Fearless Dilettante Football Predictions - Milli Vanilli Edition

Down to 8 teams. None of them that matter much to this audience, most likely. But let's pick 'em anyway.

Carolina Panthers 34, Arizona Cardinals 14. I'm not convinced that the Panthers are a great team, but they don't make a lot of mistakes. They have a nice, balanced offense and a nice, solid defense. The Cardinals are flashy but have performed abysmally on the East Coast this year. Charlotte is inland a bit, but a rested Panther team should have little trouble advancing to the finals.

Pittsburgh Steelers 24, San Diego Chargers 21. Pittsburgh is a lot like Carolina - a solid team that doesn't make a lot of mistakes, generally balanced offensively and rock-solid on defense. The Chargers are a lot like the Cardinals, except better. This will be a good game but I suspect the home field advantage will the difference. I would not be surprised if San Diego wins, though. The deciding factor? Troy Polamalu's really groovy, Milli Vanilliesque hair.

Baltimore Ravens 17, Tennessee Titans 14. The Titans are the #1 seed but I'm not convinced they are the best team. The Ravens have played very well down the stretch and this one is going to be a war. I'm hesitant to pick a team that has a rookie quarterback, but the Titans are going with Kerry Collins, who has a long history of being just good enough to lose. My sense is that the opportunistic Ravens defense wins the game late.

New York Football Giants 21, Philadelphia Eagles 17. The Eagles proved they were better than the Vikings last week. Are they better than a rested Giants team? I kinda doubt it. The Giants were a little up and down at the end of the year, but they are the best overall team in the NFL. I see a steady diet of Jacobs, Ward and Bradshaw, all emerging from behind the best offensive line in football. And that's the difference here.