On Wildcard Weekend my predictions went as such:
- Dolphins vs Bills
- Giants vs Vikings
- Ravens vs Bengals
- Buccaneers vs Cowboys
- Seahawks vs 49ers
- Chargers vs Jaguars
Key
- Winning Team
- My Pick
NFL Divisional Round PICKS (My prediction in Bold)
Jaguars vs Chiefs
I backed the Jaguars to win Wildcard Weekend because I thought Trevor Lawrence had it in him. I had watched the close game between the Chargers and 49ers earlier in the season and was impressed by Justin Herbert. However, Trevor Lawrence’s evolution during the season (and how even down 4-8 he still led his team to champion the AFC South) was quite impressive. Granted, everyone in the AFC South had bad records, but I am particularly pointing to the way he ended the season with five wins, the kind of momentum you want going into the post season. In the wild card game, the confidence you need to still believe you can win – even down by 27 points and having thrown four interceptions – is the true hallmark of a team that has belief and unity. Ultimately, I really like Jacksonville.
With all that being said, I still have to back the Chiefs in this weekend game. I believe their dominant presence this season, backed up by the consistency of the past few, will prevail. The Chiefs have the home ground advantage, the rest with the bye, a team leading in yards per game, and a quarterback leading in passing yards, touchdowns and points. If Jacksonville starts well, they may give them a run for their money, but Mahomes and the Chiefs are some of the best in football, anything less than a perfect performance and Jacksonville will be left in the dust.
Giants vs Eagles
This game is going to be interesting. There are a lot of moving factors—the Eagles are favored to win the game as top NFC seed but there’s a lot more nuance. The Giants and Eagles have met each other twice this season as they are NFC East competitors. The Giants were trounced in the first game, losing 22-48. In the second game, they lost again, although the result was a lot closer, with the final score being 16-22.
The Eagles have had a fantastic season, ending 13-3 but they didn’t finish the season strong. They lost two out of their final three games. While they won the third with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts back, it was a very close game, even with the Giants playing a lot of backups. Jalen Hurts got injured in Week 15 and it has been a while since he has been firing at full power. On the other hand, Daniel Jones had a great game against the Vikings on Wildcard Weekend, a fitting playoff debut. Saquon Barkley also got some action in and the Giants looked promising.
This might leave you thinking that I would back the Giants in this weekend’s game but even after all I said, I would still back the Eagles. We have seen what Jalen Hurts can do when he is at full fitness. As the game is coming up, Hurts is projecting confidence and the bye week would have done him some good in terms of his healing. I think this game will come down to which Jalen Hurts plays—MVP Jalen Hurts or Injured Jalen Hurts.
Bengals vs Bills
The Bengals vs Bills matchup has not happened this season – Damar Hamlin’s tragic injury resulted in play being halted. This matchup will be exciting—last year’s AFC champion, the Bengals vs Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills. Both teams have consistently won to close out the main season. While they had close Wildcard games, both teams came through with the win. With time in the pocket, Joe Burrow can do some magical things, but time in the pocket isn’t something that the Buffalo defense and their competent pass rushers are going to allow. If Josh Allen can keep the passes tight and interceptions low, incorporate his expert running game, and link up with receivers like Stefon Diggs, I see the game being close but ultimately going Buffalo’s way.
Cowboys vs 49ers
I am a 49ers fan, so I might be just a bit biased here. I back the 49ers for this game for two reasons. Sure, the Cowboys looked great against the Bucs on Wildcard Weekend, but how will the offense hold up against the mighty 49ers defense with leading sacker Nick Bosa? I say they make it a nail biter but ultimately don’t bring it home. The second reason is that looking to history, the Cowboys have often choked at important playoff moments—against a team like the 49ers, there isn’t room for error, faltering, or choking. With all that being said, however, the 49ers success relies on Purdy linking up with his receivers early and getting the points on the board within the first few drives. Playing the second half game might have worked against the Seahawks but the offense and defense need to be firing on all cylinders if they plan to go all the way.
Nice analysis. I see that all your picks for the wildcard games won! I am a Cowboys fan, but would have picked The Bucs for that wildcard game. The Cowboys had not won any game against Brady as the quarterback. True, the Bucs had been struggling mightily but so had the Boys after a good season start and they looked horrible in the last two games against mediocre teams. And they’d loose against a superb 49ers team, even one with a rookie quarterback. I like your picks for the divisional games but I’d pick Cincinnati over Buffalo. Let’s see how that goes.