2016 NFL Playoff Predictions: Wildcard

AFC

Chiefs vs Texans (3:20pm central time, ESPN)

Prediction: Chiefs 23 Texans 14

Why?: Well KC has won 10 straight and yeah, yeah, yeah, I know like 8 of those 10 teams they played suck, but Houston plays in the worst division (NFC East is also disgusting) and they're only 9-7.  Now I'm sure ESPN will give you all the JJ Swat coverage because he's just the greatest human being to walk the planet apparently, and you might not even know the Chiefs are actually who they're playing, you may be led to believe it's just JJ Watt on the field and that's all that matters.  When it comes to NFL predictions, especially in the playoffs, I don't bother doing a ton of research, it's a gut thing for me, and my gut says KC makes it 11 straight this weekend.  It also says the most dominant attention whore in the league JJ deserves to lose after the worst sack celebration of all time seen here:

I hate the fact I share a home state with him, you think it'd be a point of pride, but I can't stomach that asshole.  Also Houston doesn't have a quarterback, and you don't have postseason success without one, even if JJ Watt is on your team.

Steelers vs Bengals (7:15pm central, CBS)

Prediction:Steelers 31 Bengals 28

Why?:  Honestly I went back and forth a lot on this one.  Bengals played well all year finally won more than 10 games, but without Dalton I don't know if they can beat the Steelers, because let's be honest, the playoffs are just what the Steelers do.  They show up and just win games.  I think Big Ben has a big game and Pittsburgh wins, I actually think McCarron plays well but I'm not betting against the Steelers in January especially against a pretty good team that is missing their starting quarterback.  That being said AJ is pretty much in the same spot he was during his entire career at Alabama, just play ok don't turn it over and the team will do the rest.  Like that's literally ever Bama qb in the Saban era, so who knows.  I'm going Steelers but it could easily be Bengals.

NFC

Seahawks vs Vikings (12:05pm central, NBC)

Prediction: Vikings 28 Seahawks 27

Why?: Look, I know the last time these two teams played was a few weeks ago in Minnesota and the Vikes got WAXED 38-7.  After that they finished 3-1 losing by 3 to Arizona then crushing Chicago and New York (Giants) before coming to Lambeau and ripping my heart out last weekend.  They're a different team.  Seattle has been red hot, especially Russell Wilson, but people seem to forget that two weeks ago they dropped a baaaaad game to a lowly Rams team.  Russell didn't play well, but I guess destroying Arizona helps people forget about that.  I just think Minnesota will win, I think Seattle's the kind of team that will overlook this game because they had zero issue with them earlier this year.

Packers vs Redskins (3:40pm central, FOX)

Prediction: Redskins 28 Packers 24

Why?: I have no idea what to make of my Packers at this point.  The defense for the first time since we won the Super Bowl in 2011 is playing great, but our offense is pathetic, and that's an understatement.  They are just infuriatingly inconsistent/flat out awful.  It's like that brutal Denver was a car wreck that left them paralyzed.  Yeah they can still do some stuff, but for the most part they're pathetic.  The Redskins finished 9-7 playing in the other worst division in football, but they're winners of 4 straight and TE Jordan Reed is balling right now.  The Packers don't do a great job with tight ends so that's a big plus for Washington right there.  I don't believe wholeheartedly enough that the Packers will win, as bad as I want them to, so I'm playing it safe and taking the much hotter Washington Redskins to end my teams season on Sunday afternoon.