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2013 NFL Playoff Preview #NFLPlayoffs

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2013 NFL Playoffs Preview ~

NFL Playoffs Wildcard Weekend

Super Bowl XLVIII is just a few weeks away, but in order to get there, twelve NFL teams will battle it out in the coming weeks to determine who will be the participants in Super Bowl XLVIII. The 2013 NFL Playoffs begin today, Saturday, January 4th with the Wild Card Round. In order to keep you informed of what is going on in the Playoffs, I offer to you my 2013 NFL Playoffs Preview.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – NFC #1 Seed – Seattle Seahawks

I will start my 2013 NFL Playoffs Preview in the NFC, where the Seattle Seahawks have earned the top seed, which means they will play at home as long as they are in the playoffs, right up until the Super Bowl, which is played this year in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Seahawks are dangerous at home, where they went 7-1 this season. Any team coming through Seattle will find it tough to get a win. The Seahawks have the number one defense in the league, and they have a potent offense as well, led by second year quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch. It’s no wonder they are the number one seed.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – NFC #2 Seed – Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have become the darlings of the NFL this year. No one predicted them to go 12-4, win their division and steal the number two seed. After a 1-3 start, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera had an epiphany about how his offense should run. He went from being ultra conservative in his play calling to being extremely aggressive. As a result the Panthers won eleven of their next twelve games and finished the season with the second best defense in the league, led by second year linebacker Luke Keuchly, who is perhaps the best linebacker in the league. Offensively, the Panthers are dangerous as well, led by quarterback Cam Newton. The Panthers will host the highest remaining seed from this weekend’s wild card round in Charlotte next weekend.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – Wild Card Weekend Matchups – #6 New Orleans Saints vs. #3 Philadelphia Eagles

In this segment of my 2013 NFL Playoffs Preview, I will look at this weekend’s wild card round games. The first is tonight’s game between the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. Both of these teams feature high-powered offenses that love to put up a lot of points. The Saints had the number two seed locked up until the next to last week of the season when they lost to their division rivals, the Carolina Panthers, which bumped them all the way down to the sixth seed. That means the Saints must win all their playoff games on the road if they want to get to the Super Bowl. This does not bode well for the Saints, who were horrible on the road this year. Plus, the weather in Philly is expected to be cold and possibly wet today, which usually means a strong running game is more prevalent. That favors the Eagles, who have the league’s top rusher in LeSean McCoy. We shall see what Drew Brees and company can come up with to counter the Eagles. Despite all the odds being against them, I still like the Saints to pull this one out.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – Wild Card Weekend Matchups – #5 San Francisco 49ers vs. #4 Green Bay Packers

The final NFC wild card game features the number five seeded San Francisco 49ers at the fourth seeded Green Bay Packers. The Packers were without their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, for half the season when he went down with a broken collarbone. He came back last weekend and it took a last-minute miracle from him to help the Packers make the playoffs. The 49ers have been up and down all season, but still have a great young team, led by perhaps the best linebacker core in the league. Given that this game is in Green Bay, I must give the edge to the Packers, although it is only slight. If Colin Kaepernick can work his magic with the 49ers offense that has been decimated by injuries all season long, they can come out of Lambeau Field with a victory.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – AFC #1 seed Denver Broncos

Next up in my 2013 NFL playoff preview is the AFC, and what better place to start than with the number one seed and arguably the best team in the league all season long, the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who set an all-time NFL record with 55 touchdown passes this season. He has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, and most opposing teams find it extremely difficult to shut them all down. With that kind of firepower, it will not be easy to knock the Broncos out. Also, the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Denver. As long as the Broncos are in the playoffs, they will be at home.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – AFC #2 seed New England Patriots

The New England Patriots did this season what they always do – win their division, become a high-seeded playoff team, nothing unusual. The difference is that the Patriots have had to rely on lesser-known offensive weapons. Tom Brady is still their quarterback, yes, but the list of receivers and backs helping him has changed dramatically in the past year. However, leave it to head coach Bill Belichick to find a way to win. The Patriots will host the highest remaining seed from this weekend’s AFC wild card round in Foxboro, Mass., next weekend.

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2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – Wild Card Weekend Matchups – #5 Kansas City Chiefs vs. #4 Indianapolis Colts

Our 2013 NFL playoff preview now looks at this weekend’s AFC wild card games. The first is between the fifth seeded Kansas City Chiefs and the fourth seeded Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. The Kansas City Chiefs surprised everyone this season, going from 2-14 last year to 11-5 this year. However they have struggled lately. The Colts, led by second year quarterback Andrew Luck, have been quietly going along, winning the games they should. This is perhaps the most difficult matchup of the weekend to predict. Kansas City’s struggles on the road may come back to bite them in this one, though. I do like Luck and the Colts to pull this one out, but it will be a close one.

2013 NFL Playoffs Preview – Wild Card Weekend Matchups – #6 San Diego Chargers vs. #3 Cincinnati Bengals

The final matchup of wild card weekend is in Cincinnati, where the third seeded Bengals host the sixth seeded San Diego Chargers. The Chargers in a word were lucky. They needed to win plus have both the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens to lose last weekend in order to make the playoffs. That is exactly what happened. The Chargers have a good quarterback in Phillip Rivers, but they play extremely inconsistent football. Consistency is a must in the playoffs. The Cincinnati Bengals boast one of the best defensive fronts in the league, and they should cause Phillip Rivers all kinds of problems. I look for Cincinnati to win this one without too much difficulty.

And there you have it, a preview of this weekend’s games, plus a look at all the teams involved in the 2013 NFL playoffs. I hope you enjoyed it, and I will update you again next weekend. Good luck to your favorite team!

Who Do You Think Will Win This Weekend’s Games? Did Your Favorite Team Make It To The Playoffs?

About Jay Crawford

Jay is a die hard sports fan {football and college basketball being his favorites}. His favorite teams are the Carolina Panthers and Tarheels and, of course, his alma mater, the Appalachian Mountaineers. He spends his free time listening to music, especially KISS, Def Leppard, the Eagles and a lot of the newer country music, and watching comic book and action movies. The more special effects - the better.

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  11. Ashley Gill says

    Being from Kansas I was all about the KC Chief/ Colts game yesterday. I cannot believe they gave it up! ugh! I am totally a college football fan over the NFL though.

  13. Pam says

    I am one of the few people in the US that is not into football. I didn’t even know who was playing! I had to attend a superbowl twitter party once and had to ask a friend who the teams were!