Don't Sleep on Seattle

Being a 10+ point favorite in the NFL playoffs is like wearing an Aeropostale screen-printed graphic tee in mixed company, you just never want to be that guy, or in this case, that team. The Saints found this out the hard way and find themselves watching the rest of the playoffs on plasma screens all across the Big Easy. I mean, last Saturday was literally an apocalyptic performance by the Seahawks. Bearing an offense that sputtered to a 7-9 finish in the regular season, the Seahawks rode the "locker room material" 10-point spread and used it to their advantage in a game against the defending Super Bowl Champions. Were you surprised that Marshawn Lynch turned into Walter Payton for a few hours Saturday? How about Matt Hassellbeck finally getting recognized as a winning playoff QB rather than just The View's Elizabeth Hasselbeck's brother-in-law? Everyone knew that the Seahawks could make a competitive game out of it as long as the contest was held at Qwest Field, yet the oddsmakers still wrote off Seattle as 10-point dogs and watched it blow up in the collective face of the New Orleans.

The good news about Sunday is that the Bears get the Seahawks in Chicago this week, far away from the rain-soaked turf of the Pacific Northwest. And, although the Seahawks ousted the Bears in week 6, I would much rather see Pete Carroll's bunch try and defeat the Bears on the cow pasture that is often times referred to as Soldier Field. But, as is always the case, with good news comes some bad, or at least weary news about Sunday's divisional round game this weekend. Once again, the Seahawks come into the game as 10-point takers. Did they not earn any recognition from Vegas after dropping 41 on the NFC South's beloved Saints? Apparently not. Like I said, 10-point underdogs are as dangerous as an abundance of Mexican food before a 3 hour a movie. This is not something you mess around with.

Although the Bears have looked strong coming down the stretch to finish their regular season, the Seahawks have won back-to-back must-win's to keep their 2010-2011 season alive. Granted, they didn't exactly look like world-beaters against the Rams in week 17, but they did look as possessed as Shelley Duvall in The Shining against the Saints. The last positive for the Bears is the Seahawks haven't had a regular starting quarterback with a visible hairline in nearly two decades (Dilfer, Kitna, Hasselbeck), so we have that going for us, which is nice.

As for Pick of the Day, the Pulse Man reached the 45 win plateau last week and is inching closer to betting transcendence with each and every pick. For tonight, the Pulse Man likes Utah covering the 12 points they are getting at home from BYU in the annual Mountain West Mormon battle in Salt Lake City.

Pick of the Day: BYU @ Utah (+12)- UTAH

Record:(45-30-0)

Now I'm done. Rack me

Frost

Game Film

Well, the Bears are in the playoffs. And, surprisingly enough, they don't even have to play on Wild Card weekend. Lovie and his troops have the luxury of being able to sit back, wait around, watch the games, get healthy, and head into the divisional round with a full roster and a full head of steam. With that luxury, however, comes one problem: the Bears don't know what team is going to limp into Soldier Field the following weekend. It could be the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints and that damn Drew Brees jersey commercial. Or the NFL MVP favorite, Michael Vick's Philadelphia Eagles squad. It is also conceivable that the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks could finagle an upset in Washington state to propel them into round 2. You just never know. Each team presents its own set of strengths and weaknesses, thus presenting a different challenge to the NFC North Champs. In comparing each match-up, I found it interesting to compare each team to an actor, who, like each football team, has had both good performances and bad. It's the difference between Phat Girlz and When Harry Met Sally, Nick Cage and Matt Damon, wait for it... Wisconsin and Illinois. It's how we live life people. As Jimmy Fallon so eloquently put it in Almost Famous, "I didn't invent the rainy day, I just happen to have the best umbrella."

Sean Penn as the New Orleans Saints. Penn's incredible. There's no sugar coating it. And there is no one I would like to see the Bears play less than the Drew Brees led Saints. Penn defines acting flexibility. He can go gay (Milk), handicapped (I Am Sam), or maybe most impressively, go perpetually stoned as Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont high. Like Sean Penn, the Saints can outscore you mercilessly, or grind it out for a win like they did in week 16 at a venue in which Matty Ice OWNS. Any time Penn chooses a role, you can pencil him in for an Oscar nomination, and the Saints are equally as volatile. I think given the right road to the Super Bowl, the Saints can imaginably make a run to Dallas. Do I want to be the team that tests them? Absolutely not. Go Seahawks.

Speaking of the Seahawks, let them be played by Owen Wilson. You can't argue that given the proper role, Owen Wilson can encompass the meaning of the word comedy. He can be the funny guy male model (Zoolander), the funny guy best friend (You, Me and Dupree), the funny guy ex-boyfriend (Meet the Parents) or the funny guy bachelor (Wedding Crashers). Owen Wilson has made me laugh like Fran Drescher over the years through his roles in the aforementioned movies, but he has also shown absolutely ZERO range in his acting ability. He's great at what he does, but he has a comfort zone that he has been cemented in like he has an electric fence around his neck. Similarly, the Seahawks win games in one place, and one place only--Qwest Field. The Seahawks only beat two teams on the road this season, the Bears and the Cardinals. The rest of their 7 wins came in the City of Rain. The writing is flat out written on the wall for the entire NFL to see. The Seahawks are only decent at home. Good news for them is, that's where they will get the Saints on Sunday.

Lastly, let the Philadelphia Eagles be portrayed by cinema megastar Denzel Washington. Before you go nuts and begin to think "Denzel is way too good be Philly!", just hear me out for a second. Denzel is one of the greatest actors of our generation. He's an extraordinarily explosive character that has made some incredible films and has depicted some intense characters. Malcom X (Malcolm X), Rubin Carter (The Hurricane), Frank Lucas (American Gangster) and Coach Herman Boone (Remember the Titans) are just a few. But, can't we say the same thing in terms of football about Michael Vick? He's been as explosive as a shook-up can of Mr. Pibb this season and has dazzled in the spotlight after yanking Kevin Kolb's job from the poor loser like a 7th grade bully at recess. No one is doubting Denzel's brilliance on the big screen or Michael Vick's dominance on the gridiron. But don't you think it's safe to say that their best days are behind them? Denzel's last 3 movies are Unstoppable, The Book of Eli and The Taking of Pelham 123. I haven't seen any of them, and to be honest, I really don't want to. Likewise, Vick simply cannot capture the magic he had in Philly around the mid-season mark. What goes up must come down. Plus, we already beat them once, so bring on the battered and bruised version.

Before I call this script (no pun intended) my official comeback to the bloggosphere, I know you Packer fans are all looking for some love. Who's your actor? Let's see, Conchata Ferrell? She looks like every female Packer fan anyway. Boom. Roasted.

As for Pick of the Day, after a long betting hiatus, the Pulse Man likes Ohio State covering the 3 point cushion that they're giving to Ryan Mallett and the Hogs on Tuesday. Let's see if he's still got it.

Pick of the Day: Arkansas vs. Ohio State (-3)- OHIO STATE

Record:(42-30-0)

Now I'm done. Rack Me

Frost