To quote the UFC's Bruce Buffer "It's time!" The regular season is over and it's time for the playoffs. Here are the four games on tap for the Wild Card weekend:
Ravens (12-4) at Chiefs (10-6)
The Chiefs have made great strides this year, but for the most part, they are still a young and unproven team. The Ravens are anything but young, and they have proven they are capable of winning playoff games on the road. Ask the Patriots what the Ravens did to them last year.
Key match-up:
All Charles did was fall just short of become the first running back since Jim Brown to average 6.4 yards per carry over an entire season. Not only that, Charles only fumbled the ball twice on 230 carries. The Chiefs use their league-leading running game to set up the pass for Matt Cassel. When the Chiefs are running the ball effectively, Cassel rarely is put into third-and-long situations. Facing Charles will be one of the oldest and nastiest players in the league, the relentless Ray Lewis. Now in his 15th season, Lewis was sixth in the NFL with 139 tackles and is still the glue that holds the Ravens defence together. There is little secret that Todd Haley and the Chiefs need to run the ball to win. Along with the amazing Haloti Ngata, Lewis and the Ravens were fifth in the NFL against the run and only allowed five rushing touchdowns.
Intangibles
InGamer: Play along as you watch the NFL playoffs and pick your team to win big. | Join Head Coach Challenge
The Chiefs intangible is receiver Dwayne Bowe. A big target, Bowe led the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns. If the Ravens get too focused on stopping the Chiefs running game, Cassel and Bowe will try to use their play-action action passing game to attempt to burn them. Another thing the Ravens must consider is the fact Haley loves to go for it on fourth-and-short yardage. The Ravens intangible is one of the more underrated players in the league in running back Ray Rice. Equally effective running or catching passes out of the backfield, Rice will give the Chiefs linebackers all they can handle. On every pre-snap read, Cassel better make sure he knows were Ed Reed is on the field. Despite only playing 10 games because of injuries, Reed still led the NFL with eight interceptions.
Who wins?
About the only way I can see the Chiefs winning this game is if Charles explodes for a 200-yard game. The combination of the Ravens run defence and their playoff experience will be too much for the young Chiefs to overcome.
Ravens 23, Chiefs 19
Packers (10-6) at Eagles (10-6)
This is the marquee game of the NFL's wild card weekend. Both teams met in Week 1 of the regular season and now they meet again in a do-or-die playoff showdown.
Key match-up
Clay Matthews vs. Eagles offensive line
The Eagles allowed a staggering 50 sacks this year. In his last two games, Michael Vick was hit a total of 27 times. Vick missed the last game of the regular season with a thigh bruise. As good as Vick has been this season, and he's been outstanding, he can only take so much punishment and remain effective. Yes, Vick has the ability to run with the football but when a quarterback takes off and starts running, he becomes fair game. Matthews has been a force of nature the entire season and has the inside track to winning the defensive player of the year award. There is no secret to the game plan of Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers -- hit Vick every chance you get. The Eagles will have to worry abut Matthews and a blitzing Charles Woodson. With studs like Matthews and Woodson, the Packers gave up the fewest points in the NFC this year allowing only 240 points through 16 games.
Pick 'Em: Playoff time is when we separate the men from the boys. Which side are you on? | Join Playoff Pigskin Pick'Em
Intangibles
As much as the Packers are focused on stopping Vick, they also better be worried about DeSean Jackson. Vick told me a few weeks ago via e-mail that it is next to impossible to overthrow him and that is a big reason Jackson led all NFL receivers with a 22.5-yards-per-catch average. The Eagles will also need cornerback Asante Samuel to have a big game. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champ, Samuel is the key to the Eagles pass defence and he will be given the task of trying to shut down Greg Jennings. A quarter of Aaron Rodgers pass attempts this year were directed to Jennings. The Packers defence is good but they still need Rodgers to make some plays without turning the ball over. If Rodgers has the kind of game he's capable of, the Eagles defence will be in trouble.
Who wins?
If the Eagles can find a way to keep Vick upright and give him time to throw the ball to Jackson, they could win. However, the way the Packers defence is playing right now and the ability of Rodgers to make the big throw will be the tipping point in what should be a dynamite playoff game.
Packers 28, Eagles 27
Saints (11-5) at Seahawks (7-9)
Much has been made this week about that fact a team with a sub-.500 record, the Seahawks, get to host a playoff game. Well until they change the playoff-seeding format, it is what it is.
Key match-up
The Seahawks secondary vs. Drew Brees
The golden boy of the NFL, Brees is still basking in the glow of the Saints Super Bowl win over the Colts last year. But a closer look at what Brees did during the regular season slightly tarnishes his crown. Brees threw a pick in each of the last 12 games and ended up second in the NFL with 22 interceptions. Everyone assumes that the Saints will roll into Qwest Field and walk away with an easy win but if Brees keeps giving the ball away, beating the Seahawks won't be as easy as everyone assumes. With five interceptions, rookie Earl Thomas has teamed up nicely with ageless veteran Lawyer Milloy in the Seahawks secondary.
Intangibles
The Seahawks famous "12th man" and the deafening crowd noise at Qwest Field gives Seattle a distinct home-field advantage. The Saints received a big blow this week when they had to place running backs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas on season-ending injured reserve. This means the Saints will have to rely on Reggie Bush and Julius Jones to put together some kind of running game to keep the Seahawks defence honest. Even with the injuries to their running game, the Saints have a big leadership advantage with Brees. If there is one player capable of overcoming adversity and rallying his team around him, it is Brees.
Who wins?
The Las Vegas odds makers have made the Saints prohibitive 11-point favourites to win a road playoff game. It is pretty hard to argue with them. Sean Payton and the Saints are a team that has proven they can win in the playoffs. About the only way the Seahawks can win this game is if they run for 150 yards and Drew Brees throws three interceptions. It could happen, but it won't happen.
Saints 31, Seahawks 16
Jets (11-5) at Colts (10-6)
When speaking to the media this week about facing the Colts, Rex Ryan came off sounding like Captain Ahab and he made Peyton Manning come off as his version of Moby Dick.
"With Peyton Manning, I'm going to beat him. I don't know when, but I want it to be Saturday. Is it personal? Yes. Is it personal against him Reggie Wayne, all those guys? (Dwight) Freeney, (Robert) Mathis and all those other dudes? Absolutely. I want to win. That's why I'm here."
These two teams met in last year's AFC Championship game and Manning shredded the Jets secondary for 377 yards and three touchdowns. Now these two teams who could not be more different will meet again.
Key match-up:
Revis Island and the Jets secondary vs. Peyton Manning
After a contract holdout and a minor injury to start the season, Revis is back to being one of the best lockdown cornerbacks in the NFL. Revis, Antonio Cromartie and the rest of the Jets secondary were burned in Week 16 by Jay Cutler and the Bears. Now they have to shut down one of the greatest quarterbacks of our generation. During the Colts late season three game losing streak, Manning threw eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Then Manning and the Colts reeled off four straight wins. In that time, Manning threw nine touchdowns, two interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 100.3. It will be interesting to see if Manning even throws in the direction of Revis and picks on Cromartie all game long.
Intangibles
If the Jets are looking to revive their Ground & Pound running game from last year's playoff run, they could be in for a bit of a shock. In their last three games, the Colts defence has held Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren McFadden and Chris Johnson to a combined 130 yards. Shonn Greene had two 100-yard games in the playoffs last year but he has only had one the entire season this year. If the Jets are going to win this game, they are going to have to find a way to run the football consistently. A big part of Rex Ryan's bravado is the confidence he has in his defence to put pressure on the quarterback. Well the Colts only gave up 16 sacks this year, or, one for every 42 passes attempted. Behind Ryan's bold talk is the cold hard fact that either as a head coach or a defensive coordinator, he is 1-5 in his career when he's faced Manning.
Who wins?
Ultimately playoff games are decided by which quarterback has the better game. Mark Sanchez is a good, young quarterback, but he's not in Manning's league yet. Sanchez was able to pull out dramatic wins against the Lions, Browns and Texans this season. He won't be able to do that on the road against a superior team like the Colts.
Colts 27, Jets 20
