# NFL Wild-Card Weekend **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 6, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904 "2010-01-06T15:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/1 "2010-01-06T15:15:21Z")
Which NFL team is most likely to win this weekend and why, please. (1/9 - 1/10 2010) ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/2 "2010-01-08T16:53:18Z")
I just hope the Packers lose. The Vikes cannot beat the Pack 3 times in one year…So I hope the Pack gets knocked out. It’s going to be bad enough for the Vikes to get knocked out of the playoffs…but to have it done by the Pack will ruin the entire year! ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/3 "2010-01-08T17:09:13Z")
To me, the Bengals beating the Jets seems like the safest bet. Cincy played very strong all season, and I see no reason why they wouldn’t be able to keep it going. They seriously mind-fucked the Jets last week, showing them absolutely nothing of their real game plan and letting themselves get whitewashed. The Jets left it all on the field last week, which they _needed_ to do just to make it to the postseason. This week will be a complete 180 from last week. Keep one thing in mind – I said this seems like the _safest_ bet, but by no means do I consider it a _safe_ bet. There isn’t a single game this weekend on which I’d be able to put a comfortable bet. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/4 "2010-01-08T17:49:37Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > The Vikes cannot beat the Pack 3 times in one year… Why not? Beating the same team three times in a season is rare, but winning a third matchup when you already won the first two isn’t. > [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Cincy played very strong all season, and I see no reason why they wouldn’t be able to keep it going. They seriously mind-fucked the Jets last week, showing them absolutely nothing of their real game plan and letting themselves get whitewashed. The Jets left it all on the field last week, which they _needed_ to do just to make it to the postseason. This week will be a complete 180 from last week. I’d put the Cincy-Jets game about even. It certainly shouldn’t be anything like last week’s game, but I don’t think Cincy is as strong as their record. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/5 "2010-01-08T17:54:52Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > I’d put the Cincy-Jets game about even. It certainly shouldn’t be anything like last week’s game, but I don’t think Cincy is as strong as their record. Maybe, maybe not. But the Jets most assuredly are _not_ as strong as their record. And they’ve been mouthy and overconfident, completely squandering their chance to go into Ohio as the “disrespected” underdog and creating a situation where half of the commentators I’ve seen are picking the Jets for some reason. I think the Bengals are a good bet. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/6 "2010-01-08T18:03:50Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > Why not? Beating the same team three times in a season is rare, but winning a third matchup when you already won the first two isn’t. To me, the issue is more that the Vikings beat the Packers twice in the first half of the season, when the Packers were having some serious problems (particularly on the offensive line), while the Vikings were on fire. Now, the Packers are playing very well, while the Vikings seem to have slipped down a peg. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/7 "2010-01-08T18:09:02Z")
I’d say the Jets are the 11th best team left, but the Bengals are 12th. I’m picking all upsets this week, but have the most confidence in the Jets. A terrible matchup for the banged up Bengals. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/8 "2010-01-08T18:23:48Z")
I picked the Bengals, Packers, Green Bay and New England. Although I don’t really feel strongly either way, I have to say that I hope I’m wrong about the Jets and that they beat the Bengals. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/9 "2010-01-08T18:32:10Z")
You’re picking the Packers _and_ Green Bay. That should be quite a battle if they end up facing each other after that. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/10 "2010-01-08T18:40:46Z")
I would’ve said New England over Baltimore was the safest bet, but it seems the Patriots have some serious injury problems. Now my pick would be Green Bay over Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/11 "2010-01-08T18:52:25Z")
I think a lot of people are way too confident about Green Bay’s chances against Arizona. They aren’t going to be playing against Matt Leinart this time, and the game _is_ at Arizona. I have a strong hunch the Cards are going to handle Green Bay just fine this time. That’s actually the only game I have a strong hunch about at all. Earlier in the week, I picked Philly to beat Dallas, but now I feel more pulled towards Dalls. I think they win, and come to see us in the Dome next week. Bengals-Jets, I really have no idea. It should be Cincy on paper, but for some reason the Jets feel hot to me. I have doubts that the Patriots can overcome the loss of Wes Welker, but if Moss heats up, he and Brady can put a game on their shoulders. I don’t know if they can do it for an entire post season, but a single game isn’t out of the question. Still, they just feel vulnerable to me. I’m taken the Ravens. I wouldn’t put money on _any_ of these games. None of them are locks. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/12 "2010-01-08T19:37:07Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > You’re picking the Packers _and_ Green Bay. That should be quite a battle if they end up facing each other after that. 😃 Good catch. I’ll try again… I picked the Bengals, Eagles, Green Bay and New England. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/13 "2010-01-08T19:38:25Z")
The best bet is Dallas over Philly, but even as an optimistic Cowboys fan I don’t think it is a lock. Looking only at talent and skill I think that game shows the biggest gap, but Romo’s Cowboys have yet to have proven themselves in a high pressure situation, and the Eagles are dangerous this year. For the other games I pick: Bangles beat the Jets Packers beat the Cards Pats beat the Ravens I listed the games in order of my confidence in my pick. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/14 "2010-01-08T19:49:02Z")
I predict 4 close games, with the Jets +3 being my best bet. On a nice fall day, the Bengals would destroy the current Jet team (w/o Jenkins and Washington). But at 15 degrees and wind? Jets by 2-4 points. Every other game is too close to call. I predict that the total margin of victory for all 4 games combined will be less than 20.5. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/15 "2010-01-09T22:38:37Z")
“Bengals got away with one there, but it doesn’t solve the problem of Carson Palmer being high all day.” Well, no, I would think not. (I’ve missed Joe Theisman.) ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/16 "2010-01-09T22:44:11Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > " > > (I’ve missed Joe Theisman.) Now you will have to die with him. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/17 "2010-01-09T22:44:56Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > I just hope the Packers lose. > > The Vikes cannot beat the Pack 3 times in one year Why the hell not? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/18 "2010-01-09T22:47:17Z")
This illness to Weatherford has to come back and haunt them at some point. You can’t win a playoff game in the cold against a running/defense team if you can’t play the field position game. Feely has performed pretty well so far though, if that holds up he might deserve MVP consideration. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/19 "2010-01-09T23:05:05Z")
It’s so much better being able to laugh about [this](http://img110.yfrog.com/img110/2459/fkc.gif) now. That announcing crew is terrible, by the way. I feel like I’m watching some backwater college game or something unimportant. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904/20 "2010-01-09T23:18:14Z")
Yeah, I am not a fan of Joe Theismann unless Jimmy Kimmel is in the booth joking about his broken leg. THAT was comedy gold. That having been said, the line about Carson Palmer being high all day was worth the price of admission. [Hey, Carson, why are your passes so inaccurate today?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4Y7GMPJO64) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-wild-card-weekend/523904.md?page=2)