The 2012 NFL Playoffs kick off on Saturday with a 2012 AFC Wild Card matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) and the Houston Texans (10-6). This will be a rematch of the Week 14 contest that the Texans squeaked out a 20-19 win over the Bengals. This one should be just as entertaining as that finish.
This will be a battle between rookie quarterbacks. The Bengals' Andy Dalton was a second-round pick and has started since the first game of the season. He's passed for nearly 3,400 yards and has 20 passing touchdowns. T.J. Yates, on the other hand, wouldn't be playing if it weren't for injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. Drafted in the fifth round, Yates didn't even play in a game until the end of November. His best game so far was against the Bengals, going 26-of-44 for 300 yards and two touchdown passes.
And for the Texans, which won its first AFC South title, it will also be the first taste of playoff action for the franchise. Can they avoid the mild upset on Saturday afternoon?
Game time/date: 2:30 p.m. MT, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston Tx.
TV: NBC
For more on this game, visit Bengals blog Cincy Jungle and Texans blog Battle Red Blog. Head over to SB Nation NFL for more playoff coverage.