Welcome to the Playoffs: Sunday Open Thread
With the first day of playoff action in the books, it is time to look at the second half of Wild Card Weekend.
By Bernd Buchmasser@BerndBuchmasser Jan 4, 2015, 8:00am EST
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Will it be a wild Sunday?
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The first day of Wild Card Weekend is over and the Carolina Panthers (27-16 over the Arizona Cardinals) and Baltimore Ravens (30-17 over the Pittsburgh Steelers) advance to the Divisional Playoff round. While we do not know the Panthers' next opponent just yet, we know that the Ravens will have to travel to Foxboro next Saturday to face the New England Patriots.
That being said, it is time to turn our attention to today's games. They look as follows:
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts
Bengals coverage: Cincy Jungle
Colts coverage: Stampede Blue
Cincinnati Bengals 1:05 PM ET (CBS) Indianapolis Colts
10-5-1 (2nd AFC North, #5 seed) Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis IN 11-5 (1st AFC South, #4 seed)
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis Statistical Comparison Head Coach: Chuck Pagano
15th (22.8/gm) Points Offense 6th (28.6/gm)
12th (21.5/gm) Points Defense 19th (23.1/gm)
14th (1.3/gm) Point Differential 7th (5.6/gm)
16th (0) Turnover Differential 22nd (-5)
In his role as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, Marvin Lewis has never won a playoff game, going 0-5. His quarterback Andy Dalton, he of one postseason touchdown and six interceptions in three games, is 0-3. Both look to win their first postseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, who have beaten the Bengals 27-0 in week 7. They will have to do so without star wide receiver A.J. Green: he has already been ruled out due to a concussion sustained in the regular season finale.
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
Lions coverage: Pride of Detroit
Cowboys coverage: Blogging the Boys
Detroit Lions 4:40 PM ET (FOX) Dallas Cowboys
11-5 (2nd NFC North, #6 seed) AT&T Stadium, Arlington TX 12-4 (1st NFC East, #3 seed)
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell Statistical Comparison Head Coach: Jason Garrett
22nd(20.1/gm) Points Offense 5th (29.2/gm)
3rd (17.6/gm) Points Defense 15th (22.0/gm)
6th (+7) Turnover Differential 9th (+6)
Since their last Super Bowl title in 1995, the Dallas Cowboys have won two playoff games (one in 1996, one in 2009). You think this statistic looks dire? Look no further than the Detroit Lions, who have won one playoff game in the 48 years of the Super Bowl era (in 1991). Coincidentally, the Lions won that game against the then-visiting Dallas Cowboys. This time, the Lions have to go on the road and look to take advantage of the Cowboys' mediocre 4-4 record at AT&T Stadium this year.
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