The Diary Of A Fantasy Virgin - Week 19 Jan 19, 2010 | More

Well, this year’s gut prediction has blown up. What is a writer and prognosticator to do? You just trundle on. The secret to picking games is really no secret at all. You start with the home team and then go with the opponent’s current trend, including defensive and offensive statistics and then intermingle with some gut. Et voila! So here is the week that was.

Playoff Results

The record for the home teams was 3-1. I had the home teams going 2-2. And the teams I chose to lose at home just played great. The first game had the Arizona Cardinals heading to the New Orleans. Drew Brees did really well and Kurt Warner got a little beat up. It was my only real prediction of the week that came true. I said the New Orleans defense was better and it was. The Saints won in a romp. The Baltimore Ravens had their team smashed by the Colts defense. The game had two quick touchdowns by the Colts in the second quarter that put the game away. How awkward is that Baltimore offense? They just cannot come from behind. The third game was my worst prediction of the weekend. I must have drank too much of the Cowboy Kool-Aid because their defense was a step behind in a 34-3 drubbing by the Vikings. Minnesota was just faster on both sides of the ball. That is a huge mea culpa. I did not see that team having a performance like that at all. The last game is exactly how I thought the Ravens game would go the day before. I saw a very close game with defense rattling a talented quarterback. In the end the New York Jets got some timely missed field goals by Nate Kaeding and those nine points lost … heck only six were needed ended up being the difference. So we are down the final four. I am looking for some redemption.

The New York Jets vs. The Indianapolis Colts

In the irony of ironies, the Colts did not play Manning for a lot of the game in Week 16. That kept the Jets in the playoff hunt. For conspiracy theorists, this is a boon. You keep your opponent alive enough so it does all the dirty work and takes out the arch rival San Diego Chargers. They come into your den and it is go time. In a game that has all the starters on the field, look for Indianapolis’ defense to first shut down the running game and then confuse Mark Sanchez, like everyone else should have done the previous two weeks.

The Minnesota Vikings vs. The New Orleans Saints

These two teams did not play in the regular season so this is the first time they will see each other this year. They have a lot of similarities in that they can score points. And they score them often. The Minnesota defense is crazy good. Just ask the Cowboys. The story of the game will be the offense of the Saints against the defense of the Vikings. The home team is often the deciding factor and since I have been woeful in picking home teams losing, I must pick the home team to win. So if it comes to pass, the two undefeated teams in Week 14 will play against each other in the final game of the season.

It was that easy all along. And I came back from a jog and William Shatner (yes … Captain Kirk) passed me in the hallway. It is a great day. Things are looking up!

Master D.

Tim can now be reached at tdavoll@fantasysharks.com and welcomes your opinions on the Diary of a Fantasy Virgin Articles.