#6- Cincinnati Bengals @ #3- Houston Texans -
Sat 5 Jan 13 - 4:30 PM ET - NBC - Midway through the season, many people thought it was all over for the Bengals. They were as low as 3-5 while the Steelers at their peak were 6-3 with the Ravens being as good as 9-2. However, this Bengals team snuck up on a lot of people, myself included, by winning seven of their last eight to end at 10-6. A Pittsburgh collapse also helped their cause in getting in. By making the playoffs, the Bengals have also done something that they haven't done in thirty years and that is make the playoffs two consecutive seasons. Now they look to do something that they haven't done in twenty years and that is win a playoff game. Their fortunes are looking up because they look to get revenge on the team that beat them in the playoffs last year. Earlier in the season, I wouldn't have given anyone a huge shot to beat the Texans, but right now the Texans are reeling and in the NFL momentum is key in the playoffs. Momentum in this match-up is definitely on the side of the Bengals. However, despite this I still have a gut feeling that the Texans are going to pull it together and come out with a win, because when they do pull it together, they are a really good team that is tough to beat.
Prediction: Texans 31 - Bengals 28
#6- Minnesota Vikings @ #3- Green Bay Packers - Sat 5 Jan 13 - 8:00 PM ET - NBC - I swear I have seen this match-up recently, almost like a deja vu. Oh yeah, that's right. They just played each other in their last game. If their week 17 match-up is any indication of how this game is going to go, then we will be in for another dog fight. Now the Packers did win back in week 13 at Green Bay, so each team has a win on their own field and this time around they'll be back in Green Bay which does give the Vikings a huge advantage not just because it is at Lambeau Field, but also because it is January at Lambeau Field and a night game nonetheless. Is it too rash of me to predict that this is going to be a cold game? The Vikings will be missing their dome back in Minnesota this next weekend and will come up short. But props to Adrian Peterson putting this team on his back and almost single-handedly take them to the playoffs. Any question he should get MVP?
Prediction: Packers 17 - Vikings 10
#5- Indianapolis Colts @ #4- Baltimore Ravens - Sun 6 Jan 13 - 1:00 PM ET - CBS - This Colts team is easily the story of the year. A year ago, their team completely crashed. Franchise quarterback out with a neck injury all year led to a 2-14 record, a firing of the GM and Head Coach, a parting of ways with Petyon Manning, and the number one pick in the NFL draft. They were swung full force into rebuilding mode and no one expected much of anything from them for at least a few years and what do they do the very next season? 11-5? Head Coach Chuck Pagano getting diagnosed with lukemia at the start of the season makes things even more story book. I really want them to win and thus set up a match-up against old quarterback Peyton Manning, but unfortunately I don't know if that will happen. It's true that the Ravens have lost four of their last five, but this past week doesn't count because they weren't playing for anything and so they let their starters have the day off. The previous week they demolished the Giants and I have a feeling that that is the Ravens team that will show up to this game. Despite this storybook season for the Colts, playoff experience is something most of their team doesn't have while the Ravens team has plenty of it. I'm giving the nod to experience in this one.
Prediction: Ravens 34 - Colts 21
#5- Seattle Seahawks @ #4- Washington Redskins - Sun 6 Jan 13 - 4:30 PM ET - FOX - Halfway through the season we all thought the NFC East race was over. The Giants were 6-2 and playing like the best team in the league while the Eagles, Redskins, and Cowboys all only had three wins each. The Redskins even got as bad as 3-6 and if at that point you were to predict that not only would they make the playoffs, but they would win the division, everyone would've laughed at you. However, after being 3-6, they had a bye week and something must've happened that week because they haven't lost since and look at where they are now. And how about this rookie class of quarterbacks? The top two picks in this past draft both led their teams to the playoffs and of course we can't forget Russell Wilson being the third rookie quarterback to lead his team to the playoffs this year. Speaking of Seahawks. This Redskins magic thing will get a little tricky here as they just happened to go up against the one team that no one wants to play in the playoffs. The Rams slowed them down a bit this past week, but their offense has been connecting on all cylinders recently and to go along with that their defense is the best defense in the league in terms of points per game and in the top five in terms of yards per game. While the Redskins have been magical, they've looked very vulnerable in their past two games and overall in terms of defense while the Seahawks are at the top, the Redskins are actually towards the bottom and that is the x-factor for me in this game. Just like they say, defense wins championships. If you know me well enough, you will know who I am going to be rooting for in this one, but if I am being unbiased I have to go with the Seahawks. And I don't even know if it's going to be close.
Prediction: Seahawks 44 - Redskins 13
#6- Minnesota Vikings @ #3- Green Bay Packers - Sat 5 Jan 13 - 8:00 PM ET - NBC - I swear I have seen this match-up recently, almost like a deja vu. Oh yeah, that's right. They just played each other in their last game. If their week 17 match-up is any indication of how this game is going to go, then we will be in for another dog fight. Now the Packers did win back in week 13 at Green Bay, so each team has a win on their own field and this time around they'll be back in Green Bay which does give the Vikings a huge advantage not just because it is at Lambeau Field, but also because it is January at Lambeau Field and a night game nonetheless. Is it too rash of me to predict that this is going to be a cold game? The Vikings will be missing their dome back in Minnesota this next weekend and will come up short. But props to Adrian Peterson putting this team on his back and almost single-handedly take them to the playoffs. Any question he should get MVP? Prediction: Packers 17 - Vikings 10
#5- Indianapolis Colts @ #4- Baltimore Ravens - Sun 6 Jan 13 - 1:00 PM ET - CBS - This Colts team is easily the story of the year. A year ago, their team completely crashed. Franchise quarterback out with a neck injury all year led to a 2-14 record, a firing of the GM and Head Coach, a parting of ways with Petyon Manning, and the number one pick in the NFL draft. They were swung full force into rebuilding mode and no one expected much of anything from them for at least a few years and what do they do the very next season? 11-5? Head Coach Chuck Pagano getting diagnosed with lukemia at the start of the season makes things even more story book. I really want them to win and thus set up a match-up against old quarterback Peyton Manning, but unfortunately I don't know if that will happen. It's true that the Ravens have lost four of their last five, but this past week doesn't count because they weren't playing for anything and so they let their starters have the day off. The previous week they demolished the Giants and I have a feeling that that is the Ravens team that will show up to this game. Despite this storybook season for the Colts, playoff experience is something most of their team doesn't have while the Ravens team has plenty of it. I'm giving the nod to experience in this one. Prediction: Ravens 34 - Colts 21
#5- Seattle Seahawks @ #4- Washington Redskins - Sun 6 Jan 13 - 4:30 PM ET - FOX - Halfway through the season we all thought the NFC East race was over. The Giants were 6-2 and playing like the best team in the league while the Eagles, Redskins, and Cowboys all only had three wins each. The Redskins even got as bad as 3-6 and if at that point you were to predict that not only would they make the playoffs, but they would win the division, everyone would've laughed at you. However, after being 3-6, they had a bye week and something must've happened that week because they haven't lost since and look at where they are now. And how about this rookie class of quarterbacks? The top two picks in this past draft both led their teams to the playoffs and of course we can't forget Russell Wilson being the third rookie quarterback to lead his team to the playoffs this year. Speaking of Seahawks. This Redskins magic thing will get a little tricky here as they just happened to go up against the one team that no one wants to play in the playoffs. The Rams slowed them down a bit this past week, but their offense has been connecting on all cylinders recently and to go along with that their defense is the best defense in the league in terms of points per game and in the top five in terms of yards per game. While the Redskins have been magical, they've looked very vulnerable in their past two games and overall in terms of defense while the Seahawks are at the top, the Redskins are actually towards the bottom and that is the x-factor for me in this game. Just like they say, defense wins championships. If you know me well enough, you will know who I am going to be rooting for in this one, but if I am being unbiased I have to go with the Seahawks. And I don't even know if it's going to be close. Prediction: Seahawks 44 - Redskins 13
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