NFL Divisional Round Preview and Predictions

Last week's NFL schedule saw six games being played, with each victor moving on to the divisional round. In the first game, the Buffalo Bills beat the Indianapolis Colts in a nail-biter finish. The Los Angeles Rams then bested their divisional rival, the Seattle Seahawks, in the first seed-based upset of the postseason. In the third game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squeaked by the Washington Football Team in another seed-based upset (but, in all honesty, who was picking Washington to win?). The next day's games saw the Baltimore Ravens beat the Tennessee Titans, the New Orleans Saints steamroll the Chicago Bears, and, most shocking of all, the Cleveland Browns pull off the upset of the postseason so far and defeat the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

With another round of NFL playoffs set to begin tomorrow, members of the ALLHEART writing team organized their thoughts about each game and named their picks to win.

Rams @ Packers: Packers -6.5 O/U 45.5

Saturday, 4:35pm EST, Fox

The Packers are back in the playoffs yet again. After clinching a first-round bye, the team in green and gold is ready to face off against the Rams in Green Bay on Saturday at 4:35pm EST. Aaron Rodgers finished off an MVP caliber regular season and is looking to keep his stride here in the divisional round. A lot of people have already counted the Rams out, as they are going into Saturday's game with Jared Goff and Aaron Donald playing through injuries. We have, however, seen the Rams offense be successful through Cam Akers alone. It will be fun to watch one of the best defenses in the NFL go up against one of the best offenses in the NFL. Be sure to keep an eye on Davante Adams and Jalen Ramsey matched up on one another: if Ramsey is able to keep Adams locked up, like he has done to other star receivers all season, it could change the shift of the game. Moreover, expect to see a lot of targets going to guys like Allen Lazard and Robert Tonyan, two individuals who could be the difference makers in this game.

Matt Blaustein: Packers -6.5 Over 45.5

Is there a better player in the entire league at home than Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau? We should expect nothing less than a great performance out of him. The explosive Packers offense, with depth in the running game alongside superstar receiver Davante Adams, is going to absolutely steamroll the Rams amid freezing temperatures. The Rams whole offense has revolved around rookie standout Cam Akers for weeks now, but unfortunately Cam Akers on his own will not be enough to outscore this league leading Green Bay offense. With question marks at quarterback for the Rams (I stand by my opinion that the Rams need to seriously think if Jared Goff is “the guy”), the Packers win an easy matchup on the way to their second straight NFC Championship appearance.

Final Score: Packers 38, Rams 21

Zachary Smolar: Packers -6.5 Under 45.5

The Rams defense is explosive with a lockdown secondary. However, Jalen Ramsey can only hold down one side of the field. The Rams offense will also have to keep up with the inevitable points the Packers put up. The Rams won't be able to do it and it won't be close.

Final Score: Packers 31, Rams 14

Arbaz Khan: Packers -6.5 Under 45.5

Aaron Donald, the face of a fiery Rams defense, is hurt this week. I anticipate their defense will not perform as well as they have in the past. And when you underperform against Aaron Rodgers, one thing is guaranteed: he’ll make you pay.

Final Score: Packers 24, Rams 10

Ryan Turell: Packers -6.5 Under 45.5

It’s tough to win a playoff game in Lambeau (unless you’re the New York Giants), and especially hard against this extremely talented Packers team. They are coming off a loss in the NFC Championship Game last year and won’t fall short of getting their chance at making it back two years straight.

Final Score: Packers 27, Rams 17

Devin Giallenardo: Packers -6.5 Under 45.5

Aaron Rodgers is putting together an MVP season surrounded by talent in the Packers explosive offense. Coming in as the 1 seed, the Packers have had an extra week of rest and plenty of time to prepare for the Rams. I expect the offense to come out strong in the first quarter with a scripted game plan. The Rams defense showed what they can do last week in an upset against their division rival, the Seattle Seahawks. In addition, blossoming rookie Cam Akers had another great performance. However, a West Coast team going into the freezing temperatures of Green Bay with standout players hurt on both sides of the ball (Jared Goff and Aaron Donald) will not be able to keep up with a dominant Packers team. If their defense shows out, and Cam Akers has another explosive performance, they have a shot of keeping it close until the end of the game—but that isn’t going to happen. The Rams offense will come out slow and struggle to find their stride. The Packers will put the game away in the first three quarters.

Final Score: Packers 31, Rams 13

Ravens @ Bills: Bills -2.5 O/U 49.5

Saturday, 8:35pm EST, NBC

This is undeniably the game of the week. Two of the most talented teams in the league, each with young quarterbacks, are going to face off Saturday night and set the field on fire. The Bills offense, powered by the dynamic duo of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, has been nothing short of amazing the second half of the season. The Bills have seemed unbeatable for a while, but they’ll be put to the test against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, who caught fire at the perfect time. Earlier in the season it had seemed like the Ravens weren’t even going to be playing in January, but here we are. The Ravens have been running the ball better than anybody in the league, and the Bills' Achilles heel has been their run defense. The Ravens are able to attack in a variety of ways, which has confused defenses and left Lamar in position for big runs. The biggest question mark for them this week is whether or not their secondary will be able to keep the Bills passing game in check. A major factor in this game could be the weather. As of right now it’s supposed to snow in Buffalo on Saturday, and recently Lamar Jackson confirmed that he (somehow) has never played in a snow game his entire life. It leaves you wondering if the snow will discombobulate the Ravens and lead to an easy Bills win or if the weather will diminish the passing game for both teams, leaving it up to the run game where the Ravens benefit. We’ll just have to find out on Saturday night. We’re in for a good one.

Matt Blaustein: Bills -2.5 Under 50

Lamar is a great quarterback, but isn’t surrounded by enough talent to beat a very hot Bills secondary. The Ravens do have the best running game in the league, so if there is a way the Ravens pull out the win it will be the doing of JK Dobbins alongside Gus Edwards and Mark Ingram. The Bills are just too good to lose right now and especially not to a weakened Ravens offense commanded by Jackson’s uncertain accuracy in last week’s barnburner against the Titans.

Final Score: Bills 31, Ravens 17

Zachary Smolar: Ravens +2.5 Over 50

The Ravens have the best running game in the league, complete with three different backs that can all take big carries. This leads to the Ravens having the most creative running attack around right now. A one-dimensional Bills team won’t be able to stop all the different ways the Ravens will come at them this weekend.

Final Score: Ravens 28, Bills 24

Arbaz Khan: Ravens +2.5 Under 50

Lamar, Lamar, Lamar. Look forward to a creative attack led by a quarterback with something to prove in Lamar Jackson. They also have the veteran guidance from players like Mark Ingram and Dez Bryant, who have been here before. The Bills have been on fire for the last half of the season and into the playoffs, but the fire gets put out here.

Final Score: Ravens 21, Bills 18

Ryan Turell: Bills -2.5 Under 50

It’s supposed to be snowing in Orchard Park and Lamar Jackson has never played a game in the snow. Is there a more fun team in the NFL this year than the Buffalo Bills? Bills mafia and Josh Allen are ready for everything the Ravens will throw at them this week. The score to the Colts game isn’t representative of how the game played out. The Bills were in control throughout, looking for them to keep that going against Baltimore this week.

Final Score: Bills 24, Ravens 20

Devin Giallenardo: Ravens +2.5 Over 50

I love Lamar Jackson and I love Josh Allen, and they’re definitely two of the most fun guys to watch in football right now. Regardless of the result, I expect one of the best games of the year. The Bills have good man-up corners to take away the already weak Ravens receiving core. However, the Ravens have shown us time and time again that they don’t need to throw the ball well to win games. They lead the league in rushing by a large margin and I expect them to keep coming this week against a sub par Bills run defense. Look for Mark Andrews to be a difference maker sneaking out from the tight end position and making big plays. I have been saying all year long the Bills will end up in the Super Bowl, but I think I have to change my mind. I love the Bills Mafia and everything about the team, but I think Lamar and the Ravens defense hold strong in a snowy game and end up edging out the Bills to make it where they couldn’t last year—the AFC Championship game.

Final Score: Ravens 28, Bills 24

Browns @ Chiefs: Chiefs -10 O/U 57

Sunday, 3:05pm EST, CBS

The best team in the AFC in the Chiefs and the underdog Browns face off Sunday afternoon for a game Cleveland fans have waited their entire lives for. The Browns managed to sneak into the playoffs and upset their divisional rival, the Steelers, in dominant fashion. The Browns offense eviscerated the Steelers defense in every way imaginable, scoring on both the ground and through the air. Kareem Hunt was huge for their success, and I would imagine he wants to have another performance like that against his former team. The question remains whether or not the Browns defense can hold their own against the best passing game in the league, led by Patrick Mahomes, star wideout Tyreek Hill, and record breaking tight end Travis Kelce. Although they won the game, the Browns almost gave up a playoff passing yards record to Ben Roethlisberger. If the Browns want a chance to play in their first conference championship since 1989 they have a lot of work to do on their pass defense. We should be in for a lot of offense this game, as both of the last times Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield met they put up massive points, especially their phenomenal game in college where the two combined for the most yards in NCAA history.

Matt Blaustein: Browns +10 Over 57

I love an underdog story! I think the one opponent the Chiefs are most vulnerable against in the playoffs is a hot Browns team who were counted out by almost everyone. I’m sticking with the underdog here due to the phenomenal rushing clinics we’ve seen Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt perform on a weekly basis this season. The Chiefs' run defense will squander against the explosive Browns run game and Kareem Hunt will take over in his revenge game. I anticipate a high scoring game with both offenses dominating. Both defenses have been below average in most major categories, and it will come down to which offense out duels the other.

Final Score: Browns 45, Chiefs 41

Zachary Smolar: Browns +10 Over 57

The Chiefs' offense will be too much for the Browns to handle. However, the Browns will be able to keep it close with their run game. In the end, an inexperienced quarterback in Baker Mayfield will make a crucial mistake to end the Browns’ Super Bowl hopes.

Final Score: Chiefs 38 Browns 31

Arbaz Khan: Browns +10 Over 57

The Chiefs’ offense, led by generational talent Patrick Mahomes, will outduel Baker Mayfield. While it will stay a close game to the end, it will come down to which quarterback is able to play all four quarters, and in this game it’s Patrick Mahomes.

Final Score: Chiefs 38, Browns 35

Ryan Turell: Chiefs -10 Over 57

If Ben Roethlisberger can throw for 500 yards and four touchdowns against the Browns defense, imagine what Patrick Mahomes can do to them. I love Cleveland, and I’m rooting for them, but they already won their equivalent of the Super Bowl last week. The Chiefs are too good for this to be a close one for the Browns. The Browns are a fun team and finally got the monkey off their back, and I look forward to seeing them play next year. But this week the Dawg Pound will go home in a whimper.

Final Score: Chiefs 38, Browns 21

Devin Giallenardo: Browns +10 Under 57

The Browns were nothing short of electric last week and saw huge success through the ground and air. Kareem Hunt is coming off of a two touchdown performance going into his first matchup against the Chiefs since being released by them back in 2018. But will any of it be enough against the juggernaut offense the Chiefs have put together? I think a lot of people are anticipating a blowout this week, but I believe otherwise. The Chiefs are 6-9-1 against the spread this year, with most of those losses coming at the end of the season. The Browns’ chance to win relies heavily in their run game and ability to keep the Chiefs offense off the field. The Chiefs starters haven't played in three weeks and I don't see them coming out as strong as they have in the past. I see this coming down to the wire, with a late game drive from Mahomes sending the Chiefs to their third straight AFC Championship. But do not forget—the Browns are a resilient team who have fought through adversity to be here. While I did pick the Chiefs, I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if the Browns pulled off the upset of the decade and were headed to the AFC Championship themselves.

Final Score: Chiefs 30 Browns 24

Buccaneers @ Saints:

Sunday, 6:40 EST, Fox

The Bucs and Saints face off for the third time this season Sunday night. In the previous two meetings Drew Brees and the Saints have come out on top, but we know how hard it is to beat a team three times in one season, especially one led by Tom Brady. Brady has never been swept 3-0 in one season in his entire career. Since the Bucs offense is one to be reckoned with, the Saints will have to step up on defense and pressure Brady to keep pace with them. The Bucs also need to step up on defense and try to shut down the shiftiest man in football, Alvin Kamara. This game should come down to which team can make the bigger defensive stops, because, as we all know, both of these teams know how to get the ball into the end zone.

Matt Blaustein: Bucs +3 Over 52

He may not be the same player he once was, but Tom Brady is the human version of the middle finger. Drew Brees is looking for one more ring before his retirement and I’m certain Tom Brady is going to ruin it this week. The Saints secondary did not impress me at all last week, and if the Bears didn’t drop countless crucial balls and make such poor decisions it would’ve been a whole different game. These are mistakes the Bucs won’t make. With talent and speed on both sides of the ball, it will be too much for the Saints to keep up with the Bucs. Look to the recent reemergence of Antonio Brown to be the X-factor in this NFC South shootout.

Final Score: Bucs 38, Saints 31

Zachary Smolar: Bucs +3 Over 52

The Saints have a good run game but the Bucs have an even better run defense. With Antonio Brown arriving to the Bucs offense late in the season, the Bucs have found a new legitimate weapon. The Saints secondary doesn’t have enough depth to handle the Bucs lethal receiving core. This will be a game full of offense that finishes as a one-score contest.

Final Score: Bucs 38, Saints 31

Arbaz Khan: Bucs +3 Over 52

The Saints aren’t ready to show up against a hot Bucs team, and it was scary how competitive the Bears game could’ve been last week. The Bucs have a fantasy team for an offense and the Saints definitely have the chance to live up to their expectations, but they’ll have to shut down that offense, which nobody has done this season (except the Saints). I want the Saints to win after all they’ve been through this year, but I don’t see it happening that way. Sorry again, Saints.

Final Score: Bucs 42, Saints 35

Ryan Turell: Bucs +3 Under 52

Tom Brady isn’t losing to the same team three times in one year. Even though the Bucs secondary has been shaky all year, the Saints won’t be able to do enough against it. Bruce Arians’ career is on the tail end and he’s looking for a shot at a ring. For now, his hopes will continue for at least another week.

Final Score: Bucs 28, Saints 21

Devin Giallenardo: Bucs +3 Over 52

The Saints won the division and looked very strong the first half of the season, but from what I’ve seen they haven't looked like the same team since Brees got hurt. They were a couple Bears catches away from it being a one score game, which is a bit ridiculous as the Bears were probably the weakest team in the playoffs (yes, Bears fans, I think the Washington Football Team is better than you guys). In addition, Tom Brady has never been one to not compete. He has been playing like younger Tom these last few games, and I just can’t see the Saints denying Brady of his chance to compete to go to the Super Bowl with a team not named the New England Patriots.

Final Score: Bucs 35, Saints 31