It's been a long and winding road to get here, but after this weekend's playoff games there will only be four teams left vying for a shot to be this year's Super Bowl champions.
Both 6 seeds earned their spots in the Divisional Round as the LA Rams and Cleveland Browns both managed upsets in their Wild Card matchups and represent the reality that anyone that gets to the dance can go home Prom King. The heaviest of hitters await them though as the Rams will face the top seed in the NFC in the form of the Green Bay Packers. The Browns take on an even greater task as they're set to see the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Let's dive in and take a look at each of the four games scheduled for the Divisional Round and give you our take on who's coming out on top!
Saturday 4:35 PM EST
Los Angeles Rams (6) @ Green Bay Packers (1) -6.5
The Rams enter this game in a slightly better spot than they did a week ago as their quarterback, Jared Goff, has had another week to nurse the broken thumb on his throwing hand that he's been recovering from. Goff wanted to start last week, but was held out by Sean McVay. This week McVay will have no other option as John Wolford has been ruled out with the neck injury he sustained in the Rams' Wild Card matchup.
The Rams will need another stellar performance from Cam Akers in their game against Green Bay in order to have a shot to win. Akers racked up 176 yards of total offense and a touchdown against Seattle last week. The Packers were ranked 14th in rushing yards allowed and 16th in rushing touchdowns allowed during the regular season. Akers will be tasked with keeping the chains moving and the Rams defense off the field throughout this game.
Next week, we get Packers vs. Rams No. 1 offense vs. No. 1 defense This is gonna be a fun one https://t.co/uMGOkNiKnL— SB Nation (@SB Nation) 1610326435.0
As for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers will have a full complement of weapons at his disposal, and the connection to Davante Adams has been one of the league's most dangerous all year. It's to be seen how much we will see Aaron Jones used as Jamal Williams and rookie AJ Dillon have begun to get more touches. But if Jones manages to get going early, Matt LaFleur may decide to turn to his in both the run game and passing attack as he is one of the better receivers on the entire roster.
Prediction: Green Bay Packers 41 - Los Angeles Rams 27
Saturday 8:15 PM EST
Baltimore Ravens (5) @ Buffalo Bills (2) -2.5
The Saturday night primetime game is one that we here at FindBet are particularly excited for. We'll get to see two of the best young quarterbacks dual it out to keep their team's hope of representing the AFC alive this postseason. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have a lot of similarities in the way they play, and they way they entered the league.
Allen and Jackson both carried a lot of question marks with them as they started their NFL careers, Jackson quickly dispelled many of them after his MVP campaign in 2019, however some have creeped their way back in as he found struggles during this season. Jackson has found his game again down the stretch though, and he appears to be back to the level of play we saw from him during his best moments from last year.
Allen's biggest detractor coming into the league was his accuracy. After seeing him play, his decision-making began to be called into question. After the Bills acquired Stefon Diggs from the Vikings, giving Allen a legitimate number one threat, Allen posted an MVP caliber season this year. Finishing inside the top five in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and QBR, Allen has developed into an elite NFL quarterback.
There are other factors to consider here in determining a winner, mostly who will have success running the ball and controlling pace of play, but when it comes down to it, this is Jackson v Allen 1 in what we expect to be a long running feud in the AFC for years to come.
Prediction: Buffalo Bills 23 - Baltimore Ravens 21
Sunday 3:05 PM EST
Cleveland Browns (6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (1) -10
Even though we as fans are satisfied with the accomplishments of the Browns this year, the Browns themselves are not. Injured Cleveland receiver, Odell Beckham, warned us this week to not be surprised if we see another upset from the Browns against the Chiefs this week.
Baker vs Mahomes. Yes, please. @gmfb @Chiefs @Browns https://t.co/FhfENGK7Kp— Peter Schrager (@Peter Schrager) 1610375570.0
The Browns will have Head Coach Kevin Stefanski back on the sidelines this week and they'll also get some much needed help returning to the secondary in the form of All-Pro Denzel Ward and cornerback Kevin Johnson. The Browns will also hope to see LG Joel Bitonio and RT Jack Conklin in the lineup who were both on the sidelines as the clock ticked down in their win against Pittsburgh.
Cleveland will rely on their strong rushing attack led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to keep the offense flowing, but don't sleep on Baker Mayfield who is getting the ball out quickly and letting his receivers do work in the open field. The Browns offense has never looked better, but the buzz saw known as the Chiefs await.
"I'm feeling special today, as in upset special. The Browns have been heading North and Patrick Mahomes hasn't play… https://t.co/EZmrFXsSN0— UNDISPUTED (@UNDISPUTED) 1610726822.0
The Chiefs haven't lost a step since becoming world champs last year, if anything they're deeper and more dangerous on offense. Patrick Mahomes under center means that Kansas City is NEVER out of a game. The Chiefs enter this one as serious favorites, currently laying 10 points to Cleveland, but there's an X-factor worth keeping in mind. The Chiefs defensive strength is in their pass rush, but if Cleveland is able to extend drives by running the ball, keeping the ball out of Mahomes' hands and Mayfield hitting quick passes, the Chiefs defensive front will have limited opportunity to affect the game.
Don't mind the spread, we think this will go down to the wire.
Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs 38 - Cleveland Browns 35
Sunday 6:40 PM EST
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5) @ New Orleans Saints (2) -3
The final game of the weekend pits Tom Brady's Bucs against Drew Brees' Saints. The Bucs had ups and downs throughout the season allowing New Orleans to win the NFC South even through injuries to Brees, Michael Thomas, and Alvin Kamara throughout the season. In the teams' two divisional games in the regular season the Saints swept Tampa, defeating them opening day, and then again in a blowout 38-3 in Week 9.
For the first time ever: @TomBrady vs @drewbrees in the Playoffs. We'll see you this Sunday for @Buccaneers-… https://t.co/9L2iA2avQb— FOX Sports: NFL (@FOX Sports: NFL) 1610375040.0
Both teams are in much different places now than when they last met. The Saints finally have Brees, Thomas, and Kamara healthy and while Brees was out with broken ribs, Taysom Hill filled in giving Sean Payton a few new wrinkles to throw in if he needs to dig deep into the playbook.
The Buccaneers offense is firing at all cylinders now that Antonio Brown has joined the fray. Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones provide the Tampa backfield two solid options, and we saw Fournette rush for nearly 100 yards in their Wild Card game last week. With so much attention needing to be paid to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown expect Cameron Brate and Rob Gronkowski to be x-factors in this game.
Prediction: New Orleans Saints 28 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27
The opening round of the NFL Playoffs brought the drama and a few upsets to satiate the appetites of football fans across the nation.
We were treated to four upsets across the weekend that included the fifth seeded Ravens defeating the fourth seeded Titans, the fifth seeded Buccaneers taking out the fourth seeded Washington Football Team, the sixth seeded Rams stealing one from the third seeded Seahawks, and the Cleveland Browns with the biggest upset of the slate coming away with the victory over the Steelers, despite being undermanned due to multiple players and coaches being on the COVID-19 Reserve list.
The matchups for the Divisional Round are set now, and in the AFC we will see the Ravens go to Buffalo to square off with the Bills on Saturday in primetime and the Browns head to Kansas City for a date with the defending Super Bowl champs. In the NFC we get the Rams at Green Bay on Saturday in the early game, and Brady v. Brees III on Sunday night as the Bucs and Saints play for a chance to reach the NFC Championship Game.
Now that we know who will be there, let's take a look at how they got there.
(2) Buffalo 27 - (7) Indianapolis 24
Game MVP: Josh Allen
Josh Allen has ascended to the elite tier of NFL QBsJames P. McCoy/Buffalo News
The Colts and Bills kicked off the playoffs in the first game of the weekend, and it didn't disappoint. Buffalo came away with a 27-24 win and Indianapolis had opportunities in the fourth quarter to score to tie or go ahead. The Bills defense made just enough plays to keep their team ahead as neither offense was able to keep momentum for too long throughout this one. A few costly drops by Colts receivers prevented the team from extending some promising drives and ultimately attributed towards their offense falling flat.
As for Buffalo, we saw a healthy dose of what got them there in the first place: Josh Allen to Stefon Diggs. Allen and Diggs hooked up for 6 receptions and 128 yards including a decisive fourth quarter touchdown that helped the Bills to the win. Allen ended the day with 324 yards passing to go along with two passing touchdowns and also picked up 54 yards rushing and another touchdown on the ground. Another MVP caliber performance from a dark horse candidate to take home the award this season.
Buffalo will get Lamar Jackson and the Ravens next round and will see a much different style of offense than the Philip Rivers led Colts. Lamar, or Big Truss as some call him, is starting to play closer to the MVP-level we saw out of him last year, and that could spell disaster for the Bills Mafia on their Cinderella run. Baltimore loves to run with both Jackson and their talented rookie back J.K. Dobbins, and a key for Buffalo should be establishing their rushing attack to prevent Baltimore from being able to control the pace of the game.
If Baltimore gets their run attack going, and the Bills have a few three-and-outs early in the game, Buffalo's defense runs the risk of getting gassed out too early, which would allow Lamar to run all over them in the second half. Zack Moss and Devin Singletary only had 10 combined carries in the game against the Colts, which should increase next week against the Ravens.
(6) Los Angeles 30 - (3) Seattle 20
Game MVP: Darious Williams
Darious Williams came up with a pick-six in the Rams upset WWally Skalij/Los Angeles Times
The Rams weren't given much of a chance in this game. With John Wolford having to start the game and then exit early with an injury, it forced Jared Goff into the game despite recovering from a broken thumb on his throwing hand. Wolford left with a neck injury and was brought to the hospital but thankfully has since been released. Neither of the quarterbacks were particularly effective, but Goff managed to hit Robert Woods late in the game for a 15 yard score to put the game out of reach.
It was Cam Akers who stepped up for his ailing QBs, as he amassed 131 yards on the ground, 45 yards on two catches, and a touchdown on the day. Russell Wilson again looked very average and was only able to post 174 yards passing in this must-win game. Wilson threw for two touchdowns but also had a pass intercepted and brought back for a touchdown by Darious Williams in the second quarter. Chris Carson did his job for Seattle, averaging 4.8 yards per carry while finishing with 77 yards on the ground.
Sean McVay's Rams will draw the top seed in the NFC next round in the form of the Green Bay Packers. At least Goff will have another week to nurse his thumb, but unless he's able to throw downfield more effectively against Green Bay, the Rams could struggle to keep pace with one of the league's highest scoring offenses.
(5) Tampa Bay 31 - (4) Washington 23
Game MVP: Tom Brady
Tom Brady continues his winning ways in the playoffs with TampaBrad Mills/USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay came into this game the heavy favorites against Washington. On last week's episode of FindBet's podcast The Catch, The Catch, we discussed how we thought the Football Team would put up a better fight than one might think. Behind the play of backup QB Taylor Heinicke, Washington was never out of the game until the closing moments. Although Brady and the Bucs will head to New Orleans for a duel with the Saints, an interesting storyline will be if Heinicke has played himself into consideration to enter the 2021 regular season as the Football Team's starting quarterback.
Washington has a few young core players in Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson, and Cam Sims on the offensive side of the ball and are really just needing a consistent presence at quarterback to solidify their attack. Already boasting one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL, the Football Team could take a big jump next year if they're able to build on the foundation they have begun to lay under Ron Rivera.
As for the Buccaneers, it shouldn't be understated that they went into Washington and took care of their business. It's not as if they overlooked Washington, but let's be real, Brady had Drew Brees and the Saints in his peripheral as he was staring down Chase Young during this game. TB12 is looking very comfortable in Bruce Arians's offense at this point in the season and has been able to successfully utilize any combination of the weapons at his disposal to result in victories throughout the season.
As they figure out how to best implement and deploy the talents of Antonio Brown, the Bucs have the look and feel of a Lamborghini roaring down an open highway. The only problem with a sports car going at exceeding speeds is that a little speed bump could cause a wreck. A healthy Michael Thomas and Drew Brees to pair with Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray awaits Tampa, and that's a big speed bump.
There has never been anyone better at winning playoff games than Tom Brady, and this is probably the most talented offense he's played with during his 20 year career. The Bucs got a strong performance from Leonard Fournette against Washington, as they saw him rack up 93 yards on the ground with a touchdown and added 39 yards on four catches.
Tampa will surely need a similar day from their rushing attack against New Orleans as Sean Payton will probably be sending blitzers to disrupt Tom Brady and try to slow down their passing attack. The Bucs would greatly benefit from a healthy performance from Fournette or Ronald Jones to help them come out on top next round.
If one day of three NFL playoff games wasn't enough for you to handle, don't worry because the NFL has another tripleheader of playoff action on tap for Sunday.
After Matthew Hanson did such a great job at trying to predict Saturday's slate, he has handed the reins over to me to try and forecast what is going to happen to close out the Wild Card Round.
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick HenryRob Carr - Getty Images
Baltimore Ravens (5) v. Tennessee Titans (4)
1:05 pm EST (ABC/ESPN)
Spread: Ravens -3
Baltimore will have revenge on their mind when they travel to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon. Not only did the Titans knock the Ravens out of the playoffs last year, Tennessee also defeated Baltimore in overtime in November. The Ravens were leading the Titans 21-10 in the regular season matchup before Tennessee was able to mount a comeback. Justin Tucker forced overtime before Derrick Henry's 29-yard touchdown scamper gave the Ravens their second straight loss.
The Ravens enter this year's playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NFL, having won their last five games. Not only has Lamar Jackson regained some of his MVP form from last year, the Ravens have found a new weapon in rookie running back J.K. Dobbins. Dating back to the November loss to Tennessee, Dobbins has scored at least one touchdown in each of the last six games.
Derrick Henry may get all the headlines for the Titans after rushing for 2,017 yards this year, but Baltimore can't sleep on Ryan Tannehill. The Tennessee quarterback has thrown for 3,819 yards and a career-high 33 touchdowns this year. A.J. Brown was Tannehill's favorite target, eclipsing 1,000 yards receiving and catching 11 touchdowns this year. Henry and Tannehill will be hoping that guard Rodger Saffold is healthy enough to play on Sunday, especially with the Titans already having lost Taylor Lewan for the season. Even though Saffold hasn't yet practiced this week, the Indiana product has said he is playing against the Ravens.
As well as the Ravens have been playing recently, they haven't exactly being playing tough competition. During their five-game winning streak, the only win for Baltimore over a winning team came against the Browns last month. Tennessee has been a bad matchup for the Ravens the last two times they've played, and it's hard not to see the Titans causing the same problems for Baltimore. The combination of Henry and Tannehill tops Jackson and Dobbins in Nashville.
Prediction: Tennessee 27, Baltimore 20
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew BreesChuck Cook - USA TODAY Sports
Chicago Bears (7) v. New Orleans Saints (2)
4:40 pm EST (CBS)
Spread: Saints -10
Following the battle between the Ravens and Titans, another rematch of an overtime game from November is on tap. The New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears battled on the first day of November in Chicago, with New Orleans squeaking out a 26-23 win. Not only will the setting for this game be different, both teams will have a few different faces involved on Sunday afternoon.
The biggest difference for Chicago will be at quarterback. Last time these teams met, Nick Foles was taking the snaps for the Bears. Since then, Mitchell Trubisky has reclaimed his starting quarterback position, and has cut down on the mistakes, throwing 10 touchdowns and just five interceptions over the last six games. Trubisky has been helped by the emergence of David Montgomery at running back. Since Trubisky returned at quarterback, Montgomery has recorded three 100-yard rushing performances and scored nine touchdowns.
It seems like as soon as the Saints take care of one issue on offense, another pops up. Whether it be Michael Thomas dealing with injuries seemingly all year long, Drew Brees breaking 11 ribs, or all the Saints running backs sidelined last week due to COVID-19 protocols, somehow New Orleans has navigated the issues and found themselves as the second seed in the NFC. After catching 155 passes last year, Thomas has only played in seven games this year, hauling in 40 passes during that time. Thomas is practicing ahead of Sunday's game, and is expected to play. Not only will the return of Thomas give Brees his favorite target back, it will also take some of the pressure off of Alvin Kamara, who has been playing at an MVP level this year.
The Saints are a different team at home in the dome, even if there will only be limited fans in attendance. This game would be more of a fight if this game were being played in Chicago, because of the colder temperatures that Brees and company aren't used to playing in. Not only will the offense of the Saints be tough for the Bears to match, the defense of New Orleans knows how to create turnovers, which means we'll see the return of bad Mitch Trubisky. The Saints should easily move on to the next round of the playoffs.
Prediction: New Orleans 31, Chicago 17
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben RoethlisbergerCharles LeClaire - USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Browns (6) v. Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
8:15 pm EST (NBC)
Spread: Steelers -6
The Cleveland Browns made the playoffs for the first time in 18 years and now their pets heads are falling off. Cleveland has already been dealing with COVID-19 issues over the past few weeks, and things got even worse this week when it was announced that head coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't be able to coach after testing positive. This leaves special teams coordinator Mike Preifer to serve as acting head coach in Stefanski's absence, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to take over the play calling duties on Sunday night.
Just to get to the playoffs, Cleveland barely snuck by the Steelers last week. Pittsburgh was resting most of their starters and still had a chance to send the game to overtime, but Mason Rudolph wasn't able to convert the two-point conversion attempt after the Steelers had closed the score to 24-22. Steeler fans won't have to worry about seeing Rudolph this week, as Ben Roethlisberger will be back at quarterback for Pittsburgh, looking to continue his mastery over the Browns.
It'd be great to see the Browns earn their first playoff win in forever. Sadly, it doesn't look like it is in the cards for Cleveland. A week off could rejuvenate Big Ben, who has already attempted over 600 passes this year. The Steelers have struggled to run the ball all year, and even though Cleveland knows the Steelers will want to pass the football, it could be hard to slow Pittsburgh down, especially with the status of cornerback Denzel Ward up in the air. Add in the injury and COVID issues Cleveland has been dealing with on the offensive line, and Baker Mayfield could be running for his life on Sunday night against T.J. Watt and the talented defensive line of the Steelers.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 30, Cleveland 20
After an up and down 2020 regular season, it turns out we saved one of our best weeks for last.
The Packers and Bills well exceeded expectations, completely dismantling their possible playoff opponents in the final week. Tough break for the Dolphins, they didn't have the luxury of backing in the way Chicago did.
Surprisingly, the biggest blowout came from Derrick Henry, who managed to double his over/under number against a busted Texans' D, win back-to-back rushing titles, and become the eight man in NFL history to crack 2,000 yards.
All that being said, you'd think the Titans ran away with this one, but their own malfunctioning defense kept Deshaun Watson in the game to the very last second. It took a ricochet off an upright to seal the deal in regulation, signaling a shorter playoff stay for this year's Titans.
Pittsburgh Steelers -6 over Cleveland Browns
This one doesn't even seem fair. The Steelers bring the most pressure in the NFL, and have two of the most effective pass rushers in the league between T.J. Watt and Stephen Tuitt, who're beating their man at 29% and 13% of the time, respectively. Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield has always folded under pressure, and it's only gotten worse this year. The man might be able to act his way through any commercial thrown his way, but standing in behind his offensive line has proven more difficult than being in front of the camera. The Steelers offense seems to have righted the ship in the final weeks, Ben just needing to get the ball out to his playmakers to look halfway decent. This all goes without saying, the Browns are currently being ravaged by COVID, preventing practices all week, and knocking out a chunk of the coaching staff, which includes Kevin Stefanski. He's the man who took this team from lost on offense to the playoffs in one season by actually maximizing the team's strengths. Without him at the helm, I wouldn't trust Baker and co. to handle this one on their own.
Ravens -3 over Titans
In what seems to be a budding rivalry, the Titans and Ravens will square off in a rematch of last year's divisional round game that concluded with Baltimore looking positively pedestrian. That loss robbed us of the Chiefs/Ravens and Mahomes/Jackson showdown in the championship game that everyone wanted, especially in Lamar's breakout MVP season. This year, the tables have turned and the Ravens will be visiting the division-winning Titans, but it feels like even more of a lock that Baltimore will prevail. Tennessee's defense has left plenty to be desired (see: Texans, Houston) and their offensive line isn't the same group of hogmollies who bulldozed their way through the 2019 playoffs. If you have a hard time containing Deshaun Watson, I'd hate to be in the film room prepping for this opponent. Since his fourth quarter resurrection against the aptly-named Browns, Lamar has looked like his transcendent self. One of the Titans biggest weaknesses, their red zone defense, which allowed 69% of drives that get within the 20 to end in a touchdown, plays to Lamar's biggest strengths. He's responsible for a whopping 46 TDs in the red zone and not a single interception. That alone should be enough to allow them to skate into the next round.
LaMAr jAcKSoN cAn’T ThrOW https://t.co/Xh3bx3nefB— Sarah Ellison (@Sarah Ellison) 1609698594.0
Stefon Diggs over 7.5 Receptions
When the Bills traded for Diggs this offseason, you have to imagine they would've settled for two thirds of the production the vet receiver has given them. The idea of him leading the league in both catches and yards must have been so beyond their wildest dreams, it wouldn't even have made the vision board. But that's exactly what he did, unlocking Josh Allen and the Bills offense in the process. Now 7.5 feels high, but it's a number he's hit in six of the final eight games of the season, and the last week of the season he got to seven before being pulled from the blowout. The Bills have managed to smoke teams with their offense, refusing to take their foot off the pedal, which they might have to do against a Colts team that can hang offensively with Phil Rivers and shut down the run game with Deforest Buckner. It's safe to say that Diggs is going to be a busy man, if the Bills want to win. Most importantly, the man cares about his dental health.
LMAOOOOO https://t.co/okooFHd4Q7— Warren Sharp (@Warren Sharp) 1609700166.0
Seahawks/Rams under 42.5
Best case scenario for the Ram? Jared Goff, fresh from the operating table, will return as their wildly up-and-down starting quarterback. Worst case scenario? John Wolford, he of AAF success and one career start, will be leading the charge against a blossoming Seattle D. They've managed to improve at historic levels, allowing 47% less points per game in the back half of the season. Jamal Adams has invigorated the defense, and I'd bet on him eating the lunch of whatever starter McVay has to throw out there. On the flip side, the Los Angeles Rams have the number one ranked defense in the NFL, powered by the fiercest player and most innovative coordinator in the league. They are equally prepared to shutdown the pass and run game, not giving up 100 yards to a running back or 300 yards to a QB, excepting Josh Allen, all season long. In previous matchups against Seattle, the Rams allowed 16 points in a victory and 20 points in a loss, allowing a combined 625 yards and 35 first downs.