NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: A Quick Look at Wild Card Weekend

Let's quickly preview and predict the four Wild Card games this weekend that kick off the 2012 NFL playoffs:

CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-8) at HOUSTON TEXANS (10-6)

Line: Houston -3

Preview: For the few fans left that appreciate defense in the NFL, this game on Saturday might be your last hope. Houston ranks in the top five in both pass (third) and run defense (fourth) and Cincinnati cracks the top 10 in each (ninth vs. pass, 10th vs. run).

Like so many games, the winner on Saturday will likely come down to which young quarterback out duels the other. Andy Dalton really cooled down in the second half of the season and T.J. Yates, who threw for 300 yards against the Bengals in Week 13, has a shoulder injury he's dealing with.

In the end, I think Dalton repays Yates for his game-winning drive a month ago in Cincinnati. The Bengals get their first playoff win since 1990.

DETROIT LIONS (10-6) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-3)

Line: New Orleans -10.5

Preview: Ready for some offensive fireworks? You should see plenty in New Orleans Saturday night. The Vegas over/under on this game is at an all-time playoff high of 59, so throw defense out the window. And why not? The two quarterbacks—Matthew Stafford and Drew Brees—combined for over 10,000 yards and 87 touchdown passes, both records for one playoff game.

Unfortunately for the Lions, no home field advantage is as great in the NFL right now as the Superdome is for the Saints. It'd be a major upset if New Orleans was bounced from the playoffs by a team it beat by two touchdowns earlier this season.

ATLANTA FALCONS (10-6) at NEW YORK GIANTS (9-7)

Line: New York -3

Preview: The Falcons haven't put up big points against a playoff team in 2011 but their offense is capable of exploding at any moment. Rookie Julio Jones has really added another dimension to Atlanta's game plan every week.

The Giants know all about firepower at receiver, too, as both Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz went well over 1,000 yards receiving in 2011. 

That begs the question: Which defense is capable of stepping up to the challenge? 

I think you have to lean towards the Giants. They have gotten their pass rush in gear and that changes everything for New York at the back levels of their sometimes-shaky secondary. I'm not sure that Atlanta has a skilled-enough offensive line to keep Matt Ryan clean for 60 minutes. If the Giants get after Ryan this game won't be close.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-4) at DENVER BRONCOS (8-8)

Line: Pittsburgh -8.5

Preview: You simply won't find many people that are picking the Broncos to advance past the Wild Card round.

There's reasons for that thinking.

The Broncos gadget offense with Tim Tebow has been figured out and you better believe that defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has a few tricks up his sleeve for the struggling quarterback. The Steelers will likely force Tebow to his right, much like the Patriots did in the regular season, where he's been wildly inaccurate all season. 

And I'm not convinced that the Broncos defense can keep them in the game. The Steelers can take the top off any defense with Mike Wallace, and Antonio Brown has had a breakout season. Even without Rashard Mendenhall expect the Steelers to win by a couple of scores.