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Saturday's NFL Wild Card Playoffs: A rooting guide

The Ravens will not be playing in the postseason, but unless there's still football going on and one of these teams is going to the Super Bowl. Might as well root for one of them. They don't have to be a favored team, just the team that you dislike the least. Here's your contenders on Saturday:

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The Ravens will not be playing in the postseason, but unless there's still football going on and one of these teams is going to the Super Bowl. Might as well root for one of them. They don't have to be a favored team, just the team that you dislike the least. Here's your contenders on Saturday:

Houston Texans:

Why you should root for them:

J.J. Watt is one of the best defensive players in the game and he's a pretty decent guy, even if he seems preachy and mechanical sometimes. If you're a fan of the guy, root for Watt to get his shot at a Super Bowl. Also the Texans winning means that there's one less ringless franchise in the NFL.

Why you shouldn't:

Because Brian Hoyer is the starting QB and you'd be setting yourself up for disappointment.


Kansas City Chiefs

Why you should root for them:

The Kansas City Chiefs haven't won a playoff game in over 20 years. That's some pretty big suffering right there. They're not the Patriots, Steelers, or a Peyton Manning led team. Perhaps you want a Super Bowl I rematch. Also it would be fairly amusing to watch Andy Reid and Alex Smith win it all while the Eagles and 49ers are starting over.

Why you shouldn't

Sorry Alex, but you're one of the most boring quarterbacks in the playoffs. Nothing personal.


Pittsburgh Steelers

Why you should root for them:

Respect for our rivals. Plus the Steelers and Ravens have such a similar mentality, it'd be like rooting for the Ravens at this point.

Why you shouldn't:

Because they really don't need to get any closer to winning that seventh ring. A first-round defeat would take some air out of their sails and make the postseason a little sweeter.

Cincinnati Bengals

Why you should root for them:

Because the Bengals also haven't won a playoff game in over 20 years. Because you still like Marvin Lewis from his days as a coordinator and want him to succeed. Because they aren't the Patriots, Steelers, or a Peyton Manning led team. Because you want to see the A.J. McCarron vs Andy Dalton arguments. Because it would highlight the ineptitude of the Browns as they would be the only team in the north without a playoff win recently.

Why you shouldn't:

Because Steve Smith wants both teams to lose. Not to mention that it's nice to still hold a playoff victory over the Bengals.

There's your Saturday teams and reasons you should root for or against all of them. We've only got four more weeks of football before it's gone for the next six months, let's make it count.