LegacyMaker Sports: Wild Card Playoff Pick’em!

By: James Brown

Headline Photo Credit: NFL

It’s playoff time in the NFL and this upcoming weekends wild-card round should provide some interesting matchups and some overall great games. We’ll see multiple regular-season rematches with some teams looking for revenge. The road the Atlanta starts Saturday and everyone is eager to see which two teams will make it. 

#3 Texans Vs. #6 Colts (Jan 5. 4:35pm)

The Houston Texans kick things off Saturday afternoon hosting the Indianapolis Colts. This will be the third matchup this season for these teams and you can expect there to be some fireworks. Andrew Luck has been hot facing this Texans defense that sports an underwhelming secondary averaging 432 passing yards a game and tossing six touchdowns to only 1 interception. The Colts offensive line has managed to rebound this season and protect Luck who has delivered with some great passing performances. While the Texans have more offensive stars they fail to keep their QB Deshaun Watson up on his feet. If the line can’t protect Watson he’ll have to make a lot of plays on the run. The Texans will put up a fight but ultimately the Colts will pick up the win here 27-24 and move on the next round. 

#4 Cowboys vs. #5 Seahawks (Jan 5. 8:15pm)

Our Saturday night cap puts the surprising Seattle Seahawks against the questionable Dallas Cowboys. Many thought Seattle to be in a rebuilding year but yet here they are in the playoffs behind an incredible rushing attack, good defense, and the always DangeRuss(ell) Wilson at quarterback. Dallas’ bread and butter have been the ground game that is provided from their start tailback Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas manages to make the playoffs after acquiring receiver Amari Cooper pairing him with Zeke on offense and playing excellent defense. The Cowboys have an awesome front seven that show their ability to get after the quarterback and the ball carrier. In the playoffs experience teams can beat out talented teams and I thinks that happens here. Seattle has championship experience in head coach Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson, their defensive leader Bobby Wagner. Look for the Seahawks to bottle up Zeke and force Dak to beat them through the air. Seattle wins 28-24. 

#4 Ravens vs. #5 Chargers (Jan 6. 1:05pm)

Sunday we see another regular season rematch between the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers. Phillip Rivers and the Chargers are looking to avenge the recent beating they took back in Week 16. The Chargers have the offensive weapons on the edge and in the backfield with an experienced guy at the helm in Rivers to make sure their firing on all cylinders. Not to mention a defense that has two bookends on the defensive line in Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa and a strong secondary with Casey Hayward and Derwin James. The Ravens come into the playoffs with a 6-1 record behind rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson and their tenacious defense. On the offensive side of the ball, the Ravens pound the ball down team’s throat with their run game that features Jackson, Edwards, and Dixon. On the defensive side, they get after your quarterback and force teams to play a one-dimensional game by taking away the run. The Chargers only hope is strike quick and early but I don’t see that happening against this Baltimore defense. Baltimore gets the win and advances 21-14. 

#3. Bears vs. #6 Eagles (4:40pm)

The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles put their title reign on the line Sunday afternoon on the road against the resurrected “Monsters of the Midway” the Chicago Bears. Philly is out to defend their title and show that lighting can strike twice with Nick Foles leading the way for an injured Carson Wents. The Eagles have rallied their efforts around Foles and managed to claw their way to the playoffs but the buck stops in Chicago. Look for the Bears defense to punish the Eagles offense by disrupting the pass game, sacking Foles, and generating turnovers. The Eagles has not shown the ability to run the ball consistently this season and their offensive line has shown some weakness. On offense the Bears will look to run the ball and put Mitch Trubisky in some favorable passing downs. Chicago picks up the win here 28-10 over the champs. My Bold Prediction for the Week: Bears safety Eddie Jackson finds his way into the end zone for six.  

Here are LMS Network Teams predictions for Wild Card Round!

James Brown-Colts, Ravens, Seahawks & Bears.

Darrell Owens-Texans, Chargers, Seahawks & Bears

Jay Quimby- Colts, Chargers, Cowboys & Bears

Robb Johnson-Texans, Ravens, Cowboys & Bears

Drew Willingham- Colts, Ravens, Seahawks & Eagles

Paul Scofield- Colts, Chargers, Seahawks & Eagles

Tyrone Montgomery Jr.- Texans, Chargers, Seahawks & Eagles

Becca Cottingham- Texans, Chargers, Seahawks & Bears

Russ “Statman” Taliaferro- Texans, Ravens, Seahawks & Bears

Lamonte Thomas- Texans, Ravens, Seahawks & Bears

Joshua Staats- Texans, Ravens, Seahawks & Bears

Candice Bullock- Colts, Ravens, Seahawks & Eagles

Ryan Fowler- Colts, Ravens, Seahawks & Bears