Sporting News’ Clifton Brown gives his take on how Sunday’s NFL wild-card games will play out:
Baltimore at New England, 1 ET, CBS
Why the Ravens will win: The running of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee will give the Patriots big problems and provide Joe Flacco time to throw play-action passes. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have never lost a home playoff game, and going against them sounds crazy. But without Wes Welker, the Patriots are vulnerable and set up to be shocked.
Dennis Dillon has more on Sunday’s AFC wild-card game.
Green Bay at Arizona, 4:40 ET, Fox
Why the Cardinals will win: This could be a classic, with the Cardinals’ Kurt Warner and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers hurling passes everywhere. Playoff time is Larry Fitzgerald time. He and Warner will connect for some big plays, and the Cardinals’ pass rush should disrupt Rodgers enough for Arizona to win a close game at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Brown has more on Sunday’s NFC wild-card game.
This story appears in Jan. 10’s edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today.
Senior writer Clifton Brown covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.