I love the Divisional round. Typically Wild Card weekend is not as exciting and last weekend was no different. The Conference championship games are awesome but there is only 2 games. But the Divisional round is 4 games over 2 games and usually the games are awesome. This was less true last year. But the year before it was literally the greatest 4 game combo in NFL history. I don’t know what this weekend will bring but I will be watching and if you are reading this, you probably will be too. The good news is you don’t have to pay and/or describe to anything new to watch this week. So lets get into it.

A Great Rookie QB vs the Best Passing Running Back Ever: Texans @ Ravens 2:30 PM Mountain time on ESPN

The Texans just had an impressive victory over the Browns. However, the Browns have one like one play off game in the last 40 years. The Ravens had an impressive last few weeks of the season and dominated every good team they played. The Texans have a fun and energetic head coach that is hard not to like. The Ravens have a coach that has a face that you energetically want to punch (is that just me?). The Texans have a pesky defense that dominated a QB last week who was previously living on a run down house boat. (This is my last Joe Flacco/Shane Falco comparison of the year). The Ravens have a defense who have dominated the best offenses in football. The Texans have an outstanding throwing rookie quarterback named CJ Stroud. The Ravens have an outstanding throwing running back named Lamar Jackson. Lamar is going to win MVP because voters are stupid. Voters are the same reason that all the Sports Hall of Fame are a joke and the same reason we are about to have to choose between Trump and Biden…again. Seriously, America…what the hell are we doing here? Biden vs Trump 2.0 is like if the Raiders played the Cowboys in the Super Bowl. Except unfortunately for us, Trump and Biden can actually win something that matters. But no matter who wins, we still lose. The MVP should really go to McCaffrey. More on him later. But whatever, give it to Lamar. He is on the best team playing the best down the stretch. 

The Texans are used to warmer weather or playing in a dome. The high in Baltimore on Saturday is 24 degrees. The Ravens defense is legit and the offense has been pretty good. Lamar is better at throwing and can still run around. The Texans are pesky and fun to watch but I think they hit a wall on Saturday.

Texans reason for hope: They have overachieved all year long so why not overachieve on Saturday? They have a great young QB and coach and they will play hard.

Ravens reason for hope: They have more experience, better players, homefield advantage and the first non quarterback MVP in a while. 

Prediction: Look, the Texans have been fun and competitive all year. I think the future is bright in Houston. They are also playing Lamar who despite the fact that he is about to be MVP for the second time only has one playoff win. I would love for Lamar to have more MVPs than playoff wins but I think it will at least be a tie this year. The Ravens have seemed like they are on a mission for a while. I am not buying the Texans stopping that mission. After a close first half, the Ravens pull away.

Ravens 30 Texans 17

LaFluer vs his nemesis: Packers @ 49ers on Fox at 6:15 PM mountain time

Since taking over the Packers, LaFluer has made the playoffs every year but 1. The first year, they had a brutal loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship. The 49ers ran all over them. I think good lookin Jimmy G threw like 5 passes all game or something. The following year, they lost again in the conference championship to some guy named Tom Brady. Then the following year they were the 1 seed but lost at home to the 49ers again. LaFluer just can’t beat the 49ers. But I like LaFluer. I think he is a good coach. It’s amazing how good his offense looks with a young quarterback and young receivers compared to how it looked with an egomaniac who lives in caves and smokes peyote at QB throwing to all his washed up buddies. The Packers literally just put the smack down on the Cowboys last week. Can they do it again this week?

The 49ers are coming off their bye and are as healthy as they have ever been entering the playoffs. Every 49ers fan is knocking on wood right now in unison. When healthy they are as good as anyone and have the best roster in football. Brock Purdy does a nice job for them but their biggest concern is falling behind. If they fall behind they struggle. Purdy is not great at throwing the ball down field and hasn’t exactly been the comeback kid. However, in most of their losses there has been plenty of blame to go around. But they are at home and have a strong team. Assuming no one important gets hurt which is probably unlikely, they should be able to make a run at this thing. 

Reasons for the Packers to have hope: They are too young to know better and have nothing to lose and LaFluer is due against these guys.

Reason for the 49ers to have hope: They are more experienced, have a better defense, the best offensive weapon in the game and a coach who has had a lot of success against the Packers.

Prediction: The Packers will have to score early and often to have a shot at this one. I think it will be closer than most people expect but LaFluer will have to wait another year to seek his revenge.

49ers 34 Packers 27

The Former Losers game: Bucs @ Lions on NBC at 1 PM Mountain time:

For most of my life growing up these two teams were dumpster fires. In fact a lot of years of my adult life these teams have been terrible. The Bucs have had a couple good stretches. The Lions on the other hand, not so much. But look at them now. Hosting a divisional round game. The Lions got here by edging out the Rams by a point and the Bucs trounced the Eagles who quit 6 weeks ago. 

This is really a game about who do you doubt the least. I keep telling myself the Lions are a good team but I just can’t believe it. Do I really believe the Detroit Lions can make it to the NFC Championship? On the flipside, the Bucs finished 9-8 in the worst division in football. Do I really believe they are going to go on the road and win and make it to the NFC championship?

Also, do I believe in either one of these quarterbacks? They have both given me reason to do so, but they are still Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield. I just can’t believe that one of these teams is going to be playing next week for a shot at going to the Super Bowl. This will be an interesting game as both teams have strengths and weaknesses. 

Reason for the Bucs to have hope: They are playing the Detroit Lions.

Reasons for the Lions to have hope: They are playing the 9-8 Bucs at home.

Prediction: I don’t believe but I believe more in the Lions. They have the better running game and more explosive players. And I believe more in ankle biter Dan Campbell than I do Todd Bowles.

Lions 27 Buc 20

The Road playoff game: Chiefs @ Bills on CBS at 4:30 PM mountain time

Hey guys, did you know this is Patrick Mahomes first road playoff game? He has never played on the road before. I wonder how he will do playing on the road. He won’t be as good because he is on the road. You know he has never done this before. It’s a big deal.

This is the story apparently. But hey at least it is a break from Kelce and t-swift news. Anything to get a break from that. Anyway, the Chiefs head on the road after playing arguably their best game of the year that they get no credit for because it was cold outside and the Dolphins had some injuries on defense. I guess that was the reason the Dolphins only scored 7 points. All those injuries on defense really kept them from executing on offense. It had nothing to do with our D. 

The Bills on the other hand got blessed with some terrible first half play by the Steelers including a couple of turnovers and the fact that they were playing Mason Rudolph. The Bills are unstoppable though. So good that the Chiefs have no chance. I mean, Mahomes is playing on the road after all. 

I think the Bills are an excellent team. I like the Bills. But the Chiefs are getting no credit for one of the best defenses in the league. The Chiefs biggest issue right now is in the red zone. Whoever scores tds in the red zone and doesn’t turn it over will win this game. These teams are evenly matched so the key is not to make mistakes. The Chiefs have been making mistakes all year and Josh Allen can be quite the turnover machine. They saved the best for last, this should be a good one.

Reason for the Chiefs to have hope: Playoff Pat and the best defense I have seen in a long time for the Chiefs.

Reason for the Bills to have hope: Mahomes has to play on the road…duh.

Prediction: This should be a great game. Ironically, I’ll miss kick off while I am coaching my daughters basketball team. I am sure I won’t be distracted at all. I also have a choice to make. Do I just jump in live when I get home? Or do I watch from the beginning and fast forward through the commercials and play catch up? That would involve telling everyone not to text me until I am caught up, not getting on the internet or listening to the radio and turning off notifications on my phone. Decisions, decisions. I must admit that I have a pretty good gut feeling when it comes to the Chiefs. I’m not saying I am psychic or anything so don’t start wagering money on my predictions. But I am often right about the Chiefs. And I got a good feeling about this one. I don’t know if it is because everyone else hates them and thinks they will lose or the fact that Pat has never played a road game and a guy like that embraces that and rolls with it. I don’t know but I think we show up and play well. The Bills are a quality team and if the Chiefs do win I am sure it will be because of the injuries that the Bills have. But I’ll take playoff Pat in this spot. If the Bills win, I won’t be upset. I like the Bills. But I will be bummed. I might even cry but if I do cry it will only be for a short period of time. Probably only 13 seconds. 

Chiefs 27 Bills 20

There you have it. Tune in next week for reactions and predictions for championship weekend.