Random NFL playoff picks 2012

I’m normally a non-football fan, so I’m only working with point differentials, home advantages (or lack thereof), & luck:

Detroit (+87) at New Orleans (+208)
Without taking quality of competition into account, New Orleans had the best raw point differential in the NFL by a touchdown over the 15-1 Packers. Drew Brees also ended up second in QB rating (am I quoting the football equivalent of pitcher wins or saves here?) and first in total passing yards; Matt Stafford was fifth and third. I will buck the numbers here and go with Detroit in a close one for no real reason. 38-35 Lions.

New York Giants (-6) at Atlanta (+52)
Two close QB ratings (Manning 92.9, Ryan 92.2) and a Giants team that won a weak division despite a point differential 74 points worse than the Eagles (yeah). But I’ll still take the Giants here, 24-21.

Pittsburgh (+98) at Denver (-81)
I’m tempted to take Denver in a Seattle-over-New-Orleans-2011-type upset, and the Steelers aren’t as scary as they once were, and Denver is at home, but with due respect to R.E.M., Pittsburgh will Tebow the Leather. Steelers 45-2.

Cincinnati (+21) at Houston (+103)
No idea who’s healthy and who’s halfway decent when they are, but tossing a coin tells me 16-9 Texans. And I almost wrote Oilers, probably hoping Taylor Hall will start at QB.