NFL Playoff Picks

The last time these two teams met we saw a close game that camedown to a gamble at the end in a very exciting finish back inNovember. If you remember back to the game it was the one wherethe Skins blocked an extra-point try with less than a minute toplay looking like they’d won the game by a point, but the yellowflag had fallen and the Skins were called for an offside penalty.

So the ball was placed inside the 2 yard line. At that pointGruden decided to take a gamble and try to run the ball in fora 2-point conversion and a one-point lead. We all know where itwent from there. They got the 2 points and Gruden was a hero.

In that contest the Skins had lost to the Giantstwo weeks earlier and were getting ready to lose the next weekto the Raiders (of all teams), but the Bucs were playing prettygood ball at the time beating Atlanta the next week, then losingto the Bears by a field goal, then beating the Saints and thePanthers.

So the point to be made is Bucs were playinggood ball, Skins at the time were not. And they were playing goodball without much help from Carnell Williams. You have to rememberthe Cadillac had a few dings in it that week, and he was onlyable to average 2 yards a carry (this from a guy who’s averaged4.1 for the season). He’ll run for many more this Saturday nowthat he’s healthy again.

Of course not having the Cadillac at full forcedid open things up for Chris Simms who threw 3 touchdowns on theday. But Simms has never played in a playoff game (I’m sure he’sbeen part of the excitement for quite a few of them, which maycalm him down a little). We’ll see how he does getting his firstshot at the playoffs.

We look for both teams to rely heavily on therunning game in this one. Don’t expect a shoot-out this time around.

Oddsmakers are calling for another close gameas they opened with Tampa as a 2-point favorite. That line hasnow been bet up to 2 1/2. The over/under opened at 37 1/2 andis now at 37.

Washington has won 5 straight both SU and ATS.It was a huge turnaround for a team that had lost 3 straight bothSU and ATS before that nice run. Meanwhile, the Bucs have bouncedback from their terrible performance against New England (gettingwhipped 28-0) to win their last 2 SU (1-1 ATS). The Skins havepaid off OVER bettors the last 3 games while the Bucs have donethe same their last 2.

I’ll take the Skins + the points in this one!