After a long year of waiting, the NFL playoffs are finally upon us, beginning with what is sure to be a thrilling Wild Card Weekend. In all four of these wildcard matchups, the wild card teams have a record equal to or better than the division winners, and even appear to be the clear favorite in some matchups. This will make picking these games a nightmare for your average football analyst, but the choices are clear to a self-proclaimed expert like yours truly.
New Orleans (11-5) vs. Seattle (7-9) – Saturday, 4:30
OK, this one is easy. Despite the injuries to RBs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas, which may put a damper on their Super Bowl aspirations, I expect the Saints to win easily over the mediocre, unworthy-of-a-playoff-berth Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks were shellacked in all nine of their regular season losses, allowing nearly 100 more points than they scored, and have the second-worst running game in the league. The only thing the NFC West champs have going for them is they’re playing at home in Qwest Field, widely considered one of the best homefield advantages in the NFL. The Saints, on the other hand, are red hot, winning seven of their last nine, including a huge win in Atlanta. Though Drew Brees has been turnover prone this year, he should pick apart the Seahawks secondary, keeping their hopes of defending their title alive.
New York (11-5) vs. Indianapolis (10-6) – Saturday, 8:30
This matchup features two teams who are not as strong are they were last year when they met in the AFC Championship game. The heavily favored Colts prevailed in that matchup, defeating the upstart Jets 30-17. This year proved much more challenging for a Colts team weakened by injury and for Peyton Manning, who had an uncharacteristic number of interceptions. The turnovers can be attributed, in part, to the loss of Austin Collie and Dallas Clark, two of Manning’s favorite receivers, but also to an underperforming defense and a poor rushing game, although the aforementioned rushing game has improved recently with the return of Joseph Addai. The Jets, led by the boisterous Rex Ryan, have had to find different ways to win this season, as their once-dominant defense now appears mortal. Mark Sanchez has greatly improved in his sophomore season, forcing opposing defenses to respect their passing game. However, the Jets have looked shaky on the road this season, squeaking past an assortment of subpar teams. I don’t believe the Jets are capable of pulling another one out. Colts win in a close one.
Baltimore (12-4) vs. Kansas City (10-6) – Sunday, 1:00
This game features two of the best young running backs in the league, Baltimore’s Ray Rice and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles, who finished 10th and 2nd in rushing yards, respectively. Charles has led the Chiefs to an NFL-best 164.2 rushing yards per game, though I believe the Baltimore defense will have something to say about this. This tough and playoff-experienced defense will shut down the Chiefs’ running game, forcing them to turn to their 30th ranked passing game with Matt Cassel under center. Despite the deep threat provided by fantasy football superstar Dwayne Bowe, the Ravens will contain the inexperienced Kansas City team and control the tempo of this game. Look for Ray Rice to have a stellar game, as Baltimore advances.
Green Bay (10-6) vs. Philadelphia (10-6) – Sunday, 4:30
This wild card matchup is unequivocally the best of the weekend. It pits Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay’s one man offense, against the speedy, evasive, and probable MVP runner-up, Michael Vick. Now these two teams did face off in Week 1 of the season in Philadelphia, which the Packers won 27-20. However, Vick only played in the second half, as he replaced the concussed Kevin Kolb. Both teams have changed immensely since September. The Packers have improved considerably after two huge wins against New York and division rival Chicago just to make the playoffs. Rodgers has been playing some of the best football of his career and the defense has proved itself to be one of the best in the league. The Eagles have shown themselves to be the most dangerous team in the NFL, with the ability to score in a hurry, as the woeful Giants know all too well. Many defenses have struggled to contain Vick, while still protecting against the deep ball, usually to Jeremy Maclin or DeSean Jackson. I believe Green Bay’s defense, led by Clay Matthews, must and will get to Vick and force him to turn the ball over. With the potential to turn into a shootout, I still see the Packers pulling this one out in Philadelphia.