Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Cold-Blooded Edition

Now it is time for the playoffs. Twelve teams enter, one survives. And we don't need to worry about Jim Mora any more:

But we will have to concern ourselves with the playoffs. And interestingly enough, the Colts are part of it this time. So we'll talk about that, and a little more, pretty soon. Anything to add, Geritol Fan?

No, I think that's it.

Good. Watch me work.

Kansas City Chiefs (+1) vs. Indianapolis Colts. The Chiefs have been the surprise team in the league this year, but lately they've been sputtering after a brilliant start. They have some legitimate weapons, especially Jamaal Charles and the always underrated Alex Smith, but going into Indy is a tough assignment. Figuring out the Colts is even more of a tough assignment. Have you seen their body of work, old dude? It's kinda puzzling. They go into San Francisco and kick the Niners around like a bunch of rag dolls, but then they get destroyed in their own building by a middling Rams team. So which Colts team shows up today? Well, keep in mind that if Kansas City goes to the lead early on, they are very good at holding on to the lead. Kansas City 27, Indy 17.

The Colts haven't been quite the same team since they lost Reggie Wayne. That's the challenge -- Andrew Luck is very good, but he doesn't have all his weapons. I realize that the Colts have already beaten the Chiefs this season, but I sense that this one will be different. I'll agree with the young fella. Kansas City 24, Indianapolis 23.

New Orleans Saints (+2.5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles. So the key here is the weather. The Saints are a dome team and don't do well outside. What's the forecast for Philly?

Not bad, but not dome

It'll be cold, but perhaps manageable for those hothouse flowers in the black and gold uniforms. This game should be a shootout, since the Eagles are now a scoring machine, too. Nick Foles has been the surprise of the year, turning into a Brady-like quarterback. However, the problem is that Drew Brees is more experienced, and has nearly all his weapons available. Thus, it's time to buck the trend. Saints 59, Eagles 42.

I dunno. The Eagles seem to be a better team and the Saints just haven't done well outside their dome. Do you go with the aging gunslinger, or the new hotshot? In this case, I like the hotshot, especially since the Eagles also have Shady McCoy around. Eagles 38, Saints 31.

San Diego Chargers (+7) vs. Cincinnati Bengals. So the Bengals are honoring the 1981 version of the Ice Bowl, a/k/a the Freezer Bowl, with another visit from the Chargers. Last time, it looked like this:

Tomorrow, in Cincy, it will be how cold?

Probably closer to 5 than 40. And snowing, too! Excellent! San Diego may be the hot team, but it's hard for a West Coast team to win in the cold. Cincinnati is also 8-0 at home this year. Draw your own conclusions. Cincinnati 35, San Diego 31.

I think the Chargers have been playing better lately. But this is a tougher game and it's going to be brutal in Cincy tomorrow. And I don't see them coping well. And meanwhile, the Bengals are pretty good. Andy Dalton isn't good enough to win a Super Bowl, but he's good enough to win a playoff game against an inferior opponent. Cincinnati 31, San Diego 17.

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers. Ice Bowl II, baby! Finally, the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field will be actually frozen for a playoff game. And the mighty, swaggering 49ers are coming to town with Jim Harbaugh, the coach who is not as good a human being as his brother, and Colin Kaepernick, the most overrated quarterback in the league. (See Brad, I didn't disappoint you!) The weather forecast for Green Bay is brutal. Here's a scene:

That's actually how the 49ers are going to be arriving in Green Bay. If we flash back to Week 1, the 49ers narrowly escaped in San Francisco, thanks to Anquan Boldin, who had a career game that day. However, the Packers now have a run game and Aaron Rodgers is back. The 49ers are a hot team right now and they have played exceptionally well against the Packers in the last three meetings. However, this time it's going to be like 1996; if you remember 1996, I don't need to say anything more. Here's the forecast for the game:

That 5 comes at midnight; try -10 or -15 for game time

And if you know anything about what Lambeau Field looks like in those conditions, you'll understand what I'm about to lay down. Packers 31, 49ers 17.

I wonder about this one. The Packers are finally approaching healthy again and while that helps, there is still the matter of the 49ers and their talent, especially along the offensive line. This will be tough for the Packer defense, which hasn't covered itself in glory this season. The key thing will be how Kaepernick handles the elements. I wouldn't be surprised if his vanity gets the best of him and he has to show off his finely tattooed guns, instead of wearing sleeves. I could also see him getting confused by a few tricks that the Packers haven't shown him before. I suspect Rodgers will play very well and that might be the difference. I think the cold gets to a few 49ers and the Packers get the miracle that this season absolutely requires. Packers 28, 49ers 24.

National Championship Game -- Florida State Seminoles (-8.5) vs. Auburn Tigers/War Eagle! If you are a regular reader of this feature, you know that I can't stand the SEC. As it happens, Auburn is the SEC champion this year and it only took two fluke plays to get them to this spot. Now they are basking in the sun in Pasadena, awaiting Florida State and its quarterback, Jameis Winston. I don't believe that Winston did anything wrong and he's now ready to take the national stage. The Seminoles are not a one-man team, however -- they play some pretty good defense and they've laid waste to pretty much everyone they've faced up to this point. Sorry, Auburn. Florida State 42, Auburn 10.

For all the hype and exposure the Seminoles have had, somehow I've managed not to see them play at all this season. I hear that Winston is fantastic, but I wonder about the level of competition in the ACC. I mean, they beat Duke in the championship game. Auburn has been impressive. I think Florida State wins, but I'm not confident in this pick at all. Florida State 35, Auburn 31.

One last image for you:

No, that's not Ed Gein on the lower left

The steam will be rising at Lambeau. Ben out!