Last Week: 11-5

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

Andy Reid vs Chip Kelly. The old master returns to face his successor. It’s Obi-Wan vs Vader, only with a greater risk of heart disease. Chip Kelly’s fast paced offence turned heads week one, but the flaws were exposed against San Diego. Running that many plays that quickly means that your defence is spending A LOT of time on the field. Thus Philly were gassed in the end. Experience counts for a lot, and Reid knows these Eagles players better than anyone.

Wildcard’s Pick: KC by 3

Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Here are two teams who had very important, if also very contrasting, victories week two. The Bengals will be in and around the playoff scenarios all season, but Green Bay are still a step above. Aaron Rodgers is good enough to dominate without a stable O-line or his starting running back, as he proved to Washington, and with his receiving corps as strong as they are, who’s gonna stop them scoring? Cincinnati needs a lot more from Andy Dalton for me to believe that they can keep up in the shootout that Green Bay often provides. There’s a reason they call him The Red Rifle, but that reason is his hair, not because he has a Favre-esque arm.

Wildcard’s Pick: Green Bay by 7

St Louis Rams (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Y’know, Dallas could lose this and still be in control of the NFC East. It’s becoming clear that this is the worst division in football. There’s no stand out team, though also no really weak team. Just four 8-8 types. And 8-8 may be enough to win it. Nonetheless, Dallas will probably win here. St Louis has competed well, and will run the wildcard race to the end, but at home the Cowboys have too much talent and too many tools. Especially early in the season before their notoriously negative ‘fans’ start quitting on them. Just gotta have a little faith, fellas.

Wildcard’s Pick: Cowboys by 4 – they never make it easy on themselves, but then neither do St Louis

San Diego Chargers (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (1-1)

Neither of these teams will be in the playoffs, but neither are as bad as most thought they would be. Phil Rivers actually delivered last week, and Jake Locker is improving a lot under the radar. Not a game worth wasting your NFL Gamepass privileges on (Still can’t believe we get it free in NZ!), but definitely a couple of teams to keep an eye on. They’ll tip up a few apple carts.

Wildcard’s Pick: Tennessee by 3, if only because it rhymes

Cleveland Browns (0-2) at Minnesota Vikings (0-2)

By trading Trent Richardson, and inconceivably keeping Brandon Weeden as a starter (though he’s injured this game), the Browns are officially tanking. They’ll have a tough time being worse than Jacksonville, but hey, full credit for trying. (The Browns & Jags actually play December 3 (NZT)). You really must wonder if Tim Tebow - just throwing a name out there - is any worse than what the Browns have got at QB. Minnesota needs this win. They should get it.

Wildcard’s Pick: Vikings by 12

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) at New England Patriots (2-0)

It looks so clear cut on paper. Tampa Bay has been losing narrowly; New England has been winning narrowly. The Gronk is close to returning, and when he does, the Pats will step it up a gear, but whether he’s back in time for this one is doubtful. Either way, I think the trend continues. New England has been so good for so long because they know how to find a way to win. Don’t ever doubt Belichick/Brady.

Wildcard’s Pick: Patriots by 4

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at New Orleans Saints (2-0)

The Saints are winning games, but they’re doing it the hard way. They could just as easily be 0-2 right now. I mean, how did they only beat Tampa Bay by a late field goal? That game had no right to be so close. Arizona stole one against Detroit week two, and really could be 2-0 themselves if they’d held on against St Louis. They’ll rustle some feathers for sure this season, but New Orleans are gonna turn it up sooner or later. It may as well be here.

Wildcard’s Pick: Saints by 7

Detroit Lions (1-1) at Washington Redskins (0-2)

Wasn’t the Redskin’s defence quite good last year? A year really is a long time, because they straight suck at the moment. RG3 will probably get the green light to run more, but to be fair, the reason he’s been throwing so much is that he’s been playing from behind. Next up? Matt Stafford brings Calvin Johnson to town, and I fully expect them to go to town on the ‘Skins too. If you’re letting James Jones catch 178 yards, then Megatron should be in for 250. God, I wish I’d had the chance to draft him in my fantasy team…

Wildcard’s Pick: The Motor City lads drive all over Washington. Lions by 10

New York Giants (0-2) at Carolina Panthers (0-2)

Goddamn, why would you want to watch either of these teams after what they did to fans last week? The Giants were humbled by the Broncos, while Carolina really blew it against Buffalo. Home or away, you should be able to win against a team like Buffalo when you have the ball – in their half – with less than 2 mins to play. They didn’t even need to take the field goal (which pushed the lead to 6), just go for it on fourth and one. Or punt, even. Just find a way to win. I’m torn between these two. I had Carolina as a possible dark horse, but if they don’t win here, they’ll be 0-3 going into their bye week.

Wildcard’s Pick: Giants by 3

Houston Texans (2-0) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Houston should be 0-2 given the rubbish they’ve produced so far. Baltimore hasn’t looked much better themselves. Two teams who are planning on being contenders, this is a tough one to pick for all the wrong reasons. Arian Foster is so important to Houston, even more so than Ray Rice is to Baltimore. Both are struggling with injury, though Foster will unquestionably be playing. He’s been unhappy with his reduced role so far and has been begging to be released from the bubble-wrap his team have stored him in. At some point, you just gotta risk it. Players get injured, it happens. Home field advantage swings it here.

Wildcard’s Pick: Ravens by 3. Houston’s comeback, for once, falls short

Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (2-0)

I like these Dolphins, man, I really do. But Atlanta should be up around the top few seeds in the NFC, and although they’ve looked unconvincing so far, they’re gonna get it going sooner or later. Miami’s new look D has been very good up till now, but handling Roddy White and Julio Jones is another story altogether. With Steven Jackson out (they really missed him when he went off hurt vs St Louis) Atlanta could be dragged into a dogfight, but should still be too strong.

Wildcard’s Pick: Falcons by 4

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at New York Jets (1-1)

Hmmm, I think I’ll give this’un a miss. Home field advantage counts for nothing when your own fans hate you, so Buffalo should be able to smuggle a win out of The Big Apple. I really don’t think EJ Manuel is ever leading them to a Superbowl though.

Wildcard’s Pick: Bills with the 3 point victory

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

See, this is why the Colts needed to win last week against the Dolphins. Because now they find themselves travelling to San Francisco where they’ll find a 49ers team bandaging their wounds and looking for revenge in whatever way they can take it after the pants-ing they got in Seattle. Remember they did beat Green Bay week one. The Colts have a decent side (Trent Richardson is a great addition), and a brilliant quarterback, but San Francisco is a Superbowl contender, regardless of last week. They’ll bounce back strong.

Wildcard’s Pick: Luck won’t save the Colts, 49ers by 9

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-0)

A hopeless, winless team comes up against an unbeatable home team. Seattle could cover the line twice over.

Wildcard’s Pick: Seahawks by, ooh, let’s say 20.

Chicago Bears (2-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2)

The Steelers are living on reputation alone now. Their production is way down; their best players are well over age 30. Big Ben is getting demolished physically every game. They can’t stop the sacks, and it’s killing them. Chicago is surprisingly 2-0 despite being expected to slide a bit in 2013. There’s plenty of time for that yet, but for now the bigger crisis is in Pittsburgh.

Wildcard’s Pick: Bears by 6

Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Denver Broncos (2-0)

Who the hell scheduled this game for national coverage? Hannibal Lecter? Denver are looking ominously good, having beaten up the past two Superbowl champs already. Oakland, to their credit, took care of Jacksonville last week in what will probably be the only game all season where they’ll have the bookies backing. You just better hope your fantasy team isn’t coming up against Peyton Manning this week.

Wildcard’s Pick: Denver will have it won by the end of the first quarter. Broncos by 20 plus.

The Wildcard is a staff writer for The Niche Cache. Having overcome a tragic childhood (he witnessed his brother being sliced in half by a machete – and also lost his sense of smell), he found a passion in music, and after being discovered at a high school talent show, went on to be an internationally renowned performer. He is sober now, having previously struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. Oh, and sometimes he writes about the NFL.