Wild Card Weekend is upon us in the NFL Playoffs. The #3 seeds face the #6 seeds and #4 faces #5 in each conference. The lower remaining seeds face the #1 team next week and the higher remaining seeds face the #2 team as well. In this article, Sports Section Leader, Jacob Chaimovitch, and the Sports Editor, Josh Hobbs, of the Bobcat Prowl will break down their picks for each of the 4 matchups slated for Saturday and Sunday. Here we go.

     #6 Indianapolis Colts at #3 Houston Texans (AFC)

Jacob:

Andrew Luck and his Colts just won the final wild-card spot over the Titans by beating them in the last game of the season. Now, they travel to the Lone Star State to face another AFC South foe in Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. Both teams are strong in their own right. It’s going to be an absolute dogfight, but the Texans prevail riding their D-line led by JJ Watt and offensive weapons like DeAndre Hopkins.

Colts 16, Texans 24

Josh:  

This was was tricky, but I feel that the Colts are arguably the dangerous team in the AFC playoff with Andrew Luck playing at an MVP level. He has pulled through all season and has led the Colts to the playoffs this year. Injuries to T.Y. Hilton make this call even harder, but if he is healthy and ready to go, I have the Colts pulling off the upset in Houston. The Texans are inconsistent and don’t have a reputation for showing up in the bright lights. I say the Colts win by a game-winning field goal.

Colts 24, Texans 22

     #5 Seattle Seahawks at #4 Dallas Cowboys (NFC)

Jacob:

This should be a very good matchup. On one side is Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper. On the other is Russell Wilson, Chris Carson, and Doug Baldwin. I’m picking Seattle not because I hate the Cowboys (Go Giants), but because the Cowboys were lucky to win the division and go 9-7 with the other three teams’ seasons going off the rails just enough. While the Rams beat them out for the division, the Seahawks quietly went 10-6 and slipped into a wild card spot. Not to mention that the Seahawks have already beaten the Cowboys this year.

Seahawks 27, Cowboys 20

Josh:

This is also a very hard match to pick, but I’m going to trust the defense and home-field advantage that the Cowboys have in this game. I do not trust the Seahawks offense to put up much against this top 5 defense in my opinion. The Seahawks have a major advantage in Russell Wilson vs Dak Prescott, but if the Cowboys can effectively run the ball for at 100 yards, look for the Cowboys to win a hard-fought battle and advancing to play the Saints or the Rams.

Seahawks 19, Cowboys 24

     #5 Los Angeles Chargers at #4 Baltimore Ravens (AFC)

Jacob:

Another interesting matchup. The Chargers finished 12-4 but lost the division to the 12-4 Kansas City Chiefs because the Chiefs had a bigger point differential in the two games they had against the Chargers. The Baltimore Ravens, against all odds, won the AFC South against the Steelers, Bengals, and Browns. Lamar Jackson, who stepped in for an injured Joe Flacco in Week 9, has only lost one game since then. One of the games he won was in Week 16 against…the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ravens have already beaten the Chargers by no small margin. What’s stopping them from doing it again?

Chargers 13, Ravens 25

Josh:

Looking at this matchup, I see this game going two ways. Either the Chargers’ talented roster and their overpowering offense will be too much for the Ravens defense or the Chargers defense can figure out the running game of Lamar Jackson, who will control the clock and score consistently throughout the game. The Ravens have already beat the Chargers on the road not long ago, and I expect the Ravens to find a way to win this game with the Chargers lacking much playoff experience. John Harbaugh has been here before, and he has one of the trickiest young QBs playing at a very high level. This win will be a statement game for the Ravens, that as long as Lamar Jackson can stay healthy, they’re a significant threat.

Chargers 24, Ravens 27

       #6 Philadelphia Eagles at #3 Chicago Bears (NFC)

Jacob:

Eagles fans rejoice! Your team won and Minnesota lost in Week 17 which means you’re back in the playoffs after winning it all last year. Who cares if you didn’t win the NFC East, you made it! With Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles at the reigns again, what could go wrong? Let’s see who you are up against. It’s the…oh. One of the best defenses in the league? A red-hot Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback? Offensive weapons like Allen Robinson II and Jordan Howard? Khalil freaking Mack? And they’re all on the same team? Have fun, Philly. You’ll have your hands full on Sunday with the 12-4 Bears.

Eagles 14, Bears 33

Josh:

As of right now, no one can figure Nick Foles and this Eagles offense. Ever since Nick Foles took over for Carson Wentz in Week 15, they’re a completely different team. I believe that this is the game that will really shock the NFL world. The Eagles really have a shot to replicate their success they had last postseason. The Bears have little playoff experience, as well as a second-year quarterback that has never played in a playoff game in his career. I believe the experience of the Eagles prevails them in this match and the Bears go home wondering how Nick Foles keeps winning games.

Eagles 32, Bears 21