Donovan McNabb and Brian Dawkins hope to bring a Super Bowl to Philadelphia. Photo by Pete Lerro.

If you are a fan of parity, the NFC playoffs are for you. With the exception the Arizona Cardinals, every team in the NFC has a legitimate shot at a trip to the Super Bowl in Tampa.

The Wild Card round may be the best proof as all four visiting teams are favored.

Here are the picks for the NFC playoffs as Footballstories sees it.

Wild Card weekend

Atlanta Falcons (11-5) at Arizona Cardinals (9-7)

This is only the fifth time in club history that the Falcons have won 11 games. It is the first time since the Cardinals have hosted a playoff game since 1947 when the team was in Chicago.

Rookie sensation Matt Ryan will lead the Falcons behind center. The quarterback enters the playoffs with a solid rating of 87.7. The Falcons will need a big game from running back Michael Turner who finished the season with 1,699 yards and 17 TDS (both 2^nd in NFL).

Their defense is led by DE John Abraham (16.5 sacks, 2^nd in conference) and linebacker Keith Brooking, who will be playing in his eighth playoff game.

Kicker Jason Elam’s long playoff experience will be invaluable.

The Cardinals potent offense will be led by Pro Bowl quarterback Kurt Warner, who threw for 30 TD passes against just 14 interceptions this season. 

Arizona receiving corps, led by Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, is as good as it gets.

Edgerrin James has slowed down but can still keep defenses on their toes.

The Cardinals defense – led by CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and S Antrel Rolle – has not played will in the second half of the season.

The Western Division champions won just two of their last six games.

It’s that defense that will let the Cardinals down.

The pick: Falcons 24, Cardinals 17.

*** 

Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) at Minnesota Vikings (10-6)

After a stretch of poor play, the Eagles rallied to win four of their last five games and claim the sixth and final seed in the NFC playoffs.

On the way the Birds claimed impressive wins against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

The Eagles will go as far at quarterback Donovan McNabb takes them and that could be far.

Also Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins is playing his football in years. He forced two turnovers against the Cowboys – both returned for touchdowns.

McNabb has led an offense that set a club record in points (416) and has shown balance not seen much by Andy Reid-led teams.

All-everything back Brian Westbrook (936 yards rushing, 9 TDs, 54 catches, 402 yards, 5 TDs) and his backup Correll Buckhalter (369 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 26 catches 324 yards, 2 TDs) will need to be their best against a Vikings defense that has two outstanding linemen in Jared Allen (14.5 sacks) and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Pat Williams who has indicated he will play after sitting out the last two games due to a shoulder injury.

On offense the Vikings will lean on second-year running back Adrian Peterson who led the NFL in rushing in 2008 (1,760 yards, 4.8 average 10 TDs).

Coach Brad Childress will start Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback. Jackson was benched after the Vikes got off to a 1-3 start. Gus Frerotte took over and led his team to a 7-2 run before hurting his back on December 7 against the Detroit Lions.

Back behind center was Jackson who has played well in the last four games earning a QB rating of 115.4 during that span. During that stretch, the third-year signal-caller has 8TDs, 1 INT while going 57 of 89 for 740 yards.

A rejuvenated McNabb and receiving corps led by rookie DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis plus a defense that is creating turnovers and opportunities to score should prove too much for the Vikings who are in real danger of not selling out and thus having the game blacked out in the Minneapolis area.

The Pick:

Eagles 31, Vikings 24.

Our pick for the rest of the NFC playoffs:

Division round

Eagles 21, Giants 10

Carolina 38, Atlanta 24

NFC Title game

Carolina 28, Eagles 24

Al Thompson can be reached at al.thompson@footballstories.com.