Indianapolis Colts @ Buffalo Bills
Saturday, January 9th - 12:05 PM CT on CBS
The Colts got the 7th and final playoff spot last week, and now must travel to Buffalo to face the red-hot Bills. The Colts have had a great defense all season, and although it has taken a step back towards the end of the season, it is still capable of slowing down the Bills offense. The problem lies in Phillip Rivers play. If he can manage the game and not put the defense in bad situations with costly turnovers, then the Colts will have a chance to pull off the upset. The Bills are winners of 6 straight games, and Josh Allen looks as confident as ever. The Josh Allen Stefon Diggs duo has been incredible, and although Diggs is dealing with an oblique injury, he says he’ll be good to go. I believe the Bills are too much for the Colts and should win their first playoff game since 1995.
Colts 17 - Bills 31
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
Saturday, January 9th - 3:40 PM CT on Fox
The Rams and Seahawks faceoff for the third time this season after splitting the first two, now they face off in a win or go home. The home team has won each game, and with Jared Goff being uncertain this week, the Seahawks should definitely be the favorite. The Rams however, have the defense that can carry them through this game. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks have been two different teams. Beginning of the season, the offense was dynamic, and the defense was awful. Now, the offense is struggling, and the defense is playing great. The Seahawks have to find a way to combine the great offense with the great defense, and they can get to the Super Bowl. I believe the Rams defense will keep this close, but Russell and company will advance to the second round.
Rams 23 - Seahawks 27
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Football Team
Saturday, January 9th - 7:15 PM CT on NBC
This is a game where no one is giving Washington a chance. The Football Team got into the playoffs at 6-10 and now get to host Tom Brady and the Bucs. Washington will be relying solely on their defense, and that’s something you can’t do in their playoffs. Washington has the defense necessary for the playoffs with their elite front 4, but their offense will at least have to score 24 points to have a chance, and I can’t see them getting to that number. Tampa Bay has been hitting their stride, and that should continue in Washington this week.
Buccaneers 27 - Football Team 14
Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans
Sunday, January 10th - 12:05 PM CT on ESPN
In my opinion, the game of the week, the Ravens face the Titans in a rematch from earlier in the season. These two teams also matched up last January in Baltimore, when the Titans came in and upset the Ravens 28-12. The Titans also beat Baltimore in Baltimore, in an overtime thriller earlier in the season. The Ravens are a different team right now, albeit beating up on weaker teams, it has boosted their confidence, and they look more like the dominant team we saw last season. This should be a slugfest, as both teams have the top two ground games in the NFL. The Titans arguably have the best running back in the league right now in Derrick Henry. If the Ravens can find a way to limit him, this should lead to a Ravens victory, and Lamar Jackson’s first playoff victory, but if they don’t do well, the Ravens will have to hear about another playoff failure all offseason. I’m picking the Ravens to advance this week.
Ravens 28 - Titans 24
Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints
Sunday, January 10th - 3:40 PM CT on FOX
The Bears ended the season strong and snuck into the playoffs, now they travel to New Orleans hoping to give the Saints another devastating playoff loss. The Saints arguably have the NFL’s most talented roster, and this is sounding like it’ll be Drew Brees’ last year before heading off into retirement. The Saints being at home with the momentum they built, they should get the win this week, even against a Bears squad that has looked much better under Mitch Trubisky. I have the Saints winning and pulling away late.
Bears 17 - Saints 28
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, January 10th - 7:15 PM CT on NBC
The Browns face the Steelers for the second week in a row, after clinching their first playoff birth since 2002, which was ironically against the Steelers. The Browns have been hit with terrible Covid luck the past 3 weeks, and this is the worst week to have it. This week, they’ll be missing their starting Left Guard and their Head Coach, due to positive Covid test. The Browns haven’t even gotten to practice, so one has to wonder, just how much it’ll affect them this week. The Browns have the offense to get the win, but with no practice time, and without their Head Coach, I have a hard time seeing the Browns getting this win. If everything was in order, I probably would’ve picked Cleveland, but I just can’t with everything in the way.
Browns 23 - Steelers 31
Comments