what they did to the Patriots last week. And I don’t think the Colts can simply turn it back on again. Could I be sitting in this seat on Sunday night saying, “Oh yeah. I picked against Peyton on a Saturday night game and that made me 0-6 for the playoffs?” Sure I could. The Ravens won’t surprise the Colts with their physical play, and if they do, then that’s the first sign that Jim Caldwell is Barry Switzer to Tony Dungy’s Jimmy Johnson. Manning will spend a lot of time on his back and Colts fans will have to hope their season doesn’t really end with another Curtis Painter fumble. Pick: Ravens

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

When an embattled head coach gets a gift season from an aging veteran, its usually a movie. When that veteran thinks the head coach is an idiot and openly squabbles with him in the press, its Brett Farve. Who believes everything is hunky-dorie in the Land of 1,000 Lakes? Based on the way this team played down the stretch, they are relying on the 40-year-old Farve to keep the magic happening. Isn’t that a bit much to ask? (Apparently not for the Cardinals, but I digress…)Especially when the Vikings have one of the top 3 running backs in football. The Cowboys are playing their best football all year and have loads of talent everywhere on the field. (But I can’t help shake the thought of a gut-wrenching, epic failure play being the story of the weekend for Tony Romo…again.) This is a close one that will go back and forth and be decided on the final possession. Pick: Cowboys

New York Jets at San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have radios. They have the internet. (At least Shawne Merriman has Twitter. I know that.) They know that people are talking about the Jets coming in there and beating them. That the J-E-T-S have this lauded defense. That head coach Rex Ryan said they should be the favorites not to just win last week, but for the entire tournament. The Jets got a nice win over the weakest of the 12 teams in the playoffs. Congrats! But the Chargers are quite different. The Chargers are on a 11-game winning streak. The Chargers scored the most points in the AFC this year. And the Chargers play in one of he most beautiful places on Earth! How could they not be confident? Answer: they are coached by Norv Turner. But other than that, the Chargers are the better team. And the better team wins here. By a lot. Pick: Chargers

- “The Sweet Nasty” Chris Cause

Chris Cause is the co-host the “Wheelhouse Radio” program that airs every Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at www.blogtalkradio.com/thewheelhouse and at www.errorfm.com @ 2am ET/11pm PT

You can visit The Wheelhouse’s official website where you can download “high quality” shows and see all the latest happenings with the show at www.wheelhouseradio.com

If you would like to subscribe to “The Wheelhouse” on iTunes simply subscribe for free at iTunes by typing in “Wheelhouse Radio!”

You can follow “The Sweet Nasty” Chris Cause on twitter by going to www.twitter.com/thesweetnasty or you can follow Wheelhouse Radio! on Twitter by visiting their page @ www.twitter.com/thewheelhouse. You can also e-mail them @ wheelhouseradio@gmail.com

Get your NFL jerseys discounted now on Amazon.com by clicking here

Check out the NFL Film Classics – Legends of Autumn, Vols. 1-3 DVD by clicking here.

Join ESPN Insider today for the best sports analysis online, plus ESPN The Magazine!

Your favorite NFL teams and players gone big – Fathead.com

Order the Madden NFL 10: Official Strategy Game Guide by clicking here.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Related posts:

1. NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview and Picks
2. NFL Divisional Playoffs Recap and Thoughts
3. Inside The Wheelhouse – NFL Week 8 Picks and Predictions
4. Inside The Wheelhouse: NFL Wild Card Picks & Predictions
5. Inside The Wheelhouse – NFL Week 6 Picks and Predictions