Another year, another LD for the NFL's second season. It's the PLAYOFFS, baby. Time for the best NFL teams to go at it.
VS.
Where: Reliant Stadium
When: 4:30, NBC
Line: Texans -4.5
We have a playoff rematch from last year, coming down to the same day (Saturday), time (4:30), and stadium. However, there is one noticeable difference – the man under center for the Texans. Instead of rookie 6th rounder T.J. Yates being back there, we instead have Matt Schaub. As good as the Texans season has been, they limped into the playoffs with a 1-3 record, including a loss to the Colts last week where the Colts weren't playing for anything in terms of playoff positioning and a win would've gave the Texans home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I believe it would be wise to not make a huge deal of their slump, though, as we've seen teams fall apart late and still make a Super Bowl run (Saints in 09 comes to mind). They still have J.J. (s)Watt, they still have Arian Foster, and they still have Andre Johnson. If Schaub can even be just average, I'd like their chances in this game.
As for the Bengals, they are led by the sophomore duo of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. Although some thought last years playoff team was a slight fluke, the Bengals proved their salt by making it back again this year. They have some nice playmakers at receiver opposite of Green in Andrew Hawkins and Jermaine Gresham, but it's clear that if you want to stop the Bengals, you have to stop Green. Which sometimes is easier said than done, when you consider Green is a top 3 receiver already and arguably the second most gifted receiver (behind Calvin Johnson, of course
). The Bengals also feature what I would say is an underrated defensive line lead by Geno Atkins, who likely will be named to the All-Pro team at the end of the year. Their secondary has improved lately due to them finally getting healthy, and I really do like the makeup of this team defensively.
Who's Hurting: Bengals – S Chris Crocker (Doubtful); RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, CB Terrance Newman (Probable)
Texans – LB Brooks Reed, TE Owen Daniels, CB Alan Ball (All Probable)
Prediction: I have to say that this game is the hardest of the four to pick. The Texans have had their struggles lately, but the “momentum” theory that you need to get hot late in the year to make a Super Bowl run has been done and over-saturated. The Texans will have the home-field advantage, although the Bengals oddly have had a better road record than home record (6-2 to 4-4). I see both defenses controlling the game and the first to 20 wins. I'll guess that the Bengals get there first. Bengals 24, Texans 21.
VS.
Where: Lambeau Field
When: 8:00, NBC
Line: Packers -7.5
A divisional matchup in the playoffs is always fun to watch because it always seems like the intensity goes up a few more notches. And this is the playoffs, where it's win or go home. The Packers lost to the Vikings last week in the Metrodome which not only allowed the Vikings to clinch their playoff berth but also forced the Packers to play an extra game. Like they have for the past few years, Aaron Rodgers is the leader of the offense and played some of his best ball this year. While his stats aren't quite as high as they were the year before, he has had a great year and would be a legitimate MVP candidate in years where we didn't see record breaking seasons. Rodgers should have all of his weapons at receiver available with Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and James Jones. They are still struggling to run the ball, as they have for the last 2+ years. The defense is slowly getting healthier, with CB Charles Woodson likely making his return this week, even if it's only sporadic appearances. There are some special teams issues with kicker Mason Crosby, and if the game is down to the wire late, the advantage would have to go to the Vikings.
As for the Vikings, it starts with RB Adrian Peterson, who became the 7th person to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season and was only 9 yards away from breaking Eric Dickersons yardage record. Believe me, if Peterson isn't your regular season MVP, the voting should simply be changed to the best QB award because having a season like he has deserves proper recognition. He's been the horse that has carried this team and it's quite amazing they've made this run when you see their personnel remains pretty much the same from their 3-13 team from last year. Still, they're in, and will be very confident after knocking the Packers off the week before. It will come down to the play of QB Christian Ponder, though, because even when Peterson went off on the Packers only a month ago (for over 200 yards) they still lost by 9.
Who's Hurting: Vikings – DE Brian Robison, S Harrison Smith, RB Adrian Peterson (Probable); CB Antoine Winfield, QB Christian Ponder (Questionable)
Packers – WR Jordy Nelson, WR Randall Cobb (Probable); RB James Starks (Questionable)
Prediction: It's tough to beat a team two weeks in a row. While Peterson is great and can tear apart this defense, Christian Ponder at home and Christian Ponder on the road are two different players. The weather will be the coldest game for the Vikings all season, and while you would think they are built to win in cold weather with Peterson capable of moving the chains and running down the clock, if Christian Ponder can't play well it won't matter. I don't have a whole lot of faith in Ponder, and Aaron Rodgers didn't look too shabby himself tearing up that Vikings D last week. It won't be a full blowout, but it will be decided by the time the 4th quarter starts. Packers 34, Vikings 20.
VS.
Where: M&T Bank Stadium
When: 1:00, CBS
Line: Ravens -7
One of the most unlikely teams to make the postseason has to be the Colts, who are only the second team to go from 2 wins or less to 11 the next year. While a lot of that can be attributed to luck (no pun intended) and being 9-2 in games decided by 7 points or less, there also has been some of the emotional upbringing with the story of coach Chuck Pagano. I don't think any of you have been living under a rock on this story the past few months, so I shouldn't have to go into much detail. But, if there is one team that has the support from America, it's these Colts. They have the #1 overall pick in Andrew Luck at QB, which has certainly been apart of their renaissance. Although he has had some turnover issues, he still has been a vast improvement over the Kerry Collins/Curtis Painter/Dan Orlovsky/My grandma/a bag of dog shit QB derby they had last year. They also had a great turnover of their roster, rightfully so when your team is 2-14.
As for the Ravens, although they're in the playoffs for the 5th straight year, they don't have that feeling of a contender by some due to the decimation of their defense. Both LB Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis have seen extended time off throughout the season due to injury problems. They are both healthy, though, and likely to play. Plus, Joe Flacco is the only one to have the distinction of winning at least one playoff game each of his first 4 years. As inconsistent as he's been this year, it would not surprise me in the least to see him go 5 for 5. As long as they turn the ball to Ray Rice early and often, I see this as a quick exit for the Colts.
Who's Hurting: Colts – QB Andrew Luck (Probable); S Tom Zbikowski, RB Delone Carter (Questionable)
Ravens – LB Ray Lewis (Probable)
Prediction: Frankly, this is the easiest of the 4 games to predict for me. If you look at this game objectively, it's really no contest. The Colts have gotten by with a lot of smoke and mirrors and, judging by point differential, are one of the worst playoff teams ever. While obviously there is the “Any Given Sunday” motto that some will throw out, with this potentially being Lewis's last home game and the fact that Indy is on the road, it'd be hard to go against Baltimore. Baltimore 28, Indianapolis 13
VS.
Where: FedEx Field
When: 4:30, Fox
Line: Seahawks -3
This will be the funnest game of the 4 to watch. Two rookie QBs, a rabid and playoff hungry fanbase, a truly elite defense, two of the highest rushers for the season, a two-time Super Bowl winning coach, among others. I won't deny that I love watching RGIII play and if my heart decided who was going to the Super Bowl it would have the Redskins in it. They run their offense mainly out of the pistol formation which focuses heavily on the read option and allows RGIII to use his legs as an option. Their receiving options are merely average at best, with their most important weapon probably being WR Pierre Garçon. These receivers benefit from the read option as well because the read option can cause the front seven to crash in and give one on one matchups to the receivers. With the talented secondary that Seattle has with Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and co., it will be VERY critical for the Redskin receivers to win their 1 on 1 matchup since the Seahawks could stack the box and put the pressure on their DBs to slow down the receivers.
For the Seahawks, the offense has a similar premise as their opponent – the read option. Russel Wilson, the overlooked third round pick out of Wisconsin, has improved his game greatly from September to now. He has had some road troubles through this season, but some of those were early (Week 1 loss to Arizona, Week 4 vs. St. Louis) where Wilson was still trying to figure stuff out. They have won their last two road games (vs. Buffalo in Toronto and vs. Chicago) and many of their losses early on were (at least somewhat) as a result of starting at 1 PM ET on the East Coast. While that may sound like an excuse, if your body is built one way, playing earlier (which in this case would be 10 AM PT) could alter your performance. That won't be a cause for concern in this game, since the 4:30 ET start would be close to your typical western start. Enough making excuses, though. This team is legitimately a contender due to their balance. They have both a strong run and passing game. Their defense is, for my money, a top 2 unit. Even their special teams are solid. If I'm Atlanta or San Francisco, I'm rooting for the Redskins to knock these guys out.
Who's Hurting: Seahawks – RB Marshawn Lynch (Probable)
Redskins – QB Robert Griffin III, QB Kirk Cousins, LB London Fletcher (Probable)
Prediction: Either way a rookie will be getting their first postseason win and I can see arguments to both sides. RGIII should be fully healthy and able to run the ball as much as he's asked, while the Seattle defense has the tools you would like to stop the run. The home-field advantage has to be worth some bonus points, but I'm drinking all of the Seattle kool-aid right now. It'll be a back and forth game that's not decided until the 4th, but the Seahawks get a score late to put it out of reach. Seahawks 31, Redskins 21.
Where: Reliant Stadium
When: 4:30, NBC
Line: Texans -4.5
We have a playoff rematch from last year, coming down to the same day (Saturday), time (4:30), and stadium. However, there is one noticeable difference – the man under center for the Texans. Instead of rookie 6th rounder T.J. Yates being back there, we instead have Matt Schaub. As good as the Texans season has been, they limped into the playoffs with a 1-3 record, including a loss to the Colts last week where the Colts weren't playing for anything in terms of playoff positioning and a win would've gave the Texans home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I believe it would be wise to not make a huge deal of their slump, though, as we've seen teams fall apart late and still make a Super Bowl run (Saints in 09 comes to mind). They still have J.J. (s)Watt, they still have Arian Foster, and they still have Andre Johnson. If Schaub can even be just average, I'd like their chances in this game.
As for the Bengals, they are led by the sophomore duo of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. Although some thought last years playoff team was a slight fluke, the Bengals proved their salt by making it back again this year. They have some nice playmakers at receiver opposite of Green in Andrew Hawkins and Jermaine Gresham, but it's clear that if you want to stop the Bengals, you have to stop Green. Which sometimes is easier said than done, when you consider Green is a top 3 receiver already and arguably the second most gifted receiver (behind Calvin Johnson, of course
). The Bengals also feature what I would say is an underrated defensive line lead by Geno Atkins, who likely will be named to the All-Pro team at the end of the year. Their secondary has improved lately due to them finally getting healthy, and I really do like the makeup of this team defensively.Who's Hurting: Bengals – S Chris Crocker (Doubtful); RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, CB Terrance Newman (Probable)
Texans – LB Brooks Reed, TE Owen Daniels, CB Alan Ball (All Probable)
Prediction: I have to say that this game is the hardest of the four to pick. The Texans have had their struggles lately, but the “momentum” theory that you need to get hot late in the year to make a Super Bowl run has been done and over-saturated. The Texans will have the home-field advantage, although the Bengals oddly have had a better road record than home record (6-2 to 4-4). I see both defenses controlling the game and the first to 20 wins. I'll guess that the Bengals get there first. Bengals 24, Texans 21.
Where: Lambeau Field
When: 8:00, NBC
Line: Packers -7.5
A divisional matchup in the playoffs is always fun to watch because it always seems like the intensity goes up a few more notches. And this is the playoffs, where it's win or go home. The Packers lost to the Vikings last week in the Metrodome which not only allowed the Vikings to clinch their playoff berth but also forced the Packers to play an extra game. Like they have for the past few years, Aaron Rodgers is the leader of the offense and played some of his best ball this year. While his stats aren't quite as high as they were the year before, he has had a great year and would be a legitimate MVP candidate in years where we didn't see record breaking seasons. Rodgers should have all of his weapons at receiver available with Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and James Jones. They are still struggling to run the ball, as they have for the last 2+ years. The defense is slowly getting healthier, with CB Charles Woodson likely making his return this week, even if it's only sporadic appearances. There are some special teams issues with kicker Mason Crosby, and if the game is down to the wire late, the advantage would have to go to the Vikings.
As for the Vikings, it starts with RB Adrian Peterson, who became the 7th person to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season and was only 9 yards away from breaking Eric Dickersons yardage record. Believe me, if Peterson isn't your regular season MVP, the voting should simply be changed to the best QB award because having a season like he has deserves proper recognition. He's been the horse that has carried this team and it's quite amazing they've made this run when you see their personnel remains pretty much the same from their 3-13 team from last year. Still, they're in, and will be very confident after knocking the Packers off the week before. It will come down to the play of QB Christian Ponder, though, because even when Peterson went off on the Packers only a month ago (for over 200 yards) they still lost by 9.
Who's Hurting: Vikings – DE Brian Robison, S Harrison Smith, RB Adrian Peterson (Probable); CB Antoine Winfield, QB Christian Ponder (Questionable)
Packers – WR Jordy Nelson, WR Randall Cobb (Probable); RB James Starks (Questionable)
Prediction: It's tough to beat a team two weeks in a row. While Peterson is great and can tear apart this defense, Christian Ponder at home and Christian Ponder on the road are two different players. The weather will be the coldest game for the Vikings all season, and while you would think they are built to win in cold weather with Peterson capable of moving the chains and running down the clock, if Christian Ponder can't play well it won't matter. I don't have a whole lot of faith in Ponder, and Aaron Rodgers didn't look too shabby himself tearing up that Vikings D last week. It won't be a full blowout, but it will be decided by the time the 4th quarter starts. Packers 34, Vikings 20.
Where: M&T Bank Stadium
When: 1:00, CBS
Line: Ravens -7
One of the most unlikely teams to make the postseason has to be the Colts, who are only the second team to go from 2 wins or less to 11 the next year. While a lot of that can be attributed to luck (no pun intended) and being 9-2 in games decided by 7 points or less, there also has been some of the emotional upbringing with the story of coach Chuck Pagano. I don't think any of you have been living under a rock on this story the past few months, so I shouldn't have to go into much detail. But, if there is one team that has the support from America, it's these Colts. They have the #1 overall pick in Andrew Luck at QB, which has certainly been apart of their renaissance. Although he has had some turnover issues, he still has been a vast improvement over the Kerry Collins/Curtis Painter/Dan Orlovsky/My grandma/a bag of dog shit QB derby they had last year. They also had a great turnover of their roster, rightfully so when your team is 2-14.
As for the Ravens, although they're in the playoffs for the 5th straight year, they don't have that feeling of a contender by some due to the decimation of their defense. Both LB Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis have seen extended time off throughout the season due to injury problems. They are both healthy, though, and likely to play. Plus, Joe Flacco is the only one to have the distinction of winning at least one playoff game each of his first 4 years. As inconsistent as he's been this year, it would not surprise me in the least to see him go 5 for 5. As long as they turn the ball to Ray Rice early and often, I see this as a quick exit for the Colts.
Who's Hurting: Colts – QB Andrew Luck (Probable); S Tom Zbikowski, RB Delone Carter (Questionable)
Ravens – LB Ray Lewis (Probable)
Prediction: Frankly, this is the easiest of the 4 games to predict for me. If you look at this game objectively, it's really no contest. The Colts have gotten by with a lot of smoke and mirrors and, judging by point differential, are one of the worst playoff teams ever. While obviously there is the “Any Given Sunday” motto that some will throw out, with this potentially being Lewis's last home game and the fact that Indy is on the road, it'd be hard to go against Baltimore. Baltimore 28, Indianapolis 13
Where: FedEx Field
When: 4:30, Fox
Line: Seahawks -3
This will be the funnest game of the 4 to watch. Two rookie QBs, a rabid and playoff hungry fanbase, a truly elite defense, two of the highest rushers for the season, a two-time Super Bowl winning coach, among others. I won't deny that I love watching RGIII play and if my heart decided who was going to the Super Bowl it would have the Redskins in it. They run their offense mainly out of the pistol formation which focuses heavily on the read option and allows RGIII to use his legs as an option. Their receiving options are merely average at best, with their most important weapon probably being WR Pierre Garçon. These receivers benefit from the read option as well because the read option can cause the front seven to crash in and give one on one matchups to the receivers. With the talented secondary that Seattle has with Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and co., it will be VERY critical for the Redskin receivers to win their 1 on 1 matchup since the Seahawks could stack the box and put the pressure on their DBs to slow down the receivers.
For the Seahawks, the offense has a similar premise as their opponent – the read option. Russel Wilson, the overlooked third round pick out of Wisconsin, has improved his game greatly from September to now. He has had some road troubles through this season, but some of those were early (Week 1 loss to Arizona, Week 4 vs. St. Louis) where Wilson was still trying to figure stuff out. They have won their last two road games (vs. Buffalo in Toronto and vs. Chicago) and many of their losses early on were (at least somewhat) as a result of starting at 1 PM ET on the East Coast. While that may sound like an excuse, if your body is built one way, playing earlier (which in this case would be 10 AM PT) could alter your performance. That won't be a cause for concern in this game, since the 4:30 ET start would be close to your typical western start. Enough making excuses, though. This team is legitimately a contender due to their balance. They have both a strong run and passing game. Their defense is, for my money, a top 2 unit. Even their special teams are solid. If I'm Atlanta or San Francisco, I'm rooting for the Redskins to knock these guys out.
Who's Hurting: Seahawks – RB Marshawn Lynch (Probable)
Redskins – QB Robert Griffin III, QB Kirk Cousins, LB London Fletcher (Probable)
Prediction: Either way a rookie will be getting their first postseason win and I can see arguments to both sides. RGIII should be fully healthy and able to run the ball as much as he's asked, while the Seattle defense has the tools you would like to stop the run. The home-field advantage has to be worth some bonus points, but I'm drinking all of the Seattle kool-aid right now. It'll be a back and forth game that's not decided until the 4th, but the Seahawks get a score late to put it out of reach. Seahawks 31, Redskins 21.