Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. The regular season is over and the pretenders are at home watching while most of the contenders will be playing this weekend. The Wild Card playoffs are usually the weirder week of the playoff echelon of the NFL playoffs but they are still worthwhile to watch. In this post I'll do my picks to the Wild Card matchups and a look back at my picks for the 2012 Wild Card round from my wordpress days. Let's get to work!
Wild Card Weekend Picks
Note: Game times are in US Eastern. TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate.
Seattle @ San Francisco (FOX; 4:30 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
The Seahawks beat the Rams and the 49ers beat the Cardinals last week. If this game was played 10 years ago, this game would be a big one. The Seahawks-49ers rivalry has simmered down a lot since then. Seattle isn't a great team but they do have a nice looking offense with a defense that is average at best. San Francisco is to me the scariest team in the NFC. They got everything going right for them. A running game that can beat you with multiple runners. A defense that is just as good. What I question is how well Brock Purdy can do in this game. Whether if the quarterback will have jitters playing in his first playoff game will remain to be seen. Despite his inexperience I think he'll do fine. It's not like he has a team that will back him up. I'll take the 49ers.
LA Chargers @ Jacksonville (NBC; 8:15 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Chargers lost to the Broncos and the Jaguars beat the Titans last week. A rematch of a game where the Jaguars humiliated the Chargers at their home stadium. The 38-10 win for the Jaguars spelled doom for them as they would go on a 2-6 mark and then make a great run to get here. The Chargers had been an up and down team with a solid passing game but could use a boost from their running game. If Joey Bosa can come alive and cause havoc in the Jaguars passing game. I think the game will honestly come down to who can be the more aggressive and the team that gives away the ball the less amount of times. I'll take the Chargers.
Miami @ Buffalo (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Dolphins beat the Jets and the Bills beat the Patriots last week. We likely won't get a Tagovailoa vs Allen matchup in the playoffs in this one. Tua Tagovailoa will be out for this game as he hasn't passed concussion protocol. I can't really blame Tua as he has had 2-3 concussions in a 3-4 month span. Skylar Thompson will get the start if Teddy Bridgewater isn't available. For Buffalo, they have their starter Josh Allen in good spirits and good health. While you can't truly count out the Dolphins in the matchup as it is the playoffs, anything can happen, I just don't see them hanging around.
NY Giants @ Minnesota (FOX; 4:30 pm): TW: Giants; CV: Vikings
The Giants lost to the Eagles and the Vikings beat the Bears last week. A rematch of a Christmas Eve matchup. The Vikings needed to hit a field goal to win it at the end of regulation. If they let the Giants hang around, watch out as the same result might not happen. In the playoffs, the more aggressive team will put forth an effort that wants to put touchdowns instead of field goals will win I think. I think it'll be a different outcome than the previous matchup.
Baltimore @ Cincinnati (NBC; 8:15 pm): TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
The Ravens lost to the Bengals and the Bengals beat the Ravens last week. It will come down to the health of Lamar Jackson. If he can go he has a decent shot of winning this game and end the Bengals hopes of a return to the Super Bowl. If he doesn't, he would have to lean more on their running game to carry the offense. You can't be one-dimensional in this day and age in football. Cincinnati seems to be the better team as they do have a good quarterback in Joe Burrow. A long as he stays upright, I think he'll guide the Bengals to a win.
Dallas @ Tampa Bay (ABC/ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The Cowboys lost to the Commanders and the Buccaneers lost to the Falcons last week. The wild card rounds finishes up with an interesting matchup on Monday night. Both teams come into this game with a rough game to end their regular season. Dallas had the opportunity to get some momentum into the postseason but they played a lackluster game. The offense went into hibernation and Dak Prescott wasn't spectacular. Tampa didn't look that great either against Atlanta but at least they're in it I suppose. Tom Brady hasn't looked that great all season and has had to utilize some luck and some defensive mishaps to get this far. For example, the Monday night comeback against New Orleans. I don't really trust either team but I can't go wrong with Tom Brady and company.
NFL 2012 Wild Card Predictions: A look back
So I've briefly mentioned that I used to have a wordpress blog that I used to do for NFL pick'ems in 2012 through 2014. In the posts I was showing a rather amateur feel to it when I look back on it. The blogs themselves were fairly small in word count compared to these. I feel my word craft has improved since then. Let's take a look:
Hello folks, it is the eve of one of the best parts of the year in the sports world: NFL playoffs. First week is full of some intriguing match ups now that the games that don't really matter turn to the games that do matter. Win or go home. Simple as that. I will also do the divisional predictions as well as the Super Bowl as well, just on a different column after the wild-card weekend is over. I know this could bite me in the ass early in the playoffs but at least I give out my opinion on it. Here we go:
Cincinnati @ Houston: Tale of two different seasons for these teams. Last season was the same matchup. Bengals haven't won a playoff game since I was 2-3 years old in 1990. Time is now right for them to end the drought and bring Marvin Lewis his first playoff win. I'll go with the Bengals.
Minnesota @ Green Bay: The second all-time playoff matchup between these two teams. Vikings won the first game back in 2005. Different cases for both teams. I still believe that Christian Ponder will not be the elite quarterback that people expect him to be. He's played well I will agree to a point, but taking my girl Samantha Steele away from me loses all respect for him. I have since ended my pursuit of the girl. She needs a brain. Go Pack Go.
Indianapolis @ Baltimore: A lot of people not believing in the Ravens in what could possibly be the great Ray Lewis' last game. I believe the Ravens will win it based on the fact that they're inspired by him and they will win it for Ray who deserves it. I'll go for the Ravens.
Seattle @ Washington: Obviously the best game of the wild-card weekend. RGIII vs Russell Wilson. Two of the best rookie QB's in the NFC. This game will easily be a high-scoring affair. I like Washington being them the home team and Seattle on the road hasn't been that great as it should. I like RGIII more than Wilson because I feel Robert Griffin has more speed in his legs and certainly more accurate as a passer. Also because I still won't get over the Fail Mary. Go Washington! Hail to the Redskins!
Seeing this now I kind of realize that I didn't discuss a lot of the Bengals-Texans game. Obviously the Bengals have since then ended that playoff drought. I feel the animosity towards Christian Ponder was that he stole my celebrity crush at the time, Samantha Steele (now Ponder). Obviously I'm a bit mature and over it. Safe to say the Ravens did win one for the "gipper" and carried Ray Lewis into his last season with a win against the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Interestingly enough that Seahawks-Redskins game was the game where Robert Griffin III suffered that horrific leg injury and was never the same after that. For some odd reason, I never did posts on that wordpress account past the Wild Card round. Darn shame too because that Ravens-Broncos divisional playoff game was one of the best games ever.
2022 Pick ‘Em Records
My record:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 11-5
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 8-6
Week 7: 9-5
Week 8: 12-3
Week 9: 11-2
Week 10: 8-6
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 10-6
Week 13: 11-3-1
Week 14: 7-6
Week 15: 8-8
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 12-3
Week 18: 11-5
Total: 166-103-2
Cardinal Viking's record:
Week 1: 6-9-1
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 6-10
Week 5: 9-7
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 8-6
Week 8: 9-6
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 8-6
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 8-6-1
Week 14: 9-4
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 10-6
Week 17: 9-6
Week 18: 11-5
Total: 157-112-2
Previous Picking Records:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2019: 161-94-1
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