NFL Wild Card Weekend picks Eagles upset

Let the mad dash to Miami and Super Bowl LIV begin. With 17 weeks of regular-season football in the books, the entire NFL now shifts its attention to the postseason and a four-game Wild Card Weekend slate of games.We're coming off a pretty bonkers final week of the regular season that saw Seattle nearly edge out the current No. 1 seed for NFC West title and the absolutely fell on their face and out of a first-round bye, playing on Wild Card Weekend for the first time in a decade. Now that we're on the doorstep of the playoffs, it's only fitting that more madne s and thrilling matchups Jeff Teague Jersey are on deck.As I see it, we have one major upset in line for us this weekend, but we flirt with a few others along the way. The only contest that I don't see as all too close fittingly occurs down in the Big Easy between the and .Before we jump into picks for the opening weekend of the playoffs, here's where I stand following the regular season both straight up and ATS. Regular-season picks recordStraight up:160-95-1Against the spread:124-127-5 at (-2.5)Saturday, 4:35 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)There seems to be a lot of people on the Bills bandwagon heading into this matchup with Houston, which is a bit surprising when you consider their momentum (or lack thereof) coming into the postseason. They're 1-3 in their previous four games, averaging just 14.3 points per game over that stretch and are well under 175 pa sing yards per game as well. Quarterback can always be a threat with his legs, but it'll be interesting to see how this offense will produce if the Texans defense can force him to Vince Carter Jersey be a pure pa ser. Defensively, I see Houston getting a big emotional boost with the return of pa s rusher J.J. Watt, which should be infectious throughout the entire unit. In terms of the Texans offense, is an X-factor as Bill O'Brien notes he'll be a true game-time decision. If he plays (and stays healthy throughout the game), it makes Houston's offense that much more lethal. I see the pa sing game potentially having a tough time if Bills corner is on star receiver , but Watson should be able to land a few strikes when need be. This game will be close, but I expect Houston to win and cover.Pick: Texans 21-17 over Bills at New England Patriots (-5)Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET Treveon Graham Jersey (CBS)This matchup has sneaky upset potential as well. The Patriots are forced to play on Wild Card Weekend for the first time since 2009 thanks to a stunning Week 17 lo s to the . In that game, and the offense came out almost totally flat, while the normally superb defense was getting carved up by . If they produce a similar showing on Saturday night, it'll be curtains for Bill Belichick and company. I don't see that coming, however. Despite their offensive struggles over the bulk of the season, the Patriots have been chipping away at something that resembles a serviceable unit, specifically when they focus on the ground game. I expect that to be a main point of emphasis for Josh McDaniels, while Brady looks more like he did against Buffalo in Week 16 where he completed his first ten throws in what unquestionably was his best game of the year. Tenne see will make this a close game and head coach Mike Vrabel, who once played under Belichick in Foxborough Clint Capela Jersey , will surely be able to throw plenty of wrinkles his old team's way. His familiarity alone has me taking the points in this one. In the end, however, I simply question if , who is 0-6 against the Patriots as a starter in New England, can get it done against a defense that is hungry to rebound. I see the Pats living to fight another week.Pick: Patriots 24-21 over TitansMinnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints (-7.5)Sunday, 1:05 p.m. ET (Fox)Minnesota is in a tough spot here. Not only do they have to go into the Superdome to face a white-hot Saints team, but New Orleans will be looking to enact some postseason revenge against the Vikings thanks to that "Minneapolis Miracle" a few years back. That'll be emphasis enough for and company to come into this game gangbusters. They're also simply the better team. Minnesota's defense may be able to fend off the Saints offense a little bit, but it won't be enough to allow and the Vikings offense to keep up. Cousins' affinity to fall on his face in prime-time contests also has me thinking that this won't exactly be the closest contest on the playoff slate this weekend.Pick: Saints 33-17 over Vikings (-1.5) at Sunday, 4: De'Andre Hunter Jersey 40 p.m. ET (NBC)Thanks to winning the NFC East, the 9-7 Eagles get to host the 11-5 Seattle Seahawks in the opening round of the postseason and that's nothing to sleep on. Philadelphia is one of the toughest places to enter as an opposing team and and the Eagles are rolling pretty hot at the moment. Granted, both Seattle and Philly are dealing with their fair share of injuries acro s the roster and that shouldn't be overlooked in this matchup. What has me giving the Eagles the edge in this game is not only Wentz playing a high level entering his first postseason start but also Seattle's play-calling on offense. Even when they've been decimated with injuries at the running back spot, the Seahawks simply have no interest in allowing to drop back and sling it. Unle s they have an entire change of philosophy overnight, I don't see the Seattle offense being able to go toe-to-toe with Wentz and the Eagles unit. Pick: Eagles 27-13 over Seahawks