NFL Wild Card Picks

Kansas City Chiefs/Houston Texans: the Chiefs have won 10 in a row. The only teams that they beat during that stretch that were having competitive seasons were Pittsburgh, Denver, and Buffalo, which doesn't change the fact that they won 10 in a row, never slipping up, always excelling at achieving victory. Still, they haven't won a playoff game since 1993 and were leading Indianapolis by a significant margin two years ago in January before their defence collapsed and they were crushingly defeated. But their numbers are solid on offence and defence, better than solid, they're outstanding, Houston's the only AFC team to make the playoffs that doesn't seem like they have a shot at the Super Bowl, and Kansas City beat them 27-20 in week 1. The Texans were still good enough to make the playoffs and they held off the Colts to win their division, but during the season they didn't have the toughest schedule, in fact their schedule was quite similar to that of the Chiefs, which makes it fitting that these teams are playing each other this Saturday, cosmic parity coming into play. Houston did defeat Cincinnati and the New York Jets however so they could make this game painful for Kansas City. But it's really looking like the Chiefs will win. Hoping it's close, picking Kansas City.

Pittsburgh Steelers/Cincinnati Bengals: I don't care, I'm picking Cincinnati again. Pittsburgh has the momentum and apart from a divisional loss to the Ravens played well down the stretch, but I'm not abandoning the Bengals after they had another exceptional season and look poised to finally win in the Wild Card round, no I am not, definitely not, go Bengals. Back-up quarterback AJ McCarron compared himself to Tom Brady and now is the time to make good on such audacity. Come on Cincinnati. Picking the Bengals.

Seattle Seahawks/Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota's good and they played well enough to win the NFC North but are they good enough to humble the mighty Seahawks, who, apart from one play, succeeded at producing miracles on demand last year in the NFL playoffs? I'm not saying Minnesota can't win even if Seattle throttled them 38 to 7 in week 13, or even if they have a scant degree of recent playoff experience compared to the Seahawks, who should have won two Super Bowls in the last two years. No one expected Seattle to beat the Saints in 2010 so I would be surprised if the Vikings won although it wouldn't be surprising. I don't know if that makes sense. But Minnesota's road to the Super Bowl requires a Seahawks loss and Seattle wins when they need to win. Indubitably. Picking the Seahawks. 

Green Bay Packers/Washington Redskins: Green Bay struggled at inopportune times this season and the Redskins did not. Washington won 6 of their last 8 and even though their opponents didn't have the strongest records, they still managed to win and still finished the season atop the NFC East. Negative press seems to have flustered the Pack who picked up 10 wins yet collapsed versus Denver and Arizona. It seems like it's a matter of which Green Bay Packers team shows up, the team that dominates on offence and flattens their opposition, or the team that can't complete a pass, run the ball, or provide any defence whatsoever. Green Bay has demonstrated in recent years that they are a threat in the playoffs and Aaron Rodgers is a force to be reckoned with. If the Pack gets over whatever it is that's crippling them, they're playing in the Divisional Round. Washington has a good shot at winning this one. Picking Green Bay.