Predictions for each NFL wild-card match
Are you ready for some playoff football Chiefs Kingdom?
The Kansas City Chiefs have the week off as the NFL’s No. The Chiefs are the NFL’s No. 1 seed. However, six games will be played in the wild-card round. Some of those games will help determine Kansas City’s opponent in the divisional round.
We’re doing things a bit differently this weekend with our predictions post this week. Instead of our predictions for a singular game, below you’ll find all of our picks for the playoff games on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, as well as our thoughts on which team the Chiefs will face in the divisional round of the playoffs:
Charles Goldman’s predictions
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio / USA TODAY NETWORK
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49ers (2) at Seahawks (7) 49ers 27, Seahawks 13.
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Chargers vs. Jaguars ((5)): Jaguars 31, Chargers 22,
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Dolphins (7) vs. Bills (2): Bills 33, Dolphins 11
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Giants (6 vs. Vikings (3:) Giants 27, Vikings 26
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Ravens (6) vs. Bengals (3): Bengals 28, Ravens 17
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Cowboys (5) against. Buccaneers (4): Bucs 21 Cowboys 24
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Who will the Chiefs face in the divisional round of play? Jaguars
I think the AFC side of the equation will be as good as the oddsmakers predict. Justin Herbert will keep Chargers in game against the Jags. However, Mike Williams’ absence will be obvious (and could spell the end of Brandon Staley’s era in Los Angeles). The Bills will beat a Dolphins team at its weakest. The third meeting between the two teams this season will see the Bengals and Ravens play closer than expected.
On the NFC side of things, Brock Purdy will be aided by the 49ers’ stellar defense against a motivated Seahawks team and do just enough to get them to the divisional round. The Giants will upset an overachieving Vikings squad despite Justin Jefferson’s best efforts. If you read the KCSN Daily newsletter, you’ll know I expect the Cowboys to get a win over Tom Brady’s Bucs. Let’s just say Mike McCarthy needs to win this game and will be highly motivated to do so.
These outcomes mean the Chiefs will get Doug Pederson’s Jaguars at Arrowhead Stadium for the second time this season. It’s a favorable matchup for Kansas City, but they’re playing better now than they were eight weeks ago, especially Trevor Lawrence. If this happens, I’ll also be weary about the prospect of facing Jags S Andre Cisco a second time after his reckless hits on JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in Week 10.
Nick Roesch’s predictions
Gary A. Vasquez USA TODAY Sports
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49ers (2) at Seahawks (7) 49ers 27, Seahawks 24,
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Chargers (5) vs. Jaguars (4: Jaguars 20
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Dolphins (7) vs. Bills (2): Bills 34, Dolphins 17
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Giants (6 vs. Vikings (3:) Giants 23 Vikings 20
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Ravens (6) vs. Bengals (3): Bengals 28, Ravens 16
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Cowboys (5) against. Buccaneers (4): Buccaneers 38, Cowboys 35
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Who will the Chiefs face in the divisional round of play? Chargers
I think the NFC games will provide the most entertainment of the weekend. Tampa Bay and Dallas will become a shootout with Tom Brady once more pulling off playoff magic and securing the victory in the final seconds. Although Seattle will be San Fransisco’s division rival, they will still have a chance to win but the Niners will have the edge.
My upset of this weekend is the Giants beating the Vikings. Minnesota is perhaps the worst 13-win team in NFL history, possessing the 31st-ranked total defense and a quarterback in Kirk Cousins that can’t win big games. I believe Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones will be able to take down the Viking defense for good.
The Ravens and Dolphins won’t have their starting quarterbacks this year, which will put some damper on wild card weekend. If Lamar Jackson was healthy, I would be a big fan of the Ravens. But here we are. I can’t see a scenario where the Ravens or the Dolphins pull an upset.
If I’m correct about Miami not having a shot, it means that the Chiefs will play whoever wins the Chargers/Jaguars matchup. The Jaguars would be the more favorable matchup for the Chiefs, but I don’t think they’re ready for this level of football. The Chargers are more playmakers than Jacksonville, even without Mike Williams.
It would be difficult to face L.A. a third-time, but the Chiefs should be ready for it. Andy Reid is a mastermind and has a lot of tricks. He will also have a great plan for the coming week.
Ed Easton Jr.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
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49ers (2) at Seahawks (7) 49ers 28, Seahawks 10.
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Chargers (5) vs. Jaguars (4: Jaguars 17; Chargers 20, Jaguars
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Dolphins (7) vs. Bills (2): Bills 35, Dolphins 14
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Giants (6 vs. Vikings (3:) Giants 24, Vikings 21,
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Ravens (6) vs. Bengals (3): Bengals 27, Ravens 13
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Cowboys (5) against. Buccaneers (4): Buccaneers 23, Cowboys 14
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Who will the Chiefs face in the divisional round of play? Chargers
It’s a tough matchup among division rivals but the 49ers will win with their superior defense and clutch plays from Brock Purdy. An The Giants will take the disappointment from their hard-fought regular-season matchup a few months ago as motivation to win in Minnesota. The Buccaneers have all the ingredients for victory: Tom Brady again in the postseason, and a weak Cowboys team that struggles at big moments.
The Jaguars will be riding the momentum from last week’s AFC South division-clinching victory, but it won’t be enough, as Justin Herbert will outduel Trevor Lawrence in a close contest. The Bills will carry the emotional spirit and dominance of Damar Hamlin’s Bills into wild-card weekend, and will again dominate the Dolphins who will be without Tua. The Bengals will be defending their AFC title as they take on Baltimore in consecutive weeks that end with the same result.
The Chargers must have enough ball control to beat the Jaguars. They will now face the Chiefs in a third matchup.
Wesley Roesch’s predictions
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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49ers (2) at Seahawks (7) 49ers 31-17
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Chargers (5) vs. Jaguars (4: Jaguars 31-30
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Dolphins (7) vs. Bills (2): Bills 27-13
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Giants (6 vs. Vikings (3:) Giants 27-24
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Ravens (6) vs. Bengals (3): Bengals 38-10
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Cowboys (5) against. Buccaneers (4): Cowboys 21-20
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Who will the Chiefs face in the divisional round of play? Jaguars
The NFC side can be tricky. If they get hot, I think any of the teams could make a surprise Super Bowl run. While the Seahawks look like the best bet, I think the two other games will be close. I’ve gone back and forth with the Dallas-Tampa Bay game, and it’s so hard to pick against Tom Brady, but ultimately I think the Cowboys are the better team this year.
I don’t think there will be any upsets on the AFC side. I wouldn’t consider the Jaguars to be an upset over the Chargers because they’re favored in some places and the Chargers are banged up and have a tendency to blow big games. Due to the fact that the Ravens (Dolphins) and Ravens (Ravens) are playing backup quarterbacks, I think both the Bengals & Bills seem certain. If Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson were playing, I’d actually consider the underdogs in those matchups.
The divisional round should see the Chiefs taking on the Jaguars, despite no upsets from the AFC side. That should be a good game and I’d expect Jacksonville to play Kansas City closer than it did the first time around, but the Chiefs should ultimately get the win in that contest.