NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Preview & Predictions for Wild Card Weekend Contests

Christmas isn't over for football fans.

Although bowl season is on its last legs, the NFL playoffs have arrived, and arguably the most exciting and anticipated weekend of the year is upon us.

Wild Card Weekend.

Join Bleacher Report as we preview and predict all four matchups before they even begin.

Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) vs. Houston Texans (10-6): Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, 4:30 p.m. ET, NBC

Reliant Stadium is sure to be bouncing on Saturday afternoon and night when the Houston Texans host their first playoff game in franchise history.

Injuries have attempted to derail Houston's season all year long, but a wild-card matchup with the Bengals, who are just 1-6 against winning teams this season, will provide a postseason launching pad for the Texans. 

Houston is expected to return rested starters Arian Foster, Owen Daniels and Johnathan Joseph on Saturday, as well as rookie starting quarterback T.J. Yates.

In the end, it will come down to defense, though, it always does in January. Houston sports a top five NFL D, while Cincinnati's is merely top 10 material. The better defense playing at home takes the edge.

Prediction: Texans 24, Bengals 20

Detroit Lions (10-6) vs. New Orleans Saints (13-3): Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, 8:00 p.m. ET, NBC

The obvious statement would be to say that there will be an incredible amount of offense in Saturday night's prime-time NFC matchup between the Saints and Lions, but that goes without saying given both teams can light up the scoreboard. 

Both quarterbacks, Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford, have surpassed 40 touchdowns and 5,000 yards passing this season, which means whatever offense gets in its own way the most will fall victim in the Superdome.

Given the inexperience of the Detroit Lions, who haven't been to the playoffs in over a decade, the home team Saints should be victorious on Wild Card Weekend. Detroit's time will come but not Saturday night. 

Prediction: Saints 38, Lions 30

Atlanta Falcons (10-6) vs. New York Giants (9-7): Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

In the toughest-to-pick matchup of the weekend, the Atlanta Falcons, who are flying under the radar, visit the NY Giants, winners of two straight to cap off the regular season and clinch the NFC East.

Adding to the difficult prediction is the fact that ATL is 4-4 on the road this season while NY is just 4-4 at home. With no clear-cut advantage for either team in Sunday afternoon's NFC Wild Card, taking the road team makes perfect sense.

The Falcons have won three of their last four games and have not lost back-to-back games all season. Meanwhile, the Giants have been the most confusing team in the NFL since September. The safer bet is ATL in this game considering a flat NY team could easily show up to MetLife Stadium on Sunday. 

Prediction: Falcons 21, Giants 13

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. Denver Broncos (8-8): Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

The Wild Card Weekend finale has all the potential to become the Saints vs. Seahawks of 2012. Otherwise meaning the greatest home team upset in recent history. Although the Broncos are the division champs and will be hosting Sunday's AFC Wild Card, the Steelers are far and away the more complete, Super Bowl-ready team in the eyes of many.

The Broncos backpedaled into the postseason, losing three straight, and now the Tim Tebow bandwagon that was occupied by nearly 99 percent a month ago is down to a die-hard group who believe a laundry list of Steelers injuries will provide Denver with a springboard into the divisional round.

Pittsburgh's defense is still scary, regardless of who is playing, but on the road anything can happen. Nothing about the Broncos' season has made sense, so why would Sunday's playoff action?

This game will have a BCS title game feel to it, and Tebow shines brighter than anyone in big games, maybe even more so than Big Ben, at least a hobbled one on a bum ankle.

Prediction: Broncos 16, Steelers 13 (OT)