NFL Wild Card Round Predictions Day One
The opening weekend of the NFL playoffs begins today with an expanded Wild Card Round.
For the first time in NFL history, we will have six games on deck between today and Sunday, gifting football fans with action throughout both days. In this expanded first round is some tough matchups between rival football teams and then there are some not so tough matchups. Either way Wild Card weekend should make for some great highlights with teams beginning this new season at 0-0 for a chance to go to Super Bowl LV in Tampa. As we know anything can happen in the Wild Card round, ask Marshawn Lynch.
Here is a look at the Wild Card round matchups for today and my predictions for the slate of games:
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills, 1:05 PM ET
via Action Network
Coming into the playoffs many have the Bills have a legit threat to the Kansas City Chiefs, but first, they have to get through the Colts led by old age veteran Philip Rivers. Now the Colts squeaked into the playoffs with some help from the Miami Dolphins laying an egg against the Bills. Basically, this means that the Bills chose this matchup but this might be a case of careful what you wish for.
The Colts finished their season top 10 in defense and offense. They are capable of getting the ball down the field with vertical threats or by pounding the rock with Jonathon Taylor who is coming off a 253 rushing day. But a stat that makes you wonder if this team's success is overrated is that they only played a top 12 defense three times in the season. They also have been very inconsistent throughout the season with great wins followed by bad losses. The Bills on the other hand is probably the hottest team in the league right now behind the new duo of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Allen has progressed from an erratic gunslinger to a real MVP candidate and Diggs is challenging for best wide receiver in the league as he led the league in receptions. One problem that may cause some concern however is they might be without the services of Cole Beasley who is listed as questionable with his injury.
via Bills Twitter
Elements could play a big factor in this game as it is expected to be about 30 degrees in Orchard Park and Rivers is 1-2 in cold weather playoff games. But this will be more of a test for Allen for me in arguably the biggest game of his career. Last playoffs I have the images of him recklessly throwing deep balls down the field and melting from the pressure. This season he has a lot of expectations on him to succeed early in the playoffs and if the Colts can get a lead early and ground and pound the game clock down I believe the Colts defense can get after and rattle Allen down the stretch. Game Pick: Colts
L.A Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 4:40 PM ET
via Pro Football Network
The second game of the day is an inner-division matchup between the Rams and Seahawks. This game is the hardest to tell for the day due to the many factors involved in it. Jared Goff is dealing with a right thumb fracture that required surgery and his availability is uncertain. That alone would have many picking the Seahawks easily but due to Goff’s injury, Sean McVay may have found a new component in his luxurious offensive schemes and that is backup QB John Wolford who have shown to be a dual-threat. Seahawks could be without or have a very limited Jamal Adams who is dealing with his own injuries which will impact an already bad defense, like really bad.
You would think having Russell Wilson over possibly Wolford for the Rams alone would have you picking the Seahawks but it’s the defense they will be going against that is making me hesitant. Aaron Donald is without question the best defensive player in the league and you could make a case that Jalen Ramsey is the second best. The Rams have the number one defense in yards allowed by a hefty margin and Wilson hasn’t looked great in the second half of the season. His biggest weapon literally in D.K. Metcalf hasn’t had his best games against this team either so that doesn’t help the situation.
via LA Times
If McVay can just find a way to score points with Wolford this might be a closer game down the wire than people think. Pete Carroll is undefeated at home during his Seahawks playoff tenure but without the 12th man in attendance, he won’t have that X-factor available to him. All things spell to the Rams playing spoiler to Seahawks today but in Russ we trust will be the motto. There’s no way Russ will let Wolford outplay him right? Game Pick: Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Football Team, 8:15 PM ET
Please do not fall for the “nobody believes in us” crap that Ron Rivera is trying to sell to his team right now. This is the easiest pick in the Wild Card Round and it should be for many reasons. Alex Smith is playing on one leg as he’s dealing with an injured calf. The WFT is doing everything in their power to get Smith ready for this game so they don’t have to play Taylor Heinicke much in this game. That should show you how desperate they are to have some sort of offense today. And I haven’t even gotten into who they are playing against. The Bucs and Tom Brady are riding in hot into this playoffs. Brady had an excellent finish to the season throwing 12 touchdowns to just one interception in his last four games. Antonio Brown, who had to wait until the second half of the season to play, is coming off his best game of the season which will only make Brady deadlier.
Now there is a very very very small chance that the WFT can win this game. Everyone knows to beat Brady you have to get after him and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. The WFT defense led by rookie sensation Chase Young can be the crew to do it. They are also confident leading into this matchup because of the dribble Rivera has been telling them so they are going to come after Brady.
Their problem is however that they can’t score on offense. Smith, who has won his last five starts for Washington, hasn’t been anything to boast about. They put up 25 points or more only four times this season and their sole win against a good team this season was the Pittsburgh Steelers who also lost to the Cincinnati Bengals.
WFT will desperately need their defense to score points for them but that probably still won't be enough for the onslaught Tampa Tom about to bring. Game Pick: Bucs
Stay tuned tomorrow for Sunday’s Wild Card Round predictions.
