Anyone who is anyone that follows the league has to admit this year’s National Football League (NFL) season was annoying.

Okay, maybe not to fans in New England or Jacksonville or Denver, but pretty much everywhere else.

Minnesota? They put a pinto engine in an Aston Martin and hoped it would work. (My fellow Vikings fans know what I’m talking about).

Detroit? The team that was a pre-season favourite to win the NFC North and be a Super Bowl contender is watching the playoffs from home.

Philly? The defending champs are back in the dance, but they don’t feel like a superpower to anyone paying attention.

Carolina? They’re in, barely, but only because no one seemed to want to win the NFC South. Seriously. Three teams tied for the lead at 8-9 and the division decided by a ridiculous tie breaker.

Houston? At times they look like the best team in the league. The problem is there are times where they look like they don’t belong in the playoffs.

Baltimore? Do us all a favour and trade Lamar Jackson to the Vikings this offseason.

Cincinnati? They have an all-world quarterback in Joe Burrow, receivers to match, and literally nothing else. The real-world example of what happens when one puts all their eggs in one (or technically three) baskets.

The list goes on. In fact, no one predicted the expansion cousins from Jacksonville and Carolina to make the playoffs, let alone win their divisions.

QB Sam Darnold leading the Seattle Seahawks to the number one seed in the NFC was also a surprise.

How about the Buffalo Bills losing the AFC East division to an upstart New England team led by sophomore sensation Drake Maye?

Even week-by-week, there was a lot of chaos and “really, how did that happen” moments.

That all being stated. Let’s get to my totally going by my gut picks for the NFL Playoffs. I’m throwing out all the nerd stats, all the “rules” to live by, and just going by “I’ve got a feeling about this” and here’s why.

Scroll to the bottom for screen shots of my main bracket and an alternate bracket I threw together for fun.

Wild Card Round

Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers, Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

My Gut Pick: Carolina.

Unreasonable reasoning: The Panthers are at home, have nothing to lose, and are a 10.5 point underdog on the betting lines. That’s pretty disrespectful. Also, pretty sure everyone and their mom are taking the Rams to win and maybe even cover.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, Saturday at 8 p.m.

My Gut Pick: Chicago.

Unreasonable reasoning: The Bears already beat the Packers twice and have that “nobody believes in us” vibe about them. They also are never out of games even when being outplayed. Da Bears are at home, they have a never-give up attitude, and I loathe the Packers.

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday at 1 p.m.

My Gut Pick: Buffalo.

Unreasonable reasoning: In case you missed it, Bills QB Josh Allen is the best player in the league and easily the best quarterback in the playoffs. I like the Jaguars, I really do, and I wish they were playing anyone else in this round. But this is a quarterback’s league and I’m taking the best one to win.

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

My Gut Pick: Philly.

Unreasonable reasoning: They’re the defending champs playing a warm-weather west coast team at home in the chilly east coast winter weather. Plus, the Eagles may have been just sliding by this season in anticipation of taking a run at going back-to-back.

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots, Sunday at 8:15 p.m.

My Gut Pick: The Patriots.

Unreasonable reasoning: I was really, really leaning Chargers when the game was announced last weekend. But I did a gut-check, and I can’t go against the Pats at home in January against an L.A. team.

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday at 8:15 p.m.

My Gut Pick: Houston.

Unreasonable reasoning: I greatly dislike Aaron Rodgers. But I love Mike Tomlin. So, I’m kind of torn on the Steelers. However, I want to see Tomlin leave that ungrateful Pittsburgh lot that called for his job a month ago before he led their beloved Steelers to the playoffs for the third straight year. Oh yeah, and the guy they chanted “fire Tomlin” about, he has led the team to 22 straight years of non-losing seasons and 12 playoff appearances with one Super Bowl win since 2007. So, yeah, gimme Houston and let Tomlin free from that crappy town.

Divisional Round

Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

My Gut Pick: Seattle.

Unreasonable (in this case pretty reasonable) reasoning: They’re the number one seed, they’re at home, they’re better than the Panthers.

Eagles at Bears

My Gut Pick: Eagles.

Unreasonable reasoning: A lot of people, including an abnormal number of Eagles fans, have lamented the way this team was quite boring this season despite all the weapons at their disposal. My gut says they were playing possum.

Bills at Broncos

My Gut Pick: Buffalo.

Unreasonable reasoning: The Bills don’t have to face any significant quarterbacks this postseason with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrows sitting at home. They have the best one at the helm. He’s primed for a march to the Super Bowl.

Texans at Patriots

My Gut Pick: Pats.

Unreasonable reasoning: My gut is going both ways on this one and causing indigestion. So, I’m going home team.

Conference Championships

Eagles at Seahawks

My Gut Pick: Seattle

Unreasonable reasoning: They Eagles will have to lose again in the playoffs at some point. If this is the NFC conference championship match-up, there will be a lot of people putting money on the defending champs. My gut says the Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl this year.

Bills at Patriots

My Gut Pick: Buffalo.

Semi-reasonable reasoning: This will be the third time these teams play each other this season, having split the other two with the road team winning each time. That trend continues as the Bills get a chance to bury the 0-for-the-Super Bowl team history.

Super Bowl

Bills vs. Seahawks

My Gut Pick: Buffalo.

Unreasonable reasoning: The Seahawks had the better record, have the better overall team, and should win the Super Bowl. The Bills have Josh Allen and the NFL gods owe Buffalo a win.  

My Main Bracket

My Alternate Bracket