Steve Serby

Steve Serby

NFL

Serby: Patriots will win Super Bowl

The hoodie strikes back!

The Post’s Steve Serby says it’ll be Belichick’s Patriots hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February after toppling a surprising foe

AFC

WILD-CARD ROUND

RAVENS at BRONCOS: A rematch of the season opener and more importantly, a rematch of the 2012 playoff loss that sent Peyton Manning home. Manning doesn’t have to deal with frigid temperatures this time, or with Ray Lewis lighting a spiritual fire under his team, and wins a shootout with Joe Flacco.

BRONCOS 37, RAVENS 28

COLTS at BENGALS: Ahmad Bradshaw, on crutches 24 hours before game time with a sprained foot, shockingly hobbles through the tunnel, gets two first downs in his only two carries of the game, and inspires Andrew Luck to a four-TD performance.

COLTS 28, BENGALS 21

DIVISIONAL ROUND

COLTS at PATRIOTS: Aqib Talib blankets Reggie Wayne, and Shane Vereen is a matchup nightmare for Chuck Pagano’s linebackers. Bob Kraft volunteers afterwards he’s still rooting for Tim Tebow, wherever he is.

PATRIOTS 31, COLTS 14

BRONCOS at TEXANS: Ed Reed gambles and loses on a Wes Welker catch-and-run TD, and Peyton Manning doesn’t have a single pass affected by J. J. Swat as Matt Schaub falls short again.

BRONCOS 24, TEXANS 20

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BRONCOS at PATRIOTS: That’s right, Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady, once more with feeling. Welker refuses interview requests all week, preferring not to elaborate on his training camp remarks about Bill Belichick (”You have to endure him, put up with him).” Welker and Brady embrace on the field, and the Gillette Stadium crowd gives him a standing ovation. Manning is distracted by posters of him as a Football on Your Phone rapper, and Brady is more efficient in the sleet storm that develops in the second half.

PATRIOTS 30, BRONCOS 24

NFC

WILD-CARD ROUND

RAMS at FALCONS: Chris Long and Richard Quinn make life miserable for Matt Ryan, and Steven Jackson, pressing too hard against his old team, fumbles twice.

RAMS 28, FALCONS 24

SEAHAWKS at COWBOYS: Richard Sherman contains Dez Bryant, and Tony Romo, who cost Bill Parcells a playoff win by bobbling a field-goal snap in Seattle, is intercepted in the end zone in the final minute by Earl Thomas.

SEAHAWKS 27 COWBOYS 23

DIVISIONAL ROUND

RAMS at PACKERS: Jeff Fisher shows his underdogs video of the Giants’ cold-blooded playoff upsets of the Pack. Brian Schottenheimer has Sam Bradford check down to Tavon Austin to neutralize Clay Matthews, and Greg Zuerlein wins it with a 42-yard field goal as time expires on the frozen tundra.

RAMS 20, PACKERS 17

SEAHAWKS at 49ERS: A bloodbath, ratcheted up by a series of prefatory barbs between Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh. Russell Wilson hits Percy Harvin with a TD bomb that appears to win the game. But Colin Kaepernick responds with a 40-yard read-option romp and a laser TD throw to Michael Crabtree.

49ERS 37, SEAHAWKS 34

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

RAMS at 49ERS: Jeff Fisher shows his underdogs video of the Giants’ two NFC Championship Game victories in San Francisco. Rookie linebacker Alec Ogletree has the athleticism to spy Kaepernick and take away the read option. Jake Long and Rodger Saffold render Aldon Smith mortal, and if you took the Rams plus 12, you won.

RAMS 24, 49ers 21

SUPER BOWL XLVIII

Jeff Fisher shows his underdogs video of Eli Manning’s two Super Bowl MVP drives against the Patriots. But it disgusts the Giants another team is using their Quest Diagnostics Training Center locker room and weight room, and Manning sneaks in and puts hot balm in every jock. The Rams suspect Belichick, of course, and lose their concentration. In a blinding blizzard, Brady plays pitch-and-catch with his towering tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Zach Sudfeld. Aaron Hernandez has no idea.

PATRIOTS 31, RAMS 17

WHO’S COMING TO THE PARTY?

The rest of The Post’s NFL crew weighs in on the Meadowlands Super Bowl matchup:

Dave Blezow

Indianapolis over San Francisco

Mark Cannizzaro

Giants over Denver

Brian Costello

New England over Green Bay

Hondo

San Francisco over Denver

Bart Hubbuch

Seattle over Indianapolis

Paul Schwartz

Seattle over Cincinnati

Mike Vaccaro

San Francisco over Denver

George Willis

Giants over Texans

SERBY’S END-OF-SEASON AWARDS PICKS

MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER of YEAR: WR Dez Bryant (Cowboys)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER of YEAR: DE Chandler Jones (Patriots)

ROOKIE of YEAR: WR Tavon Austin ( Rams)

COACH of YEAR: Jeff Fisher (Rams)

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER of YEAR: Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)

COMEBACK PLAYER of YEAR: Darrelle Revis ( Buccaneers)