The Pigskin Prognosticator -- NFL Conference Championships

For the second straight playoff week, I went 3-1. Sure, I'd like to be 8-0, but overall I'm pretty happy with those results.

This Sunday should feature two good games. If they're anything like the previous playoff games, it should be a good day for football viewing. Here's how I see things shaking out.

Oakland Raiders (H) over Tennessee Titans (V). Both teams are on hot streaks, with Tennessee winning 11 of their last 12, and Oakland earning victories in eight of nine games.

Part of me really wants to pick the Titans. They're red hot, Steve McNair is playing with strains, sprains, bruises, pulled this and that, chunks of fingers missing, and just plain guts. However, they just got past a Pittsburgh team that squeaked past the Browns. Tennessee hasn't exactly been laying down the hammer on teams. They've been surviving, and barely. Now they go into Oakland beat up and worn out.

Speaking of the Raiders, they just handily defeated a Jets team that recorded blowout wins over Indianapolis and Green Bay in their last two games. So Oakland is looking very strong. True, they're old -- Rich Gannon, Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, etc. -- but those old guys are playing very well.

I'll go with the Raiders, and I'll even foolishly take a shot at the final score. I'll say Oakland 34, Tennessee 23.

Philadelphia Eagles (H) over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (V). Who wouldn't love to see John Gruden and his Bucs team take on his old Raiders team? It would be the battle of the pirates, and Gruden makes a pretty mean "ARGHH!" face with that mug of his. It certainly wouldn't shock me to see such a matchup take place.

However, I'm leaning toward an Eagles victory. Philly has the home-field edge, and even though Tampa Bay broke their sub-40 degree drought earlier this season, that was against Chicago in the Bears' home away from home in Champaign. This is Philadelphia, where fans think coming up with new insults to hurl at opposing players (in addition to coins and batteries) is an art form. The environment at the Vet will be extremely hostile.

I see this one as low scoring, but who doesn't. How about Philadelphia 17, Tampa Bay 13?

Greg Simons can be reached at SimonsSaysSports@yahoo.com.