There might be extra upsets within the offing.
After an excellent Wild Card Spherical by which all however two of the video games had been determined by one rating, the NFL playoffs transfer on to the Divisional Round.
Having loved every week off, the highest seeds in every convention, the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, enter the postseason image.
Each benefit from house video games, nevertheless, they every face tough matchups, with the Seahawks assembly a division rival whom they confronted for the one seed simply two weeks in the past.
With an opportunity to play for the convention titles on the road, the Divisional Spherical is considered by many as the most effective weekend on the NFL calendar, and we count on the matchups to stay as much as the hype.
AFC
Buffalo Payments (6) @ Denver Broncos (1) (Saturday 4.35pm ET, 1:35pm PT, 9:35pm GMT)
A rematch of final season’s Wild Card recreation that the Payments dominated, it’s the Broncos who’re anticipated to prevail this time round after an excellent second season underneath head coach Sean Payton behind a formidable protection and a largely encouraging sophomore 12 months from quarterback Bo Nix.
But the Payments’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars within the Wild Card Spherical served as a reminder of why they’re so harmful with final season’s NFL MVP Josh Allen underneath heart. With momentum and Allen coming off a superb efficiency, there’s loads of purpose to imagine the Payments can pull off one other upset.
The Broncos will certainly look to focus on Buffalo’s extremely weak run protection, nevertheless, if the Payments can flip the competition right into a duel between Nix and Allen, Denver can be in large bother.
Prediction: Payments 27-24 Broncos
Houston Texans (5) @ New England Patriots (2) (Sunday 3:05pm ET, 12:05pm PT, 8:05pm GMT)
Whereas the Patriots protection feasted on the Los Angeles Chargers’ banged-up offensive line, it was a massively unconvincing efficiency from quarterback Drake Maye and the offense in a 16-3 win.,
New England can not afford a repeat towards the Texans’ ferocious protection, which dominated in Houston’s rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a recreation which will have been the final of Aaron Rodgers’ NFL profession.
Maye’s mobility is a large asset for the Patriots as they give the impression of being to keep away from their offense being derailed by the Texans’ defensive entrance. But it’s tough to see New England avoiding turnovers towards the Texans, who’ve a quarterback in C.J. Stroud who can take full benefit and finish their hopes.
Prediction: Texans 20-16 Patriots
NFC
San Francisco 49ers (6) @ Seattle Seahawks (1) (Saturday 8:15pm ET, 5:15pm PT, 1:15am GMT)
The 49ers produced a shocking upset within the Wild Card Spherical as they ended the Philadelphia Eagles reign as champions regardless of their injury-ravaged workforce losing tight end George Kittle to a torn Achilles within the first half.
San Francisco now faces an much more formidable problem on the highway towards their division rivals the Seahawks, who earned the first-round bye with a 13-3 win over the 49ers in Week 18.
Although the 49ers are actually with out Kittle, star left deal with Trent Williams made an enormous distinction in getting back from damage towards Philadelphia and, with nothing to lose, the circumstances arrange higher for San Francisco to supply a extra aggressive show.
The Seahawks boast a dominant protection and an offense that, when quarterback Sam Darnold fires on all cylinders, can rival anybody within the NFL. Nonetheless, there’s one thing just a little magical a few 49ers workforce that has not misplaced in Seattle since 2021. Perception of their unlikely run will attain new heights in the event that they pull this one off.
Prediction: 49ers 19-17 Seahawks
Los Angeles Rams (5) @ Chicago Bears (2) (Sunday 6:40pm ET, 3:40pm PT, 11:40pm GMT)
The Rams got all they may deal with final week by the upstart Carolina Panthers, however MVP frontrunner Matthew Stafford get them over the road in a thriller, placing Los Angeles a win away from an NFC Championship Recreation with one in all their division rivals.
But this ultra-resilient Bears workforce can be something however pushovers, as their exceptional comeback towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers final week demonstrated.
Chicago didn’t drive any turnovers final week towards the Packers however one way or the other nonetheless managed to show round an 18-point deficit. For as imperious as he typically is, Stafford can have spells the place his rhythm utterly disappears, and he’ll put the ball in hurt’s approach. He has thrown seven interceptions in his final seven video games.
If a Bears protection that led the NFL in turnovers within the common season can take benefit, Chicago may discover themselves a recreation away from the Tremendous Bowl.
Prediction: Rams 30-34 Bears
