NFC Previews Done by Matt Durburg

Seahawks vs. 49ers (-10)

Saturday @3:30pm CST

49ers

The 49ers are favored by 10 points. If all goes well the 49ers should walk away with a win. The 49ers are led by phenom rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy has thrown for 1,374 yards with 13 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in just 7 games played this season. However, their run game has been their go to all season. With the addition of Christian McCaffery and the already spectacular Deebo Samuel, the 49ers rank 8th in the run game and 3rd amongst the top rushing teams in the last three games. Keep an eye out for Kyle Shannahan’s 49ers and their potential throughout the playoffs.

Seahawks

Being double digit underdogs is hard to come by in the playoffs. The Seahawks are the team that you want to root for. With Geno Smith at the helm, it’s almost impossible to hate them. 2023 marks the 10th year that Smith has been in the NFL. This season he has been lights out with 4,282 passing yards, with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He has a 100.9 passing rating on the season with a 70 percent completion percentage. The Seahawks have plenty of weapons with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett receiving as well as Kenneth Walker III carrying the rock. A sneaky win can easily be pulled off by the Seahawks, but all cylinders need to be firing for that to happen. 

Giants vs. Vikings (-3)

Sunday @3:30 CST

Giants

The Giants have been an interesting team to watch all year. The heart and soul lies with Saquon Barkley and his unbelievable run ability. Daniel Jones is most likely not the Giant’s guy. So far this season he has thrown for 3,205 yards with 15 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. If he can bring the Giants to a victory this week, it may prove his case but as it sits right now, the Giants could possibly be in the market for someone to back up Barkley’s 1,300 rushing yard season. Statistically however, the Vikings have the worst defense in the playoffs and a close to last secondary. Daniel Jones has the perfect opportunity to show what he can bring to the table.

Vikings

Along with the Giants, the Vikings have also been interesting and somewhat fraudulent this year. When the Vikings were putting up astonishing stats, the Cowboys rolled into town and ran them for a 40-3 loss. Ever since then it has not felt like the same team. Keep an eye out for the Vikings to keep the ball on the ground against a poor Giants run defense, ranked 27th in the league. If the ball is going in the air, it is going to their guy Justin Jefferson. With 1,809 yards and 14.1 yards per reception, Jefferson is putting up Hall of Fame numbers. This activity most definitely will continue well into the playoffs. 

Cowboys vs. Buccaneers (-2.5)

Monday @7:15 CST

Cowboys

The Cowboys have really put together a spectacular year so far. After Cooper Rush pieced together a couple wins, all hope seemed lost once the losing began. When Dak Prescott returned, he put up decent numbers, getting them to a 12-5 record. So far this season he has had 2,860 yards with 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. That ratio isn’t the greatest but it may not matter because of the Buccaneers lack of a pass rush. With the loss of Shaq Barrett their pass rush, ranked 23rd, has just a 37% win rate. The Cowboys can be versatile this game with good backs in Elliot and Pollard. As well as there receiving weapons in CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. If they keep pressure out of Dak’s face, they could definitely put a nice run together. 

Buccaneers

Tom Brady is the only person that needs to be talked about for the Bucs. That is the only chance they have to win this game. If Tom Brady brings his playoff face, then the Bucs will win this game. Brady has not been picture perfect this year. Is it because of the divorce, or is he actually becoming fraudulent and more of a worry for the team he is on rather than the opponent. Only this game will tell that. We all have watched the Bucs and know that they are not the same team they have been.

AFC Previews Done by Brady Goodman

Chargers (-1.5) vs Jaguars

Saturday @7:15 pm CST

Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers, featuring young quarterback sensation Justin Herbert, are favored to win by 1.5 this Saturday in Duval. This will be Justin Herbert’s first playoff appearance since being drafted in the star-studded 2020 draft. This year, he has thrown for 4,739 yards (second in the league) and 25 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions. Taking care of the ball will be key for the Chargers this week, especially against a red-hot Jacksonville defense. Austin Eckler will play a big role in this game on the ground and catching out of the backfield. Eckler accounts for 18 touchdowns, the most on the Chargers this year. If Justin Herbert is on his game, the Chargers could make some noise in the AFC this year.

Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars, the improbable AFC South Champs, are riding a 5 game win streak into the playoffs following their victory over the Tennessee Titans. Former 2021 number one overall pick Trevor Lawrence has been hot as of late, with a touchdown to interception ratio of 4 to 1 and a completion percentage of 68.74% over the 5 game win streak. The Jaguars’ offensive weapons including Travis Etienne Jr., Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram have given defenses fits all year, but have really put it all together this past month. No one should be happy to see the Jaguars in the playoffs this year. This matchup between two top picks from the same draft class should be a thrilling one to watch.

Dolphins vs Bills (-9)

Sunday @12:05 pm CST

Dolphins

The Dolphins finally broke their 5 game losing streak against the Jets this past Sunday, earning them the final spot in this year’s playoffs. Despite the recent victory, the Dolphins have little to no chance of winning against the Bills, especially after the news broke on Wednesday that young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will not play this week. The Dolphins will be turning to third string quarterback Skylar Thompson once again, who has posted a far below-average 27.3 QBR with just 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. If the Dolphins cannot put up points on the Bills, this game will get out of hand and the game could be over by halftime.

Bills

The Bills will be looking to defeat the Dolphins for the second time this year in Orchard Park. Josh Allen has been incredible this year, throwing for 4,283 yards and 35 touchdowns. This Bills’ offense is full of firepower in the passing game, featuring star wide receiver Stefon Diggs and other talented players Gabe Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, and Dawson Knox. This game should be an easy one for the Bills. The only way that the Dolphins could find themselves in the game is if Josh Allen doesn’t take care of the ball. Interceptions have been an issue for Allen this year, being tied for 3rd-last among quarterbacks throwing 14. Look for the Bills to make a deep run this year. When the Bills are on their game, they are almost unstoppable.

Ravens vs Bengals (-6.5)

Sunday @7:15 pm CST

Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are a physical, defensive team that doesn’t give up many points. On the flip side, they don’t score many points either. Ever since Lamar Jackson’s injury in Week 13, the Ravens have been scarce for offensive points, not putting up more than 17 in the time that Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown have filled in at quarterback. Jackson is officially listed as questionable for the matchup, but after missing his 16th straight practice, things aren’t looking good for his chances of playing. If Jackson doesn’t play, expect the Ravens to punt and turn the ball over often. The only way for the Ravens to find success will be from generating pressure on the injured Bengals offensive line. Despite their offensive woes, the Ravens never fail to bring the aggression to an AFC North Divisional matchup.

Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are arguably the hottest team in the NFL, riding an 8 game win streak into the playoffs, led by young star quarterback Joe Burrow and carried by their offensive weapons, including Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon, the Bengals will be looking for their second straight AFC Championship. Despite some injuries to the Ravens’ defense, this will be a physical matchup. The Bengals offensive line should have trouble with pressure from Ravens’ defensive lineman Calias Cambell and newly extended linebacker Roquan Smith. If the Bengals can score 20 points, it will be hard for the Ravens to keep up. We should expect to see Cincinnati in the divisional round next weekend.