Finally, the best sports weekend is here. The Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers matchup highlights the NFL Playoffs Divisional Round.
We have arrived. Finally, the best sports weekend of the year has traveled to our town and smacked us upside the face after arriving on our doorstep.The Divisional Round of the 2016 NFL Playoffs are officially here.
Some might argue that the Wild Card Round rivals the second weekend, but those few would still be red in the face after witnessing this season’s version. Last week was epically awful. Each game was more disastrous than the previous.
Even our hometown New York Giants — expected to challenge the red-hot Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers — fell flat on their faces just prior to halftime.
When Saturday comes, all of that ugliness from a week ago vanishes.
On the slate are three appetizing games. OK, while Brock Osweiler and the Houston Texans will more than likely find themselves spanked with their pants down at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, the other three matchups are chalk full of giddiness.
Both of our Super Bowl teams from our August NFL Preview are still alive (Green Bay and Kansas City). Obviously, we chose them in our official playoffs preview as well. At that point, how can you not?
Oh yeah, we were also a perfect four-for-four a week ago during the Wild Card Round.
Hey, we do OK around these parts from time to time.
Here’s the Divisional Round preview:
NEXT: Seahawks @ Falcons
#3 Seattle Seahawks (11-5-1) @ #2 Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
- NFC Divisional, Saturday, 4:35 p.m. ET, FOX
- Falcons -5
To begin the weekend, Russell Wilson and his Seattle Seahawks will travel to Atlanta to take on Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. Admittedly, it’s a tricky one.
On one hand are the Seahawks, a battle-tested squad who possess a stomach always ready for war. The other team, the Falcons, are the young up-and-comers who impressed to the point during the regular season that many believe Matt Ryan and company will finally break those postseason heartbreaks.
RELATED: ESNY's 2016 NFL Playoffs Preview, Predictions
The trickier thing is picking the Seahawks with their best defensive player lost of the season (Earl Thomas). Also tricky is the fact that Wilson didn’t play well a week ago. It was his receivers who bailed him out.
If Seattle’s offensive line doesn’t get Wilson killed by Brooks Reed and Vic Beasley, we’ll stick with our choice of the Seahawks barely upsetting the snakebitten Falcons. Don’t forget, while Pete Carroll’s team has been streaky, they went into New England earlier in the season and knocked off the mighty Pats.
We’ll take the gutty Seahawks to stun the Falcons in an OT thriller.
Seahawks 24 (+5), Falcons 21, OT
NEXT: Texans @ Patriots
#4 Houston Texans (10-7) @ #1 New England Patriots (14-2)
- AFC Divisional, Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, CBS
- Patriots -16
I mean, do we even really need to discuss this one?
While this diehard New York Jets fan — yeah, that’s me — would do anything to see Bill O’Brien waltz into Foxborough and do cartwheels after a stunning upset, it just won’t happen.
On the other hand, when a spread of 16 points is concerned, serious discussions do need to be had.
The Houston Texans did, statistically, finish the No. 1 defense in all the land this season — and this, even without all-world J.J. Watt. I can envision a few headaches for Tom Brady in the first half, but he’ll open it up in the second half and blow out Houston.
We’ll take the Texans to cover, slightly differing from our 38-21 prediction during the official playoff preview. Something tells me Brock Osweiler will, once again, play solid and O’Brien will do enough to keep it respectable.
New England Patriots 38, Houston Texans 24 (+16)
NEXT: Packers @ Cowboys
#4 Green Bay Packers (11-6) @ #1 Dallas Cowboys (13-3)
- NFC Divisional, Sunday, 4:40 p.m. ET, FOX
- Cowboys -4
When Sunday comes, you’ll really look to cancel all of your appointments and get that couch in order.
Initially, this spot would have been reserved for the Chiefs-Steelers, while we travel through chronological order, but because the NFL moved the top AFC game to primetime (weather conditions), we travel to Jerry’s World.
In perhaps the best matchup of the week, the 13-3 Dallas Cowboys welcome in Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. But these aren’t just the Packers, this is the hottest QB on the planet — a guy who might not even be stopped by the 1985 Chicago Bears at this point.
Sure, Steve Spagnuolo did confuse and rattle A-Rod in the first half a week ago. He did one hell of a job fooling the all-world QB with blitzes. Eventually, though, Rodgers figured it out and torched those blitzes later in the game.
The Giants couldn’t manufacture a conventional four-man rush and were eventually burned time and again with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie sidelined.
Is that Cowboys defense good enough? This will be the question.
Obviously, Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott will need to control the clock. That’s what they are: a time possession team who dominates with the best unit in football (offensive line).
The problem for the Cowboys is this: I just don’t see Dallas controlling the game to a point that they can feel comfortable. And if the game isn’t comfortable, Rodgers will play a major factor.
It’s tempting to reverse course and choose Dallas, but we’ll take the star QB every time when everything is too close to call.
Green Bay Packers 30 (+4), Dallas Cowboys 20
NEXT: Steelers @ Chiefs
#3 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-5) @ #2 Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
- AFC Divisional, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, CBS
- Chiefs -1
Granted, when Aaron Rodgers takes on America’s Team, heads will turn. Be careful, though. Don’t sleep on the AFC’s version of the game of the week.
The Steelers are the underdog darlings right now, and why not? Ben Roethlisberger is always clutch, Antonio Brown is the best wideout in the league, and Le’Veon Bell is the best running back in the land.
This offense is sick.
The defense, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired.
The secondary is scary worrisome. On the surface, Alex Smith — the ultimate game manager — doesn’t pose a serious problem for a horrid defense. When digging deeper, however, Kansas City’s passing attack can do some damage.
Tyreek Hill was the blessing Smith and Andy Reid needed. He’s as dynamic as it comes and cal also make a play or two in the return game.
We took KC prior to the season and then again in the playoffs because we felt, top to bottom, they’re the most balanced squad. At this point in time, we feel no different.
We don’t feel extremely confident in the pick, but we must stick with our original guns.