Wildcard Weekend was one of the best weekends of football in recent memory, is it possible the divisional round can be as good? Of course, especially with these match ups!
New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks
The first game of the weekend will feature a rematch of two of the top teams in the NFC. The Saints survived a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles and will head to Seattle where they got manhandled during the first matchup. The Seahawks were heavily favored all season to win the NFC, mainly because they are nearly impossible to beat at home. The Saints know this all too well and know they have to play better than they did last week, especially quarterback Drew Brees. Brees threw two interceptions against the Eagles, something he cannot afford to do if he wants to give his team a chance in this game. The Seahawks did not play last week which allowed wide receiver Percy Harvin to get healthy. Harvin only played one game this season after undergoing hip surgery before the season started. This only adds to the dynamic Seattle offense and the Saints may be without their best cover guy, Keenan Lewis. He insists he will play, and the Saints desperately need him to. New Orleans might also get back running back Pierre Thomas who was unable to play in Philadelphia, but if not Mark Ingram will start again.
Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots
The Indianapolis Colts won last week in dramatic fashion, overcoming a 28 point Kansas City lead. It also helped that the Chiefs were losing players to injuries every five minutes it seemed. Andrew Luck still managed to lead his team to a victory, his first career playoff win. Now, the Colts head to Foxborough where they will meet Tom Brady and company. Brady is no stranger to the postseason, but he has to put this team on his back to advance to the AFC Championship game. The Patriots were hit the hardest this season by injuries losing Rob Gronkowski, Vince Wilfork, OJ Mayo, and now Brandon Spikes. All of these injuries would likely cause a team to miss the playoffs, but not when your quarterback is one of the greatest ever. When these two teams played each other last season, the Patriots handed Luck his worst loss of his rookie season. Knowing Bill Bellichick will take away T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis’ top receiver, Luck will have to look for his second and third options on the field. The Colts will also have to work on controlling their turnovers. Luck threw three interceptions and Trent Richardson fumbled on his first carry of the game last week. Keeping Brady off the field will be the Colts top priority to winning this game for Indianapolis.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are the biggest surprise this season. What looked like another failed season for Ron Rivera and Cam Newton, has turned into one of the most successful in franchise history. The Panthers managed to sneak past the New Orleans Saints for the NFC South division title and secure home field advantage. The 49ers have been one of the hottest teams in the league especially since wide receiver Michael Crabtree’s return. When asked about this game, quarterback Colin Kaepernick said “we owe ’em” referring to the Panthers. Earlier this season, Carolina went to San Francisco and stunned the 49ers coming out with a victory. Many thought the Panthers were not the real deal and instead just played an easy schedule. However with wins over the 49ers, Patriots, and Saints, it is clear this team is definitely the real deal, especially their defense led by linebacker Luke Kuechly. The Packers struggled to keep Kaepernick in the pocket and allowed him to run for first downs, something the Panthers defense will have to do, something their own quarterback can do as well.
San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
Peyton Manning holds almost every regular season record. Peyton Manning is coming off one of the greatest regular seasons in NFL history. Peyton Manning has lost his last three playoff games. All eyes will be on the quarterback this Sunday as he looks to lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl. Denver hosts division rival San Diego, a team that faired well against the Broncos. The Chargers were the only team to beat the Broncos at home, mostly by limiting Manning’s time on the field. San Diego quarterback Phillip Rivers is also having a great season especially playing in a more balanced offense. The addition of running back Danny Woodhead has proven to be one of the greatest moves this season, helping take some of the pressure off of Rivers. The Chargers other running back, Ryan Matthews, is listed as questionable for this game. The Broncos, however, will get back Wes Welker who missed time with a concussion.
Want to be a part of the fun? Sign up at Fair Market Fantasy to play your friends and win real money! All you have to do is set up your dream roster for any game of your choice and sit back and cheer them on. You can play your friends or total strangers, either way the money is real!
This post contains sponsored links from Fair Market Fantasy.
