The playoffs are upon us! Congratulations if you are a fan of a team that made it this far.

Last week: 14-2, my best week of the year. For an unpredictable Week 17, that is shocking. I finished the regular season 170-86, counting the tie as a loss.

Gambling Recap: I only made one wager last week, taking the Jets +5.5 for 1250 Uzbek som. Paydirt! The big win allowed me to turn a profit for the season, winding up with 10,500 som after starting the year with 10,000.

At current exchange rates, I have $4.76 to show for my season. That buys my Smoothie King breakfast in St. Petersburg for Shrine Game week after next weekend.

With just four games all on at separate times, this weekend makes for some truly excellent football viewing.

- Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5)

Even though these teams played just two weeks ago, you can completely ignore that outcome. The Colts triumphed in that one 23-7, but the Chiefs played a vanilla gameplan.

I was worried about Kansas City losing all momentum by dropping that game and then resting many starters in the finale against San Diego, but their effort versus the Chargers quelled that fear. Behind a cadre of reserves the Chiefs took the desperate Chargers to overtime, playing hard and getting cheated out of a win by bumbling officiating.

Now the narrative has changed a bit for Kansas City. Instead of coasting into the playoffs on a down note, they are now well-rested but still potent.

Of course the Colts are also potent. Indy quietly played very good football down the stretch. Their defense has allowed just 20 points in the last three games. Andrew Luck has eight TDs to just one INT in the final four games, with a QB rating right around 100. Donald Brown has produced TDs in consecutive weeks, though the Colts still struggle mightily to move the ball on the ground.

It’s that lack of ground game that makes me lean towards Kansas City. Even if the Colts get a late lead, I’m not convinced they can run the ball well enough to bleed out the clock. The Chiefs pass rush and strength up the gut with Derrick Johnson and Eric Berry can keep Luck from converting, too.

I also worry that not having DT Fili Moala will allow Jamaal Charles to run wild for the Chiefs. Playoff games are often won on big plays, and he’s the player most capable of breaking off a big play in this contest.

Chiefs 24, Colts 20

- New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5)

With game-time temperatures expected to be in the upper 20s and lots of snow coming in the lead-up to late Saturday, the Eagles gain even more of a home-field advantage than anticipated.

When Philadelphia played Detroit in the blizzard a few weeks back, they struggled early. But then they figured it out and steamrolled the Lions off the field. This time around the Eagles understand what they have to do to succeed in inclement weather: lean on the superior offensive line.

The Saints offense is far more based on an aerial attack, and that’s hard to pull off in the windy cold. Having said that, New Orleans does have a running game that can seize the day. Maybe this is where Mark Ingram finally proves worthy of the first round draft status. Maybe.

Maybe not. Even though the Philly secondary will give up some plays, I think LeSean McCoy has a huge afternoon against the solid New Orleans defense, and the home cooking proves enough in the end to vanquish the dome team from the Deep South.

Eagles 26, Saints 21

- San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals (-6.5)

In the preseason I picked the Bengals to make it to the AFC Championship game. Of course I also picked the Chargers to crash to 4-12 and pick in the top-5 in the 2014 NFL draft, so what do I know?

The quarterbacks are the key to this game. The resurgent Philip Rivers has proven he can carry his Chargers in playoffs past. Andy Dalton has yet to do so for the Bengals. Laying giant eggs in consecutive years against the Texans.

Will this year be different for Dalton? I think it will be. The Chargers struggle in covering more than one target, and Cincy has a bevy of capable receivers. I also like the shifty Gio Bernard attacking what can be an overaggressive defensive front. San Diego’s pass rush is only sporadically effective, and that should afford Dalton time to get into a comfortable groove.

This is my least confident of the weekend picks even though this game has the biggest line. Read that as a lack of faith in the Bengals, who need to prove they can handle the situation before anyone should believe in them.

Bengals 34, Chargers 28

- San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers (+2.5)

This playoff rematch pits the hottest team in the league against a team that squeaked into winning a lousy NFC North.

Packers fans are right to be excited by having Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb back. That duo got them into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they’re not playing the Bears again.

These Niners are a much bigger defensive challenge. They can rush the passer from a barrage of angles, and they mix up coverages well. In addition, they match up well with Eddie Lacy’s running style; Lacy almost never cuts back, but that’s about the only way to find running room against Navorro Bowman, Patrick Willis & company.

Then there is the lingering memory of the complete evisceration of the clueless Green Bay defense by Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco offense. While I hope Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers tries something different, he doesn’t have the horses to run with Kaepernick, Gore, Davis and one of the better offensive lines in the league.

In short, this is the worst possible matchup for Green Bay in the playoffs. I would pick them over any other team in action this weekend, even on the road. But they will have to get lucky with the officials and in the turnover column to survive and advance here.

49ers 31, Packers 24

- BCS National Championship

Florida State’s speed on defense presents a real issue for Auburn. On the other side, the precision of Jameis Winston and their diverse rushing attack is strong enough to hang a lot of points on the Tigers.

Florida State 39, Auburn 20