NFL Wild Card Round Preview: Saturday Games
The most exciting part of the NFL season is just around the corner. For those of us whose teams didn't even sniff a playoff spot, it is still exciting to see the NFL playoffs. For me, I will be pulling for whoever may play the Broncos, and then once they get eliminated (hopefully) it's all just fun to watch after that. With that here's the Wild Card match-ups and some analysis to go along with it!+Cincinnati Bengals at +Houston Texans- 4:30pm ET on +NBC
I realize that Houston is a 12-4 team, but this team is the most inconsistent 12-4 team I think I have ever seen. One game they look like potential Super Bowl champions, the next game they can barely beat a non-playoff team, and then get trounced by a playoff team another. I know this is the NFL and any team can win on a Sunday, but this team almost lost to a 2-14 Jacksonville team in Houston. With all that being said, this is a dangerous team that could go off at any time for a large amount of yards and points, while stifling a team with their stout defense. My only worries are that they had two chances to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs against Minnesota and Indianapolis and lost both games pretty handily. Granted only two times in the last twelve years has a #1 seed won the Super Bowl. Houston should have as good a chance as any if they can get more consistent play out of Matt Schaub, and that should hold true against this Cincinnati club.
Cincinnati has a few weapons on offense and a decent defense, but this is one team in the playoffs that doesn't really jump out at me as a contender. They were playing pretty well to end the season though, winning seven out of their last nine. Andy Dalton has shown that he can win in big situations, but I just don't see this offense outscoring the Houston offense. AJ Green will be the player that can swing this game in Cincinnati's favor, if Houston can't cover him, he will keep the Bengals in this game and possibly win it for them.
I don't see this game as being a high scoring one, even though both teams are capable of putting up a lot of points. I think we will see a steady dose of both Arian Foster for Houston and Benjarvis Green-Ellis for Cincinnati which will eat up a lot of clock and keep the point totals down. I don't see the Bengals pulling this one off, as last week served as a wake up call for Houston. They need to start playing their kind of football or they won't be around in the playoffs long. Houston is too good of a team to lose in the opening round of the playoffs and I think they will handle business to get another chance at New England in the second round of the playoffs.
Prediction: 24-16 Houston Wins
Player of the game: Arian Foster
Minnesota at Green Bay -8:00pm ET on NBC
This is a repeat of the week 17 match-up in which the Minnesota Vikings won 37-34. Because they played the game just a week ago, the teams should have a better feel for each other. It is integral for the Minnesota Vikings to get up early or at least not get behind by more than a touchdown. I don't believe they can rely on the passing game to win this game with Christian Ponder at the helm. So their formula for success is ride Adrian Peterson all game and keep Aaron Rodgers off the field as much as possible. The formula worked out last week, but had the kicker missed the field goal that sealed the game, I don't think Minnesota would have won in overtime with all the momentum that Green Bay had built up. Keep in mind this game is at Lambeau Field, a very difficult place to play for visiting teams.
For Green Bay to win this game, they need to get the ball first and put the ball in the end zone right from the beginning. If they can do that and get up by 10 points early, Minnesota won't have a chance to come back without being able to let AP run wild. Green Bay's defense is a major concern to me, Peterson has gone off on them in recent games. This is not a good defense, and is the main reason I don't see them making it all the way to the Super Bowl. I think this game all comes down to who can score first, if Green Bay can I think they win this game.
Although Green Bay are major favorites, I'm picking Minnesota once again. They are a team that is on a little hot streak going into the playoffs. We've seen this happen before with the New York Giants coming in on a streak and barely making the playoffs. In the last few years it's been the team that has momentum going into the playoffs that usually make a splash. I look for the trend to continue with the Vikings handing the Packers a first round upset, and a long offseason. Adrian Peterson is going to go off again on this poor Green Bay defense, and Ponder will have a decent enough game to keep them ahead. This should be a heavy hitting game that comes down to the last second.
I love the picks Billy. Especially Miniesota. Adrian Peterson, in his two meeting with the cheese this year he has an average of 27 carries, for 204 yards and has had a rushing TD in both meetings. Add a recieving one last week. You say Minnesota wins, I say All DAY!!!! haha.
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