Wild Card Weekend Picks and Discussion!

[Everlong]

THE PLAYOFFS ARE HERE! And with the playoffs comes a new scoring system, as all of you should be familiar with.

Now, you get 3 points for a correct pick, and 5 for a correct upset, and there are no limitations on points you can earn for upsets. This means if all four upsets win and you guess them correctly, you can earn up to 10 points.

Here are the games:

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - I'm terrified of this game, as it all too closely resembles games we lost to the Giants after the 2007 and 2011 seasons. The Giants are surging on the strength of their defense. The big difference is they do not have the same caliber of offense they had in 2011, or even 2007. The Packers, meanwhile, are not a team that's simply coasting along like the 2011 team, or one that has an aging QB incapable of playing in the cold like the 2007 team. Part of me has a very strong feeling the Giants are once again going to end our season, but I also have a suspicion the Packers aren't done for this season yet. This should be a great game either way. Packers 24, Giants 20

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 - I feel so bad for the Raiders. 14 years of futility, and they FINALLY get back to the playoffs with a great team, only to see their MVP candidate QB go down for the year with a broken leg. By all rights they should be division champs and have a first round bye, but fate is cruel sometimes. Still, even without Carr, I think they have what it takes to get past the Texans, who are probably the worst team in the playoffs. UPSET! - Raiders 20, Texans 16

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - The Seahawks are a different team at home, which is good for them, because they've looked like absolute ass for much of the final month of the season. I think the Lions have what it takes to at least give the Seahawks a scare, but I don't see them being capable of actually pulling off the win. Seahawks 27, Lions 19

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 - Much like the Raiders, the Dolphins are in the shitty situation of FINALLY getting back to the playoffs, only to lose their starting QB. Matt Moore is a capable backup, but the Steelers are a tall order, especially on the road in January. I think it'll be a closer game than the spread indicates, at least until the 4th quarter, but the Steelers have bigger fish to fry in the AFC. This game should set up a really interesting Steelers/Chiefs matchup in the divisional round. Steelers 24, Dolphins 17

BYES: Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons

[The Legend]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - This is really the only game I even briefly considered an upset pick this weekend, but that being said I think homefield advantage will play a huge role in the NFC Playoffs in particular this season. Both of these teams are rolling offensively and it should be a shootout that might come down to who has the ball last. I'll go with the home team edging out the win. GB Packers 27, NY Giants 23

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 - The Raiders didn't just lose to the Broncos on Sunday without Carr at QB. They looked totally defeated and without confidence. I doubt they find that confidence in time to take on the Texans who are used to winning without a QB. This might be the worst playoff game of all time by the way. Zero entertainment potential. Houston Texans 15, Oakland Raiders 10

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - This one is simple, whoever was at home I'd pick, neither of these teams travel all that well. Seattle isn't as feared as they once were and I expect them to have plenty of trouble in the Dirty Bird Dome next week, but they survive for now. Seattle Seahawks 23, Detroit Lions 20

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 - The Phins wouldn't stand a chance if Tannehill was healthy, forget about it with Matt Moore at QB. Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Miami Dolphins 17

[CMPUNKFAN]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - Packers 24 Giants 20

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 - Texans 20 Raiders 13

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - Seahawks 27 Lions 14

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 - Steelers 23 Dolphins 20

BYES: Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons

[HFX]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - Packers 28, Giants 24

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 - Texans 24, Raiders 14

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - Seahawks 23, Lions 17

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 - Steelers 27, Dolphins 20

[JDD]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - UPSET! Giants

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 - UPSET! Raiders

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - Seahawks

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 - Steelers

[DBSoT]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), Green Bay This is by far the hardest game of the weekend to pick. Both teams are hot to finish the season, but have some glaring flaws. The Giants have issues in the run game, pass protection and at QB. Their run game has seem to get better over the past few games and Eli is better in January, but can he out last Rodgers. On the other end, Green Bay has issues with their secondary, run backs and front 7. They gave up 100 total yards and 2 TDs to Zach Zenner and were down to 2 healthy CBs in the game against the Lions. New York will need to run the ball to keep it out of Rodgers' hands. I don't see that happening consistently enough.

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), Oakland Oh Raiders! What could have been?! Losing Derek Carr is a major hit and asking a rookie to make his first career start in a playoff game is worst, but not all hope is lost. Houston is garbage on offense and Oakland will need to use that to their advantage. Cook will be facing a good secondary, but he will not be asked to make the big throws. The big key here is Latavius Murray and DeAndre Washington. If Oakland can open some holes and Cook can hit his check downs, they could get to 20+ points. Houston is averaging just over 12 PPG, in their last 6 games. The over on this game should be less than 30.

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), Detroit Oh yes, this is a homer pick. Screw it, these picks really mean nothing. The good thing is, this Seahawks team is not the same team from years past. The bad new is, they still have Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll and a home game. Since Earl Thomas went down the Seahawks defense has been bad. They are giving up 24.5 PPG. If you take out the terrible Rams offense, they are giving up 31.67 PPG. This is the first time their secondary has looked completely vulnerable in quite a while. Their other issues include Wilson's knees, a patch together o-line and the loss of Tyler Lockett. You saw these issues manifest last week against a bad 49ers team. This is not to say the Lions are a shoe in to win anything. They have their own flaws. Including no run game, an injured o-line, an underachieving defense and Jim Caldwell. This is going to sound odd, but the difference in this game will be the TEs. Detroit can't cover them and Seattle in susceptible over the middle without Earl Thomas. If the Lions can get the ball to Tate and Ebron over the middle, they will have a good shot. Also, if they don't Lions all over themselves, AGAIN!

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), Pittsburgh. I had a write up ready for this game, but Miami is starting Matt Moore. Jay Adayi and the defense will have to carry this team past Pittsburgh. It isn't out of the question, but the Steelers offense can beat teams in so many ways. I am actually kind of hoping for a Steelers/Falcons Superbowl, just to see the total points scored.

[Str8Shooter]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - GREEN BAY

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 - HOUSTON

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - SEATTLE

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 - PITTSBURGH

BYES: Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons

[xgamr]

GAME OF THE WEEK - Sunday at 4:40 PM EST - New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), GB by 4 - Packers

Saturday at 4:35 PM EST - Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7), HOU By 3 -Texans

Saturday at 8:15 EST - Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1), SEA by 7.5 - Seahawks

Sunday at 1:05 PM EST - Miami Dolphins (10-6) at PIttsburgh Steelers (11-5), PIT by 10 -Steelers

[EmperorWu]

Woooo went to my first Playoff game ever! (first game ever that wasn't preseason actually)

I'm glad I got to enjoy this victory cause I don't know how much further they are going to get. Pumped!

It was cold as hell. Thankfully it warmed up that day to below freezing with a nice wind chill on top. Also it was fucking loud, holy shit.

[Everlong]

Woooo went to my first Playoff game ever! (first game ever that wasn't preseason actually)

I'm glad I got to enjoy this victory cause I don't know how much further they are going to get. Pumped!

It was cold as hell. Thankfully it warmed up that day to below freezing with a nice wind chill on top. Also it was fucking loud, holy shit.

Nice one!! I've never been to a playoff game, that'd be awesome (if it wasn't so fucking cold here in Wisconsin, haha).

[The Legend]

Woooo went to my first Playoff game ever! (first game ever that wasn't preseason actually)

I'm glad I got to enjoy this victory cause I don't know how much further they are going to get. Pumped!

It was cold as hell. Thankfully it warmed up that day to below freezing with a nice wind chill on top. Also it was fucking loud, holy shit.

Nice one!! I've never been to a playoff game, that'd be awesome (if it wasn't so fucking cold here in Wisconsin, haha).

What the hell's up with you spoiled Packer fans? They gotta bribe you to go to playoff games? What's the matter, your fingers might get a little cold?

[Everlong]

What the hell's up with you spoiled Packer fans? They gotta bribe you to go to playoff games? What's the matter, your fingers might get a little cold?

The cold is less an issue for me than the ticket price. It's fucking expensive to go to Packers games if you aren't a season ticket holder or don't have connections to a season ticket holder who's willing to depart with tickets (which most aren't for playoffs).

[Everlong]

Also, results. I've been insanely busy the last week or two working on a show I'm putting together, so I still have to go back and tabulate the running total. But for now, here are the wild card results:

The Legend: 12-0
CMPUNKFAN: 12-0
Str8Shooter: 12-0
xgamr: 12-0
HFX: 12-0
JDD: 9-1
Everlong: 9-1
DBSoT: 6-2

[The Legend]

What the hell's up with you spoiled Packer fans? They gotta bribe you to go to playoff games? What's the matter, your fingers might get a little cold?

The cold is less an issue for me than the ticket price. It's fucking expensive to go to Packers games if you aren't a season ticket holder or don't have connections to a season ticket holder who's willing to depart with tickets (which most aren't for playoffs).

I was referring to the fact that there was less than a day left before the game had been sold out and they had to give away free hot chocolate as an incentive to go.

[Everlong]

I was referring to the fact that there was less than a day left before the game had been sold out and they had to give away free hot chocolate as an incentive to go.

The only reason it hadn't sold out quicker was because when tickets went on sale for the playoffs, the Packers were 4-6, haha. There was never a chance they'd not have sold out.