NFL Divisional Playoffs 2015: Schedule, Predictions for Epic Matchups

The next four games of the NFL playoffs are sure to be even better than the four games of the opening weekend, and that's mostly because of the epic matchups that the football gods have gifted us.

Joe Flacco and all his playoff greatness will take on Tom Brady and his even more impressive resume. Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers, statistically two of the top passers in the league this season, square off in a game that will certainly be high-scoring.

While those are fine and dandy, there are two very diverse matchups that are eye-catching. For one, we have the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, two high-scoring teams with top-tier quarterbacks and a plethora of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.

Then we have the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks, two teams with aggressive defenses and playmaking quarterbacks who don't necessarily have the best weapons at their disposal.

Curious to see who will win? You'll have to wait until the weekend, of course, but continue reading on for predictions as to which teams will advance to the conference championships.

	When	Where	TV Info	Prediction
Ravens vs. Patriots	Saturday, Jan. 10	Gillette Stadium	NBC, 4:35 p.m. ET	Ravens, 24-21
Panthers vs. Seahawks	Saturday, Jan. 10	CenturyLink Field	Fox, 8:15 p.m. ET	Seahawks, 28-13
Cowboys vs. Packers	Sunday, Jan. 11	Lambeau Field	Fox, 1:05 p.m. ET	Packers, 30-28
Colts vs. Broncos	Sunday, Jan. 11	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	CBS, 4:40 p.m. ET	Broncos, 34-24

Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

A bevy of talented offensive players will be on display in this AFC showdown, but you'd be foolish to say that this game will come down to anything but Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning.

These two quarterbacks will forever be tied together because of how their tenures in Indy began and ended, respectively, and this playoff game has the potential to add another interesting layer to the semi-rivalry.

Luck has proven that he has the chops to be a top quarterback in the NFL. He still makes some careless mistakes with the football from time to time, but so did Brett Favre. We can't knock him too much for that. His gunslinger mentality has him in the record books, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Fans aren't the only ones with their jaws on the floor. Teammates Pat McAfee and Matt Hasselbeck are too:

Despite all Luck's playoff success, the 25-year-old has never won two playoff games in a season. He was bounced in the first game in 2012 against the Baltimore Ravens, and then the New England Patriots laid a beatdown on the Colts in 2013 after Indy squeaked past the Kansas City Chiefs. Luck threw seven interceptions in two games in 2013.

He'll have to be mistake-free against Manning and the Broncos. While Denver's defense isn't strong enough to dominate the Colts offense, Manning isn't a quarterback you want to let build a lead against you.

But then again, it is the playoffs—Manning doesn't exactly have a lengthy history of success in these situations:

As strange as it might sound to talk about Manning as the Broncos' weak link, it's impossible to look past his ineffectiveness. The best example was last year's Super Bowl. Denver entered as the favorite, but the Seattle Seahawks dominated from start to finish. Manning tossed two picks, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Even with Luck's passing yards record, neither of these quarterbacks have a whole lot of success in the playoffs. With that the case, it's impossible to pick against Manning. He isn't prone to careless mistakes in the same way Luck is, and that's the difference-maker here.

Look for Denver to win pretty easily.

Prediction: Broncos win, 34-24

Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Scott Eklund/Associated Press

While the above game will be all about the offense, this one will be all about the defense.

The Seahawks were the only team this season to hold opponents to less than 300 total yards per game (267.1). The Panthers ranked 10th in the league in this category, issuing 339.8 yards per contest. Of course, they're coming off the best statistical defensive performance in postseason history, as they held the Arizona Cardinals to just 78 total yards.

There's no comparison between Ryan Lindley and Russell Wilson, though, so Carolina has much more on its hands this weekend. Wilson is one of the most dynamic players in football, even if he does so quietly.

Wilson can torch a defense through the air—something he'd do more consistently if he had better options in the passing game—and he can beat an overaggressive defense on the ground. His speed and elusiveness, coupled with his intelligence, make him one of the most reliable players in football.

The Panthers defense must play smart against Wilson. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott can remain aggressive in calling blitz packages, but he has to keep his outside linebackers in place to contain Wilson behind the line of scrimmage.

Wilson has utilized the bootleg draw far too often this season, and defenses have not adjusted. Keeping the outside linebackers in place should limit how many times he runs uncontested for 15-plus yards.

Even containing Wilson's legs probably won't be enough for the Panthers to pull off a major upset.

The Seahawks are far and away superior to the Panthers in pretty much every aspect of the game. Cam Newton and Co. will put up a fight, of course, but Seattle is far too well-balanced to lose this game.

Plus, the Seahawks hardly ever lose in prime time, as Football Outsiders' Scott Kacsmar tweets:

The deck is stacked against Carolina, though don't be surprised if the score indicates that this is a close game.

Prediction: Seahawks win, 28-13

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn