Divisional Round Preview


After six games over three days, the NFL’s post-season field has narrowed to eight teams. It will narrow again as we get four games over two days. The results of this week’s Divisional Round will set the table for the Conference Championship Games. But who makes it? Let’s dive in.

Saturday Games:

Houston Texans (10-7) at Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
About: The Texans outlasted the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 to advance last Saturday. Their prize is a matchup in frosty Kansas City just as an artic blast is heading to the state. It’s also a re-match of the team’s battle on the Saturday before Christmas. In that game, the Chiefs won 27-19. The Texans were battling, but a gruesome injury to receiver Tank Dell ended his season and seemed to rattle the Texans. Still, there is reason for hope on Saturday. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the Kansas City Chiefs’ starters like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce on the field. In fact, we haven’t seen them all year! I kid, but they last played in the Chiefs’ Christmas Day win over the Steelers. That was three weeks ago, which will leave them rested, healthy, and possibly rusty. The Texans, meanwhile, saw their defense come alive in the Wild Card round. They’ll need that again Saturday, and they’ll need Nico Collins and Joe Mixon to have a big game again. If that happens, the Texans have a shot at pulling the big upset. Still, the Chiefs won 15 games in the regular season for a reason. Despite the layoff, they’ll be ready.
The Pick: The Chiefs

Washington Commanders (12-5) at Detroit Lions (15-2)
About: The other No. 1 seed, the Lions, begin their playoff run on Saturday night. They get to face an upstart Commanders’ squad that used a last-second field goal to dispatch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. It’s been a great season for Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick, who is likely to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year. But the Lions used the bye week to rest and get healthy. A big part of that is the return of David Montgomery, who should be good-to-go on Saturday. That means an excellent Lions’ offense will be back and full strength. That poses a challenge for the Commanders’ defense that looked overmatched at times against Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans. The Lions were a tough out, losing only to those same Buccaneers and the Bills in the regular season. But these teams will have some time feeling each other out as this is the only Divisional Round game that isn’t a re-match of a regular season matchup. The Lions went to the NFC Championship Game in 2023, and I think they make a return in 2024.
The Pick: The Lions

Sunday Games:

Los Angeles Rams (10-7) at Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
About: The Rams wrapped up Wild Card Weekend by beating up on the Vikings, dominating them in a 27-9 win in Arizona. The Eagles, meanwhile, forced a slew of turnovers in turning away the Green Bay Packers. Both teams come into Sunday’s game looking to keep the run going, and both have plenty of weapons on offense and an aggressive defense. These two teams met in the regular season, a 37-20 win for the Eagles where Saquon Barkley rushed for 255 yards to carry the day. Can the Rams’ defense hold the running game in check Sunday? They did against the Vikings, and that could prove to be a key to victory. That will force the Eagles to lean on Jalen Hurts, something they’ve had to do sparingly in the 2024 season. The Rams, meanwhile, will look to test the Eagles’ defense with Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, and Kyren Williams. Sean McVay has been here before and gone all the way to the Super Bowl. Nick Siriani needs to advance, but can the Eagles keep the dream season going? I’m feeling an upset.
The Pick: The Rams

Baltimore Ravens (12-5) at Buffalo Bills (13-4)
About: Neither of these AFC powerhouses were pushed much last weekend. The Ravens rushed for 299 yards in blasting the Steelers out of the playoffs. The Bills went for more than 200 on the ground too, hanging 31 points on a solid Broncos’ defense. That leaves both poised and ready for this Divisional Round battle that looks like the best matchup of the weekend. This game features the top two contenders for the MVP race in Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Both lead similar offenses with a workmanlike receiving group and a great running back behind them. Derrick Henry runs for the Ravens while James Cook is the backfield weapon for the Bills. And both defenses have been stout at times. These two teams met early in the regular season with the Ravens getting the 35-10 win at home. But that was Week 4. The Bills lost only three more games in the regular season, including the season finale game against the Patriots where the starters sat. The also went on to beat the Chiefs and the Lions down the stretch. The Ravens, meanwhile, went through their own valley before closing the season strong. It’s hard to see that first matchup as much of a precursor for where the teams are now. The question is just which contender can outlast their opponent to get to the AFC Championship Game. I’m betting on Josh Allen.
The Pick: The Bills

Last Week: 3-3

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 37

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1.  Peter Gordon: When my father passed, I wanted nothing more than my mother's happiness. For what kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother? If I did not save her? The Power of the Dog (2021) Starring : Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jesse Plemons Director: Jane Campion About : Another modern entry, and another unconventional choice for this list, perhaps. This is a quiet and pensive story, but it certainly captures the brutality and struggle of the western genre. Campion does a beautiful job of laying out this story and world. The cinematography here works well to build the story and the vibe of the production. That's one of the things that stuck out to me. In addition, the film features some great performances from all four ...
Read more