(10-6) Cincinnati Bengals 28-17 Houston Texans (12-4)
Even though the Texans are 12-4, are playing at home and appear the stronger team, I am going to take the Cincinnati Bengals. At first thought, I immediately sided with the Texans. However after closer inspection, I have decided to side with the Bengals.
The Texans started off the season 11-1. Since then, they finished out the season on a 1-3 skid. The Bengals started off 3-5. They managed to get their act together and rally for seven wins in their last eight games. As has been proven in the past decade of football, momentum in the postseason matters (New York Giants in 2007 & 2011). Also, seeding and record doesn't matter. The New York Giants won their two 21st century super bowla after barely squeaking into the playoffs with 9-7 records. The Seattle Seahawks clinched their division in 2010 with a 7-9 record AND defeated the reigning super bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the wild card round. Last but not least, the 15-1 Packers lost to the Giants last year at home in Lambeau.
Anyways, the Bengals are hot while the Texans are not. When the Texans can't get their run game going, their offense sputters. Schaub can't be set up as well in the passing game if they can't run the ball. Also, looking back at the Texans schedule, they have only one impressive win this season which came against the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans did defeat the Denver Broncos early in the season, however that came when the Broncos were still trying to find their footing. The Texans lost to the Colts, Packers, Patriots, and Vikings this year. Their wins came against the likes of the Bills, Titans, Jaguars, Jets, Dolphins and Titans to name a few.
I feel this isn't the Texans year, and the Bengals will prove their a strong up-and-coming team that wants to end their long playoff win drought. Also, head coach Marvin Lewis will want to secure his first postseason win with Cincinnati.
Even though the Texans are 12-4, are playing at home and appear the stronger team, I am going to take the Cincinnati Bengals. At first thought, I immediately sided with the Texans. However after closer inspection, I have decided to side with the Bengals.
The Texans started off the season 11-1. Since then, they finished out the season on a 1-3 skid. The Bengals started off 3-5. They managed to get their act together and rally for seven wins in their last eight games. As has been proven in the past decade of football, momentum in the postseason matters (New York Giants in 2007 & 2011). Also, seeding and record doesn't matter. The New York Giants won their two 21st century super bowla after barely squeaking into the playoffs with 9-7 records. The Seattle Seahawks clinched their division in 2010 with a 7-9 record AND defeated the reigning super bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the wild card round. Last but not least, the 15-1 Packers lost to the Giants last year at home in Lambeau.
Anyways, the Bengals are hot while the Texans are not. When the Texans can't get their run game going, their offense sputters. Schaub can't be set up as well in the passing game if they can't run the ball. Also, looking back at the Texans schedule, they have only one impressive win this season which came against the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans did defeat the Denver Broncos early in the season, however that came when the Broncos were still trying to find their footing. The Texans lost to the Colts, Packers, Patriots, and Vikings this year. Their wins came against the likes of the Bills, Titans, Jaguars, Jets, Dolphins and Titans to name a few.
I feel this isn't the Texans year, and the Bengals will prove their a strong up-and-coming team that wants to end their long playoff win drought. Also, head coach Marvin Lewis will want to secure his first postseason win with Cincinnati.
(10-6) Minnesota Vikings 27-24 Green Bay Packers (11-5)
This game reminds me of the first game today. A clear underdog and favorite. The Green Bay Packers are the favorite while the Vikings, you guessed it, are the underdogs.
The Packers are at home. They have quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his arsenal of receivers: Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, and James Jones. The Packers defense has stepped it up this year as they rank 11th in yards allowed per game.
Distinct advantage in the passing department for the Packers. The Packers average 253.1 passing yards per game, ninth overall in the NFL. The Vikings on the other hand rank 31st with 171.9 yards. The Vikings rank ninth in the league in pass defense only allowing 244.2 yards per game.
Distinct advantage in the rushing game for the Vikings. First off, they have Adrian Peterson who rushed for 2, 097 yards this season. He had 12 rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.0 yards per carry. Wow. And to mention he was only nine yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record. The Vikings rank second in the league in rushing with 164.6 yards per game. On the defensive side, the Packers rank 16th against the run allowing 118 yards per game. Also, Green Bay ranks 20th in rushing with 106 yards per game.
While each time has a clear advantage on each side of the football on offense, the team that can counter the other's offensive strength more effectively is Minnesota. Minnesota had to fight their way into the playoffs, while Green Bay secured a spot earlier. Green Bay has shown weaknesses at times this season. My gut instinct is telling me to go with the Vikings. They have Adrian Peterson and he's hard to argue against. Also, I like the Vikings defense better as they match up well against the Packers, and I have a hard time trusting the Packers defense after their poor showing last season.
This game reminds me of the first game today. A clear underdog and favorite. The Green Bay Packers are the favorite while the Vikings, you guessed it, are the underdogs.
The Packers are at home. They have quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his arsenal of receivers: Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, and James Jones. The Packers defense has stepped it up this year as they rank 11th in yards allowed per game.
Distinct advantage in the passing department for the Packers. The Packers average 253.1 passing yards per game, ninth overall in the NFL. The Vikings on the other hand rank 31st with 171.9 yards. The Vikings rank ninth in the league in pass defense only allowing 244.2 yards per game.
Distinct advantage in the rushing game for the Vikings. First off, they have Adrian Peterson who rushed for 2, 097 yards this season. He had 12 rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.0 yards per carry. Wow. And to mention he was only nine yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record. The Vikings rank second in the league in rushing with 164.6 yards per game. On the defensive side, the Packers rank 16th against the run allowing 118 yards per game. Also, Green Bay ranks 20th in rushing with 106 yards per game.
While each time has a clear advantage on each side of the football on offense, the team that can counter the other's offensive strength more effectively is Minnesota. Minnesota had to fight their way into the playoffs, while Green Bay secured a spot earlier. Green Bay has shown weaknesses at times this season. My gut instinct is telling me to go with the Vikings. They have Adrian Peterson and he's hard to argue against. Also, I like the Vikings defense better as they match up well against the Packers, and I have a hard time trusting the Packers defense after their poor showing last season.
(10-6) Baltimore Ravens 27-17 Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
One compelling story against another. The Indianapolis Colts are playing for head coach Chuck Pagano who has fought leukemia all season. The Baltimore Ravens are playing for their captain, leader, and future hall of famer Ray Lewis who announced he is retiring at the end of the season.
The Ravens are the more complete team. They have a strong run game with Ray Rice. Joe Flacco is a strong and competent quarterback with some nice receivers to throw to in Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. Smith is a good deep threat while Boldin is a third down and possession receiver. Also, Baltimore's defense is the same defense that they have been for many years. They have linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, safety Ed Reed, and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. Plus, they have the likes of Paul Kruger, Courtney Upshaw, Bernard Pollard, and Lardarius Webb to support their defensive teammates.
The Colts have rookie quarterback Andrew Luck leading the way. Luck this season has passed for 4, 374 yards and 23 touchdowns. These are strong stats. However, Luck has also thrown 18 interceptions, fumbled 10 times, and has a completion percentage of 54.1 percent. The Ravens have only allowed 15 passing touchdowns this year, and they have picked the ball off 13 times. I wouldn't want to be the guy throwing into a defense with ball hawk Ed Reed waiting to swoop in at any moment. Besides Luck, the Colts have other rookies that play large roles in their offense including wide receivers T.Y. Hilton, LaVon Brazill, Dwayne Allen, tight end Coby Fleener, and running back Vick Ballard. This game appears it will be veterans versus rookies.
While the Ravens are a balanced team, the Colts are not. The Colts have the seventh worst defense in the league giving up 374.2 total yards per game. They have the fourth worst rushing defense giving up 137.5 yards per game. They also have the 12th worst passing defense allowing 236.8 yards per game.
The Colts have ridden Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano's story all season. They do deserve credit for what they have done this year, but I believe they will fall to the Ravens. The Ravens are balanced, experienced, and most importantly, can play defense. The Colts are young, inexperienced, and have some holes to plug up in the form of turnovers and poor defense.
One compelling story against another. The Indianapolis Colts are playing for head coach Chuck Pagano who has fought leukemia all season. The Baltimore Ravens are playing for their captain, leader, and future hall of famer Ray Lewis who announced he is retiring at the end of the season.
The Ravens are the more complete team. They have a strong run game with Ray Rice. Joe Flacco is a strong and competent quarterback with some nice receivers to throw to in Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. Smith is a good deep threat while Boldin is a third down and possession receiver. Also, Baltimore's defense is the same defense that they have been for many years. They have linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, safety Ed Reed, and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. Plus, they have the likes of Paul Kruger, Courtney Upshaw, Bernard Pollard, and Lardarius Webb to support their defensive teammates.
The Colts have rookie quarterback Andrew Luck leading the way. Luck this season has passed for 4, 374 yards and 23 touchdowns. These are strong stats. However, Luck has also thrown 18 interceptions, fumbled 10 times, and has a completion percentage of 54.1 percent. The Ravens have only allowed 15 passing touchdowns this year, and they have picked the ball off 13 times. I wouldn't want to be the guy throwing into a defense with ball hawk Ed Reed waiting to swoop in at any moment. Besides Luck, the Colts have other rookies that play large roles in their offense including wide receivers T.Y. Hilton, LaVon Brazill, Dwayne Allen, tight end Coby Fleener, and running back Vick Ballard. This game appears it will be veterans versus rookies.
While the Ravens are a balanced team, the Colts are not. The Colts have the seventh worst defense in the league giving up 374.2 total yards per game. They have the fourth worst rushing defense giving up 137.5 yards per game. They also have the 12th worst passing defense allowing 236.8 yards per game.
The Colts have ridden Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano's story all season. They do deserve credit for what they have done this year, but I believe they will fall to the Ravens. The Ravens are balanced, experienced, and most importantly, can play defense. The Colts are young, inexperienced, and have some holes to plug up in the form of turnovers and poor defense.
(10-6) Washington Redskins 30-27 Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
This has been the game I have been most looking forward to in the wild card round. The Washington Redskins versus the Seattle Seahawks.
These teams are very similar. Two rookie quarterbacks are starting in this game: Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson (for the Redskins and Seahawks respectively). Griffin III and Wilson have strong arms, are accurate passers, and can run if needed. Each team has a running back who rushed for around 1,600 yards this season and they have tough defenses. Also noteworthy is that they are the two hottest teams coming into the playoffs. The Redskins are on a seven game winning streak and the Seahawks have won five straight.
RGIII and Wilson are pretty evenly matched. Alfred Morris and Marshawn Lynch are almost identical statistically also. I give the offensive edge to the Redskins though. Both quarterbacks are great passers and can run, but RGIII has the bigger arm and is a slightly more accurate passer. Morris and Lynch may be equal statistically, but Morris is used to the Washington grass while Lynch has only played on turf during his NFL career (in Seattle and Buffalo). Lynch's running style is more aggressive and powerful while Morris has been described to "run angry". I wouldn't want to get in the way of a guy who runs angry. The Redskins also run a deadly run-option offense that the Seahawks haven't seen this season. There is just something special about Griffin III and Morris.
Defensively, I give the advantage to the Seahawks. The Redskins may be ranked fourth in the league in rushing defense, which will be helpful in negating Lynch's impact in this game, but they rank 28th in passing defense. The Seahawks play well in both defensive facets as they rank sixth in passing and 10th in rushing. Plus, the Seahawks have 6'4" Brandon Browner and 6'3" Richard Sherman as their starting cornerbacks who have both had stellar seasons.
Offensive advantage - Redskins. Defensive advantage - Seahawks. What keeps this game from being a stalemate is the game's location.
This game is being played in Landover, Maryland at FedEx Field. The Redskins are home and they play on real grass. They are accustomed to rough conditions while the Seahawks are used to playing in turf. The Seahawks were a perfect 8-0 at home this season while they were 3-5 on the road (the Seahawks are also 1-8 when playing away in the playoffs). Their three away wins came against the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and the Buffalo Bills. They beat a weak Panthers team in a warm climate in October when the grass is still well kept. They defeated the Bills indoors on turf in the annual Toronto game. And finally, the Seahawks did defeat the Bears in a cold climate on a beat up field, but at that time the Bears were slumping and cementing a January vacation. And don't forget the Seahawks won't have their coveted 12th man to help - they'll have to face a rowdy D.C. crowd that has been hungry for a home playoff game since 1999. In short, home field is an advantage for the Redskins.
I have stuck with the Redskins every week I have done predictions which I also indicated last week. So, I am sticking with them again. There is something special in Washington.
Note: The Seahawks three blowout wins came against the Arizona Cardinals in Seattle (58-0), the Buffalo Bills on turf (50-17), and the San Francisco 49ers in Seattle (42-13).
This has been the game I have been most looking forward to in the wild card round. The Washington Redskins versus the Seattle Seahawks.
These teams are very similar. Two rookie quarterbacks are starting in this game: Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson (for the Redskins and Seahawks respectively). Griffin III and Wilson have strong arms, are accurate passers, and can run if needed. Each team has a running back who rushed for around 1,600 yards this season and they have tough defenses. Also noteworthy is that they are the two hottest teams coming into the playoffs. The Redskins are on a seven game winning streak and the Seahawks have won five straight.
RGIII and Wilson are pretty evenly matched. Alfred Morris and Marshawn Lynch are almost identical statistically also. I give the offensive edge to the Redskins though. Both quarterbacks are great passers and can run, but RGIII has the bigger arm and is a slightly more accurate passer. Morris and Lynch may be equal statistically, but Morris is used to the Washington grass while Lynch has only played on turf during his NFL career (in Seattle and Buffalo). Lynch's running style is more aggressive and powerful while Morris has been described to "run angry". I wouldn't want to get in the way of a guy who runs angry. The Redskins also run a deadly run-option offense that the Seahawks haven't seen this season. There is just something special about Griffin III and Morris.
Defensively, I give the advantage to the Seahawks. The Redskins may be ranked fourth in the league in rushing defense, which will be helpful in negating Lynch's impact in this game, but they rank 28th in passing defense. The Seahawks play well in both defensive facets as they rank sixth in passing and 10th in rushing. Plus, the Seahawks have 6'4" Brandon Browner and 6'3" Richard Sherman as their starting cornerbacks who have both had stellar seasons.
Offensive advantage - Redskins. Defensive advantage - Seahawks. What keeps this game from being a stalemate is the game's location.
This game is being played in Landover, Maryland at FedEx Field. The Redskins are home and they play on real grass. They are accustomed to rough conditions while the Seahawks are used to playing in turf. The Seahawks were a perfect 8-0 at home this season while they were 3-5 on the road (the Seahawks are also 1-8 when playing away in the playoffs). Their three away wins came against the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and the Buffalo Bills. They beat a weak Panthers team in a warm climate in October when the grass is still well kept. They defeated the Bills indoors on turf in the annual Toronto game. And finally, the Seahawks did defeat the Bears in a cold climate on a beat up field, but at that time the Bears were slumping and cementing a January vacation. And don't forget the Seahawks won't have their coveted 12th man to help - they'll have to face a rowdy D.C. crowd that has been hungry for a home playoff game since 1999. In short, home field is an advantage for the Redskins.
I have stuck with the Redskins every week I have done predictions which I also indicated last week. So, I am sticking with them again. There is something special in Washington.
Note: The Seahawks three blowout wins came against the Arizona Cardinals in Seattle (58-0), the Buffalo Bills on turf (50-17), and the San Francisco 49ers in Seattle (42-13).
Quarterback Comparison
Quarterback: Team: NFL Experience: Pass Completions: Pass Attempts: Pass Yards: Pass Touchdowns: Interceptions: TD-INT Difference: Completion %: Passer Rating: Rush Yards: Rush Average: Rush Touchdowns: | Robert Griffin III Washington Redskins Rookie 258 393 3,200 20 5 +15 65.6% 102.4 815 6.8 7 | Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks Rookie 252 393 3,118 26 10 +16 64.1% 100.0 489 5.2 4 |
Running Back Comparison
Running Back: Team: NFL Experience: Carries: Rush Yards: Rush Touchdowns: Rush Average: Fumbles: Fumbles Lost: | Alfred Morris Washington Redskins Rookie 335 1,613 13 4.8 4 3 | Marshawn Lynch Seattle Seahawks 6 Seasons 315 1,590 11 5.0 5 2 |