Cincinnati Bengals (+3-1/2) at Tennessee Titans: For the first time since the President George H. W. Bush administration, the Bengals are playing in a second game in an NFL postseason. After surviving the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend, Cincy now travels to Nashville to take on the AFC's top seed. Young gun slinging QB Joe Burrow has an opportunity to put up big numbers against the 25th ranked pass defense.
Titans stud RB Derrick Henry was on pace for another 2,000-yard season when he injured his foot in Week 8. Despite Tennessee being 6-2 at that point, many critics left them for dead as it was determined Henry would be gone for the season. Inexplicably, the Titans finished 12-5 and earned that #1 seed in the AFC. Even better for Tennessee is Henry has been cleared to play this week, which will only enhance an already top 5 rushing attack. However, the Bengals are a Top 5 run defense, so this looks to be a gritty matchup in the trenches.
While I'm certain the Bengals won't go another 30 years between playoff victories, their solid season ends this week.
Tennessee 27 Cincinnati 21
San Francisco 49ers (+5-1/2) at Green Bay Packers: This is a rematch of one of the more exhilarating regular season games in 2021. In Week 3, the 49ers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to take a 28-27 lead with 37 seconds remaining. However, the Packers won 30-28 on a walk off 51-yard field goal after a frenzied drive by Aaron Rodgers & Co. just to get them in range.
Given this game will feature single digit temperatures, it would behoove the Niners to break out that dynamic running game that gashed the Dallas Cowboys last week. This would appear to be a favorable matchup for San Fran as the Packers allowed 4.7 yards per rush in the regular season, which ranked 30th out of 32 teams. More good news for the 49ers is that DE Nick Bosa appears on track to play despite getting his bell rung against Dallas.
On the Green Bay side of the ledger, Rodgers put forth another MVP caliber season in leading his club to their third consecutive 13-win campaign. The Pack will also benefit from reinforcements on their top 10 defense as they activated OLBs Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus from IR this week.
I have a feeling this game will go right down to the wire. And I also have an inkling that 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo will throw an ill-timed interception this game as he did against the Cowboys last week. However, San Francisco survived that blunder due to Dallas continually shooting themselves in the foot. No way they'd survive such a mistake in Lambeau Field.
Green Bay 27 San Francisco 24
Los Angeles Rams (+2-1/2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: This is also a rematch of a Week 3 regular season game. The Rams won 34-24 in an offensive shootout which featured more than 850 yards of total offense between the clubs.
The Rams put forth the kind of defensive effort last week which they envisioned when they acquired OLB Von Miller from the Denver Broncos. In a 34-11 rout of the Arizona Cardinals, L.A. allowed under 200 total yards.
All things being equal, I believe the Bucs are the better team, particularly on their home field. However, things are not equal as Tampa will be without running back Ronald Jones and wide receiver Breshad Perriman this game. Also, RB Leonard Fournette is still listed as questionable having been on IR with a bum hamstring the past four weeks. But perhaps the biggest concern for the Buccaneers is the fact two of their starting O-Linemen, right tackle Tristan Wirfs and center Ryan Jensen, are listed as questionable for this game. It's gonna be difficult enough to block Rams' premier pass rushers Miller and Aaron Donald when healthy to say nothing of being hampered with injuries.
This is uncharted territory for Rams QB Matthew Stafford, as this is the first time in his 13-year career he'll be coming off a playoff win. Is he up to the moment? I'm calling this game a "toss up."
Los Angeles 21 Tampa Bay 20
Buffalo Bills (+1-1/2) at Kansas City Chiefs: In a Week 5 regular season matchup, the Bills went into KC and obliterated the Chiefs 38-20. In the process, the Bills top ranked NFL defense forced four turnovers.
After losing to this same Chiefs club in last year's AFC title game, the Bills are no doubt licking their chops for this rematch. The lasting image from last year's game is Buffalo WR Stefon Diggs forcing himself to stay on the Arrowhead Stadium field to watch KC celebrate a berth in the Super Bowl. The idea being that Diggs & Co. didn't ever want to get that close again while falling short.
Whatever ailed the Chiefs through their first seven regular season games (they were 3-4 at that point), they seemed to have figured it out. They won 9 of their final 10 contests, catapulting that explosive offense to the third most yards in the NFL. They also showed a little razzle dazzle last week with former Vikings RB Jerick "Jet" McKinnon gaining more than 100 yards total offense in the Chiefs' rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers. KC will also have RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire back in the fold. If Buffalo's #1 defense is vulnerable anywhere, it's against the run where they were merely middle of the pack.
Again, call it a hunch.
Buffalo 31 Kansas City 30
HOW 'BOUT LAST WEEK'S PICKS, HUH?!?!?
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My 2021 postseason record:
Against the spread: 6-0
Straight up: 6-0
OK, not so humble. But definitely a brag.
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