NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Key Matchups for Every Wild Card Game

The first weekend of the NFL playoffs are upon us, and it’s time to analyze which matchups make this schedule so fantastic.

Saturday offers us two great wild card games, including Cincinnati heading to Houston and the night cap of Detroit visiting New Orleans. While the first appears to be a defensive struggle with plenty of run plays mixed in, the Saints versus Lions matchup could be an offensive performance for the ages.

Sunday is just as good as Saturday, if not better. The early game will be Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos being exposed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Giants will be exposed by the Atlanta Falcons.

With the regular season out of the way, it’s time for the most exciting time of the football year: Super Bowl run! All of the following matchups are key to deciding who advances on and who joins the Dallas Cowboys at the driving range.

Arian Foster vs. Cincinnati’s Run Defense

With T.J. Yates going down injured in Sunday’s regular season finale, the Houston Texans' first run in the playoffs will rise and fall with Arian Foster on Sunday.

After a slow start to the season, Foster dominated the NFL with over 1800 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games. Not so fast, though.

While the Texans beat Cincinnati earlier in this season, this will be an absolute war if the Bengals can get their 10th-ranked run defense playing well and force the Texans to pass the ball.

Winner: Arian Foster and the Houston Texans

Tim Tebow vs. Reality

It’s time for the Tim Tebow faithful, Denver Broncos fans and Tebow himself to see what it looks like when a real defense tries to pick apart their juvenile offensive schemes.

Even with an ailing Ben Roethlisberger and star running back Rashard Mendenhall hurting his knee, the Steelers will beat the Broncos by 20 points. And Tim Tebow will look bad.

The Steelers will let Polamalu spy on Tebow all game, and all it will take is two or three open-field shots and Tebow will star avoiding the run at all costs.

Winner: Reality and the Pittsburgh Steelers

Drew Brees vs. Matthew Stafford

There is no doubt in my mind that Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford will pass for 850-900 against each other, but it will be about which quarterback makes the key passes to win the game.

I would take Drew Brees every day over Matthew Stafford.

To see where we are heading with this matchup, we have to look where we have been. Let’s see what these two men did in Week 17, shall we?

Matthew Stafford had 520 yards and five TDs, while Brees had a down day with 389 yards and five TD. With output like this in Week 17, Detroit versus New Orleans will be wild!

Winner: Stat keepers and the New Orleans Saints

Matt Ryan vs. New York’s Pass Rush

The New York Giants may have won their way into the playoffs, but whichever team was coming out of the NFC East was viewed as backing into a playoff spot.

When Atlanta destroys the Giants, the fears of New Yorkers all over will come to life. That all starts with the Falcons’ stellar offensive line blocking the heralded defensive attack of Big Blue.

The Falcons will give Matt Ryan enough time to pick apart the depleted Giants secondary with any of his amazing targets. That will leave Justin Tuck and the boys with their hands on their hips.

Winner: Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons

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