2013 NFL Playoffs Set to Kick Off

After a long, grueling 16 game regular season, the Playoffs have now been set in the National Football League. Thirty Two teams began this journey all the way back in September, but now only twelve remain, and as always the top two teams in each conference receive automatic bye's in wild card weekend. Those four clubs who can relax and watch the opening round of the playoffs are the Atlanta Falcons (#1 Seed NFC), San Fransisco 49ers (#2 Seed NFC), the Denver Broncos (#1 Seed AFC), and the New England Patriots (#2 Seed AFC). There will be four games on wild card weekend two on Saturday and two on Sunday. We will start with the preview of the two Saturday games.

First up on Saturday will be a 4:30 kickoff between the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals. These two teams didn't face each other during the regular season. For the Bengals this will be their 16th trip to the playoffs  in franchise history, and their third in the last four season. Cincinnati lifetime is 5-10 in the playoffs having lost in two Superbowls, first in 1981 and then again in 1988, both losses to the 49ers. As for the Texans this is the 2nd straight year they have made the playoffs. Last year the beat this same Bengals team in the opening round, and then lost in the Divisional round to the Baltimore Ravens.

Now then as for this matchup for Saturday, defensively both teams match pretty evenly. The offensive side of the ball however is where things get interesting. The Texans have a much better offense then the Bengals statistically. The Texans have struggled the last month of the season, loosing three of their last four games, while the Bengals appear to be coming in hot, having won their last three straight, and have only lost two games since Halloween. Houston has home field advantage in this game, and the Bengals have gotten better as the year has gone along. I'm taking the upset here as the Bengals knock off the Texans by a field goal.

Next up we have the final game on Saturday which is an 8PM kickoff between the Green Bay Packers taking on the Minnesota Vikings. These two clubs played twice during the regular season, each team winning once. Green Bay took the first meeting back on December 4th at home by a 23-14 score, but the Vikings got the last laugh, beating the Packers in Minnesota on the last day of the regular season, by a 37-34 final score. These two clubs have meet once before in the playoffs, back in 2004, when the Vikings upset the Packers 31-17. In their history the Packers have won nine NFL Championships and four Superbowls, most recently being two years ago when they beat Pittsburgh. Lifetime the Packers have a playoff record of 29-17. As for the Vikings, they made the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 and have missed the last two years of playoff action. Minnesota has never won the big prize, but have been to the big dance four times, in 1969 (lost to Chiefs), 1973 (lost to Dolphins), 1974 (lost to Steelers), and 1976 (lost to Raiders). In franchise history, Minnesota has a 18-26 record in the playoffs.

This game is going to be the highest scoring game of the opening round. The Vikings are coming in riding a four game winning streak and have the 2nd best rushing attack in the league, right behind the Washington Redskins, thanks to the awesome comeback year by Adrian Peterson. As for the Packers, they have won five of the last seven games, but lost the final game of the regular season to the Vikings in Minnesota. Green Bay is coming in with the 9th best passing attack in football thanks to last years league MVP Aaron Rogers. The Pack has lost only one game at home this year, and that was the first game of the year to the 49ers. After the way things went down between the two teams last week this is going to be one hell of a football game. The Vikings gave Rogers fits at the start of the game last week, but now I think he has made the adjustments. Adrian Peterson will have a strong game for the Vikings and this one is going to need Overtime to decide it but I take the Packers by a touchdown.

Now on to the Sunday games, and up first with a 1PM kickoff is the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Indianapolis Colts. These two teams didn't face each other during the regular season. Baltimore has now made the playoffs for the fifth year in a row and the sixth time in the last seven season. The Ravens have made one appearance in the Superbowl a game which they won in 2000 against the Giants. Baltimore is 10-7 all time in the playoffs. As for the Colts, they have played in three NFL Championship games, winning two, and have played in four Superbowl's, winning two. Since the turn of the century the Colts have missed the playoffs only twice, and this will be the first postseason run without Payton Manning at Quarterback since 1996. The Colts are 19-20 all time in the playoffs. Indianapolis has won both previous meetings between these two teams in the playoffs.

As for the matchup this Sunday, it will indeed be a very physical game. Baltimore has always had one of the better defenses in football and will make things interesting for Colts QB Andrew Luck, who has been prone to the turnover this season. Indy has won two straight games and ten of their final thirteen. Baltimore meanwhile has come in loosing four of their final five games. The Colts have been hot and expect them to stay that way as the Ravens make a quick playoff exit. I'll take the Colts by a touchdown.

The final game of the weekend will have a 4:30 kickoff and will pit the Seattle Seahawks on the road against the Washington Redskins. These two teams did not meet during the regular season and the Seahawks have won both meetings between these two teams in the Playoffs, 2005 and 2007. 2007 was the last time the Redskins made the playoffs. Washington all time in the playoffs has made it to the NFL Championship game eleven times, winning two NFL championships and three Super Bowls. The Skins are 23-17 all time in the playoffs. Meanwhile Seattle last made the playoffs back in 2010. Seattle has only made it to the Superbowl once and that was in 2005 and a loss to the Steelers. All time the Seahawks are 8-11 in the playoffs.

Both teams are coming into this game hot. Seattle has won five straight games, while Washington comes in even hotter, winning its last seven in a row. This may be the most intriguing matchup of the opening round as both teams come into the game with stud rookie quarterbacks, Robert Griffin III for Washington and Russel Wilson for Seattle. Washington finished the regular season as a top five team in the NFL on both offense and Defense. And yes Seattle has come in hot in the latter half of the season. Russel Wilson will put up a good fight against the Redskins but in the end it will be too much for him to handle, as Washington takes the game by at least a touchdown.

So there you have it. Wild Card weekend is set to go and some really exciting football will be played out over the next month en rout to the end goal, the Superbowl!