NFL Picks 2016: Wild Card Weekend

Hmm. That went fast. Four months and change after the regular season kicked off, here we are facing Wild Card weekend in the NFL. There are a few new faces in the postseason crowd this year. But if you believe our contributors, most of them will be eliminated by the playoff regulars by the end of the weekend.

Here’s how we see the games playing out:

Locks of the weekend:

John: Seattle hasn’t been the same since losing Earl Thomas, but the Lions ended the year with three straight losses. Ultimately, I can’t see Detroit winning its first playoff game since 1991 at CenturyLink Field of all places.

Anthony: The only pick I’m feeling great about here is Pittsburgh, so we’ll call that my lock of the week. Matt Moore’s about as good of a backup as you can ask for – a veteran who’s been around for a while and doesn’t trip all over himself when he gets a chance. That said, I don’t think he can lead enough scoring drives to keep up with the Steelers offense at home: especially with Big Ben, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown all coming off an extra week of rest after sitting in Week 17. 

Tony: I hate to make this my pick, but Green Bay is as hot as any team in the playoffs, and at home, they may be unstoppable. The only shot the Giants have is that the Packers may be signing defensive backs off the street this week to play. Pittsburgh is a close second to lock, but more because the Dolphins are untested in true pressure games.

Andy: If I had the stones to pick a lock in the Raiders/Texans game we’d have each of the weekend’s contests covered. Unfortunately, I have no idea who is going to win the battle of backup QBs. Actually, I don’t feel terribly confident about many of the games this weekend. The closest I can come up with to a lock is the Seahawks beating the Lions. Detroit finished the season on a losing streak, during which Matt Stafford and the Lions’ defense both looked beaten up and beatable. Seattle has its share of issues, but at home, this experienced playoff team will get it together and handle Detroit comfortably.