NFL Playoff Predictions: 25 Potential Surprises for the Wild Card Round

The 2011 NFL playoffs are just around the corner as we head into action in Week 16. With just two regular-season games left, there are a total of 11 teams still in contention for one of the four wild-card berths.

With that many potential teams still vying to reach the postseason, we will be taking a look at a wide range of possible scenarios that could come to fruition in the Wild Card Round. Some of them may have seemed improbable a month ago, but that has been part of the beauty of the 2011 NFL season. It has been anything but predictable.

Please note that since we are trying to predict 25 potential wild-card surprises, the majority of these won't be realized since there are only going to be a grand total of four wild-card games or a total of eight wild-card teams. Since the seeding is far from guaranteed, we are trying to cover all of the potential outcomes here.

With those disclaimers out of the way, let's proceed to the presentation.

The Chicago Bears Earn a Playoff Berth

The Chicago Bears have their backs to the proverbial wall. They have lost four straight games and are just barely hanging on to faint playoff hopes with two games left to play. The Bears would have to beat the Green Bay Packers on the road this weekend and then beat the Minnesota Vikings on the road to have any chance at all.

With the loss of Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and now Johnny Knox, the Bears have lost the majority of their weapons. Caleb Hanie has watched his passing totals for the past three games diminish from 133 yards to 115 and then 111 yards on Sunday.

Now with their season on the line, the Bears are preparing to start Josh McCown over Hanie. Talk about dire straits. With their season looking as bleak as ever, it would be the largest upset or surprise of any team in contention if the Bears qualify for a wild-card seed.

Philadelphia Eagles Host a Wild-Card Game

I realize that this sounds improbable, but there is still a chance that the Philadelphia Eagles can win the NFC East. If they do, a likely Wild Card Round matchup would call for the Eagles to host the Detroit Lions.

First, let's detail exactly what needs to happen for the Eagles to win their division. In Week 16, the Eagles would have to beat Dallas, and the New York Giants would have to lose to the New York Jets. In Week 17, the Eagles would have to beat Washington Redskins, and the Giants would have to beat the Cowboys.

If the games all went down in that order, the Eagles would then win the NFC East based on their division record. It would look like this: Eagles (5-1), Giants (4-2) and Cowboys (2-4).

While this is a potential wild-card game that could exist, the unlikelihood of all four games breaking down the way the Eagles need them to makes the odds of this coming to fruition fairly low. But you never know for sure, which is why we raise the prospects of this potentially coming to fruition.

T.J. Yates Outduels Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets

Nothing like a national audience and the first-ever playoff game for the Houston Texans franchise to bring out the best in their rookie quarterback, T.J. Yates. That would be the situation if the Texans host the New York Jets in a wild-card game in the first round.

The Texans' loss this past weekend makes them appear to be headed for the No. 3 seed. If that happens, the No. 6 seed would then travel to Houston, and right now that looks like it would be the New York Jets.

Rex Ryan and company would be gearing up the Jets to try to slow down the Texans run game of Arian Foster and Ben Tate, while the Texans counter with a passing attack centered on Yates throwing the ball to Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Arian Foster and Kevin Walter.

On the surface, this seems like a rather odd potential prediction, especially with the strength of the Jets defense being in their star cornerbacks. But Yates has already thrown for 300 yards against a very good Cincinnati Bengals defense, and you never really know for sure what you get from Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez from one week to the next.

While most pundits would predict a heavy dose of running the football with Foster and Tate sharing the workload, the Texans cross the Jets up by finding success with play fakes and throwing the ball all over the field.

Seattle Seahawks Reach Playoffs Again

The Seattle Seahawks' playoff hopes are hanging on by a flicker of light. The Seahawks have come out of nowhere to win five of their last six games and remain in the hunt for a wild-card berth. The Seahawks would have to win both of their final two games (versus San Francisco and at Arizona), while either the Detroit Lions or the Atlanta Falcons must lose both of their two remaining games.

If the Seahawks were to defeat the 49ers this coming weekend, that would probably go a long way towards the 49ers becoming the No. 3 seed in the NFC, and then the 49ers would be hosting the No. 6 seed, which would be the Seahawks in the Wild Card Round.That would also mark the third time that the teams would have met this year.

These teams met back in Week 1, and San Francisco won 33-17 to announce that it was going to be a legitimate threat to win the NFC West division. If the Seahawks are able to win this weekend, it would surely give them some added confidence and a shot in the arm for their ability to win the rubber match of the season.

The Seahawks proved they have the type of team that can win a playoff game last year, but the 49ers are clearly a much improved team, as they proved on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This could prove to be an interesting matchup. Marshawn Lynch has been on a roll lately.

Can he provide a memorable playoff run in back-to-back years?

Matt Ryan Goes on a Tear in 2011 Playoffs

In the 2010 NFL playoffs, Matt Ryan had a great seat to watch Aaron Rodgers continue his great run of performances that propelled the Green Bay Packers to ultimately win the Lombardi Trophy. The Packers and Rodgers put on a masterful performance, as they opened up a 42-14 lead by the end of three quarters.

All Ryan could do was watch and marvel at the way that Rodgers completed 31 of 36 passes for 366 yards, three touchdowns and a passer rating of 136.8. For his part, Ryan managed just 186 yards of passing, one touchdown and two interceptions and a passer rating of 69.0.

Ryan has experienced some growth this year, but there is really no out-of-this-world growth that would shock. The passer rating is almost identical to last year, 91.0 to 90.5 this year. The touchdowns will be roughly the same, 28 last year compared to 26 and counting this year. The yardage, though, is on the rise, as Ryan looks on pace to complete his first 4,000-plus-yard passing season.

The interceptions are slightly on the increase from nine to 12, and the completion percentage has taken a slight dip from 62.5 percent to 60.8. But one should also note that Ryan is throwing the ball downfield more this year, as he averaged 6.49 yards per pass last year, compared to 7.32 yards per pass this year. Those increases could be a direct result of the addition of Julio Jones to the lineup.

The main point to make is that this year should represent the third year of playoff action for Ryan, and he seems to be ready to take a step up in production and demonstrate his added maturity and personal growth.

Atlanta Falcons Beat NFC East Champion

While it is possible that the Atlanta Falcons could match New Orleans' record and finish in a tie with 11-5 records, the more likely scenario is that New Orleans will win the NFC South and Atlanta will be awarded the No. 5 seed. Assuming the current standings remain as they are, the Falcons would be traveling to face whoever emerges as the winner of the NFC East division.

At this point, the NFC East is so up in the air that you can take your pick as to who will emerge victorious. The Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles all have quality quarterbacks who are capable of playing well but who also have been responsible for some really poor performances.

That is part of the reason why nobody is running away with the NFC East division, since all three teams are prone to go into a slump or not play up to their capabilities from one week to the next.

Even though the Falcons lost at home in the playoffs last year, I believe they will win on the road this year in the Wild Card Round. They have played more consistent ball, as they've only lost one game this year to a team with a .500 record or worse. Compare that to the Cowboys' three losses (New York Giants, Arizona and Philadelphia), the Eagles' three losses (Buffalo, Arizona and Seattle) and the Giants' four losses (Washington twice, Seattle and Philadelphia).

The New York Giants Rush for 125-Plus Yards in the Wild Card Round

If the New York Giants make the 2011 playoffs, it will be because they won the NFC East, not because they made it in as a wild-card No. 5 or No. 6 seed. If that happens, the Giants would probably host the Wild Card Game against either the Atlanta Falcons or Detroit Lions.

While the Atlanta Falcons' rush defense is ranked No. 4 in the league, the Detroit Lions' run defense is ranked all the way down at No. 27, which is a huge difference. With the Falcons playing the New Orleans Saints this weekend, it is possible that the Lions could finally emerge with the No. 5 seed, so the Giants could surprise everybody by going back to their old running ways and putting up some decent rush totals.

As of now, the Giants running backs are as healthy as they have been in months, as both Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are available to use. As strong as the Lions pass rush is, the Giants could go to a number of draw plays to slow down the rush. By running the ball more than normal and keeping their defense off the field, the Giants would also be protecting their suspect secondary from being abused by the Lions passing attack.

As Eli Manning has stepped up his game to closer to an elite level this year, if not already at an elite level, the Lions would be expecting the Giants to be throwing often. But the game will be played on the East Coast in January, so the team that can run the ball better stands a good chance to advance.

Will Ndamukong Suh Be Ejected in Lions' Wild Card Game?

Ndamukong Suh has been through a rough sophomore year. There was the great start by the Lions, followed by the "handshake game" with the 49ers, which led to the Lions going 2-5 over a seven-game stretch.

Then there was the foot stomp, which led to his two-game suspension, and the dramatic comeback win over the Oakland Raiders that potentially saved the Lions' playoff aspirations.

With the Lions on the verge of making the playoffs, we have to wonder aloud about the current state of Suh's emotions and ability to control himself in a game as emotionally charged as a NFL playoff game will be. Whoever the Lions play, you would have to think that their opponent will try to do what they can to get under Suh's skin and see if they can push the envelope to entice him into overreacting and blowing up.

It could be something as simple as a bad call by a referee or Suh thinking that he took a cheap shot after the whistle blew. You have to know that the referees will be watching him or keeping an eye on what he does throughout the game, so his margin for getting away with anything has to be quite narrow.

You hate to see a player of Suh's talent and skills be placed under a microscope like this, but due to the physical nature of the way he plays the game, he has brought all of this unwanted attention on himself.

The question is how he can handle it.

Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson Erupt in Wild Card Round

The 2011 NFL Wild Card Round could very well be the playoff debut for the Detroit Lions duo of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson.

Since they have no shot at winning the NFC North division, the Lions will go in as a visiting team and could realistically wind up traveling to places like New Orleans, San Francisco, Dallas, Philadelphia and New York.

Out of those possible opponents, the only pass defense that is rated in the top half of the NFL is that of the Philadelphia Eagles. The rest of the group allows for some big days of production throwing the football. The Dallas pass defense is ranked No. 19, followed by San Francisco (No. 21), New Orleans (No. 28) and the New York Giants (No. 29).

What does that mean for the duo of Stafford and Johnson?

They should be able to exploit the weaknesses in those secondaries to hook up early and often. If the Lions face the Giants secondary, we could be looking at Johnson setting a Lions playoff record for catches and pass-receiving yardage.

Arizona Cardinals Earn a Wild-Card Seed

In an earlier article this week, I mistakenly thought that the Arizona Cardinals were already eliminated from a wild-card slot, only to learn that they still have an outside shot, so with sincere apologies, we need to give them a slide complete with a ray of hope.

The Cardiac Cardinals have gone from a six-game losing streak to winning six of their last seven games, which includes three wins in overtime. Pushing the envelope like that with so many overtime wins means that either your luck is about to run out or you are leading a charmed life—take your pick.

In the recent winning streak, they have beaten San Francisco, Dallas and Philadelphia, so you realize that they are playing with a higher level of confidence now than at any other point of the year.

Clearly the Cardinals will need help to get in. The Cardinals would need either Detroit or Atlanta to lose both of its remaining games. At the same time, they also have to take care of business and win their final two games.

That includes playing another team that is sniffing for a playoff berth in the Cincinnati Bengals (on the road) and then finishing up the year playing their NFC West rivals the Seattle Seahawks in a game that could ultimately decide who fills out the No. 6 seed.

Who knew?

The Dallas Cowboys Will Rush Fewer Than 10 Times

Running backs for the Dallas Cowboys are becoming an endangered species. DeMarco Murray is on season-ending I.R. Felix Jones has a tight hamstring, and running the ball in the cold of New York City on New Year's Day could easily lead to the injury becoming worse. Tashard Choice now plays for Buffalo.

So what does that leave the Cowboys for options to carry the workload in the running game, Sammy Morris?

Based on the above parameters, I would not be surprised to see the Cowboys basically ignore the running game and just throw the ball 50 times or more in their wild-card game. They are more likely to go into the playoffs as NFC East winner than as a wild-card team, so at least they would be playing that first-round game at home.

It is unfortunate that the running game has been reduced to the current options, but based on circumstances, the Cowboys have very little choice. If the injury to Jones gets any worse, that would change the game plan drastically.

Jason Campbell Leads Raiders to Win off Bench

When Jason Campbell fractured his collarbone in October, many people believed the Raiders would place him on injured reserve, especially after the team acquired Carson Palmer from the Cincinnati Bengals. But for some reason, the Raiders kept Campbell on the active roster all this time.

The Raiders have picked a bad time to go into a three-game skid, but that is the reality of their situation. Palmer had a strong outing last week, but it is safe to say that he has not been the steadiest player for the Raiders every week.

If the Raiders are able to win the AFC West and reach the playoffs, that gives Campbell three more weeks for the collarbone to heal. He is already starting to throw the football, albeit not very far yet. With another three weeks of rehab and work, Campbell could be ready to relieve Palmer in the playoffs if the starter stumbles or gets injured.

Since he could have just as easily been gone to injured reserve, the prospect of Campbell making a playoff appearance would have to be considered a major surprise.

Does he have a flair for the dramatic? Time will tell.

Lee Evans Finally Puts Up a Big Game in Wild Card Round

The Baltimore Ravens have been waiting for veteran wide receiver Lee Evans to produce all season. Due to injuries and the outstanding big play production of rookie Torrey Smith, Evans has more or less been the forgotten man in Baltimore.

On the season, Evans has only made four catches for 74 yards. The average of 18.5 yards per catch is healthy, but the 74 yards translates to being only the sixth-best receiver on the team. Then when you can consider that the Ravens have targeted him 21 times but have only four catches to show for it, you imagine that most teams are not going to really worry about him very much.

As far as his career goes, Evans has been a reliable receiver. He has caught 43 career touchdowns and gained over 6,000 receiving yards in his career. In his prior seven seasons in Buffalo, Evans never appeared in a playoff game. This postseason will allow Evans to make his playoff debut.

With secondaries primarily focusing on Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Ray Rice and Ed Dickson, there is something compelling about the chances of Lee Evans coming up big for the Ravens in the playoffs.

Ben Roethlisberger Throws Four Interceptions

We all saw how Ben Roethlisberger struggled in the Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers. You have to admire him for his courage, but I openly wonder if the Steelers' chances would have better served by starting Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon and allowing Roethlisberger the chance to heal up.

The good news is that the Steelers have reasonably favorable matchups with the St. Louis Rams and the Cleveland Browns to close out the season. The bad news is that Roethlisberger might not be willing to sit out and will demand that he be allowed to start both games.

Big Ben was just injured against the Browns two weeks ago, so the prospect of him starting any more regular-season games is just asking for trouble. I held my breath on three or four plays Monday night, where he was just trying to complete a traditional pass in the pocket and came dangerously close to spraining his foot again on the follow-through.

Since the Steelers were unable to seize the AFC North lead with the loss to the 49ers, that increases the chances that they will be the No. 5 seed in the playoffs and have to travel to the AFC West division winner, which could easily be the Denver Broncos. The Broncos' pass rush with Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller is as fierce as any in the NFL. With Roethlisberger struggling with his mobility, he will be forced to make a number of off-balance throws, as he did against the 49ers.

While Big Ben throwing three interceptions on Monday is not normal, the prospect of throwing four interceptions in Denver is not out of the realm of possibility.

Cincinnati Bengals Become No. 6 Seed in AFC

When you examine the Cincinnati Bengals' 2011 NFL schedule and check out the results of the first 15 weeks of the season, you have to ask yourself, where are all of their quality wins? Fair question.

The Bengals have been able to take care of business and beat the teams they were supposed to beat or were capable of beating. They have made great strides this year compared to where the team was in 2010. But when it came time in the second half to face Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston, they have come up wanting with a record of 0-4 against those teams.

So how can they possibly earn the No. 6 seed? For starters, they need to beat the Arizona Cardinals this weekend. They would also benefit from the New York Giants defeating the New York Jets this weekend. If that happens, the Bengals would then be in control of their own destiny and would need to defeat Baltimore in Week 17 to be in the final AFC slot.

Is it possible? Sure.

Is it plausible? Iffy.

Would it be a surprise? You bet.

Darren Sproles Gains over 150 Yards from Scrimmage

Due to the four-headed monster that is also known as the New Orleans running back committee, it is difficult for one guy to stand out on a week in and week out basis. All four have taken turns being the leading rusher for the Saints during the season, and that it makes it difficult to game-plan against them.

Back in Week 4 and Week 5, those were the only times this year that third-down specialist Darren Sproles led the team in rushing. During the course of the season, Sproles turned in three games with over 100 combined yards of rushing and pass receiving, which were against Jacksonville (131), Minnesota (112) and Indianapolis (107).

For the Saints to appear in the Wild Card Round, it means that they likely would wind up as the No. 3 seed by winning the NFC South, so they would be playing at home in the dome. Whatever NFC team that ultimately winds up with the No. 6 seed will be hard pressed to find a linebacker that can keep up with Sproles out of the backfield.

I see Sproles going nuts in his Saints playoff debut before the home fans and setting his personal season high of at least 150 yards gained in rushing and receiving combined. Strike up the band.

Chris Johnson Bails out Titans in Wild Card Game

Has there been anybody more unpredictable this season than Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson?

Yes. The answer is Chad Ochocinco, but that was a trick question.

The Titans' playoff chances are remote, as they're eighth in the conference, staring up at the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals in the standings. But the Titans have a favorable game with Jacksonville this weekend and then close out the year with the Houston Texans. If the Texans have already finalized their AFC playoffs seed by the time the Week 17 kickoff rolls around, who knows how they treat that game due to injuries to Andre Johnson and Ben Tate?

The bottom line is that the Titans might be able to escape with two more victories, which would push their record to 9-7. The Jets and Bengals both have tough games ahead of them, so there is a sliver of a chance that the Titans would still qualify.

But if they do make the postseason, what would be the biggest surprise? That would be for Chris Johnson to return to the stud running back of two years ago and crank out a 150-yard game. Johnson was able to reach that milestone in consecutive games (Weeks 12 and 13) but has not done it since.

It must be reassuring to the Titans that he still has that ability to break it loose when that seemed far from a sure thing during the first eight weeks of the year, when he only broke 100 yards one time.

Romeo Crennel Leads the Chiefs to a Wild Card Win

As of now, the Kansas City Chiefs hold 11th place in the AFC. However, due to the wacky AFC West division, which is starting to resemble the NFC West from 2010 due to the less-than-sterling records of the division leaders, the Chiefs could possibly emerge as AFC West champs with a record of 8-8 by winning their final two games.

One thing seems certain, as we witnessed in the Chiefs' improbable upset of the Green Bay Packers in Week 15: The team really enjoys playing for Romeo Crennel, possibly because he's not Todd Haley, who was known to play head games and openly berate his players.

Kyle Orton is now running the Chiefs offense, which is a major upgrade over Tyler Palko. The Chiefs played with tremendous heart last Sunday, so with their two remaining games against AFC West rivals the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos, the Chiefs just might be able to do the improbable and win the AFC West.

So, if you allowed me to make that leap of faith, why not ride the Cinderella story one step further and predict that they would win their Wild Card Game at home in front of the delirious Chiefs fans?

Could it possibly happen?

What do you think, Chiefs fans?

By the way, for this to happen, the Buffalo Bills would have to upset the Broncos this weekend, so Chiefs fans should probably hold off on putting down a ton of cash for playoff tickets right now.

Philip Rivers Leads Chargers to Upset Ravens Again

Philip Rivers continues to mystify everyone with his strange turnaround in the 2011 season. From great to abnormally bad, Rivers has been able to revert to form in the final month of the regular season and continues with a hot hand in the Wild Card Round by throwing four touchdown passes.

The Chargers' best shot for qualifying for the playoffs is to win the AFC West. Their two remaining games are tough road games at the Detroit Lions this weekend and then closing out the year at the Oakland Raiders.

Rivers has turned in three straight quality starts, so let's assume for a second that the team will be able to continue to ride his hot hand for three more games. That would mean two more wins in the regular season to push the Chargers to 9-7.

Even if that happened, they would still need outside help to get in. The third win from Rivers would be the Wild Card Game, which would be one San Diego hosted as AFC West division champs. They would be playing the No. 5 seed, who could be the Baltimore Ravens.

How crazy would it be if the Chargers wind up hosting the Ravens for the second time in a four-week span and beat them convincingly again? Based on what I observed from the Week 15 game, I don't see any reason why the Chargers couldn't do it again.

Jets Prove That Rex Ryan Makes Solid Predictions

At this point in time, it is hard to know what exactly to make of the New York Jets. They win three straight games down the stretch to put them in a favorable position to clinch a playoff berth, and then they fall flat on their faces to a Philadelphia Eagles team that could have just as easily been headed for the buses at the half.

Now they have to square off against the New York Giants, who are also playing for their playoff lives. That game then leads to the regular-season conclusion against the Miami Dolphins, who showed up last Sunday as a spirited team under interim coach Todd Bowles.

It would be easy to simply write the Jets off as a team that has run its course under Rex Ryan, as his impact on the team finally started to sound more like a broken record than something genuine and motivational.

If his promise of yet another Super Bowl appearance is to be fulfilled, the Jets could make life easier on their coach by just going on a six-game winning streak to close out the 2011 season.

Do the Jets have a six-game winning streak left in them? Like I said in the intro, we are trying to predict 25 surprises for the Wild Card Round, so if you still believe in the Jets, you have to start off somewhere.

Tony Romo Shakes off the Ghosts of Playoffs Past

In an earlier slide we already highlighted the concerns about the Dallas Cowboys' running back situation. So with the entire stadium aware that Tony Romo is going to have to throw the ball anywhere from 40 to 50 times in the Wild Card Game, wouldn't it be a pleasant surprise for Romo to come out and play his best playoff game in his career?

How about a 400-yard performance good for four touchdown passes to go along with no interceptions and no fumbles? Would that allow the Cowboys fanbase to embrace Romo and let bygones be bygones?

If we are to project ahead and try to take an educated guess as to who the Cowboys could potentially host as the NFC East division champions (and No. 4 seed), the likely targets would be either be the Atlanta Falcons or Detroit Lions.

Detroit has the No. 12 pass defense in the NFL, while Atlanta is No. 17. Just the Cowboys' luck, there are a number of NFC teams with weaker secondaries like Green Bay (No. 31), the Giants (No. 29) or New Orleans (No. 28), but it doesn't appear likely the Cowboys see any of those teams in the Wild Card Round.

Now that we have explored this option a little further, it truly would be a surprise if Romo could come close to that kind of a performance in the Wild Card Round.

Jim Schwartz and Jim Harbaugh Shake Hands Again?

Okay, time for another leap of faith. Let's say that the San Francisco 49ers somehow come up with an emotional letdown after their big win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and allow the Seattle Seahawks to upset them in Week 16. I know, call me crazy, but it could happen.

The Saints then close out with two wins, which then drops the 49ers to the No. 3 seed, and they host a wild-card game against whoever emerges as the No. 6 seed. Guess who is in the running for the No. 6 seed? None other than the Detroit Lions.

Imagine the intrigue surrounding that pairing—the terse glances across the field before the game and then during the game due to the high-strung nature of both coaches. What if the end result comes down to the final seconds of the game and one head coach is trying to outfox the other or has to decide whether or not to ice the other guy's kicker?

The ball is kicked, and the coaches work their way towards meeting each other in the middle of the field, while the cameras come running in from every direction and the place is just wild with anticipation as to what these guys will say to each other and what they will do.

As I write this, I am not even concerned with the outcome, but I would just like to see it play out for the added drama. Nothing like the best reality television show playing in front of you live and uncensored—the National Football League playoffs.

New England Patriots Have to Host a Wild Card Game

Some of these wild-card surprises have a greater chance of happening than others, and I fully acknowledge that. We have covered every possible team that could appear in the Wild Card Round except for two teams. One team I am saving for the end, and the other is the New England Patriots.

I would be shocked if the Patriots do not clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, simply because they were the only team to come up big in Week 15 with a win, while their three 10-3 AFC counterparts, Pittsburgh, Houston and Baltimore, were all busy losing their share of home-field advantage.

But as I said in the beginning, with 25 slides, we were going to cover a wide range of possibilities, and this is just one more possibility, however unlikely it seems. The Patriots wind up being upset in the final two games by the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, finishing up with a 11-5 record, falling down to the No. 3 seed and hosting a Wild Card Round game.

Okay, I just reread what I typed, so you have either fallen off your chair laughing hysterically or are firing off a nasty comment to yours truly. Relax, Patriots fans.

I don't see this happening, but if it did, wouldn't you consider it a surprise? I knew you would.

Ray Lewis Announces Retirement Before Wild Card Game

There has been much speculation that this will be the final year of the great Ray Lewis' career. The Baltimore Ravens star has been battling injuries and is getting up there in years. If he has been thinking about it more this year, then the chances are that he is mentally closer to retiring than ever before. Once the body goes, the mind is not far behind.

Lewis would dearly love one more Super Bowl ring to add to his trophy case. In a gesture designed to arouse the emotions of his teammates and speak to his sense of urgency and seriousness of the situation, Lewis announces his plans to retire from the NFL after the playoffs are concluded.

Lewis conducts this speech just prior to the start of the Wild Card Round and hopes this news will  springboard the team into a four-game winning streak and allow this future Hall of Famer to go out on top.

Tim Tebow Leads Broncos to Furious Fourth-Quarter Comeback Win

I am aware that Denver Broncos fans and Tim Tebow fans have probably been searching in vain for their team slide, so fret no more—here you go.

I don't project as big of a comeback win in the Wild Card Round as the Buffalo Bills pulled off on the Houston Oilers on January 3, 1993. Denver isn't built to overcome a lead as big as 35-3 and still come back to win the way that the Bills did.

But wouldn't it be a great cap for the improbable Broncos season to see another Tim Tebow comeback win in the fourth quarter of the Wild Card Round? How about the Broncos trying to rally from a 10- or 13-point deficit and scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes to pull out a narrow victory?

The Broncos are in the driver's seat in the AFC West right now and can take a major step forward by beating the Bills this weekend.

If they go on to win the AFC West, they will probably be the No. 4 seed, so they are likely looking at facing either Pittsburgh or Baltimore, whichever team fails to win the AFC North. That would also offer up a classic matchup of Tebow versus either Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu, with the Pro Bowl safety trying to match wits with the young quarterback. Tebow has to break his tackle to score the winning touchdown as the final gun goes off.

Was that worth the wait, Broncos fans?