Wild Card Weekend

Here we go, the 2011 NFL season is over and it is time to start the 2012 post season. Every team is now 0-0 and anything can happen. I'm sure there will be a big upset, a big blowout and a few crazy back and forth games. Last year we had the 7 win Seahawks upset the Saints and the Packers came out as the 6 seed and rocked the 13 win Falcons en route to a Super Bowl win.

Can the Pack keep it going? They are 15-1 and playing top flight offense, but so are the Saints, who have 13 wins and are a WC team.

This could be a year where defense does not win a championship. Or we could have a Ravens/49ers Super Bowl. Here's a look at Saturdays games.

(6)Cincinnati Bengals at (3)Houston Texans- Two rookie QB's will battle it out, one has had a great season and the other has had to step in for an injured starter. The Texans have a very good defense and can run the ball very well. With Schaub at QB I picked them to win the AFC but without him they don't get past Saturday. The Bengals have shocked everyone by even winning nine games, and the people of Cincy are saying "Carson who?". Andy Dalton has played very well and he has a running game and defense to help him out. A pretty close game in Houston but I like the Bengals to pull it out. This game could come down to who has the ball last. I'm looking for a low scoring. FG heavy game, this game could be 6-6 at halftime. I'm taking the Bengals to advance to New England with a 20-16 win.

(6)Detroit Lions at (3)New Orleans Saints- The Saints may be playing better on offense than the Packers, that's how hot they are right now, especially at home. After being embarrassed in the WC last season, the Saints are gonna be ready to roll against the Lions. Meanwhile, Detriot has looked pretty good on offense too. Stafford has had a great season that has been near unnoticed. The over/under on this game must be near 75, I see a shootout with these two dome teams that throw a lot. I like the Saints defense to make some good stops, and the Saints offense to be near unstoppable. I'm sure the Lions will make a lot of adjustments after letting Matt Flynn tear them apart last week, but still a high scoring game. Saints 38-30 win.

(5)Atlanta Falcons at (4)New York Giants- I must go back to my playoff picks because I'm sure I had this game with these seedings picked. The first time ever the Giants and Falcons have met in the playoffs and the first playoff game ever at MetLife Stadium (all the Jets playoff games were on the road). I like this to be the best game of the weekend. These teams are mirror images of each other, each can rush the passer of the edge, both have a breakout WR (Cruz for NY and Jones for ATL), both have QBs who throw down field with no fear, and both are extremely inconsistent. The one thing the Falcons do way better than NY is run the ball. NY is dead last in rushing, only about 81 yards per game and that number has gone up due to three 100+ yard games in a row, yet their best rusher, Bradshaw only averages about 60 a game. Which Atlanta team will show up? The one that won 13 games last year and got the 1 seed only to be crushed by a team that just barely made the playoffs? To be fair, the Packers did crush everyone last post season...but still.
Which Giants defense will show? The one that let the Redskins move the ball all over the field on them twice this season or the one that shut down the Patriots in Foxboro?
I see a final score of 26-21 and the winner to be the Falcons, because they can run and control the clock, whereas NY cannnot. Also because I am never again picking the Giants to win because when I do, they lose. So, maybe you need to read between the lines but I do a team to win 26-21 and I'll just say that team is....Atlanta.

(5)Pittsburgh Steelers at (4)Denver Broncos- The defending AFC Champs defend their crown on the road against a crappy 8-8 Broncos team that back their way into the playoffs. They lost their last three games and got in because the Raiders did all they could to lose to the Chargers. I'm all for Tebow but I think his time has passed. Defenses have figured him out and if he thinks he's gonna trip up the Steelers offense he better start "Tebowing" now. To be fair, Denver has a good defense and they can be very good at times. Big Ben is limping around and Mendlehall is out, but I don't think Denver puts up anything more than a few FGs which won't be enough to beat the Steelers. I don't see Pitt lighting up the scoreboard but they won't need to. Pittsburgh Steelers 23 Denver Broncos 12.

If these are the winners then next week will be

(6)Cincinnati Bengals at (1)New England Patriots

(5)Atlanta Falcons at (1)Green Bay Packers

(5)Pittsburgh Steelers at (2)Baltimore Ravens

(3)New Orleans Saints at (2)San Francisco 49ers

Just imagine if a certain 4 seed gets the win in a certain game and gets to play a certain 1 seed to try to get payback from a very close game that many think the refs gave to the number 1 team that may have been going for an undefeated season.
Not that I'm taking that certain division winner to win their game, just throwing it out there.
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