It’s time to be wrong. We’ve previewed each of the league’s 32 teams; now it’s time to see how it’ll all play out in the postseason. Hopefully this isn’t the disaster that I’ve been known to produce in the past.
Cover photo taken from The SportsRush.
It’s time to be wrong. We’ve previewed each of the league’s 32 teams; now it’s time to see how it’ll all play out in the postseason. Last time I did this, I predicted the Super Bowl correctly (Chiefs over 49ers in 2023), so I’ve got a reputation to uphold here. Hopefully this isn’t the disaster that I’ve been known to produce in the past.
First, a look at the playoff picture:
NFC Standings
1 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)
2 – Green Bay Packers (12-5)
3 – Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6)
5 – San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
6 – Washington Commanders (11-6)
7 – Detroit Lions (10-7)
AFC Standings
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
2 – Buffalo Bills (14-3)
3 – Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
4 – Houston Texans (10-7)
5 – Los Angeles Chargers (12-5)
6 – Denver Broncos (11-6)
7 – Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)
And now, for the playoff prediction:
Wild Card Weekend
Buccaneers over 49ers
Better team wins a real toss-up. Home-field advantage and an offense with more playmakers puts the Bucs over the top in a shootout.
Packers over Lions
Lambeau finally holds its own as a fortress as Green Bay’s defense proves to be the difference-maker in a hard-fought divisional game.
Commanders over Rams
Jayden Daniels’ homecoming is an explosive one against an inexperienced Rams secondary with Washington winning an exciting road playoff game with plenty of burgundy and gold in the stands.
Texans over Chargers
See: last year’s playoff game.
Ravens over Broncos
Denver’s defense keeps Baltimore’s offense in check for a bit, but the Ravens’ overwhelming talent breaks through late for a close, hard-fought win.
Bills over Bengals
The wheels fall off Cincinnati’s defense as Josh Allen and the Bills get revenge for the 2022 Divisional.
Divisional Round
Eagles over Commanders
Sigh. We’ll see if the idea of revenge fires us up, but I still just don’t know if we have what it takes to keep up with the Birds right now. I’d love to be proven wrong.
Packers over Buccaneers
Tampa can’t keep up in the frozen tundra as the Packers offense explodes for a dominant win to get back to the NFC Championship for the first time since 2020.
Chiefs over Texans
See: last year’s playoff game.
Bills over Ravens
See: last year’s playoff game. I think Baltimore is the best team from top to bottom in the league, but until I see them win in January, I’ll trust what my eyes have seen repeatedly before picking them to finally win it all.
Championship Weekend
Packers over Eagles
Someone has to beat them, right? The Micah Parsons trade makes the Packers a bonafide Super Bowl contender, despite some of their shortcomings in the secondary. This feels like a year that it can all come together for them — from Jordan Love’s ascendancy to Micah’s game-wrecking ability off the edge, I think they’re able to go on the road and knock off the team that’s been the class of the NFC in recent years. Or so I hope.
Chiefs over Bills
Like I said with the Ravens, I actually have to see the Bills win this game to predict them to do so. I do think it’s a matter of when, not if, that Buffalo and/or Baltimore finally knocks off Kansas City. But it’s not for me to say that it’ll be now. I need to see it to believe it. If Buffalo winds up hosting this game, they’d almost have to win it — there would be no better way to send off the Ralph than finally getting the Mahomes monkey off their back and get back to the Super Bowl. And the thought of opening the new stadium with a banner dropping gives you chills. I genuinely hope that it happens. But I’ve seen this film before. We know how it ends.
Super Bowl LX Prediction
(you guys are gonna hate me for this)
Chiefs over Packers
I said it when I picked Patrick Mahomes to win MVP: this season screams 2022 for the Chiefs. That season, everyone wrote them off only for them to go on a run where Mahomes took home that award en route to another ring and Super Bowl MVP.
Well, here we are again. Everyone is discarding the Chiefs after they got crushed in Super Bowl LIX against the Eagles and once again pushing their chips towards the center of the table for Baltimore and Buffalo. Well, only one active quarterback has ever beaten Mahomes in the AFC playoffs, and his defense ain’t getting him to a position where he can do it again. So, to pick KC to get back to the big game feels simple enough.
This would be a very tough test against what’s going to be a vaunted defensive front, but we’ve seen the Chiefs get the job done in this spot time and time again. As I always say, it’s simply them until proven otherwise.
The big game is finally upon us with a star-studded Super Bowl that’s tailor-made for the city of Las Vegas. Here’s my preview and breakdown of the Chiefs and 49ers, as well as my pick to win it all.
Cover photo taken from Gwinnett Daily Post.
After 271 games and over five months of NFL football, we have made it to the big game. Tonight, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, Nev.
It’s a rematch of Super Bowl LIV — and the Super Bowl I predicted at the start of the season — between football’s two best teams with plenty of talent and storylines all over the place. Here’s my preview of each team and my prediction for who will hoist the Lombardi on Sunday night in the desert.
How the 49ers Got Here
You never wanna say that there was “never a doubt” … but there was truly never a doubt that San Francisco would get to this point. This had to be the year they put it together. Lo and behold, it was.
The 49ers were far and away the best team in the NFC — and the best team in the league, for most of the season — for a wide variety of reasons. Elite coaching staff? Check. Solid quarterback who runs the offense to perfection in Brock Purdy? You got it. Best running back in the league in Christian McCaffrey, who just won Offense Player of the Year? He’s here. Several elite offensive weapons other than him? You’ve got three of the best in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. And as has been the case for this entire decade, the defense is obviously outstanding.
Purdy has had his issues to be sure, but you really can’t ask much more of him than what he has provided all year long. 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions — four of which came in one game — is sensational for a former Mr. Irrelevant. And although the large majority of both playoff games was shaky for Brock, he really turned it up and made every play when it mattered most, especially in the last drive against Green Bay and the 17-point comeback against Detroit.
It’s not a remote stretch to say San Fran’s offense is the superior one in this ballgame, thanks to the likes of CMC (2,023 all-purpose yards, 21 total touchdowns), Samuel (1,271 all-purpose yards, 12 total touchdowns), Aiyuk (75 catches, 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns) and Kittle (65 catches, 1,020 and six touchdowns). But to me, their success revolves around the offensive line. That unit has seen some struggles, especially in the postseason, and facing a tremendous front seven certainly won’t be easy. But if they can keep Purdy upright and let CMC do his thing, then the sky is truly the limit for this 49ers offense.
Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy have turned the 49ers offense into a machine. (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area)
So, the road to Vegas has been much more straightforward for the Niners. They simply bulldozed their way through the NFC and made up for some tough losses to AFC teams like Baltimore and Cleveland. But to finally climb the mountain and claim that elusive sixth Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need to get past the man who ruined their dreams the last time they made it to this stage. And he will not go gentle into that good night.
How the Chiefs Got Here
You want the skinny? It’s called having a terrific, burgeoning young defense and the best quarterback of all time.
But it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for Kansas City in the regular season. Far from it. We’re barely a month removed from everyone writing the Chiefs off, whether due to a lack of weapons offensively or some strange losses down the stretch, and they’ve been underdogs in their last two playoff games. For some reason, Vegas thought some guy named Patrick Mahomes wouldn’t be able to play football on the road.
Spoiler alert: he can. Shocker, I know.
Yes, it was a down year for Mahomes. 4,183 yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions might just be a career year for most quarterbacks, but for #15, this was largely considered the worst year of his career. And yes, it was rough at times. But he has been exquisite in the postseason with four touchdowns, no turnovers and a 100.7 passer rating.
It helps that Travis Kelce has come alive in the playoffs as well. Like his quarterback, it was a bit of a down year with 93 catches, 984 yards and five touchdowns — again, ho hum for Travis, but a career year for anyone else — but he has 22 catches, 262 and three touchdowns in the playoffs. In the AFC Championship Game against Baltimore, he had what I consider to be his best game ever with 11 catches, 116 yards and a touchdown. After being the subject of plenty of discussion across the league and the nation this year for… obvious reasons… all it took was the lights to get brighter for #87 to return to form.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce had “down” years, but have turned it up in the postseason. (h/t USA Today)
But to me, this Chiefs team is differentiated from its predecessors because of its defense. We saw flashes and glimpses of how great they could be last season, but they certainly weren’t the reason that Kansas City won the Super Bowl — they gave up 35 points in the big game, after all. But in year two or three for many of the young studs on that side of the ball, a switch has seemingly flipped. Trent McDuffie was a first-team All-Pro corner, L’Jarius Sneed has turned into the league’s best CB2 (and probably should’ve been an All-Pro as well), George Karlaftis has emerged as an effective edge rusher, all while the veterans like Chris Jones, Willie Gay and others continue to do their thing. This is a unit that hasn’t given up more than seven points in a second half since Week 13! And that includes back-to-back road playoff games against Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. They were the second-ranked scoring defense in the regular season, and have given up the fourth-fewest points per game in a postseason since 2000.
America will learn just how dominant Kansas City’s defense is in the Super Bowl. (h/t Sports Illustrated)
This was the worst year for KC’s offense in the Mahomes era. And the reason they’ve been able to still do their thing is in large part thanks to this defense, which might just be the difference maker once again on Sunday evening in Vegas.
Key Matchups
In my mind, there’s not necessarily a key matchup to look out for. I believe that this game will simply be decided by which defense comes out and plays the better football game.
Now, it’s a bit more nuanced than that because of the way these offenses operate, but my main point here is that neither team can win this football game if its defense doesn’t show up to play its best ballgame. We saw how that hurt the 49ers the last time these teams met up in the big game — up 20-10 with just over six minutes left, they gave up back-to-back-to-back touchdowns to wind up losing the game by two scores. This isn’t that kind of Chiefs team anymore, but you can’t allow something like that to happen.
The problem is that I’ve seen this “vaunted” Niners defense get violated like that in each postseason game thus far. They’ve given up 159 yards per game on the ground and their secondary hasn’t looked the part. So the “lack of weapons” on Kansas City’s offense almost doesn’t matter. I need to see this Niners defense be its usual self to believe that it even exists.
That is not the case, however, with KC’s defense, which I got into earlier. And that? That’s the difference in this ballgame.
My Pick
Two Weeks Ago: 2-0
Season Total: 175-99
Before I get into my pick for the game, I think it’s worth noting that I have not picked a Super Bowl correctly in seven years. The last team to not let me down was the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. It has been downhill ever since.
But if there’s any year for that to change, it’s this year. This is the matchup I predicted way back in September, and I’m going to stick with who I picked to win it all when the season got started. While my confidence might have wavered in that over the course of the season, it has never been stronger in the last two weeks.
Chiefs 24-20 49ers
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Here’s some food for thought. Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls. But in none of those seven seasons did I ever think his offense was anything crazy. The most explosive team he played on was the 2007 Patriots, and we all know how that ended. Instead, the Pats/Buccaneers won because of how solid Tom was in the postseason and how well their defense played all year long, and especially in January and February.
Why do I bring that up? Well, because that’s the story of the 2023 Kansas City Chiefs. This isn’t the explosive offense we’re used to. Not remotely. It’s dink and dunk and slice and dice and so on and so forth. And then their defense comes out and suffocates you. It’s like death by a thousand paper cuts, but if you were also blindfolded and deafened.
Ok, that’s a bit dramatic. But the point still stands. This Chiefs team will be remembered for how Patriot-like it was. And this Mahomes season will cement him as the second greatest quarterback of all time because of how much he carried himself like the GOAT.
Kansas City’s offense will do its thing with Mahomes, Isiah Pacheco and Kelce. San Francisco’s offense will also do its thing to a certain extent. But when the going gets tough, you know damn well that Mahomes is going to put together the difference-making plays that Purdy will be incapable of making against this unbelievable Chiefs defense.
And at the end of the night, it’ll be the little things done by Mahomes and his defense that put the Chiefs over the top, winning their second consecutive title and third Super Bowl in five seasons to establish … the last great American dynasty.
The NFL’s proverbial final four is upon us with a pair of incredible games to decide who goes to Las Vegas and Super Bowl LVIII. Here’s who I think gets it done today.
Cover photo taken from Deadline.
Last Week: 3-1
Season Total: 173-99
Chiefs 23-20 Ravens
Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, CBS
To make a rather long story short, you will never catch me picking against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. I learned that lesson the hard way last season. And I won’t make that same mistake here, no matter how tall the task.
The Ravens are excellent. They’re probably the best team in the league. They looked frighteningly good a week ago against Houston. Lamar Jackson is going to win MVP. And everyone on Earth is going to be supporting them today.
But it won’t matter when the NFL’s equivalent of the Terminator is on the other side.
If I’m being completely honest, I actually think the differentiating factor in this game is going to be the defenses. I’ve been singing the praises of the Kansas City D all year long, and for the most part, they’ve been outstanding this postseason.
Now, Baltimore has a patented elite defense of their own, but who do you trust more in a spot like this? The unit and coaching staff that has been here before and always finds a way? Or the one that’s having a great year but has to face #15 with the stakes being as high as possible?
Containing Lamar Jackson will be a difficult test, yes. But no matter how good he has been, I’ll need to see his defense stop Mahomes and the Chiefs offense — which has finally found its stride — to believe that the Ravens are winning this ballgame.
49ers 27-24 Lions
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, FOX
I’ll start by saying that this spread is preposterous.
Yes, the 49ers are elite. They might just be the best team in the league. But the Lions are a damn good team, too. And they should not be 7.5-point underdogs, even on the road.
Regardless, there’s little to no doubt in my mind about the 49ers winning this game — and far fewer second thoughts than my pick for the AFC Championship Game.
I do believe the Lions have what it takes to win this game. Jared Goff and their offense has been operating at an extremely high level in this postseason and we all know Dan Campbell has the guts to win any game. I still worry about their defense, but they haven’t cost the team anything in the playoffs thus far. In fact, they’ve really shored up when they needed to, highlighted by their game-winning interception last week against Tampa. Still, I have some reservations there, especially against a remarkable San Francisco offense littered with talent.
Deebo Samuel being healthy in this game is the difference for me. If he was unable to go, I would have picked Detroit to go to the Super Bowl. He’s one of three distinct MVPs on that offense along with Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams. If any one of them couldn’t go, the 49ers aren’t the same team — we saw that earlier this year when Samuel and Williams missed time and the offense spiraled. We all know Brock Purdy can’t pick up the slack all on his own, but with a healthy Deebo, this offense will be firing on all cylinders against a lackluster Detroit defense. And that just might be the difference.
With eight teams remaining and four titanic matchups ahead, the Divisional Round is sure to be as cinematic as always. Here’s how I see it playing out.
Cover photo taken from NY Post.
Last Week: 3-3
Season Total: 170-98
Texans 23-20 Ravens
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Screw it.
In complete honesty, I think the Ravens are going to win this game. But life is too short to not have some fun.
I’m not picking the Texans for some random or superstitious reasons though. I worry about their run defense against this vaunted Baltimore offense, but I also had that concern last week against Cleveland. All they did was make light work of the Browns all game long with an incredibly inspired defensive effort. Why can’t that happen here as well? And it goes without saying that CJ Stroud is going to do CJ Stroud things, even against a defense as good as this one. If this team made the Browns — who I thought were a Super Bowl contender — look silly for sixty minutes, they’re definitely capable of beating the 1 seed Ravens.
But it won’t be easy. Or at least, it shouldn’t be. This is a massive game for Lamar Jackson and his team. If you lose the AFC Championship game to Kansas City or Buffalo — who are two excellent teams — so be it. At least you got there. They have to get there. And I think that sort of fire will fuel them to a big performance in this game on both sides of the ball. Again, at least it should.
But with all the uncertainty surrounding this team and this quarterback in the postseason, I have to see it to believe it.
49ers 27-17 Packers
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Death. Taxes. The 49ers beating the Packers in the playoffs.
It’s not that simple, but it is pretty simple. The Packers are playing excellent football right now, and their upset win in Dallas last week was glorious. But that’s going to be 100x harder to repeat against the best team in the NFL, especially when Kyle Shanahan absolutely owns Matt LaFleur. Is it entirely possible that Jordan Love goes crazy once again and the defense forces Brock Purdy into enough mistakes to lose the game? Of course it is. Green Bay is talented enough to make that happen. But, like I said with the Ravens, I have to see it to believe it.
I usually worry about rust with teams coming off two weeks of rest like San Francisco is, but this team feels too talented and too well-coached for something like that to happen. I think they’re going to flex their muscles to notch their first of three consecutive wins to capture that illustrious sixth championship. But we’ll cross those bridges when we get there.
Lions 24-20 Buccaneers
Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, NBC
This game is essentially the NFC’s second-place matchup, since I don’t think either team has what it takes to go into San Francisco and win next week. But I think both of these squads has what it takes to at least get to that point.
Detroit’s win last week was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I’m so happy for that team, fanbase and city that deserves it so much. They proved that they’re built for this stage, and they have what it takes to do amazing things, especially at home. I expect a similar performance out of them in this one, but it’ll be another tough test. However, I don’t know if the Bucs are better on either side of the ball than the Rams were, so Detroit might have an easier time in that regard. They’ll need to have a much better second half if they want to not get too uncomfortable.
Tampa’s win last week was also euphoric for the likes of me for obvious reasons. But I have concerns of how realistic it is for them to replicate it. Don’t get me wrong, the Bucs dropped passes left and right and probably should have won by more than 23, but the Lions defense is much, much better than Philadelphia’s, and they probably won’t be slipping and sliding and missing tackles the way those Eagles embarrassingly did. I think Baker will do his thing for a bit, but just like last week, that Lions defense figures to make enough plays to keep them at arm’s length while their offense does the rest.
At the end of the day, I feel like that Week 6 matchup is a pretty good indicator that the Lions simply match up with the Bucs too well and do everything that Tampa does better. So, although this one should be closer than that game was, I still like Detroit to reach an improbable NFC Championship Game for the first time in three decades.
Chiefs 20-17 Bills
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Well, here it is. The seemingly unavoidable matchup that we’ve seen so many times already and should continue to see for the foreseeable future.
I must admit, I’m not as excited as everyone else is for this matchup. And I think there’s a clear reason why: I don’t buy into the Bills storylines.
“Patrick Mahomes finally has to come to Buffalo!” Um, the Buffalo that he’s never lost in? “Josh Allen is playing better than any other QB right now!” The same Josh Allen that has never beaten Mahomes in the postseason, even when he had one of the greatest statistical playoff runs of all time? “Mahomes finally has to go on the road!” What, the best quarterback of all time can’t play on the road? Give me a break.
Beyond all of that, I just feel better about the Chiefs than I do about the Bills for a couple of reasons. For starters, Kansas City’s defense is remarkable. Anyone saying that the weather last week was the sole reason for Miami looking incompetent is lying to themselves. That Chiefs defense is insane, and no matter how good Buffalo looks offensively, they will make themselves readily apparent in this ballgame.
My second reason is that the injuries are somehow getting worse for the Bills. Terrel Bernard going down is a massive loss for this defense which will need all hands on deck with Mahomes coming to town, especially in that front seven which could be the real difference maker if the Bills want to win this game. They also desperately need Rasul Douglas back. If neither of them can go, it’d make things a lot easier for the visiting quarterback.
Speaking of that quarterback, my third reason is that one Patrick Mahomes is suiting up for the Chiefs. I don’t care that this is his first road playoff game. I don’t care that the Bills are the hottest team in the NFL. I don’t care that Josh Allen is doing Josh Allen things. This is a quarterback that has never missed the AFC Championship Game in his career. I have no reason to believe that trend won’t continue. Sure, this offense isn’t blowing the doors off anyone like in the past. But they’ll grind you down on both sides of the ball and win with some old-school ball. That 2018 Patriots comparison I made a few weeks ago looks more and more true by the game. That formula, which has gotten them this far, will once again prove to be a winning one. And, if I go 2-for-2 in the AFC, the Chiefs will be hosting their sixth consecutive AFC Championship Game.
I know I’m sounding like a broken record here, but between Mahomes’ career playoff success — especially — against the Bills, I have to see it to believe it.
Super Bowl LVII is finally here, featuring one of the best, most star-studded matchups we could ever ask for. Here’s my in-depth preview of what could be an instant classic, including my pick to win it all.
Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.
Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday. The 2022 season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, featuring some of the best games, plays, and storylines in recent memory, and we have one game left to decide a champion. These playoffs have been a blast, and our two 1 seeds remain to battle in what could be an instant classic. Tonight, the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona. Let’s take a look at each team’s journey to get to the big game.
How the Chiefs Got Here
After falling apart in last year’s AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs had a lot of questions to answer and a lot of soul-searching to do. Trading away perhaps the best WR in football in Tyreek Hill, letting go of key veteran defenders in favor of starting rookies, and continuing to rebuild their broken offensive line led many people, including myself, to believe that Kansas City was heading for a mini-rebuild. I still thought they’d be just fine, considering they have the best quarterback of all time, an all-time mastermind head coach, and perhaps the best receiving tight end to ever play the game. But none of us saw them being this good again. Despite all of the aforementioned losses, all the Chiefs did this season was put a better product on the field en route to a nearly spotless 14-3 campaign led by QB Patrick Mahomes winning his second MVP in runaway fashion after accounting for the most total yards of any player in NFL history with 5,250 passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns and 358 yards with 4 scores on the ground to boot. They don’t have a real WR1, but nobody needs one when you have Travis Kelce, who dominated defenses once again to the tune of 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns. The WRs essentially operate by committee, but Juju Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Kadarius Toney are all capable when they’re on. The offense is completely surgical, bleeding out the opposition with a thousand paper cuts. The unit has adapted and become even more effective without an explosive element, which has terrified every single defense they’ve played this season. They’ll need to bring their A-game against perhaps the best one yet, including the best pass defense in the NFL.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes put together a masterful 2022 campaign en route to his second career MVP and perhaps his second ring. (h/t Yahoo! Finance)
The defense might be young, but the vets are still doing their thing. DT Chris Jones was by far the best interior defensive linemen this season with 15.5 sacks with two key ones in the AFC title game to help the Chiefs get to this point. The rookies have shown some promise, but they will need to step up and play key roles in this game if they want to contain a well-balanced machine of an offense that the Eagles possess. It’s going to be a battle in the trenches all game long, but with the way Kansas City’s defensive front is playing, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they can get pressure and keep the rushing attack limited.
Star Chiefs DT Chris Jones has put the defense on his back with the best season of his incredible young career. (h/t KC Kingdom)
The Chiefs have the talent and the identity to win any football game in any fashion. Betting against Patrick Mahomes is a mistake that always comes back to bite. Not many people are giving them a chance in this game, which might not be smart. But it also might be warranted when you consider the team that’s lining up across from them.
How the Eagles Got Here
Like most people who pay even the slightest attention to this league, I thought the Eagles would be pretty good this year. They had an incredible offseason, making amazing moves to fill positions of need on the roster and build one of the best teams from top to bottom in the NFL. I said they would win the division with a 13-4 record, but fizzle out in the playoffs. I thought they were great but young, lacking in the experience and perhaps the talent to compete with the veteran teams of the NFC. All these months later, they have the chance to stamp themselves as one of the greatest teams of the 21st century.
It all starts with Jalen Hurts, the third year QB who took the league by storm in 2022. Many people, including myself, have doubted his ability to be an effective thrower of the football in this league. For the longest time, I was unsure of whether or not he had what it took to be a franchise guy. Any and all doubts were put swiftly to bed with his amazing, near-MVP campaign featuring 3,701 passing yards and 22 touchdowns paired with 760 yards and a whopping 13 scores on the ground. A shoulder injury derailed the end of his season and a shot at a potential MVP, but everyone knows what Hurts is capable of when he’s clicking. The shoulder may limit him in this game, but he is as competitive and determined as any athlete in all of sports, and I guarantee that he’s going to step up and show out on the biggest stage.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts broke out in his third season, becoming one of the best, most effective dual-threat signal callers in football. (h/t Andscape)
It helps that the offense around Jalen is so spectacular. The Eagles had massive holes to fill at WR dating back to 2021. They drafted Heisman-winning WR DeVonta Smith last year to help, but they still needed a bonafide WR1 in the offense. So this past draft night, they made a huge splash to trade for star pass-catcher A.J. Brown from Tennessee. The combination of Brown and Smith has proven deadly, as both finished in the top 10 for receiving yards (1,496 and 10 TD for Brown, 1,196 and 7 TD for Smith). Dallas Goedert also provides some of the best complementary play from the TE position in football. But where this team really makes its money is in the run game. The three-headed monster coming out of the backfield is headlined by Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, and Kenneth Gainwell. Sanders leads the way with 1,269 yards, but the guys behind him put in work whenever their numbers are called. Having one of the best offensive lines in football certainly helps with that. All five starters up front could end up being Hall of Famers, and they have been far and away the best line in football this year. It’s damn near impossible to see the possibility that they crack at all, even against a great Chiefs front.
The two-headed monster at WR of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith has proven itself as one of the best receiver duos in football. (h/t Bleeding Green Nation)
And then there’s the defense, which has been one of the best in football all year long. They’re deep, they’re stacked all over the place, and they’re impossible to move the ball on. The front is malicious, led by edge rushers Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham, as well as interior men Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox. The LB core, which was previously one of the worst in the league, now bolsters names like Haason Reddick, who was second in football this year with 16 sacks, Kyzir White, and T.J. Edwards. The secondary was the best in football this year, giving up less passing yards than any other team in the league (179.8/game). DBs like Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox have been locking it down for a while in Philly, but newcomers James Bradberry and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who the Eagles got for pennies on the dollar, have pushed this unit over the top en route to being the best in the league.
LB Haason Reddick has emerged as one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL with an ability to break the game at any given moment. (h/t Yardbarker)
The Eagles haven’t broken a sweat all year long. They get ahead in games and then bleed you to death with their run game and defense. They gave up just seven points in each playoff game, winning both by a combined score of 69-14. That’s as nice as it gets in this league. I recognize that they’ve gotten some breaks along the way, but that doesn’t make this team any worse. Nothing can do that. They are the best team in football and have been all year long. Their tallest test stands in front of them, but they are more than capable of getting the job done once again.
Key Matchups
Championships are won in the trenches. The matchups up front on both sides of the ball are going to determine this game, just as they have determined almost every Super Bowl I’ve ever watched. To me, the biggest matchup in this game is the Chiefs defensive front vs. the Eagles offensive line. It’s strength on strength: the areas in which both teams make their money. The Eagles line hasn’t been beaten once all year long. Two weeks ago, they made rather light work of one of the best defensive fronts I’ve ever seen when they pushed the 49ers around for 60 minutes. They have an admittedly easier but still very difficult task in front of them with the Chiefs front, which boasts the like of Frank Clark and Chris Jones. If Philly can push them around and open up lanes for the run game as well as keep Jalen Hurts upright long enough to make the necessary throws, then the Eagles could run away with this game. But if the Chiefs can penetrate and make Hurts and the offense uncomfortable, then the Birds will have a big problem on their hands. They love being the more physical team, getting out to an early lead, and then pounding you into the ground. If they can’t run the ball or if Hurts can’t throw with his shoulder injury, then they are finished. They do not want to fall behind in this game under any circumstances. If they do, I don’t know if they have what it takes to come back and beat Patrick Mahomes.
Another extremely imperative matchup to watch is the Chiefs young secondary going up against the plethora of weapons on the outside for the Eagles. They have struggled more than they have thrived this season, especially in the playoffs. The Jaguars gave them fits, and the Bengals shredded them. That being said, they have also made key plays when it counts, including three key interceptions in big moments across those two playoff games. I don’t think the Eagles possess a better core of weapons than Cincinnati did, but I know for a fact that this defense is susceptible to getting torn apart, and that Philly offense is more than capable of doing that to them. If they can’t contain A.J. Brown and/or DeVonta Smith, then Jalen Hurts will take advantage and throw the ball all over the yard. I still have my reservations about his shoulder issues, but he can make the easy throws. If those throws are there, then the Chiefs won’t be able to keep up. But if they can limit the passing attack and let their defensive front handle the load by dealing with the rushing attack, Kansas City might have an easier time keeping things under control and letting their offense do the heavy lifting.
I would say Patrick Mahomes going up against the best secondary in the league is something to watch, but I think we all know he’s more than capable of shredding any secondary at any time on any stage. I am never ever going to doubt his abilities, especially when the lights are brightest. It’s going to be difficult, but between his incredible ability and Andy Reid’s ability to gameplan after two weeks of preparation, I feel comfortable saying that Mahomes is going to get his game off. It’s honestly just a matter of how the other side of the ball performs.
My Pick
Last Week: 1-1
Season Total: 181-99-2
Before I get into my pick for the game, I think it’s worth noting that I have not picked a Super Bowl correctly in seven years. The last team to not let me down was the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. It has been downhill ever since. I feel fairly confident in my pick for this game, but I’ve been swayed back and forth over the last two weeks. It’s a very difficult pick to make when both teams match up so well with one another. It’s even more difficult when one team is so deep, but the other has the best football player ever lining up at QB. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop, crunching the numbers, micro-analyzing every matchup at the most granular levels, and reading into superstitions. But after all that, I’m sticking with what my gut has told me since the Championship Games went final on January 29th.
Eagles 27-20 Chiefs
Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, FOX
Simply put, the Eagles are the better football team in this game. They have the better roster from top to bottom with far less holes, if any. They execute flawlessly on both sides of the ball, and when they’ve been fully healthy like they are in this game, they’ve only been beaten once (and it was at the hands of your Washington Commanders!). I recognize that the Chiefs have more experience, perhaps the best coach in the league, the best QB to ever touch a football, and so many signs point in their direction. I told myself two weeks ago that I’d never bet against Patrick Mahomes again, but I can’t even bring myself to pick them when they’re the clear side as a 1.5-point underdog on a neutral site. I just don’t see the Eagles losing this game. Moreover, a ton of trends are in their favor. The top-tier defense almost always beats the top-tier offense in the Super Bowl. The MVP curse is real in the Super Bowl; nobody to win the award has won the big game in this century. On top of that, the three previous times that the MVP runner-up has faced the winner in the Super Bowl, the runner-up has won. Jalen Hurts is more than capable of making it four.
I do have some worries about the Eagles in this game, though. The main one lies with Jalen Hurts’ shoulder injury, which has limited him severely as a passer since he returned to the lineup. He hasn’t needed to throw the ball whatsoever in the games leading up to this point, but if Philly is to win this game, he will need to make all the requisite throws in big time spots. I don’t know if the run game will be able to carry the entire load on its shoulders. Moreover, the Eagles lack Super Bowl experience in key spots. The only people on the offense who have been to this game are on the offensive line, and the only defenders who have are the rotational defensive linemen. Experience can play a very big factor in a game like this, especially when you’re facing the Chiefs, whose QB has been to 3 Super Bowls and whose coach has been to 4. They know what it’s like to lose, and they know what it’s like to win. They’ve made mistakes, and they’ve learned from them. That’s a pretty scary sight for a team full of guys in Philly who have had it pretty easy all year long.
To me, it all boils down to one thing: Patrick Mahomes will need to be Superman for the Chiefs to win this game. If they are to emerge victorious, he will have to put together the piece de resistance of his young career. I don’t think his defense has what it takes to contain the Eagles offense, so he’s going to have to put the team on his back and cut up the opposing defense and outscore Philly. He’ll likely get no favors from his run game, so it’s going to be a 50 to 60 pass attempt-type of game. As much as I know for a fact that Mahomes is capable of doing such a thing, I just feel like the wheels are going to come off at some point or another. The Eagles are a team that is built to win a championship from top to bottom. The Chiefs have too many holes to ignore, and I think that will be their undoing in this game. It pains me immensely to say it, but I have already surrendered to the idea that the Eagles are going to win their second Super Bowl in the last six years. Help me, Patrick Mahomes. You’re my only hope.
I just want to close this out by saying a huge thank you to everyone for another fantastic season. This was the first time in my three years of doing this that I was able to cover the NFL every single week from the preseason all the way to the Super Bowl, and it was a blast from start to finish. Thank you to everyone and anyone who read a piece, clicked a link, retweeted an article, or even gave me the slightest time of day. It truly means a lot as I continue to grow and try and get better at providing the best content that I possibly can. It has been amazing, and I can’t wait to keep moving forward. I hope you all had a great year, and have a great Super Bowl Sunday. I’ll see you guys in a few weeks for March Madness and the start of the baseball season. Until then!
Championship Sunday is finally here with two titanic matchups to determine the matchup in Super Bowl LVII. Here are my picks to get to Glendale in two weeks’ time.
Cover photo taken from NBC Sports.
Last Week: 3-1
Season Total: 180-98-2
Eagles 23-20 49ers
Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, FOX
At the start of both the regular season and the playoffs, the 49ers were my pick to win the NFC. I said they were the best team in the conference, and I saw them getting to Glendale in two weeks’ time. But it feels much tougher to pick them now then it was a few weeks ago. That’s almost entirely due to how the Eagles looked last Saturday night against the Giants. After ending the regular season a bit battered and sluggish, I didn’t have a lot of faith in them to look like the team that ran circles around the league in the regular season. But they looked so much better than I could have anticipated. They look like a team on a mission. They are so damn explosive offensively, and their defense looked as good as it has all year long. Jalen Hurts’ injury is no longer a concern, and the Birds are back to looking terrifying on all fronts.
That being said, so are the Niners. They willed themselves to victory last Sunday against the Cowboys in a total team effort. It was really cool to watch. The defense was obviously remarkable and continues to be the unit that makes every difference in their games. But their weakest link has made itself apparent, and it’s Brock Purdy. He had his moments and made some nice throws last week, but he also got away with a lot that he likely won’t get away with on the road against the best defense he has ever played. If the Cowboys defense had any brains, they likely could have won the game off of those mistakes. I just don’t know what to expect out of Purdy in a spot like this. He has been a great story, but can he go on the road to an extremely hostile environment and win a playoff game against what could be the best team in the league to go to the Super Bowl? I have my doubts.
That’s one of two key matchups for me in this game; the other is in the trenches with San Francisco’s defensive front against the Eagles offensive line. Both of those units are the best in the league at their respective positions, and whoever gains the advantage will likely sway the game in the favor of their team. While I would give the edge to the Niners’ defense, I think Hurts and the offense can move around and still execute their game to put points on the board. The SF defense will get their game off as well, but does the offense have what it takes to keep up when they’re led by Brock Purdy in this spot? To a point, yes. They probably do. But I trust Jalen Hurts and the Eagles more to make the plays late to win the game. Purdy will make some mistakes, and the Birds will take advantage, even against San Francisco’s incredible defense. And they will fly all the way to Arizona.
Bengals 27-24 Chiefs
Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, CBS
At the start of the playoffs, the Bengals were my pick to win it all. I said they were the best team in the league, and I saw them hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks time. Despite all the temptation in the world and so many signs to do so, I am not backing down on that now. But man, this is a hard pick on all fronts.
For starters, everyone and their mothers are backing the Bengals all of a sudden. Last week’s thumping of the Bills has everyone worshipping Joe Burrow and the rest of this team, and that makes it very difficult to pick them. Right in conjunction with that is all the doubt surrounding Patrick Mahomes after he sprained his ankle last week. This line got all the way down to Bengals -2.5 because of it. But we all know the truth. Patrick Mahomes on one leg is still better than most QBs in this league, and he will still play just fine in this game, hence the line moving back in the other direction to Chiefs -1.5. That “injury” isn’t what concerns me about the Chiefs at all. In fact, it kind of makes me more scared to pick against them. Mahomes will definitely be limited in terms of his mobility, but making him a pocket passer limits his mistakes and might make him even more surgical. Kansas City will get their game off on that side of the ball via the quick passing game. They won’t be erratic and so focused on downfield shots like Josh Allen and the Bills were last week. And I don’t know if Cincinnati will be able to stop that in Arrowhead.
On the other hand, I have no faith in KC’s ability to stop the Bengals offense. Everyone loves bringing up the stat that Joe Burrow is 3-0 against the Chiefs with three great performances, including in this very spot last year. He is just on another level in the playoffs, as is the rest of the offense. Even with the beat up offensive line, he gets the job done. In fact, the backups did their thing last week in Buffalo, pushing around that defense and opening up all sorts of possibilities for the run game. If they can replicate that performance against this Chiefs front, then the Bengals could have their way once again on offense. Even if they don’t, I have no doubt in the ability of the passing game to put up huge numbers and points as they always do against this secondary.
The biggest question is what Mahomes and the Chiefs offense can do in response to that. People forget that they were absolutely dominating for the first half of last year’s title game before inexplicably falling apart in the second half. That was a different offense, but this one might be even better. I find it extremely difficult to bet against Patrick Mahomes in a spot like this, even on a bum ankle. But at this point, it might be harder to pick against Joe Burrow. All he does is win, and I have to see him lose to the Chiefs to believe that it’s even possible. When you combine that with the fact that I’ve been backing the Bengals for so long now and picked them to win the Super Bowl, I have to pick them in this game. It’s arduous, but necessary.
Only eight teams remain as we head into an absolutely stacked weekend. Here are my picks to make next week’s Championship games.
Cover photo taken from Sportcasting.
Last Week: 4-2
Season Total: 177-97-2
Chiefs 27-20 Jaguars
Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, NBC
In analyzing and/or picking this game, there are really only two statistics to consider. The first of which is that Andy Reid is the greatest head coach off a bye in the history of the sport. He boasts a record of 27-4 following an off week, including a perfect 3-0 record in the AFC playoffs with the Chiefs (1-1 in Super Bowls). The second of which is that both the Chiefs and every other 1 seed ever largely struggle as large favorites in the Divisional Round. 1 seeds have gone 13-25-1 ATS in this round in the last 20 years, and 8-22-1 ATS when favored by 10 or less. Some books have this spread to 8.5 or 9. So, you can bank on the Chiefs winning this game, but don’t be surprised if it’s closer than you or Vegas think. Moreover, we pretty much know what we’re going to get out of these teams. The Jaguars are an amazing story and are good enough to give any team in the AFC fits. Their offense is certainly capable of putting up both yards and points on an underwhelming, continuously underperforming Chiefs defense, especially through the air with Trevor Lawrence slinging it all over the yard. But they don’t have what it takes to go to Arrowhead and beat Kansas City off a bye, especially considering how dominant the Chiefs have been and how incredible Patrick Mahomes has been playing this season. The MVP-to-be enters this game after putting up the most offensive yards in a season in the history of the league. Everyone on offense is getting involved, and it all starts with the greatness of #15. After seeing how Jacksonville’s pass defense has fared in recent games, I don’t trust them to limit Mahomes in any capacity. Jacksonville might be able to keep up for a while, but this is simply too tall of a task for a young team that has overachieved this season.
Eagles 24-20 Giants
Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, FOX
If last week’s divisional contests (with the exception of the last 20 or so minutes of the Seahawks-49ers game) were any indication, we’re in for a close game on Saturday night. Another reason to support that is what I said above about how 1 seeds perform ATS in the Divisional Round. Combine that with the uncertainty around Jalen Hurts’ shoulder and the general feistiness of the Giants, and you have the makings of a physical divisional bloodbath. Both of these defenses will show up and show out on the big stage. In my opinion, this game comes down to whichever offense can execute better in key moments down the stretch. New York’s offense looked surgical from start to finish last week in Minnesota, but that was against one of the league’s worst defenses. On a cold night against a fantastic Philly defense, they will have a tougher time. While there are questions around Hurts and his injury, I think he has had more than enough time off to heal and get ready for this game. If the Birds offensive line can keep him upright and get enough push on the Eagles’ patented run plays, then they could win this game comfortably. It will be tough against a stout Giants front, but I like Philly in that matchup. It will take a few key plays late from Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense, but they will be the ones celebrating by the end of the night en route to the title game.
Bills 30-27 Bengals
Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, CBS
This is easily my most anticipated matchup of this round, if not this entire season, and I think it’ll easily be the best game of the weekend. That’s exactly what I said when these teams met three weeks ago. I’m just as excited now as I was then, and I can’t wait to see them play a full playoff game against one another. However, my pick is different this time, and it’s hard to explain. I still think the Bengals are the better team, and I still think they’re the best team in the league. I think people who believe they’re somehow worse because they struggled in primetime against a division rival are vastly misguided. I think Joe Burrow is better than Josh Allen. I think Ja’Marr Chase might be better than Stefon Diggs. The Bengals can actually run the ball with a good backfield whereas the Bills can’t run the ball with anyone but their QB. And at this point, Cincinnati might have a better defense. On top of everything, Joe Burrow might be the best QB as an underdog in the league right now, and he has proven time and time again that he can go on the road and win these huge games against great teams. So why am I switching up now and picking Buffalo? The biggest reason is the injuries to Cincinnati’s offensive line. They will be without their three best linemen after they had spent all regular season healthy. Last week, Burrow was under duress quite a lot against a pass rush that’s only slightly better than the ones the Bills possess. Again, Burrow has proven that he can overcome this, but the Bengals have also proven that this can be their downfall in a big spot. But more than anything, the Bills just feel like they’re in the midst of a special run. They are playing inspired and the entire city of Buffalo is rallying behind them. They did not play a sharp game last week, but I think they’ll look much better on Sunday afternoon. If Josh Allen plays clean, mistake-free football (which I don’t feel comfortable with expecting), then the Bills have the offensive capability to win this game comfortably. All they have to do is get after Joe Burrow. If he has enough time to throw, he will make them pay. I just don’t see that being possible without his two starting tackles and best interior lineman. He has done it before, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he leads Cincy to another improbable victory. But I can’t bank on that right now.
49ers 31-20 Cowboys
Sunday, 6:30 PM, FOX
This is the big brand game of the weekend, and rightfully so. Cowboys-49ers in the playoffs is as classic as it gets and always seems to deliver. It certainly did last year in a thrilling Wild Card game in Dallas that ended on one of the most mind-boggling late-game plays and execution sequences in recent memory that sent the Cowboys home early and propelled the Niners to a near-Super Bowl run. This game feels quite different with San Francisco being the hottest team in the league, having won their last 11 games and barely breaking a sweat despite having to turn to Brock Purdy. The rookie continues to ball out with perhaps the best weapons in the league and easily the best defense in football behind him. The Cowboys, on the other hand, were overlooked by quite a lot of people, myself included, before going to Tampa and smacking the Bucs last Monday. They’re the underdogs in this game, but you can guarantee that they won’t go down without a fight. However, I feel like Monday night’s performance is once again swinging the pendulum of our perception of the Cowboys completely in the other direction. All of a sudden, people think they’re the best team in the NFC that can go on the road to play perhaps the best team in the league and win. I think we need to pump the brakes there. I think Dallas might be the most overmatched team in this entire round. They looked great against a Buccaneers team that we all knew was awful. How are they going to look against the 49ers? Will Dak Prescott be able to replicate his performance from last week against the best defense in the league? I say no. Will Dallas’ own defense be able to slow down San Francisco’s offense, which no one else has been able to do? I say no again. I think Purdy and company will have their way with the Cowboys’ susceptible defense, and Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and the defense will lock up Dak and the Dallas offense for the most part en route to another fairly easy win for the Niners for them to get back to the conference title game.
The playoffs are upon us with six great games on tap in a stacked schedule that spans the whole weekend. Here’s some spoilers on how it’ll play out.
Cover photo taken from Sporting News.
Last Week: 12-4
Season Total: 173-95-2
49ers 24-13 Seahawks
Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX
The Seahawks come into this game as big underdogs after sneaking into the playoffs following the final events of the regular season. Even in a divisional playoff game, which are always so close, nobody is giving Seattle a chance. That’s a perfectly fair assessment if you ask me. Not only are they arguably the worst team in the entire postseason field, but they’re going on the road to play the hottest and perhaps the best team in the entire NFL. San Francisco has been a freight train ever since the midway point of the season, and they haven’t blinked en route to a season sweep of the team they face on Saturday. While some may say that they’re bound to cool off, I assure you that it won’t happen in this game. I don’t even see them slowing down. Their defense is the best in the league and their offense is firing on all cylinders. With Deebo Samuel back in the fold, it’s only going to be harder to stop them on that side of the ball. I love the Seahawks offense and their young pieces on defense, but I just think they’re going to be overwhelmed in what is Geno Smith’s first playoff game. Unless their corners can step up and make plays to force Brock Purdy into some turnovers, the Seahawks are going to have a long afternoon in the Bay. With Tariq Woolen dealing with an ankle problem, that seems like it’ll be the likely outcome.
Jaguars 23-20 Chargers
Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC
It’s both very rare and extremely cool to see a playoff matchup between two of the young elite QBs that will likely run this league for years to come so early in their careers. I have no doubt that Trevor Lawrence vs. Justin Herbert will live up to the hype in their respective playoff debuts. Both the Jaguars and the Chargers carry some winning momentum into this game, going a combined 9-1 in their last five games (with the Chargers’ loss coming in a game where they “rested” starters), and Jacksonville will be electric once again just one week after hosting the division-winning game against the Titans. But the news isn’t entirely good on both sides. Los Angeles’ star WR Mike Williams will miss this game, and likely the entire postseason if they were to move on, with a back problem that emerged while he was playing in the Chargers’ meaningless game last week in Denver. That will be a huge detriment to their offense, which we saw struggle mightily when not at full strength in the regular season. But Herbert will still have Keenan Allen on the outside and Austin Ekeler behind him, so the Bolts will still be able to do damage on offense. I just don’t know if it will be enough to overcome Jacksonville on the road. As I said earlier this week, the Jags essentially got their playoff jitters out of the way last week in a de facto play-in game. I think they’ll be much, much sharper on Saturday night, and I think Trevor Lawrence can have a big day against a maligned Chargers defense. Herbert will keep LA in it from start to finish, and this game could likely come down to whichever QB has the ball in their hands when the clock hits triple zeros. I just happen to trust the home team a little bit more in almost every other area.
Bills 30-13 Dolphins
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
If Tua Tagovailoa was playing in this game for the Dolphins, perhaps it’d be worth talking about. We all saw how thrilling the primetime clash was between these two teams just a few weeks ago when Miami was at full strength. Alas, it will be Skylar Thompson once again for the Fins, which means they don’t stand a semblance of a chance. You’d think that any QB can step in and run that star-studded offense to perfection, but that’s simply not the case here. The Dolphins are infinitely worse without Tua, and it has shown in every single game he has missed. It took until the final moments of the final game of the season for them to win a game that Tua didn’t start and finish. That’s a pretty staggering statistic. Even if he were playing in this game, I don’t think it would have been enough to pick against Buffalo. The Bills are riding high into this matchup and playing inspired football, as we saw in last week’s amazing display for Damar Hamlin. They are simply better on both sides of the ball, and you can’t expect me to believe that Josh Allen won’t launch the ball all over the place once again in the playoffs. I think he’s in for what could be a special postseason run, and I think the Bills will once again put on a show en route to another emphatic victory over a division rival.
Vikings 26-23 Giants
Sunday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX
This could very well be the most fun game of the weekend, which is pretty hilarious given the QB matchup and the nature of these two teams. The Giants are a trendy sleeper pick in these playoffs despite finishing the year going 3-6-1 in their final 10 games. The Vikings are the team that everyone expects to bow out early due to their flukey nature when they play at a time other than 1pm and/or against good teams. Quite literally anything can happen in a matchup like this. They played just three weeks ago in this exact same spot and it was wild from start to finish with Minnesota walking it off on an improbable 61-yard field goal. New York was the better team in nearly every facet in that game and still came up short. Who’s to say that it won’t go the other way this time? It really wouldn’t shock me if the Giants were to flip the script. The Vikings aren’t that much better despite having a better record and the gift of playing at home. Plus, you just never know what you’re going to get out of Kirk Cousins. Rest really isn’t a factor when you consider that both of these teams rested their starters last week. So, what gives? I say experience. Experience matters in the playoffs. Kirk Cousins has played in this spot before in much tougher environments against much tougher teams. Daniel Jones’ toughest postseason test has been… the 2018 Independence Bowl? It just feels too inconceivable to see this young, inexperienced Giants team go on the road and knock off a more skilled Vikings team. I know their defense is awful, but I don’t believe the Giants have the offensive firepower to take advantage of that. Plus, all Minnesota has heard throughout the last few weeks is how awful they are and how they’ll be one and done. That’s bulletin board material for them. I think they’ll play this game with a chip on their shoulder, and while it might not be the most convincing win in the world when it’s all said and done, they’ll be the ones moving onto San Francisco in a week’s time.
Bengals 26-14 Ravens
Sunday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC
Remember what I said about Bills-Dolphins up there? Apropos of that here. The Ravens will once again be without Lamar Jackson as he misses his sixth straight game with what they said was a one-to-three week injury. Feels fishy, doesn’t it? Their reward for this medical mishap is going back on the road with their backup QB to play perhaps the hottest and, in my opinion, best team in the league who they just got smacked by one week ago with their own chip on their shoulders caused by the decision-making of the NFL. At least this time it’ll be Tyler Huntley, right? Who cares. Huntley has looked awful all year long, especially in divisional games. It might look prettier than Anthony Brown’s performance last Sunday, but I assure you, this will still be a wash for Cincinnati. The Bengals have so much to prove in so many ways, and Joe Burrow is going to light it up in an electric home primetime playoff atmosphere. It will honestly be awesome to see, and I can’t wait for it. I do have my reservations about the trenches for the Bengals on both sides of the ball. Their makeshift offensive line will have to keep Burrow upright against a solid Ravens front. But if he can get the ball out quick to his playmakers, then Cincy will absolutely cruise into a highly anticipated rematch with the Bills.
Buccaneers 20-17 Cowboys
Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN/ABC
Let me get this straight. Tom Brady is hosting a playoff game against a notoriously awful playoff team, quarterback, and head coach in a primetime spot having never lost to said team… and he’s an underdog? Yeah right. To bet against Brady and the Bucs in a situation like this would be dubious at best. They may have fallen backwards into the playoffs. They may be the only team in the field with a losing record. They may have been awful for the better part of the season. And yes, I may have slandered them all year long. But I would be a complete idiot to pick the Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy-led Cowboys to go on the road and beat Tom Brady in the playoffs. I do think Dallas is the better team in this game, but it just doesn’t make sense. They ended the year on a pitiful whimper in DC last week, and Dak has had perhaps the worst year of his career. Their offense looks worse by the game and their defense isn’t doing enough to make up for that. A team like Tampa will make you pay for those kinds of mistakes. They don’t inspire the most faith in the world, but their division-clinching win over the Panthers showed me that this team shows up when it matters. Tom Brady looked incredible in that win, and if he looks even half as good as that on Monday night, then the Cowboys are positively screwed. I don’t know if that will happen; this will probably be a tight game from start to finish that’s dominated by the defenses. In that case, I’m not picking against the Bucs defense against the turnover machine known as Dak. And I’m not picking against Tom Brady.
Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)
Green Bay Packers (12-5) 
Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6) 
San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
Washington Commanders (11-6)
Detroit Lions (10-7)
Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
Buffalo Bills (14-3) 
Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
Houston Texans (10-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (12-5) 
Denver Broncos (11-6)
Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)
Vikings 26-23 Giants 
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