Who To Root For: Wild Card Round

It’s that time of year again folks!

No, I don’t mean “time to bury all of my Ravens apparel in the deepest, darkest corners of my closet.”

I also don’t mean “time to start questioning when the Orioles will make a move in free agency.”

One more for the record: I don’t mean “time to do an awful New-Year-New-You cleanse/diet/exercise program that you’ll quit in like 2 weeks.”

I’m talking about the NFL Playoffs. 

While it’s understandable that a handful of Ravens fans are still trying to mentally step away from the ledge after an inexplicable implosion in Week 17, most of us simply won’t be able to stay away from the lure of the NFL Wild Card weekend, be it to cheer on our #2 team, or to relish in the misery of a franchise we simply hate.

For those looking for some guidance on which teams to cheer on this weekend, we’ve got you covered!

Tennessee Titans (9-7) vs Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

Saturday 1/6 @ 4:35pm

I’ve dubbed this the “Should’ve Been Us” game, as the meltdown in Baltimore last Sunday led to the Ravens missing out on a trip to Arrowhead this weekend.

The Chiefs come into this game winners of 4 straight, while the Titans had lost 3 in a row before a Week 17 victory over a Jags team that was simply toying with Tennessee, having nothing to play for at all.

Add in a 6-2 home record for the Chiefs versus a 3-5 road record for the Titans, and this game should have KC written all over it by halftime.

WTRF: Chiefs

Typically, I like to root for the underdog in the wild card round, which is almost always the road team; however, I have 3 major reasons to pull for KC this Saturday:

1. The Ravens should be there, not the Titans.
2. The Ravens should be there, not the Titans.
3. The Ravens should be there, not the Titans.

Honestly, my desire for KC to come out victorious has very little to do with this week, and everything to do with next week. I want the team who can give the Steelers or Patriots the biggest fits to head on the road versus the AFC Powerhouses, and as far as the Titans are concerned? They’re not even a bump in the road for either team.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, have already beaten the Patriots in New England in Week 1 this season (42-27) and were a 51-yard bomb to Antonio Brown from beating the Steelers in Week 6.

Also, the Titans beat the Ravens so yea, not cheering for them.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6) @ Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

Saturday 1/6 @ 8:15pm

Last season under Jeff Fisher (for most of the season, at least), the Rams finished with 4 wins.

Fast forward one year later, and the Rams led by a 31-year-old head coach, Sean McVay, are sitting pretty in the 3rd seed in the NFC, with an offense that can beat you in the air or on the ground, and a defense led by Aaron Donald.

The Falcons finished 3rd in the NFC South, and look to avenge last years 28-3 nightmare with another run to the Super Bowl.

(hint- ain’t happenin!)

WTRF: Rams

You’d be hard pressed to find a single Ravens fans who is pulling for Matt Ryan in any situation, given the years of (idiotically) comparing the 2 QB’s drafted in the 1st round of the same year.

Hey Matty Ice, where’s your Super Bowl MVP? No? But that’s right! You have the regular season stats advantage! I mean, no sense in talking about how you have one of the top-3 receivers in the entire NFL in Julio Jones, or years with Roddy White too, and Tony Gonzalez, and actual good Offensive Coordinators, and last year on your run to the Super Bowl two running backs who could be starting on almost any NFL roster…

Such a lazy argument.

Personally, I’m pulling for the Rams all the way, just so I can hear JFisher take credit for the roster, as if he deserves a ring too, and in the end, watching the Browns agreeing with Fisher’s logic and hiring him to replace Hue Jackson next offseason.

Buffalo Bills (9-7) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)

Sunday 1/7 @ 1:05pm

The Bills have no business being in the playoffs. And yet… here we are. Well, at least for like 30 minutes on Sunday afternoon before the game gets out of control, and Buffalo is back where they belong, stuck in mediocrity with the rest of us.

This will get out of control quicker than Titans @ Chiefs, and here’s all the proof you need:

Buffalo is a -57 point differential, versus Jacksonville with a +149.

Buffalo has scored 24 points or less in their last 9 straight games. Jacksonville had scored 30+ points in 4 straight games prior to their ‘throw in the towel’ meaningless game in Week 17 versus the Titans.

Jacksonville is 6-2 at home, while Buffalo is 3-5 on the road.

Yea. It won’t be close.

WTRF: Jags

Look, it’s hard to root for the team that pummeled you in London, but just like the Chiefs, the Jags stand the best chance to give the Steelers or Pats fits in the next round. Hell, they already beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh 30-9! And check this out- if the Chiefs & Jags win, the Divisional Round looks like this:

Chiefs @ Pats- Saturday 1/13

*KC beat NE at Foxboro in Week 1, 42-27*

Jags @ Steelers- Sunday 1/14

*JAX beat PIT at Heinz Field in Week 7, 30-9*

I think we can ALL agree that a repeat of those results is best case scenario in the AFC, yes???

Carolina Panthers (11-5) @ New Orleans Saints (11-5)

Sunday 1/7 @ 4:40pm

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Despite matching records, the Saints took the NFC South over the Panthers, thanks to 2 head-to-head victories over Carolina.

Here we are for Round 3… do the Saints have what it takes to beat the Panthers for a 3rd time in the same season? Surely, it’s quite a challenge, but having the game in New Orleans where the Saints are 7-1 can only help the prolific offense with the best running back tandem in the NFL (Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram), and a sneaky great wide receiver in Michael Thomas.

Oh, and that Drew Brees guy too.

And to think, this Saints team just a year ago was entertaining trade offers for head coach Sean Payton after another sub-par season… (we can dream, Ravens fans!)

WTRF: Saints

Honestly? I’m rooting against the Panthers more than for the Saints.

It’s not because the Panthers were handed an expansion franchise while Baltimore was told to ‘go build a museum.’ It’s not because I don’t like Cam Newton, and think his over-the-top “pro-woman” stance following his sexist comments this season were nothing more than show to get people off his back. It’s not because I won’t root for Steve Smith Sr.’s former team after they did him dirty. It’s not because I think the Panthers did Dave Gettleman dirty when they fired him. It’s not that their skeazy owner Jerry Richardson is a racist, misogynistic pig.

It’s all of those things together.

GEAUX SAINTS!