NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

Preview and Predictions

When you are enjoying something, it has an unfortunate habit of going by way too fast.

This NFL season seems to have flown by. I can’t believe divisional weekend is already here! It seems like yesterday that I was putting together my “Midseason Awards” newsletter, and now we will be down to the Final Four by the end of the weekend.

I just got off the phone with my dad, who will shortly be heading up to Lambeau Field along with my brother and a close family friend. It was bittersweet, because I am usually the fourth in that group that makes the January pilgrimage to Green Bay.

This year, I will be watching almost 4,000 miles away from my familiar seat 12 in row 58 of section 116. Some of my favorite memories are bundling up for a playoff game in the blistering cold of the frozen tundra.

Although, I have to admit, as temperatures will be nearing 10 degrees for kickoff tonight, I am a little glad I will be nice and warm in a cozy London pub.

The hard part will be the time difference, as kickoff will be 1:15 am here! I don’t expect to see my pillow until at least 5 am, hopefully collapsing into a deep sleep with a victorious smile on my face!

So, let’s talk about the matchups. I am extremely excited for all 4 games, and I think we ended up with some of the best matchups we could’ve asked for. Let’s begin with the Saturday slate:

Cincinnati Bengals vs Tennessee Titans

My Prediction: Bengals 34, Titans 24

This is perhaps one of the most unpredictable games of the weekend, simply because there are a lot of ways this could go. However, I am leaning towards this young and blossoming Bengals team.

If you’ll recall, Cincinnati was my AFC “Dark Horse” pick for my midseason awards. I think Joe Burrow is a star in the making, and he had a very impressive playoff debut last weekend against Las Vegas.

Cincinnati’s passing attack is all about the deep ball. Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have become one of the most lethal QB and WR duos, but don’t forget about Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. This receiving core benefits from the versatile tight end, CJ Uzomah, who can draw attention across the middle of the field.

Also, the Tennessee secondary has struggled with containing 20+ yard passing attempts this year, and rank close to the bottom of the league in most categories. To me, this seems like a recipe for a big offensive showing from the Bengals.

The one way the Titans defense can slow down Burrow is by applying pressure and getting into the backfield. Cincinnati’s O-Line has had its struggles this year. The Titans dangerous pass-rushing trio of Harold Landry, Denico Autry, and Bud Dupree could disrupt Cincinnati’s offensive rhythm if they are able to bring Burrow down a handful of times.

As for the Titans offense, the biggest story is the return of King Henry. The juggernaut running back, Derrick Henry, is returning to action for the first time since he broke his foot in Week 8.

Will he be the wrecking ball we are used to seeing, or will there still be some rust to knock off? I definitely expect D’Onta Foreman to share the workload with Henry when it comes to carries. However, If Henry starts building momentum and wearing down the Bengals front 7, then expect to see him more towards the end of the game.

San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers

My Prediction: Packers 37, 49ers 20

Let’s dig in to the game that I know most readers of this newsletter are nervously awaiting! We all remember the Sunday Night thriller back on September 27th between these two teams, where Aaron Rodgers pulled off another signature drive in the final seconds to set up Mason Crosby for the game winner.

Do we see another nail-biter tonight? I think not. While I do wish we got matched up with the Rams instead of San Francisco, I still think it is very clear who the better team is in this playoff showdown.

The Packers finished the regular season on an absolute rampage, and the hall-of-fame quarterback is playing about as close to perfect as possible.

Since Week 11, Rodgers has an unfathomable 20-0 touchdown to interception ratio. He is clicking in LaFleur’s offense, he has the best receiver on the planet catching his passes, and the return of key pieces on the offensive line should only help the cause on the offensive side of the ball. I expect to see a big workload for AJ Dillon out of the backfield given the cold temperatures and the potential aggressiveness of San Francisco’s front 7.

Can I see a scenario in which the 49ers win this game? Absolutely. However, it will have to be a very specific type of football game. San Francisco’s running game will have to dominate the Packers defense, which is certainly not out of the question.

Elijah Mitchell has had an incredible season in the backfield, and the Cowboys learned the hard way that Deebo Samuel is even more dangerous in the running game than the passing game. However, I expect the Packers to gameplan around stopping Deebo, which might mean the 49ers use him more as a decoy.

If the running attack works, then Garoppolo will have targets open down the field, and George Kittle could wreak havoc on short passes. Jimmy G cannot win this game on his own though.

I fully expect the Packers offense to eventually put this game out of reach after a close first half. It is time to break through our playoff curse and get back to the Super Bowl, and this team is unquestionably capable. One game at a time, and it starts tonight.

Los Angeles Rams vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

My Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Rams 21

This is an extremely intriguing matchup, and one that I am glad we are getting to see! LA got the better of Brady and the Bucs during the regular season, but I expect this game to be very different.

Brady is somehow still defining all we understand about age, and playing at an extremely high level in his mid 40’s. The defending champs still have many of the pieces that made last year’s team special, but injuries have not been kind to them.

The Tampa defense is a force to be reckoned with, and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles continues to lean heavily on the blitz.

This could go one of two ways. Either they get pressure on Stafford and prevent him from getting hot, or they allow receivers to get open and the LA offense finds its rhythm. Stafford is a streaky passer, and is more dangerous in rhythm. Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham are eager to prove they can continue their success as of late.

I expect this to be a close game, and I am interested to see the matchup between Mike Evans and Jalen Ramsey. Brady may have to lean on Gronk and targets out of the backfield if Ramsey is on his game, because Evans will be hard to find.

Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs

My Prediction: Bills 40, Chiefs 30

This is perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the weekend. The rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game could wind up being the highest score of all 4 games.

We could talk a lot about the intriguing WR-DB matchups, the strong Bills secondary, and the always-looming threat of Tyreek Hill, but this game will come down to these two young stars at quarterback.

Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have taken over the AFC in the past few seasons, and it is always a treat to watch them go head-to-head. Allen and the Bills offense are coming off of a (literally) perfect showing against the Patriots, where they scored every single time they had the ball. Allen ended up with 5 touchdown passes.

The Chiefs had a very shaky start to the season, but slowly molded back into the team we have been accustomed to seeing in recent years. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill always find ways to get open, and their chemistry with Mahomes is undeniable.

I expect a somewhat slow start, followed by absolute fireworks from both sides. I’m expecting the play-calling to be aggressive, especially in the first quarter.

I’m taking the Bills for the upset in this one! I think they have found their stride at the perfect time, and are the only true threat to Kansas City’s hopes of a third consecutive AFC title. They feel like a dangerous team right now.

That’s all I got from London! I am so excited for the next 48 hours, and the special experience of watching a Packers playoff game in another country. Enjoy the rest of the weekend everybody, and GO PACK GO!