NFC Playoffs: Predictions on how it will go

In the NFC, the Giants clinched the number one seed last week with their win over the Panthers.

The number two seed is going to most likely go to the Panthers, and the number three seed is still up for grabs. But odds are the Vikings will grab the number three spot.

The fourth seed will be the slumping Arizona Cardinals winning their first ever NFC West title.

The wild cards are going to the Falcons and either the Cowboys, Eagles, or Buccaneers. The Eagles need to beat Dallas and have Oakland beat the Buccaneers.

The Cowboys need to beat the Eagles to get in.

Finally, Tampa Bay needs to win and have the Eagles lose to Dallas. The Bucs will not lose to the Raiders and I think the slumping Cowboys will lose to the Eagles.

That puts Tampa Bay into the final slot.

NFC Wild Card: Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings

In week 11 the Buccaneers beat the Vikings 19-13, coming back from a 13-6 deficit to score 13 unanswered points.

The Buccaneers will be looking to win a playoff game for the first time in four years as they travel to Minnesota.

In the first quarter the Vikings will score first off an Adrian Peterson score to jump up 7-0 and then 10-0 at the end of one quarter.

In the second the Bucs will score off a Jeff Garcia pass to Hilliard to narrow the lead to 10-7 at the half in a game dominated by defense.

In the third the Vikings will shoot themselves in the foot by losing the ball twice, which will lead to ten Bucs points and a 17-10 lead after three periods.

In the final period Peterson will score another touchdown to get the game tied at 17-17 with only minutes left. Tampa will put the game away with a Dunn score to advance 24-17 over the Vikings. TAMPA BAY WIN.

NFC Wild Card: Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals

One of the best stories in the NFL leads to one of the worst stories in the NFL.

You have the Falcons who are in the playoffs after the nuclear meltdown last year (due to the Vick scandal and head coach Bobby Petrino leaving during the season to go back to college).

Rookie head coach, Mike Smith, and rookie quarterback, Matt Ryan, both led the Falcons to the playoffs for the first time in three years.

On the opposite side, the Cardinals clinched the NFC West for the first time ever in week 14 and since then have been embarrassed by going 0-2.

During their two game losing streak, the Cardinals were outscored 82-21, including the 47-7 thrashing by the Patriots last week.

In this game the Cardinals will be competitive but I don't know if that will be enough against a team on a roll.

The Falcons will score first off a Turner run to lead 7-0, and then will be up 14-0 off a Kurt Warner pick which will lead to a Ryan score.

The Cardinals will get on the board thanks to a Warner pass to Anquan Boldin to narrow the lead to 14-7 and then 14-10.

The Falcons will score another Turner touchdown before the half to lead 21-10.

In the third period the Cardinals will score again because of a Warner pass to Larry Fitzgerald to narrow the lead to 21-17 after three periods.

In the final period the Falcons will score again to put the game away 28-17 and advance to the next round.

NFC Divisional Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ NY Giants

A rematch from last year's Wild Card game in which the Giants beat the Bucs on the way to their Super Bowl title.

Well this time the game is held in cold New York and the teams are both riding their strong defenses.

The Giants will score first off a Brandon Jacobs touchdown to lead 7-0, and then the Giants will pick off Jeff Garcia to set up a Derrick Ward score to go up 14-0 on Tampa at the half.

In the third quarter, Garcia will find Bryant to get the Bucs on the board 14-7 and then 14-10 after three quarters.

In the final period the Giants running game will wear down the Bucs defense and score again to go up 21-10. Garcia will work his way down field and the Bucs will kick a field goal to narrow the lead to 21-13. Manning will work the clock to give the Giants the win to advance to the NFC Championship game.

The story here will be the Giants defense sacking Garcia five times, and getting four turnovers.

NFC Divisional Game: Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers host the Falcons in this divisional game, which will pit the strong Panthers defense against the strong Atlanta offense.

The Panthers will score first off a Stewart run to jump up 7-0 over the Falcons. Matt Ryan will be picked off, which will lead to another score from Jake Delhomme to Steve Smith and up the lead to 14-0 after one period.

In the second period the Falcons will get on the board thanks to a Turner score to narrow the lead to 14-7 at the half.

In the third Smith will get his second score of the game and the Panthers will increase their lead to 21-7, and then 24-7. Ryan would score another Falcons touchdown to narrow the lead to 24-14, and then 24-17 as the third period ends.

In the final period Williams will put the game away with a score to give the Panthers a 31-17 lead. Finally, Stewart will score as well give the Panthers the 38-17 win, sending Carolina to the NFC Championship game.

NFC Championship Game: Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants

In the rematch of their week 16 game in which the Giants beat the Panthers in overtime 31-28 to clinch NFC home field, these two teams will play for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

The Giants will score first off a Jacobs run to lead 7-0 early. Jake Delhomme will be picked off and the Giants will turn that into a field goal to lead 10-0 after one period.

In the second quarter, Stewart will score to narrow the lead to 10-7, but the Giants will score off a Manning connection to Boss to go up by ten at the half 17-7.

In the third quarter the Panthers will score off a Steve Smith score to narrow the lead to 17-14 and then take the lead after a Williams touchdown, making the score 21-17 after three periods.

In the final period the Giants will score first from a Jacobs run to go up 24-21 early in the quarter. The Panthers will tie the game at 24 all with a long field goal as time expires in the fourth.

In overtime the Giants will march down field for the winning field goal 27-24 to advance to the Super Bowl.