The NFL playoffs kick off on this weekend with four hotly-contested Wild Card match-ups. Here are our picks for who moves on and who goes home.
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
What a depressing end to the season for Bruce Ariens' Cardinals squad. Arizona looked like the best team in football for three months, and were primed to become the first NFL in history to play a Super Bowl on their home field. Then they lost Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton to back-to-back injuries, leaving their season in the hands of Ryan Lindley. You don't want your season in the hands of Ryan Lindley. [PREDICTION: Panthers 17, Cardinals 12]
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Penguins
Two veteran, hard-nosed division rivals that always play each other tough. It will be a blow for the Steelers if running back Le'Veon Bell is unable to play with a hyperextended knee, but newly-signed free agent Ben Tate should at least give them middling support on the ground. The Ravens' secondary is a mess -- they're 23rd out of 32 in passing yardage allowed. That bodes well for Ben Roethlisberger. So long as he plays turnover-free ball, the Steelers can still win this one going away. [PREDICTION: Steelers 24, Ravens 14]
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts
This is the moment where Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton prove they can be an elite coach and quarterback, respectively, in this league. Just being one-and-done in the playoffs every season isn't acceptable any longer. On the Colts' side, they need to find someone, anyone, who can run the ball effectively. Andrew Luck is one of the game's best passers, but Indy can't win this game if he's throwing 50 times on the afternoon. [PREDICTION: Bengals 31, Colts 28]
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
The Lions got a real gift when the NFL reversed its one game suspension of DT Ndamukong Suh, who childishly stepped on the ankle of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers last Sunday. They'll need Suh to be an immovable object up the middle, given that they're facing the NFL's leading rusher in DeMarco Murray (1,845 yards on the year). Many pundits don't trust Romo in the clutch but I think this is the year the Cowboys quarterback finally shakes his late game and postseason demons once and for all. [PREDICTION: Cowboys 33, Lions 17]
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