Super Wild Card Weekend is over and felt more like watching J.K. Rowling giving an interview than football. The 5/6 games were blowouts and didn’t have much tension toward the end of the game. There were no game-winning drives and the 2nd halves of some of those games had me thinking “Is it August already”?
This round of the playoffs doesn’t feature any quarterbacks over the age of 30, with Jared Goff as the oldest remaining at 29. It’s also worth acknowledging that since the 49ers have fixed their quarterback issue, all 8 remaining quarterbacks are outstanding signal-callers.
I went 3-3 last week, but fellow TSP dude Nate went 6-0, while Chase went 5-1. So I have a score to settle this week.
Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens
SATURDAY AT 1:30 PM PST/4:30 EST ON ESPN/ABC
The Texans and the Ravens will kick off the Divisional Round, and I’ll just say this off the bat. I don’t think the Texans have the juice. I don’t think they have the defense to contain this Ravens offense and I don’t think Stroud will look like the Chosen One like he has for a lot of the season. The Ravens’ defense will confuse Stroud and the young Texans’ offense. Stroud will make mistakes this game and that will prevent the Texans from winning.
Prediction: The Ravens smother C.J. Stroud and company. Lamar Jackson runs wild on the young Texans’ defense and resets his playoff narrative with a great performance. Ravens 24 – Texans 10.
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers
SATURDAY AT 5:15 PM PST/8:15 PM EST ON FOX
The last time the 49ers played a game with all their starters was December 31. So they’ve been on rest for 20 days now. That could prove to be the biggest downfall or the biggest advantage in their match-up against the Packers. Meanwhile, Green Bay is coming into this game after pounding the ever-ready-to-be-the-butt-of-the-joke Dallas Cowboys. But the Cowboys are not the 49ers.
Prediction: This isn’t going to be a very close game. The 49ers are going to set the tone with Christian McCaffrey early and often. Brock Purdy is going to feast on a pass defense that just hasn’t been great all season long and the 49ers win this one going away. San Francisco 49ers 38 – Green Bay Packers 24.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions
SUNDAY AT 12:00 PM PST/3:00 PM EST ON NBC/PEACOCK
First of all, what a year from Baker Mayfield. What a career resurgence from him. The same can be said for Jared Goff as well. He was left for dead after being traded from Los Angeles to Detroit. This is definitely an intriguing match-up and does feature the 2 worst quarterbacks remaining in the tournament, though both are very good in general. The Bucs have a real shot to head to the NFC Championship game the season after losing the GOAT and the Lions have a chance to make a whole city proud.
Prediction: I’m going to go with the Buccaneers on this one. I know that may be the unpopular choice but I like what I’ve seen from Baker and company all season long. I love the story and I think the Buccaneers’ offense is going to give the Lions’ defense some problems. If the Buccaneers can get after Goff on defense then I see the Bucs winning this one. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 – Detroit Lions 23.
Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
SUNDAY AT 3:30 PM PST/6:30 PM EST ON CBS/PARAMOUNT PLUS
*Activate the Rock voice*. FINALLY. IT’S HERE. THE GAME WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. Patrick Mahomes vs Josh Allen. The 2 best quarterbacks in the NFL face off in the match-up of the week-end. If you told me this was the Super Bowl I’d have believed you. What a colossal clash of the Titans! Allen will finally look to knock off Mahomes in the post-season for the first time in his career and Mahomes will look to win his first-ever road playoff game.
Prediction: I have the Bills taking this one this time. The Chiefs offense looked pretty good last week but they were facing a hapless Dolphins team that actually looked like they were trying to swim in ice. This is the year that Allen and the Bills finally break through in my mind. But it’s Patrick Fing Mahomes at the end of the day. If there’s a way to win, he’ll find it. Buffalo Bills 20 – Kansas City Chiefs 17.
