NFL expert picks for the Divisional Playoff round

The first NFL Super Wild Card Weekend was a total blast. The only game that wasn’t close was Bears vs. Saints, and that had Nickelodeon to entertain us. The rest came down to the fourth quarter, with numerous games turning on a single play.

If last weekend was anything to go off, this one should be an absolute blast. There’s an argument for any of the eight remaining teams to make a run to the Super Bowl, and we saw that this week in the expert picks. There isn’t a single unanimous pick across the board, with at least one member of the panel picking against the rest in our four games.

We start the week in the NFC with the Rams traveling to Lambeau Field to take on the Packers. Only one member of the panel is picking against Green Bay, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a chance. This is the matchup of the NFL’s No. 1 ranked scoring offense, against the stingiest defense. Last week the Seahawks learned just how smothering the Rams’ defense could be, with Russell Wilson proving to be utterly ineffective against Aaron Donald and co.

From there we have the Ravens facing the Bills, in yet another game where the majority of the panel has a clear pick. Lamar Jackson was ludicrously critiqued as being a player who couldn’t win in the playoffs, and shut up the inane argument last weekend with a stunning performance against the Titans. However, there was more to the game than Jackson. Baltimore shut down Derrick Henry and turned the Titans into a passing team, which wasn’t enough to get them through. It remains to be seen if that strategy can work against Buffalo, however. Josh Allen is playing phenomenal football, and Stefon Diggs eats secondary’s alive.

The most emotional game of the weekend will be Browns vs. Chiefs. All logic says the Chiefs will win this one, but goodness it would be a phenomenal story if the Browns go further. This would be one the best sports stories of the year, and no offense to Kansas City, but I think everyone wants to see the Browns pull this one out.

Finally we have an old man fight, which I mean in the nicest possible way. The NFC South showdown between the Buccaneers and Saints. This game is really distilled to Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees. The Saints won both of their regular season matchups, but we know everything changes in the playoffs. Brady always rises to the occasion, and there’s so much more on the line now. Tampa Bay is hoping it can return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2002, in a game that will be played in their home stadium. Meanwhile there are reports Brees could retire after the 2020 season, making this is last run at a title.

It’s going to be a fascinating weekend of football, for sure.