AFC WILDCARD ROUND
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills: I know Tua isn’t playing but that wouldn’t have changed my pick. I wouldn’t care if it was Tua, Bridgewater, or Thompson, the Dolphins aren’t winning this game. The Bills’ offense is too explosive and they also have a solid D. The Bills D matching up with the Dolphins offense is just going to make Miami look even worst than they did against the Jets. I don’t see this game being close. Dolphins- 10 Bills- 28.
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals: Another division match in the Wildcard round and very similar. I don’t think Lamar will start and I don’t see this game being close. The Ravens offense has struggled as of late and it won’t be any different here. The Bengals offense will do what the do and put up quite a few points and win this one convincingly. Ravens- 13 Bengals- 31
Los Angeles Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars: On the AFC side this might be the best Wildcard matchup. Trevor Lawrence is finally showing some promise and Justin Herbert as continued to be electric. I feel like this game will be decided by the better offense and in this case it’s the Chargers, even with the possibility of Mike Williams being out. The Chargers defense will do just enough and the Chargers will advance to the divisional round. Chargers- 24 Jaguars: 20
NFC WILDCARD ROUND
Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers: Who would have thought this would be a playoff matchup with the starting QBs of Geno Smith and Brock Purdy? The 9ers are just the better team offensively, defensively, and special teams, they will win and continue to own the Seahawks. Oh did I mention Brock Purdy has yet to lose an NFL game? That doesn’t change here. Seahawks- 16 49ers- 35
New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings: This game… 2 of the most mid quarterbacks duking it out for a shot to advance to the divisional round. If you look at records the Vikings should win but I don’t think Minnesota is as good as their record shows. Yeah, the Vikes beat the Giants earlier in the year but it was thanks to a long FG. The Giants and Saquon are going to run all over Minnesota and are going to beat them this time. Giants- 23 Vikings- 17
Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Normal based on how lopsided the records are I’d take the Cowboys… but it’s Tom Freaking Brady. He usually finds a way to get it down in big games. Brady has also never lost to the Cowboys, on top of that the Cowboys always find a way to choke come playoff time. So Brady doesn’t lose his 1st game of his career to the Cowboys. Cowboys- 14 Bucs- 24
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs: A division match up in the divisional round! It is pretty hard to beat the same team 3 times in the season and KC has already beat LAC twice. The Chiefs won by a combined 6 points in the 2 previous matchups this season. I think this game will be close but maybe not that close. KC coming off the bye and at home should win this game. Chargers- 21 Chiefs- 28
Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills: I believe this game will be an offensive shootout and whatever defense can come up with a big stop late will win this game. This game is kind of a toss up to pick a winner. I think Cincinnati can get it down on the road in Buffalo. Bengals- 41 Bills- 38
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles: Another Divisional matchup in the divisional round. I know in week 18 the Giants kept it close but that was with a banged up Jalen Hurts. The Eagles getting the bye and have Jalen time to heal will win this one comfortably. Giants- 10 Eagles- 26
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers: This is where Tom Brady and the 8-9 Bucs lose. The 49ers defense will continue to dominate and shut down Brady and the offense. While Purdy and McCaffrey will do enough to squeak away with the win. Bucs- 20 49ers- 27
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs: This is where Mahomes finally gets the monkey off his back and finally beats Joe Burrow in a fairly high scoring game. The Chiefs defense will do just enough and Mahomes will make his 3rd trip to the Super Bowl. Bengals- 30 Chiefs- 35
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles: This is where Brock Purdy loses his first NFL game. The Eagles offense will just be too much for the Niners to handle and Purdy will fold under the pressure. The Eagles will be heading to Arizona to play in the Super Bowl. 49ers- 17 Eagles- 34
SUPERBOWL
Kansas City Chiefs V. Philadelphia Eagles: There would be 2 huge storylines in this game. 1. Andy Reid faces the team that fired him for a ring. 2. The Kelce brothers battle it out in the SuperBowl. This should be an exciting game with lots of scoring. In the end I think the Chiefs will come out on top with a game winning TD drive orchestrated by Mahomes late in the 4th quarters. The Chiefs would finally avenge that awful SB55 performance and the blown lead on the AFC Championship a year before. The Chiefs would get their 2nd ring in 4 seasons!
-Liam McCray