Here. We. Go. The best time of the year for football fans has finally arrived. Its time for the playoffs. When this journey started back on September 8th, there were 32 teams that were battling to try and get their hands on that Lombardi Trophy. Now, here we sit with twelve teams standing. Can Dallas cap off this fantastic season? Can anybody beat the Boys? Can the Giants make a long run this year? Can Green Bay stay hot? Is there anybody in the AFC who can beat the Patriots? Will we see round three in the Super Bowl of Giants-Patriots? Can Rodgers keep up his hot pace? Can Big Blue ride the play of their defense? Does Matt Stafford still have fourth quarter magic left in him? All of those questions, and so much more, will be answered over the next month.
In order to start answering those questions, we have to get through Wild Card weekend first. Here's the matchups.
First up, we have the Wild Card winners, the Oakland Raiders, heading to NRG Stadium in Houston, to take on the AFC South Champions, the Houston Texans. Houston comes into the playoffs having won the AFC South with a 9-7 record. This marks the 4th ever playoff appearance for the Texans, and the second year in a row that they are playing in the playoffs. Houston is looking for its first playoff win since beating the Bengals in 2012, and they are 2-3 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Oakland, they come in as the top wild card seed in the AFC, finishing 2nd in the West with a 12-4 record. This marks the first playoff appearance for the Raiders since losing to the Bucs in the 2002 Super Bowl. This is also the first time the Raiders have hit double digits wins in the season since that 2002 season. Oakland is 25-18 lifetime in the playoffs. This is the first ever meeting between these two teams in the playoffs. They met once during the regular season, a game which Oakland won 27-20 in week eleven.
Prediction:
Solly: Houston Texans
Steve: Houston Texans
3rd Mic Dan: Houston Texans
Next up, its the Wild Card winners, the Detroit Lions, traveling to CenturyLink Field in Seattle, to take on the NFC West Champions, the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle comes into the playoffs winning the NFC West with a 10-5-1 record. This marks the 5th straight year and 6th time in the last 7 years that the Seahawks are playing post season football. Seattle is looking to move on to the divisional round for the 5th straight year. The Seahawks are 15-14 lifetime in the playoffs. As for the Lions, they won the wild card spot with a 9-7 record, finishing behind the Packers in the NFC North. Detroit is making its appearance in the playoffs for the 2nd time in the last three years, but the Lions haven't won a playoff game since 1991 (they beat Dallas in the divisional round). Detroit is 7-12 lifetime in the postseason. This will be the first ever playoff matchup between these two teams. They didn't face each other during the regular season.
Prediction:
Solly: Seattle Seahawks
Steve: Seattle Seahawks
3rd Mic Dan: Detroit Lions
Moving on to Sunday, its the Wilde Card winners, the Miami Dolphins, traveling to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh to take on the AFC North Champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh comes in having won the AFC North for the 7th time, finishing the season with a 11-5 record. This marks the 3rd straight year for the Steelers in the post season. Pittsburgh is 34-23 all time in post season play. As for the Miami Dolphins, they finished the year with a 10-6 record, clinching the other wild card spot in the AFC. This is the first trip to the playoffs for the Dolphins since 2008, which also happened to be the last year that the Dolphins finished with a winning record. Miami has a record of 20-20 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the 4th ever meeting between these two teams in the playoffs, Miami having won two of the previous three meetings. These teams met once during the regular season this year, a game which Miami won 30-15 in week six.
Prediction:
Solly: Pittsburgh Steelers
Steve: Pittsburgh Steelers
3rd Mic Dan: Miami Dolphins
Finally, closing out the weekend, its the Wild Card winners, the New York Giants, traveling to Lambeau Field in Green Bay to take on the NFC North winners, the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay finished the year 10-6, winning the NFC Nroth, which the Packers have done now for 9th time since 2000. This is the 7th straight year, and 8th time in the last ten years that the Packers are playing in the playoffs. Green Bay is looking to get out of the wild card round for the 3rd year in a row. Green Bay is 32-21 lifetime in the playoffs. As for the Giants, they finished the year 11-5, good enough for a wild card spot and 2nd in the NFC East, behind only the Dallas Cowboys. For New York, this is their first taste of playoff football since winning the Super Bowl in 2011. New York is 24-24 lifetime in the post season. This is the 8th all time meeting between the Giants and Packers in the playoffs, Green Bay holding a 4-3 all time edge in the matchup. They met once during the regular season, back in week five, which saw Green bay walk away with a 23-16 win.
Prediction:
Solly: Green Bay Packers
Steve: New York Giants
3rd Mic Dan: New York Giants
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