NFC:
Falcons at Giants:
This is interesting matchup. The Falcons clearly had the better regular season, but since they won the division, Giants have home-field advantage in this one. If it was in the Georgia Superdome, there's no way Matt Ryan is losing. But it's not, so we got ourselves a ballgame. We've seen it before where the Giants barely get into the playoffs but then go on a tear with stellar play from Manning and their pass rush, and when that happens, they beat the (almost) perfect Patriots and win a superbowl. However, this isn't that team. Eli Manning WILL have an awesome game. He brings it. The pass rush WILL put Matt Ryan under some serious pressure. BUT, Michael Turner and Julio Jones are both going to make some big plays, and at the end of the day, I see Atlanta winning a gritty, but high scoring affair in the Meadowlands.
Final Score:
Atlanta: 31
New York: 28
Lions at Saints:
I'm excited to watch this game. What we have here is two mediocre defenses and two of the most exciting offenses in the league. Matt Stafford is playing like a beast right now, and Megatron is well...Megatron. But, ahem, Drew Brees and the Saints set about 100 NFL records this season (not really, but last week it seemed like they were setting a record with every play), so get ready for a serious shootout folks. The Saints are used to shootouts, in fact the Saints prefer shootouts, because at the end of the day, the Saints have too many offensive weapons with Mr. Gunslinger Brees throwing to them to really be stopped. Don't get me wrong, the Lions are going to keep up in this shootout, but like last week against the Packers, I just don't see them pulling out on top. I expect Stafford and Brees to combine for nearly 700+ yards in this game, and don't be surprised if Megatron gets 200 of those. The Lions are hungry, but this weekend, that cajun food is gonna be too spicy to swallow. Who Dat nation will prevail.
Final Score:
Saints: 52
Lions: 45
AFC:
Bengals at Texans:
The rookie QB showdown. Last time these two teams met up, T.J. Yates led the Texans back from a 19-3 deficit in the fourth quarter to win the game 20-19 on the final play. But he's really only played 5 games. He had to leave the game after only 4 passes last week because of a shoulder injury, which could still be effecting how he plays this weekend. On the other side you have Andy Dalton coming off a pretty darn good rookie season. If him and fellow rookie receiver A.J. Green can have big games, the Texans are going to have their hands full. The only problem I have with Cincinnati is that every one of their wins this season were against non-playoff teams. The Texans are playing their franchises first ever playoff game, and it's at home. The atmosphere will be electric. Arian Foster is going to rush for 150+ yards and the Texans defense is going to get fired up for this one, and play the way they did the first half of the season. Cincinnati is a great story for turning around a franchise, but this game is going to the Texans
Final Score:
Texans: 24
Bengals: 20
Steelers at Broncos:
This is the game everybody wants to talk about...and it's NOT just because of Tim Tebow. There are more than a few intriguing storyline going into this game. NOBODY, let me repeat that, ABSOLUTELY NOBODY believed the Broncos had a single chance of making the playoffs this year, let alone win the AFC West. Willis McGahee had a career year, the defense led by Dawkins, Dumervil, and Miller has been leaps and bounds better than last year's and Tim Tebow has proven many naysayers wrong by winning NFL games without passing the ball particularly well. The Steelers are a mean, tough, great defensive team each and every year and they DO stop the run. EVERYBODY expected the Steelers to be here, and just about everybody expects them to win If the Broncos want to win this Sunday, they're going to have to let Tim Tebow throw the ball, and John Fox HAS to be more creative with his play-calling. Running up the middle on almost 70% of first down plays WILL NOT work against the steelers. The last time these two teams met in the Playoffs, was in the AFC championship game. The Broncos were 13-3 that year, and the Steelers marched into Denver and embarrassed Denver, and the Broncos haven't been back to the playoffs since. John Elway's first playoff game was against the Steelers, but he lost as well. Tim Tebow has a chance to get some good old fashioned revenge against a team everyone in Denver despises. Steelers are going to be without defensive captain and safety Ryan Clark, and top rusher Rashard Mendenhall. Ben Roethlisberger has a bad ankle injury, but he has played through injury before, and I have no doubt that in the playoff atmosphere, he will still make some big plays. If the Broncos 'D' can keep it a close game, and if John Fox lets Tim Tebow let it fly, I think Tebow and the Broncos bring back their clutch mode and upset the Steelers in Denver.
Final Score:
Broncos: 20
Steelers: 17
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