I pick her for the under!

I know, cheap, crass humor. But that's what I'm here for. That, and betting the NFL Playoffs! This is obviously one of the biggest times of the year for sports betting, as the NFL season winds down and we get closer and closer to the Super Bowl. So each week of the playoffs I'll share my picks with you and you can play along at home (for recreational purposes only, of course). Today we'll take a look at the Saturday games and what I think will happen there.

Bodog is listing the Colts as a 4-point underdog to the Baltimore Ravens as the Colts return to their one-time home in Maryland. Now, one of the biggest knocks against Peyton Manning has been his playoff performances, but I think their receiving corps is strong enough, and Joey Addai has come out strong as a replacement for Edgerrin James at running back, so I feel good taking the Colts on this one.

Manning had a miserable first half in last week's playoff victory over Kansas City, but I think his second half performance showed a lot of guts and a good sense of rally, so I think he'll come out swinging this week. However, the rested and always-potent Ravens defense has a lot of weapons, so while I think Peyton will carry the Colts to victory (or at least a 4-point cover), I don't think they'll make the 42-point over. So in this game, I'm taking the Colts and the under.

Saturday night the Iggles, fresh off booting the Giants out of the playoffs last week, head to the Crescent city to face the Cinderella of the Year, the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans is giving up 6 points to the Eagles, and I think they handily beat the spread here as Brees, Bush and the Saints fans will dismantle Philadelphia, especially with the injury to cornerback Lito Shepard in last week's game.

This will be the first home playoff game in the rebuilt Superdome and there's no question that the emotions will be running high for the Saints, especially already emotional players like Joe Horn, who participated heavily in reconstruction efforts after Katrina. That emotion and the chip that Brees carries on his surgically rebuilt shoulder, plus the newly-weakened Philadelphia secondary, make all the circumstances right for a shootout. Except that the Eagles won't be able to put enough points on the board to hold up their end of the deal, making the under the way to bet with the line at 49 points.

That's my opinion on Saturday's playoff games, check back tomorrow morning for my plans for Sunday's games and my lock 4-game parlay of the week (and if you believe in a lock, the tooth fairy is holding for you on line three).