Saturday

Cincinnati Bengals (9-7, 5-3 away) vs. Houston Texans (10-6, 5-3 home)

Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

When: 4:30 ET/ 3:30 PM CT

Network: NBC

Line: Houston by 3

Cincy:

Coach: Marvin Lewis (9 years,69-74, 48%)

Offensive leaders:

QB Andy Dalton: 300-of-516 (58.1%), 3398 yards, 20 TDs, 13 ints, 80.4 passer rating.

RB Cedric Benson: 273-1,067 3.9 average. 71.1 per game, 42 long, 6 TDs. Five fumbles, two lost.

WR: A.J. Green: 65-1,057, 16.3 average, 7 TDs, 58 long. 19 catches of +20 yards. WR Jerome Simpson: 50-725,14.5 average, 4 TDs. 84 long.10 catches 20+yards. WR Jermaine Gresham: 56-596, 10.6 average, 6 TDs, 31 long. 10 catches of +20 yards

Defensive leaders: Thomas Howard 99 tackles; Rey Maualaga 88 tackles; Reggie Nelson 85 tackles, four interceptions.

Houston:

Coach: Gary Kubiak (6 years, 47-49, 49%)

Offensive Leaders: QB T.J. Yates: 82-134 (61.2%), 949 yards 3 TDs, 3 Ints, 80.7 rating.

RB Arian Foster: 278-1224, 4.4 average, 94.2 per game, 43 long, 10 TDs, four fumbles, two lost.

WR Owen Daniels: 54-677, 12.5 average, 3 TDs, 34 long, 8 catches 20+ yards. Arian Foster: 53-617, 11.6 average, 2 TDs, 78 long, 9 catches of 20+ yards. WR Andre Johnson: 33-492, 14.9 average, 2 TDs. 80 long, 9 catches of 20+ yards.

Defensive leaders: Brian Cushing 114 tackles, Glover Quin 77 tackles.. Connor Barwin 11.5 sacks, Jason Allen and Johnathan Joseph 4 ints.

Analysis: This is a tough one. Two pretty good teams that are probably not going to the Super Bowl and are not that hot right now. Houston lost their last three regular season games and have been beset by injuries throughout the year. They lost quarterback Matt Schaub for the season earlier in the year, but T.J. Yates, the rookie from North Carolina, has done a pretty decent job in relief. Andre Johnson, their outstanding wide receiver, has been hurt a lot, but he’s back and he’s an all pro. They lost defensive end Mario Williams for the season, also, and running back Arian Foster has been banged up. Cincy goes with their own rookie qb in Andy Dalton. Cedric Benson has done a good job running the ball and A.J. Green is special at wide receiver. Defenses are both pretty decent. Houston earned their last victory over Cincy on Dec 11 at Paul Brown Stadium in dramatic fashion with a touchdown at the end of the game to win it. With teams that are as evenly matched as these two, I’m going with the home team despite the nicks and bruises on the Texans. Think Texans will be a little bit better than Bengals. Foster and Johnson will be the difference for the Texans with Yates being good enough. He and Dalton are a wash.

Texans 24, Bengals 20

Saturday

Detroit Lions (10-6, 5-3 away) vs. New Orleans Saints (13-3, 8-0 home)

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

When: 8 PM ET/ 7 PM CT

Network: NBC

Line: Saints by 11

Lions:

Coach: Jim Schwartz (3 years, 18-30, 37.5%)

Offensive leaders:

QB Matthew Stafford: 421-663 (63.5%), 5,038 yards, 41 TDs, 16 Ints, 97.2 rating.

RB Jahvid Best: 84-390, 4.6 ypc, 65 per game, 88 long, 2 TDs,o fumbles

WR Calvin “Megatron” Johnson: 96-1681, 17.5 average, 16 TDs, 73 long, 32 catches 20+ yards

Defensive leaders:

Stephen Tulloch 111 tackles; DeAndre Levy 109; Cliff Avril 11 sacks; Ndamukong Suh four sacks; Chris Houston 5 ints

Saints:

Coach: Sean Payton (Six years, 62-34, 64.6%)

Offensive leaders: QB Drew Brees: 468-657 (71.2%), 5476 yards, 46 TDs, 14 Ints, 110.6 Rating

RB Darren Sproles: 87-603, 6.9 ypc, 37.7 per game, 36 long, 2 TDs, o fumbles

RB Pierre Thomas: 110-562, 5.1, 35.1 per game, 33 long, five TDs, 1 fumble lost

RB Chris Ivory: 79-374, 4.7, 62.3 per game, 35 long,1 TD, 0 fumbles

Tight End Jimmy Graham: 99-1310, 13.2 average, 11 TDs,

59 long, 18 catches 20+ yards

Wide receiver Marques Colston: 80-1143, 14.3 average, 8 TDs, 50 long, 15, 20+yard catches

Darren Sproles: 86-710, 7 TDs; Lance Moore 52-627, 8 TDs; Robert Meachem: 40-620, 6 TDs.

Defensive leaders:

Roman Harper 96 tackles, 7.5 sacks; Jo-Lonn Dunbar 79 tackles; Patrick Robinson 4 ints; Jonathan Vilma 53 tackles.

Analysis:

I don’t see this game being very close. Drew Brees and his arsenal of offensive mates are on fire. Mark Ingram is out throughout the postseason, but Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Brandon Ivory can all tote it well. The receivers are outstanding. Detroit can’t stop’em particularly after giving up 450 yards of passing and six TDs to Green Bay backup Matt Flynn last week. Flynn is an excellent player, but Drew Brees, when he’s done, if he stays healthy, will be one of the greatest of all time. New Orleans is my pick to win the Super Bowl over the Patriots. I like Saints to get it started Saturday Night.

Saints 45, Detroit 28

Sunday

Atlanta Falcons (10-6, 4-4 away) vs. New York Giants (9-7, 4-4 home)

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

When: 1 PM ET/Noon CT

Network: Fox

Line: Giants by 3

Falcons:

Coach: Mike Smith (4 years, 43-21, 67%)

Offensive leaders:

QB Matt Ryan: 347-566 (61.3%) 4,177 yards, 29 TDs, 12 Ints, 92.2 rating

RB Michael Turner: 301-1,340 4.5 ypc, 83.8 per game, 80 long, 11 TDs, three fumbles, two lost.

WR Roddy White: 100-1,296, 13.0 per catch, 8 TDs, 43 long, 18 catches +20 yards; WR Julio Jones: 54-959, 17.8 per catch, 8 TDs, 80 long, 16 catches +20 yards; Tony Gonzalez: 80-875, 10.9 per catch, 7 TDs, 30 long, 8 catches +20 yards.

Defensive leaders:

Curtis Lofton: 147 tackles; Sean Witherspoon 115 tackles, four sacks; Thomas DeCoud 86 tackles, four ints.

Giants:

Coach: Tom Coughlin (8 years Giants, 74-54, 59%)

Offensive leaders:

QB Eli Manning: 359-589 (61%), 4,933 yards, 29 TDs, 16 Ints, 92.9 rating.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw: 171-659, 3.9, 54.9 per game, 37 long, 9 TDs, 0 fumbles; RB Brandon Jacobs: 152-571, 3.8, 40.8 per game, 28 long, 7 TDs, three fumbles, none lost.

WR Victor Cruz: 82-1,536, 18.7 average, 9 TDs, 99 long, 25 catches +20 yards; WR Hakeem Nicks 76-1,192, 15.7, 7 TDs, 68 long, 17 catches 20+ yards.

Defensive leaders:

Antrel Rolle: 96 tackles, two ints; Michael Boley: 93 tackles, three recovered fumbles; Jason Pierre-Paul: 86 tackles, 16.5 sacks; Kenny Phillips: 82 tackles, four ints.

Analysis:

I think this is going to be a good game. The Falcons can score some points now. The Giants’ defense, particularly their dline, is playing at Super Bowl level, but if the Falcons’ Oline can hold them off, Ryan should be able to connect with his playmakers White, Jones and Gonzalez. Giants also have to stop Michael Turner on the ground. Do like the way G-Men are playing now on both sides of the ball though. Eli and Victor Cruz are playing phenomenal. A lot of people are saying this team is very similar to the 2007 Super Bowl Championship team, and it is in many ways. But I’m not there totally yet. Not sure their running game is as good because Bradshaw has been hurt and so has Jacobs a little bit. But it looks like they’re getting it together. This team has a shot to win it all. They’re good enough Think they will win Sunday, but don’t think they can go all the way with the competition they have to face down the road. This should be a fun, entertaining game, but I like the Giants to advance.

G-Men 31, Falcons 27

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4, 5-3 road) vs. Denver Broncos (8-8, 3-5 home)

Where: Sports Authority Field, Mile High Stadium, Denver

When: 4:30 ET/3:30 PM CT

Network: CBS

Line: Steelers by 5.5

Steelers:

Coach: Mike Tomlin (55-25, 69%)

Offensive leaders: QB Ben Roethlisberger: 324-513, 4,077 yards, 21 TDs, 14 Ints, 90.1 rating

RB Isaac Redman: 110-479, 4.4, 27, 27 long, 3 TDs, two fumbles/both lost

WR Mike Wallace: 72-1193, 16.6, 8 TDs, 95 long, 18 catches +20 yards; Antonio Brown: 69-1108, 16.1, 2 TDs, 79 long, 18 catches +20 yards; Heath Miller: 51-631, 12.4, 2 TDs, 39 long, 8 catches +20 yards.

Defensive leaders: Lawrence Timmons 93 tackles Troy Polamalu 93 tackles, James Harrison 59 tackles, 9 sacks.

Broncos:

Coach: John Fox ( first year, 8-8. Carolina previously for nine years, 81-79, 51%)

Offensive leaders:

QB Tim Tebow: 126-271, 1,729 yards, 12 TDs, 6 Ints, 72.9 rating.

RB Willis McGahee: 249-1,199, 4.8, 79.9, 60 long, 4 TDs, three fumbles lost; Tebow: 122-660, 5.4, 47.1, 32 long, 6 TDs, six fumbles, two lost.

WR Eric Decker: 44-612, 13.9, 8 TDs, 56 long, 9 catches +20 yards; Demaryius Thomas: 32-551, 17.2, 4 TDs, 44 long, 9 catches +20 yards.

Analysis: I don’t see this one being very close even with Pittsburgh not having Rashard Mendanhall and Ryan Clark, who are both out; Mendenhall for the rest of the year with a torn ACL in his knee and Clark unable to play at the Denver altitude. But Big Ben will do some damage with Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Heath Miller. They’ll run it a little bit. I’m afraid Tim Tebow is going to have another long day. He’s become very limited in what he can do. These NFL defenses are so fast and so well coached, that it looks like, as of right now, they’ve figured out Tebow and he can’t do anything. He’s going to have a lot of trouble with James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu. They’re just too good and Tebow is not very good right now. Like the Steelers to handle the Broncos pretty soundly.

Steelers 24, Broncos 7

(Drew and Eli both going for Super Bowl Number Two.)