After 18 weeks of exceptional NFL football, the Wild Card weekend is behind us and the NFL Divisional Round is right around the corner. But how will this coming weekend stack up compared to past weeks? Well, based on both the NFC and AFC match-ups, it is almost guaranteed to be an exciting weekend of football ahead of us.
NFL Divisional Playoff Round Preview
In the AFC, the two match-ups feature Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts going into Denver to play Peyton Manning and the Broncos, while Tom Brady and his Patriots are hosting the Baltimore Ravens. A team that is fresh off of a gritty 30-17 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both of these games should prove to be incredibly compelling for a number of reasons. In respect to the Colts Vs. Broncos match-up, future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning will be facing off against the team he played with for 13 seasons and won a Super Bowl with in 2006.
This season the Indianapolis Colts went 11-5 while the Broncos posted a 12-4 record. The Broncos are large favorites in this game but it would be hard to disregard the Colts as a serious contender. Andrew Luck has proved his worth as a number one pick after yet another impressive season as the Colts’ quarterback. He has also had success against the Broncos in the past which could prove to be a deciding factor in the game. Manning is known for struggling in the post season and if he struggles against his former team this weekend, a Colts upset could be in order.
In the other AFC Divisional match, the 10-6 Ravens led by Joe Flacco are considered underdogs against the 12-4 Patriots who many believe are the outright favorite to win the Super Bowl. Despite the Patriots being the favorite, the Ravens aren’t going to go down without a fight. In past playoff games between these two teams, the Ravens have managed to win two of the last three. Both wins, one in 2010 and the other in 2013, were convincing victories that ended 33-14 and 28-13 respectively. That is not to say that the Patriots are going to let the past get to them. Patriots coach Bill Belichick will most definitely have his team prepared for whatever the Ravens will throw their way and with Tom Brady at the helm, this game should definitely be one to watch.
On the NFC side, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are up against America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys, while Cam Newton will try to lead his Panthers against the mighty Seattle Seahawks.
The first match-up between the Packers and the Cowboys is one of those games that is almost impossible to predict. Tony Romo has had an incredible season in which he was finally able to lead the Cowboys to the post season for the first time since 2009. The Cowboys posted an impressive 8-0 record on the road and will have their work cut out for them in Green Bay.
Rodgers and his Packers however, are 8-0 at home creating no advantages or disadvantages when it comes to home field advantage. Unless of course you were to take the cold Green Bay weather into consideration. Rodgers has had flashes of brilliance this season and if he plays like the Aaron Rodgers we all know, the Cowboys will have their hands full. This game will come down to whether or not Romo can continue to play mistake free football and outplay the QB on the other side of the field. With America’s Team constantly being looked at under a microscope, this match-up could prove to be the most scrutinized of the four.
In the second NFC match, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson will be squaring off in a match-up that has already hailed Wilson’s Seahawks as heavy favorites.
The Seahawks started off their season feeling the pressure that comes with being the reigning Super Bowl Champions. They were struggling early but won their last six games of the season to win the NFC West and secure home field until the Super Bowl. Seattle’s secondary, other wise known as “The Legion of Boom” has proved to be a worthy adversary and Russell Wilson is playing great football. This mix of high flying offense and superb defense is making Seattle look like favorites to repeat in the Super Bowl, but with many teams in the hunt, that task could be very difficult.
The Panthers meanwhile, will be eager to prove themselves as a team worthy of the position they are in. In the regular season, the Panthers posted a 7-8-1 record which was good enough to win the weakest of all the divisions: the NFC South. This past weekend the Panthers defeated the injury riddled Arizona Cardinals 27-16. The Panthers will try to use the momentum from their Wild Card win to create a difficult game for the Seahawks. While many don’t give the Panthers a chance in this one, their defense and a stellar performance by Cam Newton could create an interesting dynamic in this game.
In the NFL, anything can happen and that’s why this weekend will be great for football. No matter who you root for, the Divisional round holds match-ups that everyone can enjoy.
A truly great weekend in football is upon us.
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