2012 NFL Playoff Scenarios: Road Teams That Will Prevail on Wild-Card Weekend

The home team is never safe in the NFL playoffs and a couple road teams will prove that by pulling off victories this wild-card weekend.

Last season, the lower seed won three of the four first round games. I'm not predicting that kind of success for the travelers this year, but some will be prevail.

Expect these two road teams to advance this weekend.

Cincinnati Bengals

Picking a rookie quarterback to win on the road in the playoffs is risky, but I've got faith in Andy Dalton and Cincinnati.

Dalton threw for 3,398 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, while leading the upstart Bengals to a 9-7 finish. Five of those victories came on the road, so I doubt Dalton will be affected by the Houston crowd.

He can also take solace in the fact that he has A.J. Green on his side. Green caught 65 passes this season for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. He's been a reliable target all year long and together he and Dalton form one of the best young combos in the league.

The Texans looked like Super Bowl contenders earlier this season, but the loss of Matt Schaub ruined their chances. 

They still have Arian Foster and an elite defense, but with T.J. Yates at quarterback, Houston won't be advancing to the second round.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers will be without Rashard Mendenhall in the playoffs, but that won't stop them from beating the Denver Broncos this weekend.

The Broncos have been terrible the last three weeks, getting blown out by New England and Buffalo before losing to AFC West rival Kansas City.

After an exceptional start to the season, Tim Tebow has come back to Earth. He's failed to pass for 200 yards the last three weeks and his completion percentage during that same time frame is awful.

Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses in the league, so they should have no problem frustrating Tebow.

The Steelers finished the regular season ranked first in opponents' passing yards per game (171.9) and eighth in opponents' rushing yards per game (99.8).

Pittsburgh will cruise past Denver this Sunday, giving the AFC North three teams in the second round of the playoffs.