The NFL Playoffs - Wild Card Weekend
There is one position still up for grabs in the playoffs: the Steelers play the Ravens tonight, with the winner hosting the Houston Texans as the 4th seed. Houston has won nine straight and their defense is legit, so odds are good that whichever team wins tonight will lose next week. So, that aside, here we go:
In the NFC, Seattle has secured the top seed and will get the bye, thanks to a 13-3 win over the Niners. The Chicago Bears (#2 seed), loser of two straight, host the Green Bay Packers (#7 seed), losers of four straight. The Bears barely won the last time the teams played, with an overtime thriller. As a Bears fan, I hate to say it, but I think the Packers with more playoff experience win the third battle between the teams this season. I hope I'm wrong.
The Philadelphia Eagles (#3 seed ) host the San Francisco 49ers (#6 seed). The Niners have a very good offense but suspect defense. The Eagles have a good defense and suspect offense. Last season the Eagles won it all, and I think DC Vic Fangio will have what it takes to shut down the potent Niners offense at home.
Thanks to a complicated tie-breaker, Carolina Panthers (#4 seed) backed into the playoffs with an 8-9 record. They will host the Rams (#5 seed) and I think they will lose badly. Carolina did beat the Rams the day before Halloween 31-30, but these are the playoffs and the Rams are coached by Sean McVay, so I expect a different outcome.
In the AFC, the Broncos have the bye, and all teams will have to go to Mile High Stadium until and unless some visitor wins there. Denver's defense at home is smothering, so that's a tall order. New England (#2 seed) hosts the Chargers (#7) seed, who haven't looked very good lately. It remains to be seen how much of the Patriots success is because of their easy schedule and how much is because they're good. I think they're good enough to move to round two.
The Jacksonville Jaguars (#3 seed) have a pretty good defense of their own, and coach Liam Coen appears to be the tonic for Trevor Lawrence. They host the Buffalo Bills (#6 seed) who are good enough to beat anybody, and bad enough to lose to anybody. The Jags have won eight straight games, and I think they're just good enough to beat the Bills in what I think will be the best game of wild card weekend.
As I started this post, the Ravens lead the Steelers at almost halftime, but the Steelers have the ball. I don't know which team will pull it out but I believe in the Texans.
There. Those are my predictions, and I sincerely hope I get at least one of those wrong.
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