NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Round Predictions

Week 18 of the National Football League schedule begins the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The winners of this round move on to the Divisional Round of the Playoffs. This round is the first of 3-playoff rounds before the Super Bowl in February.

The two best teams in either of the two conferences do not play this week - having earned a "Bye." These teams are the Dallas Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers, the New England Patriots, and the Indianapolis Colts. This round determines who will play these teams next week in the second round of the playoffs, the Divisional Round.

National Football Conference (NFC) Games

#5 Tampa Bay (9-7) 23 - #4 New York Giants (10-6) 20

Tampa's averaging about 21 points a game and giving up 17. NYG is averaging about 23 points and giving 22. The Giants spent an enormous amount of emotional and physical currency in their attempt to knock off the New England Patriots in week 17, and came up just a little short. Tampa, meanwhile, rested quarterback Jeff Garcia and running back Earnest Graham. Both teams have some significant injuries, and when one team is giving up more points on average than the other team scores on average, I have to go there. Tampa wins

#3 Seattle 27 - #6 Washington 20
Seattle is scoring between 24-25 points a game, giving 18; Washington is scoring 21, giving 19. Washington has been on quite a run recently, but squeaked into the playoffs. While Shaun Alexander has not been the performer he has been in previous years, the Seahawks have a competent if not very good quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck; the Redskins on the other hand, have a solid performer in Clinton Portis, but a questionable presence behind center in Jason Campbell. The numbers favor Seattle, and so do I.

American Football Conference (AFC) Games

#5 Pittsburgh 20 - #4 Jacksonville 17
Pittsburgh is scoring 24-25 points a game, giving 17; Jacksonville is taking 26 and giving 19. With Willie Parker down, I think the Steelers will have a tough go of it, but I also think Roethlisberger is coming into his own and can more than manage a game. They can win with Big Ben, but it will be the defense that wins this game for them, forcing the Jaguars d to do the same, but they won't be able to hold Big Ben down.

#6Tennessee 23 - #3 San Diego 17
Tennessee is taking19 points a game, giving 18; San Diego on the other hand is scoring 26 and giving 18. Where do I get 23-17 Tennessee? Against playoff teams, TEN is scoring only 15, but allowing 18; San Diego is scoring 20 and allowing 26. All things being equal, I think Vince Young can rebound from injury and will take what the San Diego defense will give him while I have little to no confidence in Philip Rivers. He's not yet proven himself to be a big game quarterback in his limited opportunities to do so.

The fact of the matter is that while I honestly believe the Chargers will win this game handily, I also have a rooting interest in seeing them not advance in the playoffs as I think they are best equipped team to defeat my personal favorites, the Patriots.

The teams with bye-weeks this week are:

NFC: #1 Dallas Cowboys, #2 Green Bay Packers
AFC: #1 New England Patriots, #2 Indianapolis Colts

The #1 seeded teams will play the lowest remaining seed in the conference; the #2 seeded teams will play the highest remaining seed in the conference.

IF Washington wins: The Cowboys play the Redskins; the Packers play either the Buccaneers or the Giants

IF Seatlle wins: The Packers play the Seahawks, the Cowboys play either the Buccaneers or the Giants

IF Tennessee wins: The Patriots play the Titans; the Colts play either the Steelers or the Chargers

IF San Diego wins: The Colts play San Diego; the Patriots play either the Steelers or the Jaguars