With Wild Card Weekend just moments away, there’s no better time than now to preview the NFL Playoffs in it’s entirety.
By Robby Sabo
To some, it means the real season has arrived. To others, it brings more money to the table. To legends – such as Peyton Manning – it means one more chance.
The NFL Playoffs are finally here, and we can hardly wait.
Unlike most seasons, one side of the bracket was almost completely void of the superstar quarterback. For a hot moment it seemed as though Tom Brady would be the only elite signal-caller from an AFC perspective.
Thanks to the reinsertion of Mr. Manning, and the New York Jets choke job against the Buffalo Bills (allowing Ben Roethlisberger to sneak in), quarterback representation is suddenly more familiar.
Aaron Rodgers strolls into the NFC playoffs with much to prove. His Green Bay Packers could be playing the worst of all squads entering this weekend.
Instead of the more traditional Pack, the NFC sees two new powerhouses in the form of the Arizona Cardinals and Cam Newton’s Carolina Panthers.
But alas, these are the playoffs smack-dab in the midst of a hardened salary cap era. This means anything can happen.
Here’s ESNY’s NFL Playoffs Preview and Predictions:
Wild Card Round
5. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) @ 4. Houston Texans (9-7)
Saturday, 4:35 PM ET, ABC/ESPN (Line: Chiefs by 3)
How could a team possibly wind up winning 10 straight games to end the season and actually turn around and lose to a nine-win Houston Texans squad who barely deserves to be playing this weekend?
Impossible, right?
Not at all. We’ve seen it many times before. Five years ago Marshan Lynch’s “Beast-Quake” run capped off an amazing victory for the eight-win Seattle Seahawks over the defending champion New Orleans Saints. Last season, the well below-average Carolina Panthers upset a tough Cardinals squad.
This time around it’ll be JJ Watt who enjoys the spotlight. He’ll play like a man possessed and do enough to bother Alex Smith all game long.
Look for a low-scoring, defensive battle that’ll go to the home team based on one fewer mistake than the Chiefs. This is that game that’ll shock the football world to get things off with a bang.
Texans 20, Chiefs 16
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) @ 3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
Saturday, 8:15 PM ET, CBS (Line: Steelers by 3)
With Andy Dalton now confirmed as out, conventional wisdom has the cool, calm and collected Ben Roethlisberger as having enough at his disposal to get the job done on the road. He’s a champion while Marvin Lewis and company are still looking for that first playoff victory.
With the projected weather to be around 38 degrees at kickoff, there shouldn’t be much of a weather factor to worry about.
Having said that, look for the worst unit in this game – the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backfield – to be toasted time and again by young AJ McCarron and the Bengals number of deadly weapons.
McCarron is a cocky kid, and this stage suits him just fine.
Bengals 34, Steelers 24
6. Seattle Seahawks (10-6) @ 3. Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
Sunday, 1:05 PM ET, NBC (Line: Seahawks by 5)
This one should be fun, that is if you’re watching it from the comfort of your living room. The expected game-time temperature will be a comfy 0 degrees. Yes, that’s right, zero degrees.
And while Minnesota fans will be hyped to witness their first outdoor home playoff game in a very long time, it’s impossible to bet against Super Bowl Champion Russell Wilson and these Seattle Seahawks.
Pete Carroll’s team will have little trouble advancing.
Seahawks 27, Vikings 14
Green Bay Packers (10-6) @ Washington Redskins (9-7)
Sunday, 4:40 PM ET, Fox (Line: Packers by 1)
When in doubt, go with the quarterback. That’s exactly what we’ll do here.
Even with Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins rolling into the tournament winning their last four, and Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers not currently knowing which end is up, we’ll go with the elite field general.
Packers 28, Redskins 20
Divisional Round
3. Cincinnati Bengals (13-4) @ 2. New England Patriots (12-4)
Saturday, 4:35 PM ET, CBS
In a strange twist of fate and irony, Marvin Lewis will finally snag that long-awaited playoff victory. However, it’ll be with A.J. McCarron and not Andy Dalton during the Wild Card Round.
After that victory, Andy Dalton will come back and run into Tom Brady and what we expect to be a healthy offense (Julian Edelman).
Poor Dalton
Patriots 38, Bengals 17
5. Green Bay Packers (11-6) @ 2. Arizona Cardinals (13-3)
Saturday, 8:15 PM ET, NBC
Remember just a few weeks ago when Aaron Rodgers was pummeled into submission by that nasty Arizona Cardinals front seven? He was sacked an incredible eight times and put under heavy pressure all day long.
Well, it’ll be more of the same in this one.
Bruce Arians have his team equipped to handle the playoffs – as opposed to a season ago in which they didn’t have a quarterback.
Cardinals 35, Packers 24
6. Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ 1. Carolina Panthers (15-1)
Sunday, 1:05 PM ET, Fox
In the shocker of the postseason, the defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks will go into Carolina and knockout the once undefeated Carolina Panthers.
One thing that still remains a huge question mark for Ron Rivera’s squad is that right-arm of Cam Newton. Sure, the man deserves the MVP running away this season. What he’s done on offense – with a less than stellar cast around him – was something special.
Having said that, it’ll be a very interesting scene as he faces a much rejuvenated Legion of Boom. Seattle closed the season very sneaky solid, and could pose a real problem for the Panthers passing game should they get down early.
This will be the game we all remember as the best postseason slobber-knocker from the season. Both defenses will be flying around trying to rip heads off.
Seahawks 23, Panthers 20
4. Houston Texans (10-7) @ 1. Denver Broncos (12-4)
Sunday, 4:40 PM ET, CBS
With the controversy still at a fevered pitch (surrounding the starting of Peyton Manning), the Denver Broncos will catch a major break as they’ll welcome in the young Houston Texans.
Winning that first game against the Chiefs will have been the season for Houston. They won’t be ready for such an environment at Mile High Stadium.
Broncos 27, Texans 10
AFC Championship Game
2. New England Patriots (13-4) @ 1. Denver Broncos (13-4)
Sunday, 3:05 PM ET, CBS
In this, what will turn out to be Peyton Manning’s last season, NFL fans will get exactly what they want: a Manning-Brady AFC Championship Game.
It’ll be a classic, too.
The difference in the contest will come down to the best unit on the field making just enough plays to get their squad over-the-top. And that unit will be the Denver Broncos defense.
Yielding just 283 yards a game – far and away No. 1 in the league this season – the Broncos defense will provide what Manning never felt during his illustrious career: much welcomed support.
Broncos 20, Patriots 14
NFC Championship Game
6. Seattle Seahawks (12-6) @ 2. Arizona Cardinals 14-3)
Sunday, 6:40 PM ET, Fox
With MVP Cam Newton watching from the couch, Russell Wilson will steal the show.
His ability to make the big play in the big spot will elevate his club over a very tough Cardinals defense. Can Carson Palmer match that clutch play? Doubtful.
This Seahawks team reminds me of the early 1990s Buffalo Bills squads who never thought they were out of a game. In fact, the regular became very bland and boring to both the early 90s Bills and now, these very Seahawks.
Look for the NFC Champs to get there again.
Seahawks 26, Cardinals 16
Super Bowl L
Seattle Seahawks (13-6) vs Denver Broncos (14-4)
Sunday, 6:30 PM ET, CBS
That’s right. We predict a Super Bowl matchup not many are choosing – a rematch of the embarrassment from two seasons ago in which that version of the Seahawks defense simply bullied the Broncos around.
This time around will be much different.
John Elway made sure his team toughened up since that early February night in 2014. He constructed a defensive-first philosophy and decided Peyton Manning would be an added bonus, instead of a key cog.
It will work out to perfection, as will Manning’s long-winded rest for a good chunk of the season. He surely won’t light up the stat sheet in the playoffs, but he’ll be smart enough and do enough to get the job done.
It’ll be Wade Phillips and that Broncos defense who’ll truly make a name for themselves this winter, helping the legend Peyton Manning go out in true iconic, stranger than fiction fashion.