Wild Card Weekend Preview!!!!

The NFL Playoffs have become a crapshoot. Just look at the recent history: In the last 8 seasons, a #1 seed has been knocked off in the Divisional Round 7 out of those 8 years. 4 out of the last 6 Super Bowl winners were playing on Wild Card weekend and didn't have the bye. In 2010, both #1 seeds got knocked off in their first game. The seeds for the last 3 Super Bowl winners were: 4,4, and 6. The bottom line is that it is a one-game playoff and with the teams so close together now, there is really no margin for error for a top-seeded favorite. Teams can win three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl. Teams don't need the bye to go all the way. It is different than 15 years ago. This year is no different. There is a really good chance that teams playing this weekend will be playing in Metlife Stadium in February. That "March Madness" aspect to it makes it a lot of fun (Unless your a Broncos fan with the #1 seed and the bye and all the pressure in the world to get to the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning). Let's start breaking it down with this weekend's Wild Card picks.....


(5) Kansas City at (4) Indianapolis:

A Case for the Chiefs: The Chiefs haven't won a playoff game since Joe Montana upset the Houston Oilers in the Astrodome in the 1993 Divisional Round. They are certainly due for a playoff win. I actually predicted back in August that they would win at least one playoff game this year, so I do have some sort of vested interest. Plus, they got buried at home by this same Colts team just two weeks ago. If anything, public opinion has gone away from the Chiefs recently. Remember when the Chiefs were 9-0 and they were looking at the #1 seed in the AFC? They finished 11-5, and now have to go on the road to take on the Colts who beat them recently. Got a feeling by Saturday they are going to be a decided underdog. You know how underdogs can fair in the NFL playoffs. Can't you see the Chiefs putting it together and bring their "A" game this week?

A Case for the Colts: Indy has the best player on the field in Andrew Luck. Could this be the start of Luck's signature run? Just like Aaron Rodgers arrived as the man in 2010 with his performance in those playoffs, maybe this is the moment for Luck. It will come eventually. Last year, he took his licks in the loss to Baltimore. The Colts hit a rough patch midway through the season. Maybe they have righted the ship just enough to get hot. As good as KC's defense has been, I could see Luck just going off at home. Perhaps it is one of those 28-34 330 yard and 3 touchdown kind of days. Plus, you have to like the fact that Robert Mathis will have the advantage of playing at home and can tee off on Alex Smith with the help of the crowd noise.

Prediction: INDY (-1) over Kansas City: Toughest game to pick this weekend. These two teams are pretty evenly matched at this point in the year. If you have to take someone, I'll take Luck over Alex Smith-especially since the Colts are at home.

Final Score: Colts-27 Kansas City-20

(6) New Orleans at (3) Philadelphia:

A Case for the Saints: The Saints were basically fighting for the #1 seed in the NFC less a month ago, and now they are the #6 seed and on the road. When you are trying to win on the road in the playoffs, you have to look at the QB situation. The Saints have Drew Brees, and that at least gives them a fighting chance. Also, all week the Saints are going to hear about playing outside and on the road in cold weather. This game Saturday night should be really cold after a blizzard hits the Northeast on Friday. Doesn't it just seem like a perfect situation for the Saints to break out of this cold-weather/road game malaise that they are in this year? I could totally see it happening, and the Saints could use that as tremendous motivation for Saturday night.

A Case for the Eagles: One, they are at home and the Saints are coming into a raucous, drunk Philly crowd on a cold, Saturday night Wild Card game. Two, the Eagles have put together quite a run in the second half of the season. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and Nick Foles was the best QB this year outside of Peyton Manning. With Foles, Lesean McCoy, and Desean Jackson, the Eagles could very easily put up lots of yards and points on the overrated Saints defense. The third factor might be Chip Kelly. This might be his time where he completely undresses and outcoaches Sean Payton, and makes everyone believe that Kelly is the next "big-time" NFL head coach. I doubt that will be the case, but don't underestimate Kelly in this spot-even against a top coach like Payton.

Prediction: New Orleans (+4) over PHILLY: I can totally see the Saints dropping a stink bomb to whimper they way into the offseason, but I got a feeling you will get the best out of Brees and company. Forget the weather for a second. If you had a choice between Brees and Foles, you would have to take Brees. I think the Saints find a way to put down the road demons at least for one week.

Final Score: Saints-30 Eagles-26

(6) San Diego at (3) Cincinnati:

A Case for the Chargers: The Chargers might be riding a wave of destiny right now. At 5-7, they looked out of the playoff chase, but they won four in a row including a big 27-20 road win at Denver in  Week 15. Plus, they beat KC in Week 17 after KC missed a 41-yard field goal at the end of the game. That field goal should have been kicked over because the Chargers lined up in an illegal formation, but the referees missed it and didn't throw a penalty flag. Also, the only reason why the Chargers were still alive for the playoffs was the fact that Baltimore and Miami both lost earlier in the day. Those are a lot of crazy scenarios that went the Chargers way for them just to get into the playoffs at 9-7. Now that they are in, can't you see them going on one of those runs like the Giants did in 2007 and 2011? I can definitely see it especially since they have Phillip Rivers. The Chargers offense has been good all year, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Rivers put the Bolts on his back and win this game in a shootout on the road.

A Case for the Bengals: The Bengals are desperately due for a playoff victory. They haven't won a playoff game since 1990. They dropped playoff games at home in 2005 and 2009. They lost to the Texans in back-to-back years the last two playoffs. They are definitely one of the top teams in the AFC and that is without Geno Atkins. I know Andy Dalton is shaky, but he is solid at home where the Bengals were 8-0 this year. Plus, the Bengals throttled the Chargers four weeks ago in San Diego. The Bengals were thrilled to see San Diego in the playoffs and not the Steelers. It just seems like it is the Bengals time after making the playoffs for the third year in a row and the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Prediction: San Diego (+7) over CINCY: This line seems way too high for me. You know how karma can sometimes play a role with teams in the playoffs, and right now I think the Chargers are about as dangerous as anyone in the field. I just have a feeling the Chargers and Rivers will find a way to win this game late. Whoever wins this game though might finds themselves in the AFC Championship as well.

Final Score: Chargers-30 Bengals-27

(5) San Francisco at (4) Green Bay:

A Case for the 49ers: They are the better team in this matchup. They have won 6 straight games, and they are battle-tested. This is a team that went to the Super Bowl last year, so they definitely have the playoff experience. They know how to play Green Bay too. They beat them in Week 1 the last two years, and they smacked them up in the playoffs last year. This game is portable too. They can play in the cold weather that is expected in Lambeau Field on Sunday. Finally, does anyone scare you more in the NFC than the Niners right now?  I didn't think so.

A Case for the Packers: Despite their 8-7-1 record, they get the home game over the 12-4 Niners because of the fact that they won their division. Fair or not doesn't matter because that is the way it is. The main reason to like the Packers is that Aaron Rodgers is back and so is Randall Cobb. If you watched how they took the game over last week in their division-clinching win over the Bears, then you can see how you have to give the Packers a legitimate shot to win this game. Perhaps the Packers are just now hitting their stride now that Rodgers is back. You have to think that revenge is on their mind especially with the way that last year's playoff loss turned out. They were embarrassed in Candlestick last year, and motivation is always a factor in the playoffs. You don't think Mike McCarthy reminded them of that this week.

Prediction: GREEN BAY (+3) over San Francisco: This is the best game of the weekend. I know the wind chill is supposed to be like -15 on Sunday, but weather aside, the Packers are dangerous in this spot. They have Aaron Rodgers and they are at home. They are getting healthy on offense at just the right time. Although the Niners are the better team, the Packers will find a way to win this game.

Final Score: Packers-24 49ers-21