Plenty of people will tell you the best weekend of football all year, from a quality and stakes perspective game-to-game, is the NFL’s divisional round.
Now, it’s here.
On Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, the Kansas City Chiefs will formally open their postseason quest to win an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title against the Houston Texans. Then, Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, the Detroit Lions will begin their playoff quest to reach and win that elusive first Super Bowl in franchise history against rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Sunday’s action begins at 3 p.m. ET as the Philadelphia Eagles play host to the Los Angeles Rams, and the weekend finishes with arguably the game of the year thus far as MVP frontrunners collide with Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills hosting Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens.
Who will win? What will be the X factors?
Yahoo Sports NFL writer Frank Schwab breaks down all four games. Click the matchup link to read the individual game preview. (Click the matchup to read the individual preview.)
It wasn’t that long ago that the Chiefs beat the Texans 27-19 in Week 16. A big factor in that game for Kansas City, and late in the season as a whole, was rookie Xavier Worthy. Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs’ path to winning that game wasn’t complicated: They ran the ball effectively, Patrick Mahomes had an efficient day, Worthy was highlighted and the defense played well, including two interceptions of Texans QB C.J. Stroud. The Texans need to play a very, very good game against the Chiefs to win. Kansas City should win if it just plays like it normally does.
Among the many Lions injuries this season, it seemed like running back David Montgomery was headed to season-ending surgery due to a knee injury. But the injury wasn’t as bad as first feared and the Lions are confident Montgomery will play this week. It’s really hard to stop the Lions’ rushing attack when both Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are at full strength. Will Montgomery look like his typical self? That would be bad news for a Commanders defense that was 28th in the NFL in yards per run allowed.
The first time the Rams and Eagles played, Saquon Barkley had one of the best rushing games ever. Barkley had 255 yards on the ground, the ninth-most in NFL history. That game might have been a wake-up call for the Rams’ defense. Since then they’ve allowed a reasonable 104.1 rushing yards per game. The Eagles want to control the game with Barkley and their offensive line. The Rams can’t let the Eagles run wild again. If they contain Philadelphia’s ground game, they might have a shot at an upset.
If you play this game 100 times, each side might win 50. It’s a fantastic, even matchup between two teams with great quarterbacks and other similar strengths. Though the regular-season matchup was a long time ago and it seems unlikely that it will mirror what we see on Sunday night, it’s hard to ignore that the Ravens absolutely dominated the Bills. They outgained Buffalo 427 to 236. It was the only time the Bills lost by more than one score all season, and they lost it by 25. It’s one of only three times since Allen’s rookie season of 2018 that the Bills have lost by 20 or more. Does that matter for the rematch?
As the NFL playoffs continue, the divisional round is set to kick off with four exciting matchups. Here’s a breakdown of each game and my predictions for who will come out on top:
1. Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams:
The Packers, led by MVP frontrunner Aaron Rodgers, will face off against the tough Rams defense led by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. While the Rams have a strong defense, I believe Rodgers will be able to outduel them and lead the Packers to victory. Prediction: Packers win.
2. Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens:
This matchup features two dynamic young quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have been on a hot streak as of late, but I think the Bills’ high-powered offense will be too much for them to handle. Prediction: Bills win.
3. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cleveland Browns:
The defending Super Bowl champions will take on the surprising Browns, who pulled off a huge upset against the Steelers in the wild card round. While the Browns have been playing well, the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes are just too explosive on offense. Prediction: Chiefs win.
4. New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
This matchup between division rivals Drew Brees and Tom Brady is sure to be a thrilling one. The Saints have had the upper hand in their previous two meetings this season, and I think they will come out on top once again. Prediction: Saints win.
Overall, I predict the Packers, Bills, Chiefs, and Saints to advance to the conference championship round. It should be an exciting weekend of football, and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
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