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NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round preview and predictions

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The Sports Gazette has you covered for all things NFL in the playoffs all the way up to the Super Bowl. Here is our preview and predictions for the Divisional Round!

The race to Super Bowl LVIII is on / Governor Tom Wolf via WikiMedia Commons 

American Football Conference

Baltimore Ravens vs Houston Texans, Saturday 20th January 9.30pm GMT, Baltimore.

The number one seed of the AFC’s card has been called. The Ravens have had the luxury of effectively a three-week break, and with that have ensured some crucial players are healed, well rested and ready to go for Saturday.

Most important of those banged up in the last few weeks of the season is safety Kyle Hamilton. He is off the injury report and in full health, which is pivotal for Mike MacDonald’s record-breaking defence. Hamilton’s dynamic ability to line up all over the defence has caused serious headaches for the opposition.

CJ Stroud and the Texans are brimming with confidence, and deservedly so. The comprehensive victory over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round demonstrated just how far they have come since the week one loss to the Ravens. They have one of the best run defences in the league, and the offence under Stroud is seriously dangerous.

https://twitter.com/YardsPer/status/1746305846089224464

The stage is set. MVP favourite Lamar Jackson vs Offensive Rookie of the Year favourite CJ Stroud. Baltimore’s offence has become a wrecking ball to defences at home. In the last five games Lamar has started in Baltimore, the offence has scored: 38, 37, 34, 37, 56. Absurd.

The Texans racked up 45 points themselves last week. Two scores were defensive touchdowns mind, but we could be in for a proper offensive shootout. It will most likely to come down to which defence can stem the tide with a big play. Fumbles have been the singular thorn in Jackson’s side this season, but his defence have also caused the most turnovers too.

W: Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday 21st January 11.30pm GMT, Buffalo.

A tie that has become iconic in playoff football as of recent years, and one that rarely disappoints. It is a testament to the dominance of the Chiefs over the years that this is Patrick Mahomes first ever playoff game on the road, having been to three Super Bowls and the AFC Championship game five times.

This is not the Chiefs of previous seasons. However, in the offence’s failures this year, the defence has stepped up.  Last week demonstrated just how impressive it has been. In unfavourable conditions, they clamped down All-Pro Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to just under 100 yards combined.

The Bills arguably had the easiest tie of the wild-card round, playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. At one point it seemed that they would run away with it, but the Steelers fought back to make it a tighter game than it should have been. Allen produced some magic on the field, but they were not completely convincing on both sides of the ball.

The last time these two played in the playoffs, they changed the overtime rules as a result. Travis Kelce broke Buffalo hearts after one of the best games in playoff history, which included a record-breaking four touchdowns from Bills WR Gabe Davis.

Davis looks set to miss out, but in his stead comes the brilliant rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid, who has been one of Allen’s favourite targets this season. The combination of Mahomes and rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice seems to be heating up at the right time too. Can Mahomes inspire his offence to stand up when it matters, or will Allen dice up some quarterback magic to storm to the AFC championship game?

W: Buffalo Bills

Ricky Westaby

National Football Conference

San Francisco 49ers v Green Bay Packers, Sunday 21st January 1:15 am GMT, San Francisco.

Both Matt Le Fleur and Kyle Shanahan were under the tutelage of Mike Shanahan at the then Washington Redskins some decade ago. Now, they meet as head coaches in the NFC divisional round.

Shanahan has more weapons at his disposal, with the 49ers having a NFL-high nine pro bowl selections. This also means more pressure for San Francisco, as opposed to the youngest NFL roster in La Fleur’s Green Bay Packers. Shanahan comes under pressure particularly, after getting so close in previous years yet not coming home with the goods, including blowing a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. Since 2019, Shanahan’s 49ers have been to three NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl but are yet to close the deal.

The 49ers will surely fancy their chances of progressing to the Super Bowl as NFC champions this year after NFC two seed Dallas Cowboys took a shock exit in the wild-card round. But after producing that shock and equalling their most points ever in a playoff game against the NFL’s fifth-best defense, the Packers will be no walk over.

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Their young core seemed to embrace the pressure, as quarterback Jordan Love almost matched the performance of rookie sensation CJ Stroud, while Romeo Doubs recorded a career-high 151 receiving yards. Being the first seventh seeded side to win a postseason game since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 2020, the Packers have it all to do once more in order to stop the third best scoring offense in football.

W: San Francisco 49ers

Detroit Lions v Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 21 January Sunday 20:00 pm GMT, Detroit. 

After the playoff exit of the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions’ first playoff win in 32 years, perhaps there is a new team for America to root for.

The Lions ended a nine-game postseason losing streak, the longest in NFL history, and will play two home playoff games for the first time in franchise history. While the Michigan Wolverines won the national title for the first time since 1997, just last weekend. Something could be brewing in the Great Lakes State.

If that wasn’t a sign, Detroit are the first team to have four different players score 10 or more touchdowns in a single season since the Denver Broncos in 2013. That Broncos team made it all the way to the Super Bowl.

The Lions beat Tampa Bay in the regular season but can’t assume that will translate into a playoff victory. The Buccaneers last game says otherwise. They were defeated 25-11 by the Philadelphia Eagles in the regular season with quarterback Baker Mayfield throwing an interception and just 146 yards. In their wild-card match-up, Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns to lead his side to a 32-9 win. Yet Mayfield, still with something to prove having played for four teams in five years since being the number one pick in 2018, still says they have another gear to go to and can play better than they did in their wild-card game.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell will hope not, and that he can bring another dose of playoff success to this starved Lions fanbase.

W: Detroit Lions

Eduardo Tansley

Authors

  • Ricky Westaby

    Ricky Westaby is the American Football editor for the Sports Gazette. Originally inspired by the Blind Side’s ‘true story’ to get into American Football, learning its dark truths was a crushing reality. However, the passion was already instilled. A QPR fan born and raised in West London, his other main areas of focus will include football and rugby union. @RWestaby_SG

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  • Eduardo Tansley

    Trying to tell stories he would want to read, whether that's Dominican football or British basketball, Eduardo has interviewed sports people from CEOs to athletes on the rise. @tansleyeduardo

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