Still reeling from the San Diego Chargers’ late-season collapse, the The Acorn’s sports editor fights on to tell you which teams will advance to Super Bowl XL in Detroit.

AFC Wild-Card Round

Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) at New England Patriots (10-6)

This is a tough matchup for the young Jaguars, who’ve decided to start Byron Leftwich over David Garrard at quarterback. Leftwich hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury Nov. 27. Garrard went 5-1 in his absence.

New England embarks on its quest for an unprecedented thirdstraight Super Bowl title. Quarterback Tom Brady should look for his favorite target, wideout Deion Branch, early and often in this game. Neither team’s going to have much success running the football.

Outlook: Too much Brady. Too much Bruschi. Too much Belichick. Patriots win, 27-13.

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) at

Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)

In the most intriguing game of the first round, AFC North rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati square off for the third time since Oct. 23. The Steelers won the first meeting, 2713, in Cincinnati. The Bengals returned the favor in Week 13 with a 38-31 victory at Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh averages 139 rushing yards per game. Cincinnati is allowing 116 yards per game on the ground. That’s not good for a Bengal defense that has struggled down the stretch.

Outlook: Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Chad Johnson will explode through the air, but the smashmouth combination of running backs “Fast” Willie Parker and Jerome “The Bus” Bettis is more than the Bengals can handle. Steelers win a classic, 30-26.

NFC Wild-Card Round

Washington Redskins (10-6) at

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Joe Gibbs’ Redskins have won five straight. Jon Gruden’s Buccaneers are champions of the NFC South—one of league’s toughest divisions.

Washington is hot and they have a veteran quarterback with playoff experience in Mark Brunell. Tampa Bay is talented but young at the skill positions, especially quarterback Chris Simms, the son of former New York Giants signal-caller Phil Simms.

This game is a rematch of a Nov. 13 contest won by the Buccaneers at home, 36-35. Tampa Bay fullback Mike Alstott ran in a two-point conversion with 58 seconds remaining in the game to give the Buccaneers the win.

Outlook: Washington flexes its muscle, 21-10.

Carolina Panthers (11-5) at

New York Giants (11-5) Carolina has been inconsistent during the past month, going just 2-2. When DeShaun Foster is running the ball, Steve Smith is catching it and Julius Peppers is wreaking havoc, the Panthers can beat anybody.

New York has an MVP candidate in running back Tiki Barber. They also have a Manning, although unlike his older brother Peyton, Eli Manning has zero playoff experience. Giant defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora have combined for 26 sacks. The Panthers will have a difficult time keeping them off quarterback Jake Delhomme.

Outlook: The Giants lost only one game at home this season. That won’t change this week. Giants win, 24-21.

AFC Divisional Round

Pittsburgh Steelers at

Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis (14-2) roughed-up Pittsburgh, 26-7, at home in Week 12. The Colts will do the same on their way to the AFC Championship, as the Pittsburgh offense has to abandon its running game while playing catch-up all afternoon.

Outlook: Colts’ wideout Reggie Wayne catches a pair of touchdown tosses and Indy advances, 31-17.

New England Patriots at

Denver Broncos

Denver (13-3) has quietly put together a strong season. They love to rush the ball with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell, who’ve combined for 1,935 yards. The Bronco defense also ranks third in the NFL in points allowed per game.

Outlook: The stout Patriot defense forces Denver quarterback Jake Plummer into his former turnover-prone, gun-slinging, out-of-control ways. Patriots prevail, 21-16.

NFC Divisional Round

Washington Redskins at

Seattle Seahawks

Everyone knows Seattle (133) can move the football behind the NFL’s leading rusher and alltime single-season touchdown leader Shaun Alexander. But the Seahawks can stop the run, too, ranking fifth overall in the NFL.

Outlook: Seattle takes the next step against a game Washington squad, 31-27.

New York Giants at

Chicago Bears

This game just screams mid’80s NFC playoff football. It’s too bad Bill Parcells and Mike Ditka aren’t still roaming the sidelines for the Giants and Bears, respectively. One thing that hasn’t changed from the glory days of yesteryear is the vaunted Chicago (11-5) defense, a unit that allowed a microscopic 12.6 points per game this season.

Outlook: Da’ Bears turn Eli Manning into a rag doll and the Giant offense is nowhere to be found. Bears breeze, 16-3.

AFC and NFC Championships

New England Patriots at

Indianapolis Colts

Outlook: Tom Brady has never lost a playoff game. That amazing streak comes to an end as the Colts score early and often in the most highly-anticipated matchup of the postseason.

Peyton Manning finally breaks the curse of the Patriots as he throws four touchdowns in a 41-27 Colts’ victory, sending Indy to the Motor City and denying the Patriots a chance to make Super Bowl history.

Chicago Bears at

Seattle Seahawks

Outlook: For three quarters the Chicago defense stops Seattle and it looks like the impossible will happen—the Bears will advance to the Super Bowl.

But the Seahawks mount a late drive and Shaun Alexander finds the end zone with less than two minutes to play to give the Seahawks an ugly win, 13-10.

We’ll have more on Super Bowl XL between the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts in the coming weeks. Stephen Dorman can be reached at sdorman@theacorn.com.