Right here in New England, it’s been a tough NFL season. Because the calendar turns to January, I believe many Pats followers are hungry to tune in to some increased high quality soccer, and this yr’s NFL playoffs ought to completely convey that. This can be the strongest playoff discipline in years. It consists of 4 groups with 14+ wins and never a single group with lower than 10. Nonetheless, which group will prevail over the remaining? Will the Chiefs full a three-peat? (I don’t suppose anybody is rooting for that). Will the Lions win their first title in a historic season for the franchise? Might Saquon Barkley add a hoop to his 2,000 yard season? What about Josh Allen’s Payments, or Lamar Jackson’s Ravens? Might Kevin O’Connell put the cherry on prime of a possible Coach of the Yr profitable season? There’s so many nice squads, however just one can prevail. Maintain studying to see how I see it happening.
Wild Card Weekend
AFC
#5 LA Chargers at #4 Houston Texans
Chargers, 31, Texans, 30
This may actually be a detailed one. Regardless of the losses of WRs Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell to damage, QB C.J. Stroud has loads of weapons to lean on. Stroud hasn’t precisely lived as much as the extent of efficiency he was at as a rookie although. I’ve his sophomore hunch ending right here with a playoff loss, as QB Justin Herbert outplays him and Jim Harbaugh coaches an incredible sport.
#6 Pittsburgh Steelers at #3 Baltimore Ravens
Ravens, 16, Steelers, 14
It is a battle of two superb defenses. Nonetheless, the Steelers have misplaced 4 video games in a row whereas the Ravens have gained in those self same 4 weeks. I belief the Ravens to shut out this sport efficiently, particularly since I’d take QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry in a late sport scenario over anybody on the Steelers offense.
#7 Denver Broncos at #2 Buffalo Payments
Payments, 34, Broncos, 16
This one is not going to be shut. The Broncos have strung collectively a robust season, however I merely really feel they’ll be outclassed right here. QB Bo Nix has a vibrant future, however he’s no match for QB Josh Allen but. Of their first playoff look in 9 years, I don’t suppose Denver has an opportunity to dethrone a perennial playoff group that’s gained 5 consecutive division titles. Expertise will reign superior right here.
NFC
#7 Inexperienced Bay Packers at #2 Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles, 28, Packers, 13
The Packers had been proper within the combine for a lot of the season, however their incapability to beat one of the best of one of the best has been telling. Of their 6 losses, 5 had been to the Eagles, Vikings, and Lions. Particularly with QB Jordan Love and WR Christian Watson banged up, I see it as fairly seemingly this will probably be #6. The Packers are a strong group, however they’re no match for the elite tier of the NFC.
#6 Washington Commanders at #3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers, 33, Commanders, 27 (OT)
As he has in most video games this season, QB Jayden Daniels ought to make this a sport. Nonetheless, whereas he might not be the league’s finest quarterback, Bucs QB Baker Mayfield has the instruments in Tampa Bay to win in most conditions. I believe he will get it accomplished right here in dramatic additional time vogue.
#5 Minnesota Vikings at #4 Los Angeles Rams
Rams, 34, Vikings, 31
The Vikings could have gained 14 video games this season, however they didn’t look too nice on Sunday evening at Detroit. So as to add to it, they already misplaced a sport to the Rams earlier within the common season. I believe they’ll put up a combat right here, however this Rams offense has proven flashes of elite expertise, and I believe it should repay on this one. Led by QB Matthew Stafford, RB Kyren Williams, and WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, the Rams have the items to outplay this Vikings protection. The Rams are going to make a press release in these playoffs.
Divisional Spherical
AFC
#5 Los Angeles Chargers at #1 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Chiefs, 27, Chargers, 20
The Chargers have made numerous enhancements this season. One factor they haven’t been capable of do is beat their divisional rival over in Kansas Metropolis, and I don’t actually count on that to alter. The Chiefs have gained a pair of tight defensive battles over these Chargers this season. I count on this one to be a bit of increased scoring, however with the group at full well being, QB Patrick Mahomes has a deeper arsenal of weapons round him than QB Justin Herbert does.
#3 Baltimore Ravens at #2 Buffalo Payments
Ravens, 34, Payments, 23
The final time these two groups performed, this wasn’t even shut. I do count on a extra aggressive effort on the Payments’ half this time, particularly offensively. Nonetheless, this Ravens D matches up rather well with Buffalo. A Payments ability participant group that’s centered round a RB (James Prepare dinner) and a TE (Dalton Kincaid) will result in a discipline day for a robust Ravens LB corps headlined by Roquan Smith.
NFC
#4 Los Angeles Rams at #1 Detroit Lions
Lions, 31, Rams, 30
Don’t sleep on the Rams right here, they all the time appear to make issues shut towards Detroit. This rivalry is considerably fueled by the QB swap a number of years again of QB Matthew Stafford and QB Jared Goff. Stafford had his time to shine when he led the Rams to a Tremendous Bowl. This time round, I’ve Goff main a stacked Lions offense to victory in a detailed one.
#3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at #2 Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles, 21, Buccaneers, 9
The Eagles protection is prime 10 in each passing and speeding. The Bucs have some good items on offense, but it surely takes elite stage expertise to get by way of Vic Fangio’s defensive schemes. Exterior of WR Mike Evans, it’s exhausting to say the Bucs have that, and he’ll be locked up by one in all Quinyon Mitchell or Darius Slay.
AFC Championship
#3 Baltimore Ravens at #1 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Ravens, 33, Chiefs, 30
This matchup got here all the way down to the wire in Week 1, and I count on the identical right here. Nonetheless, the Ravens offense has actually picked issues up in current weeks, scoring greater than 30 factors in every of the ultimate 4 common season video games. That’s a feat the Chiefs have been unable to perform all season. The Chiefs protection will take them far, however their lack of offense will shut them down right here.
NFC Championship
#2 Philadelphia Eagles at #1 Detroit Lions
Eagles, 34, Lions, 30
This will probably be a enjoyable sport. Two of the season-long juggernauts of the NFC, going through off for the primary time all yr. The Lions have performed some fairly sturdy complimentary soccer all through the season. Nonetheless, I believe their defensive accidents will catch as much as them on this one, as QB Jalen Hurts and WR A.J. Brown mix to highschool the Lions secondary. QB Jared Goff and the Lions offense ought to make this shut, however they’ll fall simply quick right here.
Tremendous Bowl LIX
#3 (AFC) Baltimore Ravens vs. #2 (NFC) Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles, 28, Ravens, 20
This Tremendous Bowl can be the proper conclusion to what I wish to name “yr of the operating again”. This yr we noticed Eagles RB Saquon Barkley change into the ninth participant in NFL historical past to hurry for two,000 yards in a season. We noticed Ravens RB Derrick Henry change into the primary participant in NFL historical past to hurry for 1,900 and nonetheless not win the speeding title. Each of them had been signed to long run offers this previous offseason regardless of many saying that operating backs don’t matter, and each these offers have paid off massive time.
The sport itself might not be the Barkley-Henry battle many followers count on although, as each of those groups even have elite run defenses. That can pressure QBs Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson to duke it out within the passing sport. Whereas I believe Jackson is the higher QB, Hurts will get some assist from his receivers and a flawed Ravens secondary to win the Eagles their second Tremendous Bowl within the final decade.
Full Bracket
My predictions would result in the next bracket:
Thanks for studying, and be happy to remark together with your ideas.
