By Tam Nguyen, Nguoi Viet
The playoffs are set, and the National Football League wild-card round starts Saturday.
Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals
The first wild-card matchup is between the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers (4th seed; 7-8-1) and wild-card team the Arizona Cardinals (5th seed; 11-5-0). The Panthers clinched the division by defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-3 last Sunday in a winner-take-all matchup.
The winner will face either the Green Bay Packers or the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round.
Kickoff is slated for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time on ESPN.
Key players
PANTHERS: Carolina will depend on Cam Newton to run the offense against the tough Arizona defense. Ranked only 21st in the league in passing, Newton will have to contend with a Cardinals defense that is ranked fifth in the league. Running back Jonathan Stewart also will need to get things done on the ground after a mediocre season. He rushed for 809 yards and averaged 62.2 yards per game but is tough to tackle.
Jonathan Stewart #28 of the Carolina Panthers breaks away from the Atlanta Falcons on a run. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
CARDINALS: Quarterback Ryan Lindley played only three games this season, taking over for the injured Drew Stanton, who himself took over for Carson Palmer, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Lindley looked good in a 20-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, completing two touchdown passes and passing for more than 300 yards against one of the best defensive teams in the league. Lindley needs a repeat performance or better to advance to the divisional round.
Quarterback Ryan Lindley of the Arizona Cardinals passes in the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Keys to victory
PANTHERS: Newton has to bring his A game against the defense of the Cardinals. Stewart needs to help the team by getting yardage on the ground, tire the defense and find the end zone more often.
Quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers celebrates his teammate’s interception return for a touchdown in the second half of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
CARDINALS: The Cardinals league-worst rushing attack puts a lot of stress on Lindley, who is playing in his first career playoff game. Lindley will need a lot of help in the passing game from veteran leader Larry Fitzgerald, as well as the reliable Michael Floyd.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Saturday’s second wild-card matchup is between the AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers (3rd seed; 11-5-0) and the wild-card entry Baltimore Ravens (6th seed; 10-6-0). The Steelers clinched the division by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-17, last Sunday, while the Ravens secured the wild-card berth by defeating the depleted Cleveland Browns, 20-10.
The winner of the 5 p.m. Pacific kickoff (NBC-TV) will face either the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
Key players
STEELERS: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger comes into the playoffs having one of his best career years. He passed for more than 300 yards nine times this season and tossed 32 touchdowns for the year.
Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to pass during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Antonio Brown is the go-to receiver for Roethlisberger. Brown accumulated more than 1,600 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns. Brown’s great speed will be a major asset in helping the Steelers advance the ball downfield.
Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
RAVENS: While the Ravens early season was marked by turmoil from the Ray Rice suspension, Justin Forsett filled in admirably at running back. Forsett’s quickness can help him elude tacklers and keep drives moving. Forsett ran for nearly 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns. He also led the league with runs of 20 or more yards – 17 of them.
Running back Justin Forsett #29 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball in the second quarter of a game against the Cleveland Browns. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)
The Ravens enter the playoffs with a wounded defense, particularly in the secondary. Linebacker C.J. Mosley leads the team in tackles with 133. The Ravens have been historically known for a great defense and their ability to rush the passer. Mosley will help in that regard.
Linebacker C.J. Mosley of the Baltimore Ravens tackles Cleveland tight end Jordan Cameron. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Keys to victory
STEELERS: The Steelers are missing star running back Le’Veon Bell. Bell, who ran for the second-most yards in the NFL (1,361), injured his knee in the win over Cincinnati a week ago. The Steelers will need a big game from Roethlisberger and Brown to make up for his absence.
RAVENS: The Ravens’ depleted secondary will have to find a way to stop Brown. It may need to look to double him on the outside. The defensive backfield also will need to tackle well in the open field if Roethlisberger is able to find other receivers. Furthermore, without Bell in the backfield, the Ravens need to make sure they can shut down a weakened Steelers rushing attack.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The first game on Sunday (10.a.m. Pacific time, CBS-TV) features the AFC South champions, Indianapolis Colts (4th seed; 11-5-0), and the wild-card Cincinnati Bengals (5th seed; 10-5-1). The Bengals had an opportunity to capture the AFC North and secure a home game, but they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
The winner will face either the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
Key players
COLTS: Quarterback Andrew Luck and the Colts have the best passing attack in the league. The Stanford product is among the elite young quarterbacks in the game due to his arm strength, accuracy, and ability to read defenses. However, because the Colts have a below average offensive line and a bad running game, Luck is asked to do an awful lot. He tied for third in the league in interceptions (17).
Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts throws a pass during a game against the Tennessee Titans. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
T.Y. Hilton is Luck’s receiver to watch out for. Hilton, who possesses great speed, caught 82 balls for 1,345 yards and seven touchdowns. Also watch out for tight end Dwayne Allen, who had eight touchdowns.
T.Y. Hilton #13 of the Indianapolis Colts makes a catch for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
BENGALS: The Bengals possess the league’s sixth-best rushing attack behind the duo of Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard.
Jeremy Hill #32 of the Cincinnati Bengals carries the ball agianst the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Keys to victory
COLTS: The Colts need to try to get a running game in this game. They were in the bottom half of the league in total rushing yards and need to not ask Luck to carry the entire offense. This will help the Colts churn up time of possession and keep the Bengals’ potent offense on the bench.
BENGALS: Cincinnati must stick with its running game and open holes for its rushers to get them down field for a chance to score.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions
The final wild-card game is between the NFC East champions, Dallas Cowboys (3rd seed; 12-4-0), and the wild-card Detroit Lions (6th seed; 11-5-0). The Lions had a chance to win the NFC North but lost to the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
The winner will face either the Seattle Seahawks or the Packers in the divisional round.
Kickoff is Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time on FOX.
Key players
COWBOYS: DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys have the NFL’s second-best rushing offense. Murray amassed 13 touchdowns in his breakout season. His toughness can turn a bad run into a great run because he is hard to take down.
Running back DeMarco Murray of the Dallas Cowboys rushes against the Washington Redskins. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
The offensive line is the key for the Cowboys. It must open holes for Murray to run through and protect quarterback Tony Romo to give him time to find an open receiver down the field.
LIONS: The defense is what helped the Lions got this far. They have the second-best defense in the league and will look to prove that defense wins games. The Lions held opponents to only 300.9 yards average per game.
Matthew Stafford isn’t the best quarterback in the league but he can get the job done. When he has time in the pocket, he can scan the field for his receivers and pass the ball with deadly accuracy.
Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions passes against the Green Bay Packers. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Key to victory
COWBOYS: The O-line has to step up its game and get going against one of the toughest defenses in the league. The offensive line needs to create holes for Murray and protect Romo.
LIONS: The defense has to watch out for the Cowboys’ receivers on short passes and close the holes before Murray sees the opening, especially on the goal line.
