For a variety of reasons, this year’s playoffs look pretty wide open. None of the top seeds look invincible, and some of the teams playing this weekend certainly have the goods to make deep playoff runs (Not the Bills, though. They’re terrible.). To the winners of this weekend’s games, your prize is, for the AFC, a trip to either Pittsburgh or Foxborough, both challenging, and for the NFC, a trip to either Minnesota (tough) or Philly (maybe not so much…).
Week Eighteen
Winner in Bold
Saturday
Tennessee at Kansas City
Both of these teams are lucky to even be in the playoffs, but they’re here, so that’s that. Tennessee will have a hard time scoring points with Demarco Murray out, but might be able to keep this close if their defence plays out of its mind and if Alex Smith starts sailing passes like he did when KC was in its mid-season funk. This is probably the game I’m least looking forward to this weekend.
Atlanta at LAR
The only way I can see Atlanta taking this one is if Jared Goff and Todd Gurley go in the tank in their first playoff action and turn the ball over a bunch of times, which could happen. With Aaron Donald and Co. coming after him, Matt Ryan could be in for a long game.
Sunday
Buffalo at Jacksonville
Jacksonville has been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but I can’t envision a scenario where Buffalo isn’t completely smothered by the Jags’ defence.
Carolina at New Orleans
Both defences are playing well, so the question here is whether Cam Newton can will his offence into keeping pace with the superior Saints attack. Maybe Newton makes some big plays, and maybe New Orleans’s young CBs whither under playoff pressure, but New Orleans looks like the safer pick here.
Week Eighteen
Winner in Bold
Saturday
Tennessee at Kansas City
Both of these teams are lucky to even be in the playoffs, but they’re here, so that’s that. Tennessee will have a hard time scoring points with Demarco Murray out, but might be able to keep this close if their defence plays out of its mind and if Alex Smith starts sailing passes like he did when KC was in its mid-season funk. This is probably the game I’m least looking forward to this weekend.
Atlanta at LAR
The only way I can see Atlanta taking this one is if Jared Goff and Todd Gurley go in the tank in their first playoff action and turn the ball over a bunch of times, which could happen. With Aaron Donald and Co. coming after him, Matt Ryan could be in for a long game.
Sunday
Buffalo at Jacksonville
Jacksonville has been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but I can’t envision a scenario where Buffalo isn’t completely smothered by the Jags’ defence.
Carolina at New Orleans
Both defences are playing well, so the question here is whether Cam Newton can will his offence into keeping pace with the superior Saints attack. Maybe Newton makes some big plays, and maybe New Orleans’s young CBs whither under playoff pressure, but New Orleans looks like the safer pick here.
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