NFL Playoff Schedule 2017: Postseason Picture Predictions for Wild Card Round

NFL regular-season action wrapped Sunday night with the conclusion of the Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions game, and though there was a brief period of suspense as we waited for the playoff schedule to be released, we now know which teams will play on Wild Card Weekend. 

The AFC’s Oakland Raiders and NFC’s Lions could have clinched their divisions and one of the first four seeds with wins in Week 17. However, they lost and fell to wild cards. 

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs have first-round byes in the AFC, while the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys will also sit out the first week of NFC action. 

Let’s break down the schedule for the Wild Card Round and make some predictions for the winners. The action gets underway Saturday when the Oakland Raiders take on the Houston Texans in the first game.  

Matchup Previews and Predictions

Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans

The Raiders had a chance to win their division and head into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the AFC, but a 24-6 loss at the hands of the Denver Broncos in Week 17 dropped Oakland to the No. 5 seed. As a result, the Raiders will meet Houston in the Wild Card Round. 

It became clear Sunday just how much Oakland’s offense has depended on quarterback Derek Carr, who was lost to a broken fibula in Week 16. The Raiders looked lifeless without him. And then, to make matters worse, backup quarterback Matt McGloin suffered a shoulder injury, which thrust rookie Connor Cook into the unenviable position of trying to win a high-stakes game. 

As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday, Oakland is not optimistic about McGloin playing against the Texans on …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com