Currently, all four wild card teams are favorites to win on Wild Card Weekend. This is unique and quite interesting. Weak division champs, injuries, and teams that started the regular season poorly have all been contributing factors to this unlikely scenario. Here’s your breakdown of each playoff matchup that we will be treated to on Wild Card Weekend. It should be a good weekend of football.
Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) @ Houston Texans (9-7)
Saturday, 4:35 PM ET (Current Line, Chiefs -3.0)
So, the Wild Card Weekend will start with the game that I’m definitely looking forward to least. Any football game that features Brian Hoyer at quarterback makes me skeptical. At least we get to watch J.J. Watt rush the quarterback and terrorize the Chiefs offensive line, which should be at least mildly entertaining. The Chiefs have already travelled to Houston once this year, back in Week 1, when they beat the Texans, 27-20. Of course, both teams have changed a lot since then, and I am under the general belief that Week 1 results are somewhat random. I mean, the 49ers beat the Vikings in the first week of the season. That makes no sense. Anyways, since that game, the Chiefs suffered through a five game losing streak, only to be followed by a ten game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Texans have finished this season on a hot streak of their own, winning seven of their last nine games. I would like to be able to confidently say that this game will be a defensive struggle, but the Texans defense can implode in a moment’s notice, as demonstrated by the Dolphins scoring 44 and the Falcons scoring 48 points on Houston, earlier this season.
Prediction: We get the defensive battle that we expected. Neither offense appears ready for the playoffs, as the game heads into the 4th quarter with the Chiefs leading, 10-6. With 4:55 left in the game, Marcus Peters seals the game with a pick-six. Chiefs win, 17-6.
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) @ Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
Saturday, 8:15 PM ET (Current Line, Steelers - 2.5)
For the second straight season, two AFC North rivals will play each other in the wild card round of the playoffs. Last season, Baltimore defeated Pittsburgh at Heinz Field. This season, the Steelers will travel to Cincinnati as the favorites. Pittsburgh has looked like one of the best teams in football while Roethlisberger has been healthy. Even without Roethlisberger, this roster is very talented. Pittsburgh’s weapons at receiver are unbelievable, which makes the running game effective, whether or not DeAngelo Williams is healthy enough to play. This is a Steelers team that no one wants to face in the playoffs. Enter the Bengals, a team that defines “playoff woes.” While AJ McCarron has been a respectable replacement for Dalton, I find it hard to believe that he will be able to lead the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1991.This is the Bengals’ fifth straight playoff appearance. However, it will all be meaningless to the Cincinnati fan base, if the Bengals fail to win a single playoff game this post-season. I always say that it is hard to predict the result of a rivalry game; however, I am not sure that is the case with this game.
McCarron throws three interceptions in the first two quarters, as the Bengals are booed off the field at halftime. The Bengals come back with new life in the second half, but it is too late for a comeback, as the Steelers coast to victory, 32-21.
Seattle Seahawks (10-6) @ Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
Sunday, 1:05 PM ET (Current Line, Seahawks -4.5)
This should be a good game. Seattle looks unbeatable at the moment, especially after thrashing their divisional rival, the Arizona Cardinals, in Week 17. Meanwhile, the Vikings are coming off their biggest win in quite awhile, after beating the Packers at Lambeau. The Vikings are the biggest underdogs of the weekend, but it is not by much, as Seattle comes in at 4.5 point favorites. Viking fans have to be concerned about Seattle returning to Minneapolis, as the Seahawks have already won there in Week 13, when they crushed Minnesota, 38-7. If that game holds any weight, the Seahawks really shouldn’t be too worried about this game. Russell Wilson has been in MVP form, and the Seattle run game and defense look as good as ever. On the other side of the ball, Bridgewater will be playing in his first career playoff game. Hopefully Adrian Peterson will be able to alleviate some of the pressure off the young quarterback as he goes to battle with one of the top defenses in the NFL. Both of these teams like to play defense and run the ball, but which will do so more successfully on Sunday?
Prediction: Lynch returns to Seattle’s starting lineup without missing a beat. He runs for 150 yards, as Seattle dominates the ground game. However, Minnesota stays competitive for the entire game. Late in the 4th quarter, Seattle leads 23-21 and are trying to run out the clock, when Lynch fumbles the ball. The Vikings recover, and Blair Walsh hits the 42-yard winner as time expires. Vikings upset Seattle, 24-23.
Green Bay Packers (10-6) @ Washington Redskins (9-7)
Sunday, 4:40 PM ET (Current Line, Packers -1.0)
Our final game of Wild Card Weekend will be the only game that is not a rematch from the regular season. The Packers head to D.C. to face the Redskins, as Kirk Cousins tries to prove that he is the real deal. Rodgers has plenty of playoff experience, but he heads into the playoffs as a bit of an uncertainty for Green Bay. Of the two quarterbacks, Cousins has looked superior over the final few weeks of the season, which is surprising, considering how well Rodgers started the season at quarterback. Maybe the Packer roster is just not as strong as it has been in season’s past. Maybe the Packers should decide which coach will be making the play calls on offense. Maybe Jordy Nelson is just more valuable than I was giving him credit for at the beginning of the season. Green Bay is thin at receiver, while Washington has three of the more dangerous route runners in the game, in Garcon, Jackson, and Reed. It sounds strange to say, but maybe Rodgers is envious of the receiving threats that Cousins has in Washington. Green Bay lost all 3 of their home divisional games this season, and save for a miracle hail mary, should have been swept by the Lions this year. Maybe this just isn’t the same dominant Green Bay team that we are used to, and maybe some of us (me) are having a hard time accepting that. While most of my questions are surrounding the quality of the Packer team, I am also having a difficult time analyzing Washington’s season. 9-7 is quite mediocre, and the value of their record is not aided by the fact that they failed to win against a team with a winning record this season, as Washington’s most impressive win came against the Buffalo Bills (8-8). However, maybe this stat is not so meaningful, since the only teams with winning records that they played against were the Jets, Patriots, and Panthers. Anyways, I guess the brilliant point that I am trying to make is that this game is a toss-up in my mind. Just how good are either of these teams?
Prediction: The game is back and forth throughout. Down by 4 with 3:30 left in the game, Aaron Rodgers leads the Packers on a scoring drive, culminating with a Davante Adams Touchdown with 42 seconds left. Cousins fails to answer on the ensuing drive, after a sack ends the game. Green Bay wins, 27-24.
We’ve got four great games on our plate for this weekend. Let’s see if my predictions hold up. Enjoy Wild Card Weekend!
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