NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Wild Card Weekend Ends with Fall of Tim Tebow

Let's step back from calling the Wild Card Weekend anything but business as usual. These games will go as they should, and that will still be amazing to watch. 

What we have is a weekend full of intriguing matchups that I am confident will deliver on the entertainment side of things. 

I am anxious to see what Andy Dalton does for an encore in a season that the Bengals were supposed to be quarterback-less. I would love to see Drew Brees take on a stellar pass rush from the Detroit Lions. 

I am also eager to see how Eli Manning fares against the Atlanta Falcons, and whether he can continue this great season he is having. But let's be real. There is only one story that fans are eager to see play out, and that's the one involving the Denver Broncos and their beloved Tim Tebow. 

It wasn't a hard decision to make for the NFL in choosing which game to end what will be a raucous weekend. 

The Broncos take on last year's AFC champs in Denver and it will not be an ending they are hoping for. All you need to know about the eventual loss to the Broncos has been foretold. 

Just look at the last three games that the Broncos have played. I am all for a great ending to a fairy tale. It would be amazing to see Tebow continue to march forward, but that is a tad too optimistic. 

Instead, defenses have figured out the weakness. Tebow is now being forced to the middle, and to become the pocket passer that he has not yet proved he can be.

There is no doubt in my mind that Tebow can continue to grow and may overcome such defensive schemes, but not by Sunday.

The Steelers may be depleted, but they have enough to get over on an extremely shaky Broncos squad.  

Wild Card Weekend Playoff Schedule

Date/Time	Home Team	Road Team	Channel
Sat. 1/7 4:30 PM	Houston Texans	Cincinnati Bengals	NBC
Sat. 1/7 8:00 PM	New Orleans Saints	Detroit Lions
Sun. 1/8 1:00 PM	New York Giants	Atlanta Falcons	FOX
Sun 1/8 4:30 PM	Denver Broncos	Pittsburgh Steelers	CBS

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