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Kansas City (11-5) at Houston (9-7): 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN/ABC)
Like with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, this is another first-round game where the wild-card team is favored by oddsmakers to beat a division winner. The Chiefs slapped Houston around in the season opener, but plenty has changed for both squads since then. Houston didn't hit its stride until midseason, with the Texans winning seven of their final nine games largely behind a J.J. Watt-led defense. Houston surrendered an average of 12.7 points a game during that span to cover for a sluggish offense hurt by injuries at quarterback. The Chiefs surprisingly got hot when star running back Jamaal Charles was lost for the season to a knee injury in Week 5 against Chicago. Kansas City has won a league-high 10 straight games, although the Chiefs didn't play a team with a winning record in their final seven contests.
Advantage: Kansas City.
Pittsburgh (10-6) at Cincinnati (12-4): 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday (CBS)
Oddsmakers have already installed the Steelers as a 2 1/2-point favorite -- and who can blame them? Even though the Bengals finished two games ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings, Cincinnati will be the team under the most pressure. The Bengals have lost in the opening round of the playoffs for four straight seasons and are 1-4 in their past five home games against the Steelers. Cincinnati also will have to try to win with a backup quarterback (A.J. McCarron) who has made only three NFL starts as Andy Dalton is still recovering from a broken thumb. The biggest concern for Pittsburgh is the health of running back DeAngelo Williams, who didn't play in the second half of Sunday's win over Cleveland because of an ankle injury.
Advantage: Pittsburgh.
Seattle (10-6) at Minnesota (11-5): 1 p.m. ET Sunday (NBC)
The Vikings posted their first “signature victory” in Mike Zimmer’s two seasons as head coach when they beat Green Bay on Sunday night to win the NFC North and earn a first-round home game. But it’s fair to wonder whether the Vikings would have been better off losing to the slumping Packers to bring about a playoff rematch this weekend at Lambeau Field rather than having to again face the surging Seahawks, which already posted a blowout road win against Minnesota in Week 13. Even with Adrian Peterson winning the NFL rushing title, the Vikings will need more impact plays from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for success in the postseason. Seattle has no such problems with Russell Wilson, who was brilliant in the second half of the season with 24 touchdown passes and just one interception in the past seven games. Another boost for a Seahawks squad that is far more seasoned in the postseason: Star running back Marshawn Lynch is slated to return to practice this week after missing the past seven games with an abdominal injury.
Advantage: Seattle.
Green Bay (10-6) at Washington (9-7): 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX)
These two clubs are heading in different directions. The Packers have lost six of their past 10 games, including Sunday night’s home game to Minnesota that gave the Vikings the NFC North title. Surprisingly, Green Bay’s biggest problems are on offense, with a struggling line and a middling wide receiving unit that has never recovered from the preseason loss of Jordy Nelson (knee). The Redskins are the NFL’s biggest surprise, rebounding from a fourth-place finish in the NFC East last year to win the division with four straight victories to end the season. Kirk Cousins enjoyed one of the greatest statistical campaigns for a quarterback in Redskins history with DeSean Jackson, Jordan Reed and Pierre Garcon forming a dangerous trio of receiving targets. Washington also has taken advantage of its home games, winning six of eight at FedEx Field.
Advantage: Washington.
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/w...vikings-010316
Like with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, this is another first-round game where the wild-card team is favored by oddsmakers to beat a division winner. The Chiefs slapped Houston around in the season opener, but plenty has changed for both squads since then. Houston didn't hit its stride until midseason, with the Texans winning seven of their final nine games largely behind a J.J. Watt-led defense. Houston surrendered an average of 12.7 points a game during that span to cover for a sluggish offense hurt by injuries at quarterback. The Chiefs surprisingly got hot when star running back Jamaal Charles was lost for the season to a knee injury in Week 5 against Chicago. Kansas City has won a league-high 10 straight games, although the Chiefs didn't play a team with a winning record in their final seven contests.
Advantage: Kansas City.
Pittsburgh (10-6) at Cincinnati (12-4): 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday (CBS)
Oddsmakers have already installed the Steelers as a 2 1/2-point favorite -- and who can blame them? Even though the Bengals finished two games ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings, Cincinnati will be the team under the most pressure. The Bengals have lost in the opening round of the playoffs for four straight seasons and are 1-4 in their past five home games against the Steelers. Cincinnati also will have to try to win with a backup quarterback (A.J. McCarron) who has made only three NFL starts as Andy Dalton is still recovering from a broken thumb. The biggest concern for Pittsburgh is the health of running back DeAngelo Williams, who didn't play in the second half of Sunday's win over Cleveland because of an ankle injury.
Advantage: Pittsburgh.
Seattle (10-6) at Minnesota (11-5): 1 p.m. ET Sunday (NBC)
The Vikings posted their first “signature victory” in Mike Zimmer’s two seasons as head coach when they beat Green Bay on Sunday night to win the NFC North and earn a first-round home game. But it’s fair to wonder whether the Vikings would have been better off losing to the slumping Packers to bring about a playoff rematch this weekend at Lambeau Field rather than having to again face the surging Seahawks, which already posted a blowout road win against Minnesota in Week 13. Even with Adrian Peterson winning the NFL rushing title, the Vikings will need more impact plays from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for success in the postseason. Seattle has no such problems with Russell Wilson, who was brilliant in the second half of the season with 24 touchdown passes and just one interception in the past seven games. Another boost for a Seahawks squad that is far more seasoned in the postseason: Star running back Marshawn Lynch is slated to return to practice this week after missing the past seven games with an abdominal injury.
Advantage: Seattle.
Green Bay (10-6) at Washington (9-7): 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX)
These two clubs are heading in different directions. The Packers have lost six of their past 10 games, including Sunday night’s home game to Minnesota that gave the Vikings the NFC North title. Surprisingly, Green Bay’s biggest problems are on offense, with a struggling line and a middling wide receiving unit that has never recovered from the preseason loss of Jordy Nelson (knee). The Redskins are the NFL’s biggest surprise, rebounding from a fourth-place finish in the NFC East last year to win the division with four straight victories to end the season. Kirk Cousins enjoyed one of the greatest statistical campaigns for a quarterback in Redskins history with DeSean Jackson, Jordan Reed and Pierre Garcon forming a dangerous trio of receiving targets. Washington also has taken advantage of its home games, winning six of eight at FedEx Field.
Advantage: Washington.
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/w...vikings-010316