NFL Wild Card Round Preview: Road Teams Will Dominate This Weekend

I want to start by wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Years.

I’m writing this while enjoying a flu medication-mixed-with-champagne related drunken stupor type thing.

With that in mind, I’m not responsible for anything in this article. Unless all my predictions are right. In which case, I might try the same cocktail next week.

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers

The 12-4 Colts are on the road to face the 8-8 Chargers in the first round of the playoffs.

There’s something not right about that sentence.

I’m not for changing the playoff system. I don’t think the 11-5 Patriots deserved to get into the playoffs any more than any of the playoff teams not from Arizona (before you start yelling, remember what happened when the Patriots and Chargers played each other).

But the home field advantage rule, at least for the Wild-Card round, might need to be tweaked a bit.

I’m not sure there’s a scenario where a 12-4 team should have to play on the road in the playoffs against an 8-8 team.

The Chargers have had the Colts number a little bit. San Diego has won three of the last four match-ups between the two teams, including a 28-24 victory in last season’s playoffs.

But the Colts won their only matchup this season. And this isn’t the same Charger team that beat the Colts in the playoffs last season.

This Charger team is terrible against the pass. They’re mediocre against the run. The live off their offense, and die with their defense.

That type of team can’t win in the playoffs. Just ask the Colts.

Peyton Manning is the difference in this game. His ability to pick apart good defenses is legendary. Put him against a secondary like the Chargers are going to throw out there and it’s just not fair.

In the end, you are who you are. Playoffs or not. And the Chargers are an 8-8 team that’s incredibly lucky to even be playing this week. They won’t be playing next week.

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are the first team to go from 1-15 to the playoffs in one season.

Their quarterback just won comeback player of the year for an unprecedented second time.

They have a first year head coach.

Their defense has Joey Porter and a few other nice pieces, but it’s hardly a playoff quality defense.

They shouldn't be a playoff team. Yet, they are. And deservedly so.

The Dolphins shocked the world and had a fantastic season. They won the AFC East. They embarrassed the Jets in a must-win game in week 17.

In short, the Dolphins are this season’s Cinderella.

The Ravens weren’t exactly world-beaters last season either. As a matter of fact, they were the 1 in the Dolphins’ 1-15.

The Ravens have always had defensive talent. Their issues have been with one position and one position only: quarterback.

In last year’s draft, they finally resolved that issue.

Joe Flacco has been the man in Baltimore. He’s been amazing. He’s been exactly what this team needed.

His presence has energized an already scary defense. A defense that’s reminding some of us of 2000.

The Dolphins are a great story, but the Ravens have a great defense. Midnight strikes for the NFL’s Cinderella on Sunday. The Ravens just have too much defense.

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals

Speaking of great stories, I give you the Atlanta Falcons.

For years, writers like myself have been complaining about Michael Vick. We said his inability to throw a football accurately made him a bad quarterback and dragged his entire team down.

Now, Atlanta fans have the pleasure of seeing what a real quarterback can do for their team. Matt Ryan has played MVP caliber football this season. He, with the help of Michael Turner, has completely turned this offense around.

The Falcons went from the lowest of low, to a Super Bowl contender in one season. If the Dolphins didn’t exist, this would be the most amazing turnaround ever.

The Arizona Cardinals are only in the playoffs because they play in the NFC West. They are the worst playoff team I’ve ever seen.

Ever.

Unlike the Dolphins, the Falcons aren’t quite ready to return that glass slipper. Of course, the Dolphins didn’t have the good fortune of playing the Cardinals…

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings

The only team I’ve written off more times than the Vikings this season is the Eagles. Both teams didn’t exactly take a conventional route to the playoffs.

But it doesn’t matter how you get in, as long as you get in.

The Eagles crushed the Cowboys last week in what was basically the first round of the playoffs for them—ridding the world of Terrell Owens, Wade Phillips, and Tony Romo for at least a couple of months.

For that, we’re all eternally grateful.

The Vikings had a confidence building win against the Giants’ B team last week. Though, when one team treats it like a preseason game and the other barely wins, it’s hard to see where the confidence comes from.

This game features a match-up of two of the most exciting running backs in the NFL. But in the end, the game will come down to the quarterbacks.

Tarvaris Jackson is not going to win a playoff game. Maybe ever. Certainly not this season.

I started out this article by telling you about my flu medication and champagne induced haze. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that I picked all four road teams to win in the first round of the playoffs?

Or maybe it’s just that the NFL had some seriously weak divisions this season and the Wild Card teams are just better?

Enjoy the weekend, and don’t forget to vote for the Bleacher Report NFL Writer of the Year award.

Sean Crowe covers the New England Patriots for Examiner.com and writes a bi-weekly column for Sports-Central.org.

He is a Senior Writer and an NFL Community Leader at Bleacher Report. You can email him at [e-mail]. His archive can be found here.