AFC Wild Card preview: Ravens, Texans favored at home
The NFL playoffs are finally here. After 17 weeks of the regular season, 12 teams have emerged as Super Bowl contenders, while 20 others are already making their vacation plans, waiting for free agency and the draft to begin.
In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots are enjoying the week off before hosting contests in the Divisional round. This upcoming weekend, there are four teams fighting for their lives. Let’s take a look at and break down the tilts.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans (-2.5)
The Texans and Colts split their season series, with both teams winning away from home. In Week 4, it was Frank Reich’s controversial decision to go for it on fourth down in his own territory that led to an overtime defeat. In Week 14, the Colts to their revenge with a 24-17 victory that saved their season. Indianapolis hasn’t lost since, reeling off four consecutive wins to end the slate.
The key to this game is whether the Houston secondary can slow down Andrew Luck. Indianapolis has one elite receiver in T.Y. Hilton and a quality tight end in Eric Ebron, who has emerged from the shadows in Detroit to go from bust to boon. The Texans have really struggled on the back end, with the strength of their defense being up front in Benardrick McKinney, J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus. Bill O’Brien has to hope that his front seven can get pressure on Luck and force hurried throws, while the corners and safeties don’t get beat for the big play.
Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens (-2.5)
This is a rematch of the game we saw only two weeks ago in Los Angeles. On that Saturday night, it was the Ravens going into StubHub Center under the lights and beating the Chargers, 22-10, putting the league on notice once and for all. Los Angeles has to be smarting from that defeat, and it’ll have a chance for redemption, albeit this time playing away from home.
The Ravens have the AFC’s best defense, and it’ll once again have to do the job against an offense that features Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen. If the pass rush gets home, Rivers likely has another rough outing. The first time the teams met, Baltimore was able to sack the future Hall of Famer four times and intercept him twice.
With Lamar Jackson still limited through the air, the Ravens want to play a ball-control style that keeps the score close and the opposing offense off the field. We’ll see if they can do that again as the calendar turns to January.
