NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Is Saturday or Sunday the Better Slate of Games?

The first round of the NFL playoffs this year features a bunch of intriguing matchups. While Saturday's games should be entertaining, Sunday's games have more intriguing storylines in my opinion.

First and foremost, how will the Denver Broncos and quarterback Tim Tebow bounce back from three straight awful performances? The Pittsburgh Steelers have their own turmoil to deal with as running back Rashard Mendenhall is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. How will the Steelers deal with his absence?

The key matchup in this game will involve Tebow against Pittsburgh's top-ranked defense (allowing just 278.1 yards per game). In his last three games, the second-year quarterback has completed just 30 of 73 passes (41.1 percent), for 439 yards, with one touchdown, four interceptions and five fumbles, with three lost.

Meanwhile the Steelers are easily the league's best Wild Card team at 12-4 and you could argue they are one of the top five teams in the NFL. Yet they have to travel in the opening round to face a Broncos team that finished 8-8.

In the other Sunday game the 10-6 Atlanta Falcons travel to New York to face the Giants. The Falcons had a rough start to the season after many pundits thought they would be one of the top contenders for the NFC title. Matt Ryan and company have righted the ship lately and seem to have figured out how to take advantage of their wealth of offensive playmakers.

The 9-7 Giants reached the playoffs by the skin of their teeth, making a phenomenal run at the end of the year to nip the Dallas Cowboys at the finish line, taking home the NFC East crown.

If the game was played on paper, I'd take the Falcons almost every time. But the Giants will be playing at home and Eli Manning and Victor Cruz have formed one of the most explosive—and unexpected—pass-catch combinations in the league.

Will the Falcons be rattled by the cold weather and road atmosphere or will Ryan rise to the occasion and win his first playoff game? I can't wait to find out.

If you need to get a hold of me Sunday, don't be surprised if I send you straight to voicemail. I'll be busy.