Bird Words 6 SPECIAL EDITION: Divisional round preview
Predictions for all of this weekend's NFL action.
The NFL divisional round is this weekend! Only eight teams remain as we are now within a month of the Super Bowl in Miami. The four games this week will feature all of the remaining teams, as no one has any bye’s left.
Today we preview the four games this weekend. We will look out how the teams match up, and predict the outcomes of the games.
Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 4:35 pm)
The Minnesota Vikings were the biggest surprise winners from Wild Card weekend. Their defense, and specifically their linebackers and edge rushers, played an incredible game. They shut down Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints offense for three quarters. When the Saints stormed back into the game to tie it all up in the fourth, the onus was put on the offense’s hands, and then Kirk Cousins led his group to a touchdown drive to end overtime after only one drive.
Now the Vikings offense will face an even tougher test. An incredible San Francisco 49ers defense that includes probable Defensive Rookie of the Year - and possibly defensive player of the year - Nick Bosa, all-pro cornerback (and horrible contract negotiator) Richard Sherman and many other stars. Star linebacker Kwon Alexander may be returning from injury as well. They had a decent amount of trouble beating a talented Saints team last week (though the turnovers didn’t help), and now things are about to get harder.
Minnesota’s defense is great too, though, and the 49ers have not quite been an offensive juggernaut this season. Jimmy Garappolo has not been exactly great this season, and it is easy to see how an offense that bothered a quarterback like Brees last week could pummel Garappolo.
This game is between two teams with similar roster constructions. They both feature quarterbacks who have great talent, but often make dumb errors under pressure, and have trouble working off-script. Both teams feature defenses that are built to take advantage of the opposing quarterback’s weakness. The 49ers have a clear advantage, though. Their corners are leagues ahead of those of the Vikings, though, and that difference at a position that important could be enough for the 49ers to have a big advantage.
Prediction: 49ers win (Vikings +7)
Tennessee Titans @ Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, 8:15 PM)
The Tennessee Titans pulled also pulled off a huge upset on wild card weekend, knocking off Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, potentially ending a dynasty. While they have already knocked off the old king, now it’s time for them to take on the new king in Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens have been on a tear this season. Jackson is the most successful rushing quarterback of all time, and will probably be named MVP at the NFL honors in February. The defense has gotten better as the season went on, with two cornerbacks in Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey being named to all-pro lists. They have won 12 straight games and won almost all of them in dominating fashion.
Baltimore is the juggernaut. The team to beat. The Super Bowl favorite, especially now that the Saints are out of the picture.
It is hard to see how the Titans win this. They managed to beat the Patriots despite only scoring 14 points before a late pick-6, with that last second score being their only points in the second half. Ryan Tannehill only threw for 72 yards, and even Derrick Henry seriously cooled off in the second half after erupting in the first. They won the game because their defense managed to shut down a Patriots offense that has been horrible for almost the entire year.
Can they shut down Jackson, Mark Ingram and the rest of the Ravens? Probably not. The Titans defense was not a stand out unit this season, and units much better than them have failed to have success against Baltimore.
This game might not be competitive. As great of a story as the Titans are, their tale may come to a disastrous end this weekend.
Prediction: Ravens win (Ravens -10)
Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 3:05 pm)
Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes will meet in the second time of their career (and the second time of the season). The two young star quarterbacks will face off in their most important match up yet, and in what is probably the highlight of the Divisional weekend.
Houston won round one after a game with tons of offense early on slowed into a defensive battle. Both teams have vastly increased since then, though. The Houston Texans are coming off of a rough offensive performance where Watson struggled against the mighty pass rush of the Buffalo Bills. Watson will likely be better this week though - as last week was arguably the worst game of his young career - and the Chiefs defense is not anywhere near as good as the Bills.
The Texans offense should look better than they did last week, but the Chiefs offense should look pretty good as well. Houston’s secondary is by far the weakest part of the roster, with players like Bradley Roby, Justin Reid and Vernon Hargreaves being potential fodder for Mahomes and his speedy receiving corps in the passing game. It is possible that the Chiefs just blow up the Texans this weekend, and take full control of this one.
Watson will need to do more than just do better than last week. He will need to be able to win a potential shoot out with one of the greatest big play offenses the league has ever seen. And he will have to do it without the speedy Will Fuller in the lineup. Watson, Kenny Stills, and Deandre Hopkins all have to be much better this week to even stand a chance, and it still probably will not be good enough.
Prediction: Chiefs win (Texans +10)
Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 6:40 pm)
The final game of the weekend is another notable rematch. Not of a game from this season but one from years ago. In 2014, the Seattle Seahawks punched a ticket to the Super Bowl after an incredible comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. This will be their first postseason meeting since then.
Even the regular season games between these teams during the era of Russel Wilson and Aaron Rodgers have been legendary. In 2012, the Monday night “Fail Mary” game ended on a call so controversial it may have ended the referee strike. In 2018 they played a close match up where the Seahawks managed to escape with a three point win.
While the two lead figures of both teams are the same, the teams themselves have changed greatly over the years. Rodgers his well past his prime, and the defense - which was a weakness on the team for so long - was primarily responsible for the team’s 13-3 record. On the other side, the Legion of Boom era in the Emerald City is long gone. Seattle’s defense is not the power it once was, but Wilson - along with receiver Tyler Lockett and rookie stand out DK Metcalf - have been blowing teams up for a lot of the year.
It is a battle between two all-time great quarterbacks on Sunday night, at one of the NFL’s most legendary stadiums in Lambeau Field. A wintery match up that may decide the fate of the NFC. The stage is set for this game to be a playoff classic. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype.
Prediction: Seahawks win (Seahawks +5)
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Next Monday will feature a recap of this weekend’s action and a preview of the CFP final!