Welcome to Glass Slipper! Back to the drawing board, Sark; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

I unexpectedly extended my college football picks into the postseason, because I felt like handing out more prizes. Let’s do the same with the NFL. The rules haven’t changed; each time a prediction is wrong, it costs me $10 in rewards. I’ll make five picks for each of the four rounds of the playoffs. You’re getting 20 extra chances to inflate the Prize Pot. Keep on rooting against me!

Prediction 1: The Texans beat the Chargers.

At no point has Houston looked like a great football team. DeMeco Ryans’ group owns exactly one victory over a squad that finished above .500. For reference, the Browns have two. So do the Patriots. That’s some alarming stuff for a division champion.

The saving grace for the Texans? I believe that Los Angeles is an even bigger faker. Those fans have been strutting around with puffed chests because their defense allowed the fewest points in the league. Let’s examine how that unit performed when facing a real offense, shall we? Surely Jesse Minter stepped forward and delivered dominant statements, right? Right? And… oh. Quite the opposite, actually. The Chargers played five games against a top-10 scoring team, and gave up 28 per contest. Yeah.

Houston’s attack technically doesn’t fall into that elite category. But we all know what CJ Stroud and company look like when they’re clicking. I’ll take the Texans to put it together in front of the home crowd.

Prediction 2: TJ Watt records 1+ sacks against Baltimore.

The man has been far too quiet. Watt was hurtling towards his second Defensive Player of the Year, then went radio silent in the final three weeks. He just got completely deleted by a backup tackle. There is no doubt that he’s seething with anger as we speak.

Prediction 3: Both Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley finish with less than 100 rushing yards.

With Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts each dealing with ailments, I think these defensive coordinators are going to pour their resources into stopping the star backs in this one. In other words, make the quarterbacks prove that they’re healthy enough to sling it around.

We might not see any gaudy rushing numbers, but all signs point to this being an awesome battle anyway. Enjoy it.

Prediction 4: Washington defeats Tampa Bay.

Jayden Daniels is better than Baker Mayfield. That’s not a hot take, but a truism.

Mike Evans thought he escaped Marshon Lattimore when the superstar corner was shipped to the Commanders. Yet, here we are. No. 23 appears to be healthy, and he’s ready to add another chapter to the NFL’s most entertaining individual rivalry. Lattimore normally wins this matchup, and tomorrow night will be no different. Washington travels down to Florida and shoves the Bucs out of the bracket.

Prediction 5: 90+ receiving yards and at least one receiving touchdown for Justin Jefferson.

Believe it or not, Jefferson hit both of these benchmarks in the same contest only three times this season.

The Rams have been getting away with starting two unspectacular outside corners all year. There’s no escape on Monday, though. It’s the best wideout in the sport against Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon - on a notoriously slippery field - in front of the entire world. That sounds like a feasting session for Mr. Jefferson.

• Week 18 Results: 1-4

• Overall Season Picks Record: 29-61

• Current NFL Prize Pot: $610

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“Daydreamin’” by Ariana Grande. Stay safe, fellow SoCal folks.