NFL Wild Card Picks and Broncos-Steelers Preview!!

It has been five long years since the Broncos have made the NFL Playoffs, and I guess I just forgot how fun and exciting it is for your team to make the postseason-even if your team backs in at 8-8. No matter the record, no matter the manner in which they got there, it is so much better waking up on that Monday morning after the regular season ends, and your team is one of only 12 teams preparing for a playoff game, and the other 20 teams around the NFL are preparing for the offseason. With that said, this week has been fun talking about the game and analyzing every single aspect of the upcoming playoff matchup. Instead of trying to break down every single key matchup from what is going to take place on Sunday, think about this: The NFL playoffs are a crap shoot. It has become almost like the NCAA Tournament. We see it all the time in the regular season. Any Sunday any team can win in the NFL. That still holds true for the playoffs. You can nitpick and analyze every part of these games, but usually they are decided by turnovers, penalties and a handful a plays that transpire. In making my Wild Card picks I'm going to go about the feelings that I have going into in each game and why I can make a case for each team. The second season has arrived and it is time for some NFL Wild Card predictions and picks............

Cincinnati at Houston:

A Case for the Bengals: Their defense is pretty good, and it should be able to matchup to T.J. Yates and the Houston offense. Plus, Houston has lost three in a row. Here is what I am looking at: Don't you think that the Bengals are due for a playoff win? They haven't won a playoff game since 1990. Their supposed savior, Carson Palmer, led them to two playoff appearances(2005 and 2009) and they lost both times. Maybe Andy Dalton is the one who finally gets Cincy to break through.

A Case for the Texans: Overall, they are probably the better team. They are at home in their first ever playoff game, so you know the crowd will be very loud and into the game. Their running game behind Arian Foster should get going, and their defense also matches up well with the Cincy offense. The Texans did lose three games in a row to end the season, but that was after they clinched the AFC South. It looks like the perfect week for them to rev it up in time for a playoff win.

The Pick: Cincy (+4) over HOUSTON: My gut feeling is that the Bengals do enough in this game to get it done. If Yates falters, then the Texans have to turn to Jake Delhomme, and I would take Andy Dalton over both of those options. The Bengals win a tight one, and move on to New England for Round 2. Bengals-20 Houston-17

Detroit at New Orleans:

A Case for the Lions: Outside of a bad first half, the Lions played the Saints well in the Superdome a month ago. Their stupid penalties really killed their chances in the second half, but you could see that the Lions can hang with this Saints offense. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson can certainly get going on offense, and big time passing games can help a team on the road. Plus, the Lions can play fast and loose knowing that they are big underdogs and playing in their first playoff game since 1999. The Lions are dangerous and this is one of those games where Stafford makes the jump to the elite quarterback level.

A Case for the Saints: New Orleans looks red hot, and they have won their last eight games. Drew Brees looks like he is in the zone, and the Saints always start fast and play well at home. The Lions secondary looks like it is in deep trouble trying to stop Brees and that offense. The Saints also come into the game with a lot of playoff experience and that should help them against the young Lions. They have that look of a team that is ready to make another Super Bowl run.

The Pick: Detroit (+10) over NEW ORLEANS: The Saints will win this game, but I have felt that this line was way to high all week. The Lions can weather the storm early, and if they do that, then this game will be a shootout. Take the Lions and the points to keep this game tight on Saturday Night. Saints-30-Lions-24

Atlanta at New York Giants:

A Case for the Falcons: The Falcons go into this game as one of the least talked about teams in the playoffs. No one has given them credit for their season. They finished 10-6, but they beat up a lot of crappy teams in the process. When they played some of the big dogs (Green Bay and New Orleans in particular) they got smoked. They can use the "No Respect" card in this game, and play balls to the wall. I like Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Julio Jones and that offense against a weak Giants secondary. Also, isn't Matt Ryan due for a playoff win? Isn't Mike Smith and his team due for a victory after going 0-2 in the playoffs the last three years? This could be a game where the Falcons capitalize on some Giants mistakes and win going away. I don't buy into the notion that the Giants are all of sudden going to go on a run like they did in 2007.

A Case for the Giants: It is simple for the G-Men: Eli Manning, the passing game, and that Giants pass rush. Those factors are huge come playoff time, and the Giants have all of those elements going for them. Plus, the Giants crowd is going to be all in for this game. It is the first playoff game at the new Metlife Stadim, and the Giants were left for dead three weeks ago when they were 7-7. If you give a team new life on a season, it could be dangerous. It just feels like we are destined for Giants-Packers Round 2 at Lambeau next Sunday at 4:30.

The Pick: NEW YORK GIANTS (-3) over Atlanta: I was going back and forth on this game all week, but I'll take the Giants laying three points. It would not surprise me at all if the Falcons won this game, and the Giants made mistake after mistake, but I'll ride Eli and that pass rush one more time. The G-Men get their first playoff win since Super Bowl 42.

Giants-24 Falcons-17

And now the final game of the weekend.........Steelers-Broncos from Denver.........

Pittsburgh at Denver:

A Case for the Steelers: Their defense should be able to eat up Tim Tebow and the Broncos offense. On paper this looks like a total mismatch. How is Denver going to run the ball on this defense? Although Ben Roethlisberger is banged up, expect him to play at his best on Sunday. He is a big game QB, and Denver's pass rush is not there after Von Miller injured his hand. I know Rashard Mendanhall is out too, but there is no one that can match up with both Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace on the outside. Mike Tomlin is a fantastic coach, and he will have his team prepared and focused and not looking ahead. The Steelers are just a matchup nightmare for the Broncos. Plus, they love playing in Mile High. They buried the Broncos in the 2005 AFC Championship Game, and they won their on a Monday Night two years ago when Denver was 6-1. Plus, you know that Steelers fans travel well, and a lot of Bronco fans are probably going to dump their tickets because they are so down and depressed about how the last three weeks have played out for Tebow and the Broncos. You know Pittsburgh fans will be gobbling them up.

A Case for the Broncos: Well, Big Ben is hobbled, Ryan Clark can't play because of the Altitude, Mendanhall is out, and the Steelers are banged up on the offensive line. The Broncos are at home for the first time in the playoffs since 2005, so that certainly can help. No one, and I mean NO ONE, is giving the Broncos and Tim Tebow a chance in this game. The Broncos can certainly play loose and with nothing to lose. If anything the Broncos should take more chances because of that. One thing I will say: Denver won a lot of their games this year in a game just like this one: Keep it tight, play good defense, play the field position game, limit the possessions by running the ball, and don't turn it over. If the Broncos can do that, then maybe it is close in the fourth quarter and Tebow can pull out his magic just one more time. Hey, it is the playoffs and anything can happen.

The Pick: Pittsburgh (-8) over DENVER: If this game got to 10 points, then I might have taken the Broncos, but I just don't see them keeping that close and pulling out the victory. The Steeler defense is just too good for this Broncos offense, and Big Ben will make the throws that he has to make down the field to generate enough points to win. Steelers-30 Denver-10

One final note on the game.........I will be totally relaxed watching this game. Denver comes into the game at 8-8 and losers of three in a row. If they were 10-6 or 11-5, then I would have a lot more expectation in my mind that they can win this game and get on a run in the playoffs, but this team lost a lot of that momentum from early December. They have nothing to lose here, and if they keep it close then it will be exciting. I am going to sit back, relax, and just watch it all play out. I just want Tim Tebow to play well. The Broncos should treat this like a bowl game. Instead of waiting all year to see if Tebow can do the things needed to be a big-time QB in the NFL, the Broncos get a chance to look at next year with him in this game this week. Let it all hang out. Throw the ball on early downs, let him use his legs, give him a chance to throw first and run the ball second. I hope Tebow plays great. I hope he shuts up a lot of critics after this game, and I hope he gives the Broncos front office a glimpse of what he might become down the line. Tebow needs to play the game of his life, and I know he didn't play well the last two weeks, and he lost his confidence, but just him a chance to make plays. You never know because maybe Tebow Time and Tebow Magic have one of those moments on Sunday. Maybe we can witness one of those games that everyone points back to and says "There it is." Maybe this is the day Tebow silences the critics and plays the game of his life. Maybe the game is close late in the fourth quarter, and Tebow has the ball and drives the Broncos to a late touchdown or field goal and the Broncos pull off one of the greatest upsets in NFL Playoff history. It is a lot to ask, but at least I have a chance to see it all play out on Sunday. Go Broncos!!!!