NFL Playoffs: Wild-Card Round Predictions with Analysis

The NFL Playoffs. When fantasy football becomes a non-factor, and fans are able to root for their favorite teams and players without any conflicting interests. This is truly the best time of the football season, and there’s a lot of question marks this year, which is nothing new.

Will the Cowboys choke, or are they for real? How far can Ryan Lindley take the Cardinals? Are the Panthers as bad as their record says? Do the Seahawks have what it takes to repeat? Is Peyton Manning healthy?

All these questions, and more, will be answered in due time.

AFC WILD-CARD ROUND

6) Baltimore Ravens @ 3) Pittsburgh Steelers: win 24-20

Season Series: tied 1-1

The two regular season matchups between these long-time division rivals went two completely different ways. In the week 2 meeting, the Ravens won 26-6. They held Big Ben to just 219 passing yards and an interception, and won the turnover battle 3-0. But in the second meeting win week 9, Roethlisberger aired it out for 340 yards and 6 touchdowns to 5 different receivers.

Both games were decided in the passing game, and I think that’s how this wild-card matchup will play out. I was prepared to say this game would revolve around the ground attack of Le’Veon Bell and Justin Forsett, but with Bell out, the Steelers will have to resort to Big Ben and his multitude of weapons.

Josh Harris is scheduled to start at running back this week (courtesy of @BloggerSoDear), and has 9 career carries for just 16 yards. Ben Tate was recently signed as insurance, but the run game will be an afterthought on Saturday nonetheless.

The Ravens are a dangerous playoff team, as we’ve seen in the past. But I don’t see enough talent on either side of the ball this year for them to do much damage. But I can’t rule out a big game from Joe Flacco, for as inconsistent as he is, he can still obliterate a defense from time to time.

That being said, I have Pittsburgh on top in a tight game.

5) Cincinnati Bengals @ 4) Indianapolis Colts: Bengals win 29-27

Season Series: Colts 1-0

I know I’m going out on a limb here, but this is my surprise pick of the wild-card round. The Bengals are 7-20 in primetime game sunder Marvin Lewis, including an 0-5 playoff record. But the positive news is that they had a huge Monday night win against the Broncos, securing their own playoff birth while knocking Denver out of contention for the top seed.

In week 7, the Colts stomped out the “Bungals” 27-0 in an embarrassing performance. But Cincy has won 5 of their last 7, established a lethal, two-pronged, ground game behind Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. The running attack will lead the Bengals by the Colts, who are in the bottom half of the league in defending the run.

Andrew Luck and company have plenty of options to go to: four different players have caught at least 6 touchdowns this year, and that doesn’t even include Reggie Wayne, Hakeem Nicks or recently active Donte Moncrief, all of whom are viable targets and have 9 collective scores.

The Bengals defense will have their hands full, but like I said: this is my upset pick of the wild-card round. They don’t have a great run defense, but the Colts have a sub-par ground game. Cincy does, however, force the 3rd most interceptions, and the 9th most incompletions. This will be another close game through and through.

NFC WILD-CARD ROUND

5) Arizona Cardinals @ 4) Carolina Panthers: Cardinals win 19-17

Season Series: tied 0-0

This game is probably the hardest to predict. The Panthers are sporadic, and we never know what team will show up. The Cardinals are down to their third string quarterback, who has thrown just 2 touchdowns in his 9 career games, while tossing 11 picks and fumbling 4 times.

But the Cardinals saving grace will be their defense, which allowed a 5th best 18.7 points per game. Although they only score 19.4 points per game, the Panthers defense allows 23.4 per contest.

The Birds will be playing in Carolina despite winning 4 more games through the course of the season. I think the Cardinals elite secondary led by Patrick Peterson will be just what they need to slow the Panthers, who won 4 straight to make the playoffs. Cam Newton has been responsible for 8 touchdowns during the 3 games he’s been healthy for in that stretch, while only throwing one interception.

No matter who plays on the offensive side of the ball, this game will be about defense, and defense alone. I think the injury-riddled Cards have just enough to squeak by the Panthers.

6) Detroit Lions @ 3) Dallas Cowboys: Cowboys win 31-23

This is the matchup I’m anticipating most. These are the two best wild-card teams in my mind, in both the AFC and NFC. The Cowboys went an unbelievable 8-0 on the road, while no other team won more than 5 road games. Although they only went 4-4 at home, two of those losses came while Romo was hurt.

Both of these teams got shafted in the seeding, but they both have what it takes to overcome it. The Cowboys arguably have the most lethal big 3 we’ve seen in years (Romo, Murray, Bryant), and the Lions arguably have the most lethal quarterback-receiver tandem we’ve seen in years (Stafford and Johnson).

Both teams have disappointed in the past, and are looking to prove themselves this year. They both have great all-around teams, but I’m giving Dallas the edge. Detroit does possess the third best defense in the league, but Dallas takes pride in their 5th best offense, which puts up 29 points a game.

Obviously, this game can go either way. But Dallas is playing some of the best football in the league right now, and I think they’re second only to Seattle. Yes, I even think they’re better than New England, Denver and Green Bay. Taking that into account, I see Dallas winning this thriller, and their first playoff game since 2009, and just their second since 1996.