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ESPN NFL Wild Card Round 2017 Predictions, Picks, And Schedule: Steelers, Seahawks, Packers, And Texans Viewed As Consensus Winners

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 07:11 PST, Jan 6, 2017

NFL predictions and picks for the 2017 Wild Card Round from the experts at ESPN are here, and there are quite a few interesting games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. While the experts are all almost in unanimous agreement for all four games, anything can happen in the NFL, and upsets are always possible. In addition to the predictions by the experts at ESPN, the latest NFL odds from Vegas Insider were also used as reference points.

Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers — Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET

While the Steelers have had their fair share of ups and downs this year, they still managed to win the AFC North with a record of 11-5. With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell, and wide receiver Antonio Brown, the Steelers have one of the most feared offenses in the NFL. As ESPN reports, Sunday’s date with the Dolphins is going to be the first time that all three have been on the field together for a playoff game.

While the Dolphins have had a solid season, their 10-6 record makes them seem a little better than they really are. They actually gave up 17 more points than they scored this year, and they were only 4-4 on the road. It is going to be extremely difficult for them to win in Pittsburgh, and all nine ESPN experts believe the Steelers are going to win this game.

As Forbes notes, the odds are also strongly in the Steelers’ favor.

“The odds for this AFC Wildcard game opened up at 7.5 points favoring the Steelers and quickly shot up to 10 points, showcasing that the public truly believes that the Steelers are going to blow out their opponent. The public overwhelmingly believes the Dolphins are set to lose, even after seeing them win against the same opponent just over two months ago.”

With Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill sidelined for Sunday’s game, according to CBS Sports, it is going to be even harder for the underdog Dolphins to pull off an upset.

Detroit Lions at Seattle Seahawks — Saturday at 8:15 p.m. ET

While it appeared as though the Lions had a real shot to win the NFC North, they lost their final three games. Regardless, they were still able to qualify for the playoffs, and they now have a chance to advance to the next round with a win against the favored Seahawks. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been solid this year, but he has thrown eight fewer touchdown passes than last year. His completion percentage is also down slightly, but his interceptions are also down.

Like the Lions, the Seahawks have also been up and down this year. Their record of 10-5-1 was good enough to win the NFC West, but it was not exactly a tough division this season. They have been able to manage without star safety Earl Thomas, but that loss is going to be difficult to overcome in the later rounds of the playoffs. Regardless, the Seahawks were 7-1 at home this year, and Seattle remains one of the toughest places in the NFL for visiting teams. For that reason, all nine ESPN experts believe the Seahawks are going to win this game.

New York Giants at Green Bay Packers — Sunday at 4:40 p.m. ET

The Packers come into Sunday’s game against the Giants as the hottest team in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers looks like the MVP of the league, and they have won six games in a row. They are 6-2 at home this year, and Lambeau Field remains one of the toughest places to win a game.

The Giants come into the game with a record of 11-5, which was good for second place in the tough NFC East. Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s play has been acceptable this year, but his touchdowns are down, and his interceptions are up from last year. Regardless, Manning is one of the best postseason quarterbacks in NFL history. Whether or not he is able to find magic for Sunday’s game against the Packers remains to be seen, but the ESPN experts are skeptical. Eight out of nine analysts believe the Packers are going to win this game.

Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans — Saturday at 4:35 p.m. ET

With a record of 12-4, it looked like the Raiders had a real shot to win the AFC this year. While they still have a chance, things are going to be much more difficult without quarterback Derek Carr. With 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions this year, Carr was having the best season of his career.

The Texans have quarterback problems of their own, but the ESPN experts still believe they are going to win this game. In fact, seven out of nine think they will advance to the next round of the playoffs. While the Raiders will be back next year, it is going to be extremely difficult for them to make any noise in this year’s playoffs without Carr.

[Featured Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]

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