2024 NFL Divisional Round Game Predictions
WILD CARD PREDICTIONS RECORD: 5-1
OVERALL PREDICTIONS RECORD: 5-1
There’s at least one underdog story unfolding during every NFL postseason, but this year has four.
In the AFC, CJ Stroud‘s Houston Texans have taken the football world by storm. Can they continue their Cinderella run against the favored Baltimore Ravens?
In the NFC, there are three.
First, we have Jordan Love and the Packers traveling to San Francisco to take on the powerhouse 49ers. And in Detroit, two underdog franchises battle to see who advances to the NFC Championship game - the Lions, or Baker Mayfield’s red-hot Buccaneers team?
That’s the beauty of playoff football; anything can happen once you make it to the dance.
Which teams will be dancing straight to a conference championship game? Here are my predictions.
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HOUSTON TEXANS VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 | 4:30 PM ET
The season rookie Texans quarterback CJ Stroud is having has only been matched by the likes of Joe Montana and Tom Brady — two of the greatest ever to lace up the cleats. We now know that he’s built for moments like this. The real question is this: Is Houston’s defense ready?
Judging by Wild Card Weekend, I’d say so.
Cornerback Steven Nelson intercepted the former Raven Joe Flacco and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown. And on the very next offensive play for the Browns, Flacco threw another pick-six, this time to linebacker Christian Harris.
Houston’s defense put relentless pressure on the Browns. Will Anderson Jr. tallied seven QB pressures, sacking Flacco once, while Derek Barnett had six pressures and a sack of his own. While the game reached blowout proportions pretty early on, it wasn’t the Texans’ offense that provided the majority of the firepower — it was the D.
How will that translate to a game against the Super Bowl-favorite Baltimore Ravens?
Lamar Jackson is having an MVP season, but you might not be able to tell by his stats. His 3,678 passing yards equate to ranking 15th in the league. His 24 passing touchdowns also place him just outside the Top 10. But when you add his 821 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, plus the Ravens winning 10 of their last 12 games, you begin to understand. Jackson’s season has mimicked his team’s year — understated dominance.
Even without star tight end Mark Andrews, who will still be out against Houston, Baltimore has notched impressive wins over the NFC-favorite San Francisco 49ers, and the speedy Miami Dolphins.
But the playoffs are a different beast. Can Lamar’s Ravens keep the Texans at bay and continue their commanding season?
PREDICTION:
The Texans are on the rise, whereas the Ravens are intent on keeping their top spot in the AFC. It’s hard to pick against CJ Stroud after what we’ve seen from him all year long, but I think this is where the glass slipper falls off Houston’s young team. Baltimore has a coach that’s won it all, a dual-threat QB that is determined to win in the playoffs, and a team mixed with youthful and veteran talent that knows how to win big games. If the Texans make this a shootout, I think they could pull of the upset. However, I think Baltimore will control the game at home and punch their ticket to the AFC Championship game.
RAVENS 27, TEXANS 23
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GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 | 8:15 PM ET
Jordan Love was a star in the Lone Star State last week. The underdog Green Bay Packers went into Dallas and dismantled the Cowboys, showing off exactly what this team is capable of. And while a Texas-sized playoff collapse could have been predicted by some, not many are saying that the Packers can pull off another upset in San Francisco.
That’s because — from top to bottom — the 49ers boast the league’s deepest roster of superstars.
Christian McCaffery can do it all. Brock Purdy is as efficient of a passer as you can get. Deebo Samuel is a weapon that can be used in multiple ways. Brandon Aiyuk is a playmaker at wide receiver. George Kittle is one of the best tight ends in the football. Nick Bosa can chase down anyone in the backfield.
Momentum is great, but David may have a hard time taming this Goliath of a team. The key for the Packers will be replicating their first-quarter performance from Wild Card Weekend. If they can get on the board early and steal a multiple-score lead, they might have a chance.
PREDICTION:
A week off can be tricky for the NFL’s number one seeds. Balancing rest with momentum is challenging, especially when you’re watching a Wild Card team like the Green Bay Packers find their stride against one of the league’s best teams. Still, Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers have been here before, and San Francisco’s stars are more than enough to stifle the upstart Pack. It may be close early on, but the Niners will pull away in the second half and continue their gold rush.
49ERS 37, PACKERS 17
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TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS VS. DETROIT LIONS
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21 | 3:00 PM ET
If I had told you before the year started that the Bucs and the Lions would be playing each other for a shot to advance to the NFC Championship game, you probably wouldn’t have believed me. Dan Campbell’s Lions were predicted by some to be among the league’s best, but no one foresaw the Buccaneers’ season getting to this point. Counted out from the moment Tom Brady decided to retire, Tampa Bay was strapped for cap space and couldn’t do much to improve a roster that limped their way to an 8-9 record and quick playoff exit in 2022.
Enter bargain quarterback Baker Mayfield and new offensive coordinator Dave Canales, and the Buccaneers found a way to keep their ship afloat all season long. While the Bucs had a terrible middle stretch in 2023, they’ve quietly won six of their last seven games — including last week’s Wild Card pillaging of the once-great Philadelphia Eagles.
Tampa Bay has found their stride at the right time, but attempting to take down the Lions in Detroit will prove to be their toughest challenge to date.
The Lions edged out Matt Stafford and the Rams in Detroit’s first home playoff game in over 30 years. The crowd at Ford Field provided an unquestionable home-field advantage. In a back-and-forth footrace in the Motor City, the Lions leaned on their fans to help make stops when they needed them. The Wild Card win was a cathartic moment for a franchise and fanbase that has waited decades to celebrate an occasion like this.
Will the emotion continue to carry them to a deep postseason run, or will it be one-and-done for the Lions?
PREDICTION:
It’s hard to look at a matchup in Detroit and feel confident going up against a 12th Man that’s desperate for a championship. Especially when the home team beat you up on your own turf in October. But the Buccaneers are clicking at the perfect time, and Baker Mayfield’s squad has deemed this postseason their “revenge tour”, facing teams that defeated them earlier in the year. The Bucs are also remarkably healthy for this time of year, with all of their best players suiting up. The Lions are battling a couple of key injuries, including star rookie tight end Sam LaPorta being questionable. Call me biased if you want, but I believe the Buccaneers are poised to take down the Lions and bring Detroit’s playoff ride to a screeching halt.
BUCCANEERS 31, LIONS 20
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KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS. BUFFALO BILLS
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21 | 6:30 PM ET
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs battled through a historic cold in their win over the Miami Dolphins last week. This week’s game won’t be as cold, but there will still be 20-degree temperatures and a wind chill to worry about.
Meanwhile, Buffalo always embraces the elements. Bills Mafia wants nothing more than to take down the Chiefs for the first time in the postseason after previous heartbreaks, but will this finally be the year?
It’s hard to take much of what the Chiefs did last week and apply it here. There weren’t many deep throws available, but Mahomes and company were efficient and dissected Miami’s defense, which seemed to be frozen in place at times. They won’t be facing the same here in Buffalo, against a Bills defense that has the talent to dominate and just needs to put it all together. They only produced one sack against Mason Rudolph’s Steelers in the Wild Card round and tallied two forced fumbles that they couldn’t recover (one due to a controversial call by the officials).
On the other side, this is the best Kansas City defense we’ve seen in a very long time. If the Chiefs can get consistent pressure and force Josh Allen into mistakes, they could pull off another win against the Bills in the playoffs.
PREDICTION:
The football gods have blessed us with another possible instant classic between the Chiefs and Bills. While Kansas City’s defense is better than ever, the offense only just got going against the Dolphins, and there wasn’t much pressure to speak of. I think this Bills squad is motivated to take the next step. Bills Mafia is motivated to take the next step. And while Patrick Mahomes will do his best to make sure that doesn’t happen, I think fate intervenes and we get a miraculous finish that sends Buffalo to the AFC Championship game.
BILLS 30, CHIEFS 29