NFL Wild Card Week Predictions

WILD CARD WEEK PREDICTIONS

XENA AND TANNER CHEW ON THE PLAYOFF GAMES

Here we go.  Finally the playoffs are here and we can get down to business.  Personally I think the divisional round of the NFL playoffs is the best weekend in sports.  The Wild Card round can be wildly fun to watch as well -- but strange things do happen and sometimes the games are not too competitive.  Remember two years ago when the 7-9 Seahawks took down the defending SB champion Saints?

Last year we had three non competitive games.  The Texans crushed the Bengals, the Saints won big over the Lions, and the Giants shut down the Falcons.  The Broncos defeated the Steelers in an epic overtime thriller in the weekend's most entertaining game.  Tim Tebow where have you gone? 

This year the NFC has three new faces with Washington, Seattle, and Minnesota replacing the Giants, Lions, and Saints.  In the AFC five of last year's teams are in.  The Division winners are all the same.  The only difference is that the Colts have supplanted the Steelers as the number five seed.

Knowing that I really don't know much about what will happen has never stopped me from offering a prognosis.  Here is what I see.

Minnesota@Green Bay - If it seems like these two teams play every week, it is because lately they do.  This will be the third meeting since December 2 and the two teams played just last week.  Minnesota won on a last play field goal at the Metro Dome to drop Green Bay to the number three seed and secure the last playoff spot.  I don't think the Packers can contain Peterson, but I look for the Packers to have too much passing game for the Vikes to keep pace.  While the Vikings defensive backfield has improved from last year, it is still the weak point on defense.  Only turnovers or special team dominance will allow Minnesota to prevail.  Green Bay also doesn't want this game to come down to a field goal given that  Crosby has been a head case the last half of the season.  Packers 31-17.

Bengals@Texans - This game is a rematch from the Wild Card round of last year.  The Texans won easily last year with their third-string QB under center.  Many are picking the Bengals who went 7-1 over the last half of the year.  The Bengals have a stout defensive line and an underrated passing game.  The Texans blew the number one seed losing three of their last four games.  I still like the Texans.  Some teams just don't match up well against certain opponents.  The Texans are a bad match up for the Bengals because they make the Bengals one dimensional.  The Bengals will need a huge game from Andy Dalton and he has yet to prove  that he can carry a team.  The Texans are under a lot of heat to deliver and redeem the season.  I say they do - 24-10.

Indy@Baltimore - This is my favorite game this weekend.  A young and charging  Colts team against an old and fading Ravens squad.  The Colts need to hang around early.  If they are within a touch down at halftime I like their chances.  Ray Lewis is not the player he was and after the initial emotion wears down, you still have to win it on the field.  My best guess is inexperience and weak run defense does in the Colts.

Ravens 31-20.

Seattle@Washington - On paper this could be the weekend's best game.  We have the two hottest teams in the NFC each led by dazzling Rookie QBs.  The Hawks have the clear defensive edge.  The Skins have home field against a Hawk team that was only 3-5 on the road (one of those wins was a neutral field win in Toronto over the Bills).  I think the Redskins are still riding the wave.  I think they have just enough to win 27-24 in a minor upset.