Its such a relief to have the NFL back in my life.  Too many Sunday's were spent socializing, being outside, visiting with family and other productive things and now I can look forward to every Sunday being 100% dedicated to the NFL and of course, fantasy football.  My only conflict is I've been playing basketball on Sunday mornings and now there is a direct conflict.  I enjoy this physical exercise I had heard so much about and I think it may actually be good for me but I'm not sure it can win a battle with the NFL.

I made my NFL Playoff picks last week on the show.  My basic hope is that my two Super Bowl teams just make the playoffs.  I often will focus arbitrarily on one random stat or development on a team over another and it makes complete sense at the time but at the end of the season it was just complete nonsense.  Just scroll back to my MLB predictions.  Oh look, the Tigers added Miguel Cabrera, I'll just completely overlook their dreadful starting pitching and pick them to go to the World Series.  I may have even picked them to win the World Series but I'd rather not start my Monday off with a beat down of my sports self esteem.

Here are my 2008 NFL Playoff Picks:

NFC

NFC East: Cowboys - I've dubbed it the :"Harknocks Hypnosis".  If you've watched HBO's Hard Knocks series on the Dallas Cowboys this season, you've come away believing they are the greatest team ever assembled.  Its the kind of propoganda you would normally only see in wartime.  TO looks like the best teammate in the world, Tony Romo looks nothing but destined to be a Super Bowl QB, Jerry Jones appears involved but not overbearing, the coaching staff seems to have the right number of players coaches and disciplinarians, I mean its just the perfect formula.  If you've never seen the show, you don't have to to realize this is the most talented team in the NFC, and possibly NFL, on both sides of the football.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers - The youngest team in the NFL was so successful for more reasons than Brett Favre.  They have an active, aggressive defense; a strong, established offensive line; a fantastic trio of WR's; a solid ground game and a rallying cry this year.  I don't think the team is better off without Favre but I think they are capable of winning the NFC North.

NFC South: New Orleans Saints - They could have one of the best offenses in the NFL this season and the additions of Jonathan Vilma and Sedrick Ellis could be enough to solidify the defense.  Of course, I didn't factor this team potentially having to deal with not 1 hurricane this season but potentially 2 or 3.  Ultimately, the Saints prevail in an underrated NFC South.

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks  Arizona Cardinals- The last charge of the old walrus, Mike Holmgren.  I really don't have a very compelling reason for picking the Seahawks in the dreadful NFC West but at the very least I get to compare him to looking like a walrus.  The Seahawks have a decimated WR corps, a terrible ground game, a bad offensive line, a rookie TE and a QB in Matt Hasslebeck that may have a herniated disc bothering him all season.  Why again am I picking this team?  Screw it, I'm changing to the Arizona Cardinals winning this division.

NFC Wildcards: Carolina, Philadelphia.