Cincinnati Bengals (+7-1/2) at Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs finished the regular season strong, winning 9 of their final 10 games. Their only loss in that span? Week 17 in Cincinnati against these same Bengals. After KC was lit up by Joe Burrow and Co., no way they take Cincy for granted this time around.
The Bengals are playing with proverbial House money, as they weren't expected to get past the divisional round. They're definitely not going to go quietly this game but I think the Chiefs will pull away late. While it appeared KC's offense let off the gas in that Week 17 game, no way they slow down at all this week.
Kansas City 45 Cincinnati 31
San Francisco 49ers (+3-1/2) at Los Angeles Rams: These division rivals met in the regular season finale in what was a win-or-go-home scenario for the Niners. In that game, the Rams scored on their first three possessions, taking a 17-0 lead. However, the 49ers were within 24-17 with 1:27 remaining in regulation, no timeouts and needing to go 88 yards to score a touchdown. Inexplicably, much maligned Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo led them down the field, culminating in a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jajuan Jennings to tie the game at 24. San Francisco would go on to win 27-24 in overtime.
Prior to the 2021 season, the Rams acquired veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions in exchange for their once touted franchise QB Jared Goff, a 2021 3rd round draft pick and two future first round choices (2022 & 2023) as compensation for the Lions taking on Goff's bloated contract. The Rams then acquired WR Odell Beckham, Jr. and elite pass rushing LB Von Miller during the season, sending a clear message that it's championship or bust this year.
In the two regular season matchups between these two teams, the Niners won both largely on the strength of a smash mouth defense. In fact, those two games were the only ones in 2021 where the L.A. offense didn't even reach 300 total yards. While I don't have a whole lotta faith in Garoppolo, he will likely benefit from what I believe will be another strong game from his defense.
The Rams are going to regret not delivering that knockout blow in Week 18.
San Francisco 20 Los Angeles 17
My 2021 postseason record:
Against the spread: 8-2
Straight up: 7-3
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