AFC WINNING TIME....the 3-4 ZONE BILTZ vs POP WARNER TEBOW....ROOKIE QB VS ROOKIE QB in DALTON vs YATES

It is officially WINNING TIME in the NFL and the VOTES are in. A brief synopsis on how you become and NFL WILD CARD Team:

1. You got HOT EARLY or LATE to get in...

2. Other Teams helped you get in by their lack of Urgency or their shortcomings...

3. The FOOTBALL GODS reward you for your HARD WORK and DEDICATION throughout...

4. You didn't take care of BIZ in the DIVISION to warrant a 1st Round Bye

I didn't cover all the FACTS but some of the KEY ones. All these WIld Card Teams will have to WIN all 3 GAmes on the ROAD in order to get to SUPER BOWL 46 unless the top 2-4 SEEDS falter in Rounds 1 and 2.

The AFC top 2 SEEDS...the New England PATRIOTS and the Baltimore RAVENS have 1st Round Byes as they await the WINNERS of the WILD CARD Round.

January 7, 2012
430PM ET

Reliant STADIUM HOUSTON Texas

BENGALS @ TEXANS: The TEXANS did beat the BENGALS in the JUNGLE a few weeks back as it was rookie QB TJ YATES coming out party. But since then the ROOKIE QB of the TEXANS has looked just that. The TEXANS will have their work cut out and remember the BENGALS had that game won if the BENGALS had not had a 4th Quarter Meltdown.

Tale of the TAPE for AFC WILD CARD GAme #1
(NFL Rank in paranthesis)

BENGALS
Offense 21.5 PTS (18th) 319.9 Total YDS (20th) 208.8 PASS Yds (20th) 111.1 YDS RUSH Yds (19th)

TEXANS
Offense 23.8 PTS (10th) 372.1 Total YDS (13th) 219.1 Yds (18th) 153 Yds (2nd)

BENGALS
Defense 20.2 PTS (9th) 316.2 Total YDS (7th) 211.6 PASS Yds (9th) 104.7 RUSH Yds (10th)

TEXANS
Defense 17.4 PTS (4th) 285.7 Total YDS (2nd) 189.7 PASS Yds (3rd) 96 RUSH Yds (4th)

Just glancing at the NFL RANKINGS for both TEAMS the TEXANS are in the TOP 5 in both DEFENSIVE Categories of PASS YARDS and RUSHING Yards against. Which means that the BENGALS Rookie QB Dalton and ROOKIE WR AJ Green must improvise a little as TEXANS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Wade PHILLIPS will have some tricks with that 3-4 STEELER and PACKER-like Defense.

The BENGALS on the OTHER Hand have showed throughout this NFL Season that they do not PLAY WELL from behind as they DO NOT have enough firepower to over come large DEFICITS.

the SKINNY: This is a PICK'EM due to the FACT that the TEXANS DO NOT have QB SCHAUB or DE Super MARIO WILLIAMS and the BENGALS are playing at the TEXANS House. This is the 1st PLAYOFF GAME ever for the TEXANS so how will they control their emotions will be the key as well as the BENGALS if the BENGALS get out early.

January 8, 2012
430PM ET

SPORTS AUTHORITY Stadium MILE HIGH...aka the BIG SPORTING GOOD Mile High

STEELERS @ BRONCOS: Dick LeBEAU meets TEBOWmania and unless the BRONCOS PASSING GAME gets going...the BRONCOS will be in BIG TROUBLE. The thing is the BRONCOS have a full WORK WEEK to change the PLAYBOOK a little bit to see what TEBOW is comfortable in doing (playing to TEBOW's STRRENGTHS).

The STEELERS on the OTHER hand have a hobbled BIG BEN ROETHLISBERGER and are minus STARTING RB Mendenhall. The STEELERS may be better off using RB's REDMAN, CLAY, and DWYER. Big BRUISING Type backs that can punish the BRONCOS upfront all day. Also the STEELERS may be without SAFETY Ryan CLARK with that SICKLE CELL Trait that doesn't react good in higher elevations.

TALE of the TAPE AFC Wild Card GAME #2

STEELERS
Offense 20.3 PTS (22nd) 372.3 (12th) 253.4 PASS Yds (10th) 118.9 RUSH Yds (14th)

BRONCOS
Offense 19.3 (25th) 316.6 (23rd) 152.1 PASS Yds (31st) 164.5 RUSH Yds (1st)


STEELERS
Defense 14.2 PTS (1st) 271.8 (1st) 171.9 PASS Yds (1st) 99.8 RUSH Yds (8th)

BRONCOS
Defense 24.4 PTS (24th) 357.8 YDS (20th) 231.5 PASS Yds (18th) 126.3 RUSH Yds (22nd)

From a DEFENSIVE STANDPOINT the BRONCOS D is NOT GOOD and remember these same BRONCOS were 1-4 through 5 games until TEBOW MANIA...YEAH RIGHT. Like that some MOJO they use to WIN GAMES you better tell ELWAY and the BOYS to brace for the WORSE and I KNOW the whole WORLD is pulling for the BRONCOS and TEBOW becasue NO ONE wants to see that BLACK n YELLOW in Winning Time.

The STEELERS on the other hand have to protect BIG BEN more as that HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN still is not up to par. The STEELERS also have to get 7's instead of 3's especially on the ROAD in WINNING TIME. Not having MENDENHALL shouldn't hurt the D but not having CLARK back there on DEFENSE shouldn't dictate too much what the STEELERS DEFENSE will do because of the BRONCOS INABILITY to make plays down the FIELD.

the SKINNY: Both TEAMS know what they have to do...the BRONCOS know that TERRIBLE TOWEL is coming and can they STOP it. The STEELERS don't give a THOUGHT to TEBOWmania as wee see BALL HARD University from CHARM CITY all the TIME in WINNING TIME and you know the ANSWER to that.

WINNER: STEELERS 24-6 as they DOMINATE from the ONSET and BIG BEN is moving better and better....

***STATS from NFL.com