"Inside the NFL" Breaks Down Wild Card Playoff Action
By Showtime
Every week during the NFL season, Showtime’s Inside the NFL crew predicts the outcome of some of the league’s most intriguing games. And now that the playoffs are upon us, the crew is picking them all. See what they had to say about this weekend’s wild-card round and catch Inside the NFL at 9 p.m. ET/PT Tuesdays.
Cardinals at Panthers, Saturday, 4:20 p.m. ET
Put aside the Panthers’ 7-8-1 record and the fact that the Cardinals looked like one of the best teams in football for most of the year and you will see that (1) Carolina has won four in a row and looked terrific in throttling Atlanta 34-3 to clinch the NFC South and (2) the Cardinals are struggling, thanks in large part to a rash of quarterback injuries. Throw in the Panthers’ home field advantage and you have a recipe for an early Arizona playoff exit.
Ravens at Steelers, Saturday, 8:15 p.m.
The AFC North race was one of the league’s most tightly-contested all season long, and this playoff matchup of two division rivals should be no different. Pittsburgh won the division, but an injury to Le’Veon Bell hurt their prospects for a long playoff run. Will they have enough to win without him at his best? It’s not just longtime Raven Ed Reed who thinks Baltimore has an excellent chance to win on the road.
Bengals at Colts, Sunday, 1:05 p.m. ET
The last time these teams met, Indianapolis embarrassed Cincinnati 27-0 in Week 7. Is a repeat in store? The emergence of Jeremy Hill is a boon for the Bengals, but A.J. Green’s injury is a potential game-changer. Ultimately, despite that ugly Week 16 loss to the Cowboys, the Colts are still in the driver’s seat.
Lions at Cowboys, Sunday, 4:40 p.m. ET
At the time the crew debated this matchup, it looked like Ndamukong Suh would miss this game due to suspension. It’s since come out that he will play after all. But given that the Lions hobbled to the regular season finish line while the Cowboys sprinted, and that the Cowboys’ offensive line has played well no matter who is lined up across from it, Suh’s presence might not have mattered anyway.