Don't let the 5 wins and even fewer fans discourage you guys, go ahead and dump the coach with Gatorade in subfreezing temperatures

When gambling, I always like to set up my later losses before making my more immediate bets. Some don't get that and warn to not "put the cart ahead of the horse", but I bet they never had money on a horse where the cart was the only thing it didn't finish behind.

I'd be more confident predicting these NFL playoffs starting with the conference championships and working backwards to the wild card games. My ever-expanding holiday gut says the eventual winner of the NFC is playing football this weekend while this year's AFC champion has a first-round bye.

Dallas, Philadelphia, Green Bay or Arizona, put me down for any of those to beat the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings next weekend. Meanwhile, Indianapolis and San Diego should use their off week to prepare for one another in the conference finals.

The hottest teams advance and the luckiest ones eventually fall.

The Cowboys and Packers are hot but the Eagles and Cardinals have the chops to start sizzling after a quality road win. The Vikings and especially the Saints will have home field but whoever they play in the divisional playoffs will have their share of advantages too.

(Speaking of hot, I sure was in Week 17. Testing my theory that teams with nothing to play for will cover against those trying to make the playoffs we salute the Chiefs, Raiders and Patriots and denounce the Bengals in the final week.)

The Colts and Chargers are the class of the AFC. The Texans and Steelers didn't deserve to make the postseason but both would have a better chance than the Jets or Bengals to win a playoff game in Indianapolis or San Diego. The Ravens can't run the table and the Patriots just don't look right.

Despite great momentum from a Week 17 winning streak, for the NFL Wild Card Playoffs I place my predictions with a confidence level at about - on a scale of Rosie O'Donnell to Megan Fox - I'd say, a Paul Poundstone chance of making me proud the next morning.

New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals
If Marvin Lewis has any strategic sense at all (and that's a big IF) then he showed the Jets absolutely nothing during last week's slaughter. And by nothing I mean NOTHING. From Sunday's game to Saturday, the defensive schemes that Mark Sanchez sees in Cincinnati should look more foreign to him than the menu at Nha Hang Pho Viet Huong in Manhattan once did to me. Bengals 27, Jets 10

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Wow, could you imagine how good either might be if they had Terrell Owens? Guess you haven't heard anyone say that.

Here's something else that you shouldn't hear anyone say, "It's hard to beat a team three times in the same season," because that's about as accurate today as Nick Folk field goal attempt. Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens three times and since 1999 in games where a team has a 2-0 series, they are 5-2.

Dallas is finally playing really well at the right time. Cowboys 31, Eagles 21

Baltimore at New England
I don't think much of the Patriots potential this postseason. Welker's torn knee, Brady's broken ribs, Maroney's butter fingers, there even seems to be a deeper resentment toward the press in Bill Belichick's voice.

They couldn't win on the road against mediocre competition this season and won't against a quality opponent next week, but New England might be good for one win at home. Patriots 17, Ravens 13

Green Bay at Arizona
Disclosure item #1: Before the season began I had placed a "future" wager (on a whim and not so much done for the team as much as for the potential payout) on the Arizona Cardinals to win SB XLIV.

Disclosure item #2: It might not be possible for a heterosexual sports guy to have a bigger man crush on a player than I currently have on Aaron Rodgers.

Credit the Green Bay Packers management for knowing what fantasy football have now learned too, Aaron Rodgers is a quarterbacking stud. Packers 34, Cardinals 28

Still, for reasons I disclosed in my top-listed item, I'll be rooting for Kurt and the Cardinals.

Money over honeys, I guess.