NFL Playoffs 2014-15: Odds and Picks for All Wild-Card Teams

It's do-or-die time for the 12 NFL teams left standing. Each team may begin the postseason with a clean slate, but one small mistake could have season-ending consequences in the single-elimination format of the playoffs.

Wild-card teams have the rockiest road to navigate to reach the elusive Super Bowl. These squads must emerge victorious in three consecutive road games against the league's strongest teams just for a berth in the championship game. There's a reason why not many No. 5 or 6 seeds reach the Big Dance.

Although, there have been recent instances of wild-card teams winning it all, most recently the 2010 Green Bay Packers, who entered the postseason as the No. 6 seed. Could we possibly see a similar improbable run this year?

We'll soon know the answer to that question. So, while we wait for these teams to return to action, let's take a look at the latest playoff odds and pick the winner of all four Wild Card contests.

Wild Card Odds and Predictions

Home	Away	Odds	Pick
Carolina Panthers	Arizona Cardinals	CAR -4	Panthers
Pittsburgh Steelers	Baltimore Ravens	Even	Steelers
Indianapolis Colts	Cincinnati Bengals	IND -6	Bengals
Dallas Cowboys	Detroit Lions	DAL -7	Cowboys

Bye Weeks: New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers

All game odds courtesy of Odds Shark and are current as of December 29 at 9 a.m. ET.

Pick Analysis

The first game of the postseason takes place between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals. Both of these teams have been heading in completely opposite directions as of late, as Carolina swept its December schedule to clinch the NFC South, and Arizona lost its last two games and the NFC West lead.

Carolina was a defensive powerhouse over those four contests, holding all four opponents to 17 points or fewer. The team saved its best for last, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-3 in Week 17 on a strong overall effort by the defense to take the division. With quarterback Cam Newton returning to form, this team could be a surprising force in the playoffs.

Head coach Ron Rivera summed up his team best, via the Panthers' official Twitter account:

Arizona continues its steep fall from grace. Injuries continue to mount on both sides of the ball for this squad, and it's shown in recent weeks. The offense cannot get anything going with the inefficient Ryan Lindley at the helm, and the defense is spending too much time on the field and is getting torched as a result. This doesn't look like a team capable of winning a playoff game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens will duke it out in the second playoff contest, and we should expect a hard-hitting affair between these AFC North foes. These teams split the season series, defeating each other by exactly 20 points.

Pittsburgh comes into the game with the more prolific offense, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had a career year, wide receiver Antonio Brown leads the league in receptions and running back Le'Veon Bell has been a dynamic force in both the running game and as a receiver out of the backfield. The team's secondary may be struggling, but the Steelers continue to outscore opponents.

Bell suffered a scary knee injury in Week 17, but according to head coach Mike Tomlin, via Pro Football Talk, it wasn't anything major: 

Baltimore has a sound running game with Justin Forsett out of the backfield, and quarterback Joe Flacco capped off the season with a 312-yard, two-touchdown showing; however, the Ravens have a big weakness against the pass, ranking 24th in the league, and that's where Pittsburgh's second-ranked aerial attack will take advantage.

The Cincinnati Bengals must face the Indianapolis Colts for the second time this season, and the first time didn't end well, as Cincinnati lost 27-0; however, the Bengals were a very different team the first time around, as quarterback Andy Dalton attempted 38 passes while running back Jeremy Hill rushed just four times.

Since then, Hill has eclipsed the 100-yard mark five times—he received at least 22 carries in each of those games. This statistic from NFL on ESPN is very impressive:

Meanwhile, Dalton's passing attempts have been decreased, as he reached 38 attempts just one more time in the team's next 10 games. This run-oriented offense is a far more dangerous version than what the Colts saw the last time around.

Indianapolis hasn't been quite as efficient as it was in Week 7, either. Quarterback Andrew Luck hasn't thrown for 300 yards since Week 13, tossing six touchdown passes and five interceptions over his last four games of the season. With Luck's recent inconsistency in mind, the Bengals can utilize their running game to control the clock and keep him on the sideline and out of rhythm.

The Wild Card Round's final game should be a great one between the stellar offense of the Dallas Cowboys and the tough defense of the Detroit Lions. The matchup to watch here will be the NFL's rushing leader DeMarco Murray against the league's stingiest run defense.

Dallas has been one of the most surprising teams this year, using a well-balanced offense to accumulate 12 wins. With Murray's presence opening up passing lanes for Tony Romo, the quarterback finished the season with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 34-9.

Detroit has been phenomenal on the defensive side of the ball this season, but the concern for the Lions is on offense. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been inconsistent this season, throwing four touchdowns and five interceptions against playoff teams. Without much of a running game to speak of, the Lions rank 28th in the league in that category, it's difficult to see them keeping up with the Cowboys.