The Divisional Round of the playoffs is here! Some say this is the best weekend of football in the entire year and with the NCAA National Championship game being played on Monday Night I think I may have to agree with them. This year is especially interesting for the NFL because it is the first year in a long time that we do not have a clear cut favorite. For the past twenty years there has always been a team with a stud QB like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahommes, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, etc. Of all the teams remaining, the only starting QB who has won a super bowl before is Matthew Stafford. I think it is very likely that we see a first time Super Bowl winning QB this year. Let’s get into the matchups!
Bills vs. Broncos: Saturday 4:30 PM
The Broncos have a stud defense and pass rush that has helped them to win a lot of close games this year and earn the number one seed in the AFC. No one wants to go to Mile High stadium for a playoff game, but if there was one team that I would bet on to win there this weekend it would be the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been playing much better in the second half of the season and have tons of playoff experience on the roster. If they can neutralize the Broncos pass rush with a steady dose of Josh Allen and James Cook they have a great chance of pulling off the upset. On the other side, the weakness of the Broncos has been their inconsistent offense and doubts surrounding the talent of Bo Nix. While Nix may not be as talented as other quarterbacks in the league, he has shown the ability to elevate his level of play when the game is on the line. There is no denying that he has guts. If Nix is able to put some points on the board and allow the Broncos to play from ahead it would greatly improve their chances of victory.
- Prediction: Bills 24 - Broncos 21
49ers vs. Seahawks: Saturday 8:00 PM
If the 49ers were fully healthy I would be very tempted to pick them for the upset. They have all the talent and all the experience that you need to win the Super Bowl but it seems that they get unlucky every year with injuries. I have been guilty of doubting the Seahawks all year, especially after what we saw from Sam Darnold in the playoffs last year. This year seems different to me. I was watching the Thursday night game where the Seahawks came back from being down two scores in the fourth quarter to win 38-37. This team is tough and they will be even tougher to beat in Seattle. I like the Seahawks in this game.
- Prediction: Seahawks 28 - 49ers 17
Patriots vs. Texans: Sunday 3:00 PM
A very interesting matchup and one that I am not excited for as a Patriots fan. The Patriots offensive line looked shaky last week against the Chargers and will now face an even better pass rush this week. The Patriots will need to limit sacks, limit turnovers, and win the field position battle. Committing turnovers and falling behind in the score early is a recipe for disaster. The X-Factor for the Patriots is Drake Maye, he has the ability to nullify the Texans pass rush with his athleticism and league leading 60 percent completions, 9 yards per pass, 104.4 passer rating and 11-3 TD to interception ratio while under pressure. Those are incredible numbers. With one playoff game under his belt, it will be interesting to see how Maye plays this week. On the other side, the Texans need CJ Stroud to play like he did in his rookie year if they want to have a chance of winning this game. It is possible that they execute their defensive gameplan perfectly and still lose the game similarly to the Chargers last week. Stroud fumbled five times last week, losing two, and threw an interception and somehow still beat the Steelers 30-6. He cannot be so careless with the ball this week against the Patriots.
I have been worried about this matchup for weeks, but now that it is here I feel more optimistic about their chances. I think the Patriots win this game.
- Prediction: Patriots 21 Texans 10
Rams vs. Bears: Sunday 6:00 PM
I will keep this one short, I am not a believer in Caleb Williams and I think they were lucky to win last week. If they beat the Rams this weekend I will be shocked and will admit that I was wrong but I do not think that will happen. The Packers were one of the weaker teams in the playoffs and the Bears were lucky to beat them. The rams have the talent and the experience to put the game far enough out of reach for any late game heroics from Williams. Rams win easy.
- Prediction: Rams 30 Bears 21