NFL 2014: Wild Card Picks

The road to the Lombardi Trophy starts today.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

It's playoff time and we should have four great games on Wild Card weekend. Who will advance to the Divisional round? My picks are below.

Wild Card Picks (Home team in CAPS)

Arizona over CAROLINA (Saturday, 4:20 p.m. ET, ESPN): Can Ryan Lindley lead the Cardinals to a playoff win? Yes, and here's why. The Arizona defense has not looked like themselves the past two weeks, giving up 55 points, but they still are one of the best defenses in football. If they are to win on Saturday in Carolina it will be because of that defense. Quarterback Ryan Lindely will have to make a few plays, but as long as he doesn't turn the ball over, I think the Cardinals have a chance. The Panthers have played well the last four weeks, but that was against the Saints, Falcons, Buccaneers and Browns. None of those teams are anywhere close to the caliber of team the Cardinals have. It will be a close game, I like Arizona in this one. Cardinals 20, Panthers 17.

PITTSBURGH over Baltimore (Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC): NBC has to be jumping for joy after getting Ravens v. Steelers as their matchup for Wild Card weekend. Aside from 49ers v. Seahawks and Broncos v. Patriots, there may not be a more fierce rivalry in the NFL than Baltimore and Pittsburgh. With that being said, I think Saturday night's game will be physical as these games usually are and I like the Steelers at home. Running back Le'Veon Bell will not play with a hyperextended knee suffered last Sunday night against the Bengals, but I still think the Steelers can beat the Ravens without him. Pittsburgh has won four straight and they dominated Baltimore back in Week 9, 43-23, where Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdown passes. The Ravens have not been playing very well down the stretch, barely beating Jacksonville, losing to Houston and they did not look good last week against Cleveland. It will be a physical game and I think the Steelers will move on even without Bell. Steelers 27, Ravens 23.

Cincinnati over INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, 1:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Don't expect the Bengals to go an entire half without getting a first down in this one. The Bengals played one of their worst games of the year against the Colts in Week 7, losing 27-0 and gaining only 135-yards of offense. Cincinnati was outplayed in every facet of the game, but I would be shocked if a similar game resulted on Sunday. The Bengals may be without A.J. Green who is doubtful with a concussion and he will certainly be missed. Green is the Bengals leading receiver with 69 receptions for 1,041-yards and he is Andy Dalton's favorite target with 116 targets, 18 more than any other Bengals receiver, and that's with having missed three games. When the Bengals take the field on Sunday, it will have been 23 years, 11 months, four weeks and one day since they last won a playoff game. I think the longest playoff game victory drought in the NFL will end on Sunday even without A.J. Green. The Bengals have a good defense, an All-Pro return man in Adam Jones, a great rookie running back in Jeremy Hill and enough talent to go into Indianapolis and beat the Colts. Bengals 23, Colts 20.

DALLAS over Detroit (Sunday, 4:40 p.m. ET, FOX): The matchup to watch will obviously be the Dallas offense going up against the Detroit defense. The Lions had the second best overall defense and number one rushing defense in the NFL during the regular season while the Cowboys had the seventh best overall offense and number two rushing attack. Detroit got some good news on Tuesday that defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh would not be suspended for Sunday's game after stepping on Aaron Rodgers last week, but even with Suh playing, I don't think the Lions will be able to beat the Cowboys in Dallas. The Cowboys have run the ball on everyone this year and that offensive line will be tested by the Detroit front seven, but Dallas has scored an average of 41.3 points per game the last four weeks. Tony Romo and that offense are clicking on all cylinders and they will score just enough points to beat a very good Detroit team. Cowboys 31, Lions 20.

Last Week: 11-5
Regular Season Record: 182-73-1