NFL Playoff Schedule: Why Both Home Teams Will Fall on Sunday

The NFL playoff system awards a home game to the division winner, even if their record is inferior to the Wild Card team.

Sometimes, the home field advantage is so significant that the home team pulls the upset. This happened last year when the Seattle Seahawks and Marshawn Lynch went beast mode on the New Orleans Saints.

That won't be happening this year. The two teams looking to play the Seahawks' role in 2012 are headed for defeats.

The New York Giants were able to victimize the clutch-less and demeaned Dallas Cowboys, but the Atlanta Falcons are a different team.

They are well-balanced offensively. Their defense has improved from its inconsistent start, and now they are eighth against the run.

The Giants have struggled to run the ball all year. They are dead-last on the ground.

Depending on the pass to carry the day has led to their rocky season, and the Falcons will pound the Giants up front to open up play action. There, Julio Jones and Roddy White will get the best of the Giants' 29th-ranked pass defense.

Falcons 24, Giants 10

In the other Sunday matchup, James Harrison will attempt to introduce himself to Tim Tebow in the Broncos' backfield.

There have never been two more polar opposites on the field at the same time. Harrison is the NFL's biggest bad boy, with what seems like a biweekly fine and/or suspension.

Tebow is a spiritual, positively-perceived guy—at least morally—under center for the Broncos.

Make no mistake—between the lines, Tebow is tough as they come.

His toughness won't take him very far in this one. The Steelers defense is well-equipped to handle the Broncos' one-dimensional attack. The Broncos' offensive output has decreased steadily since their last victory against the Bears.

The blueprint to beat Denver was written in that game.

Forcing Tebow to his right proved to be effective, and other teams have employed it since then. The Steelers also have the offense to take advantage of the Broncos' declining defense.

The Tebow story was a nice one, but it will end Sunday—until next season.

Steelers 30, Broncos 10

Here is the complete NFL Playoff Schedule:

01/07	Bengals	vs			Texans	‎-3:30 PM (CT)
01/07	Lions	vs			Saints	‎-7:00 PM (CT)
01/08	Falcons	vs			Giants	‎-12:00 PM (CT)
01/08	Steelers	vs			Broncos	‎-3:30 PM (CT)