Reported by Giovani De la Torre
The NFL Playoffs have begun! The wild card playoff rounds will be held from January 13th – January 15th starting with the AFC. The number 7 seed, the Pittsburgh Steelers, which will be representing the AFC North going against the number 2 seed, the Buffalo Bills, representing the AFC East. The Steelers have a 10-7 record with a 3 win streak.
The season leaders being Kenny Pickett at quarterback, with 2,070 passing yards for the season. However due to an ankle injury, 2nd string quarterback Mason Rudolph is starting for the game against the Bills. Najee Harris, a running back with 1,035 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, and George Pickens at wide receiver with 1,140 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns this season.
The Bills have a better look this season in stats, with their leading player being Josh Allen, who is No. 4 onthe week 18 quarterback power rankings with 4,306 passing yards. Stefon Diggs, being the wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills, has 1,183 receiving yards for the season.
The second matchup in the AFC wild card round is the Miami Dolphins vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dolphins are 6th seed in the AFC and have a 11-6 record with Tua Tagovailoa leading as quarterback, who was selected as one of the 2024 Pro Bowl picks with 4,624 passing yards. Along with Tyreek Hill, being wide receiver 1, with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, tied 1st for most WR touchdowns in the 2023 regular season, and Raheem Mostert, a running back in 1st place for most RB touchdowns in the season with 18. Vs. the Chiefs,
the number 3 seed in the AFC, also 11-6 with 2 leading players selected as Pro Bowl picks. Patrick Mahomes with 4,183 passing yards and Tight End Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce will be Patrick Mahomes’ best friend on the field this Saturday. T. Kelce has 984 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. I believe that with the performance that each team has shown the past few weeks, Tyreek Hill with more receptions than the Chiefs’ Receivers, and Jalen Ramsay (Cornerback) on the Dolphins with 3 interceptions and 22 tackles this season compared to L’Jarius Sneed (Cornerback) on the Chiefs with 2 interceptions and 78 tackles,
The third matchup in the AFC wild card round is the Cleveland Browns Vs. the Houston Texans. The Texans, in the 4th seed at 10-7, have a rookie quarterback, C.J Stroud with 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. Nico Collins at wide receiver who obtained 1,297 yards and 8 touchdowns. But with the No. 14 defense they might not be able to stop the Browns’ offense as much as they can score.
The Browns are in the 5th seed at 11-6 with Joe Flacco leading the team at quarterback with 16 years of experience in the NFL and 1,616 passing yards for the season.
This will be Joe Flacco’s 17th postseason. Amari Cooper at wide receiver with 1,250 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. The Browns have the No. 1 defense in power rankings with Myles Garret playing defensive end with 14 sacks and 42 total tackles this season, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koraomoah playing linebacker with 3.5 sacks and 101 total tackles. Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. can hold up a good defense to pass plays. Martin has 4 interceptions and 14 passes denied. With the Browns defense I think they will stop a good amount of yards. And with David Njoku at tight end with 81 receptions, 882 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns. Even though the Texans had an outstanding season, I think the Cleveland Browns will advance, beating the Houston Texans, kicking Houston out of the first round.
The NFC games will start with the 9-8 Green Bay Packers at the number 7 seed. Jordan Love will start as quarterback for the Packers in the wild card round. Love has been with the Packers since 2020, after 1x champion, Aaron Rodgers got traded to the Jets after playing 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 offseason. Love has 4,159 passing yards and 32 touchdowns compared to Dak Prescott, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, 3rd place for QB passing yards with 4,516 yards, and 1st place for most touchdowns as a quarterback this season with 36 touchdowns. With Jordan Love as the Packer’s new starting quarterback, and rookie Jayden Reed being WR1 with 793 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns vs. Daron Bland at cornerback in 1st place for most interceptions with 9 this season and 5 pick 6’s, breaking the NFL record for most pick 6’s in a season, and with the Cowboys defense stopping most of the Packers yards, with Micah Parsons playing linebacker with 14 sacks and 213 total tackles, and the Cowboys wide receiver 1, CeeDee Lamb, 2nd place for most receiving yards at 1,749 and 3rd place for most touchdowns with 12. If Aaron Rodgers was still playing for Green Bay, I’d say they walk away with the win like every other time Dallas plays against them. But with their new lineup this season, I say the Dallas Cowboys take the win, and advance to the divisional round.
The second matchup in the NFC Wild Card will be the No. 6 seed Los Angeles Rams which are 10-7 with former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford leading the team with 3,965 passing yards and Wide Receiver Puka Nacua in 4th place for receiving yards with 1,486 yards and 6 touchdowns, Vs. the No. 3 seed, NFC North champions, 12-5 Detroit Lions, with former Rams quarterback, Jared Goff, second place for most passing yards with 4,575 yards and. One of Goff’s best seasons. This game is exciting because each quarterback formerly played for the opposing team. The Lions have David Montgomery playing as running back with 13 season touchdowns. Tied 5th for most touchdowns as a running back this season. Despite Aaron Donald being a superstar and 2024 defensive tackle Pro Bowl pick on the Rams, with 8 sacks this season and 53 tackles, with the Lions’ amazing performance this season and how well the offensive line plays, I will have to say I am confident the Lions will beat the Rams, moving on to the divisional.
The final matchup in the NFC Wild Card round will be the number 5 seed 11-6 Philadelphia Eagles Vs. the NFC South champions, and number 4 seed 9-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I can already say with how the Eagles have been performing, losing to the Arizona Cardinals (4-13) and New York Giants (6-11), teams which are ranked on the lower side in power rankings, and 1st string wide receiver A.J Brown with 1,456 and 7 touchdowns being out due to a sprained ankle and the slight chance that Jalen Hurts will be out as well from a dislocated finger, the eagles will lose this round especially with the Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans with 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, tied 1st for most touchdowns in the WR position, quarterback Baker Mayfield with over 4,000 passing yards, and 28 touchdowns this season Vs. Jalen Hurts, looking for a championship title just recently lost Super Bowl 57 to the Chiefs, with only 3,858 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. Not as much as other quarterbacks in the league, but still a lot but not enough to help me confidently say Jalen Hurts will lead Philadelphia to the divisional round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With former rams quarterback, Jared Goff, second place for most passing yards with 4,575 yards and . One of Goff’s best seasons. This game is exciting because each quarterback formerly played for the opposing team. The Lions have David Montgomery playing as running back with 13 season touchdowns. Tied 5th for most touchdowns as running back this season.
Despite Aaron Donald being a super star and 2024 defensive tackle Pro Bowl pick on the Rams, with 8 sacks this
season and 53 tackles, with the Lions’ amazing performance this season and how well the
offensive line plays, I will have to say I am confident the Lions will beat the Rams, moving on to
the divisionals.
The final matchup in the NFC Wild Card round will be the number 5 seed 11-6 Philadelphia Eagles Vs. the NFC South champions, number 4 seed 9-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I can already say with how the Eagles have been performing, losing to the Arizona Cardinals (4-13) and New York Giants (6-11), teams in which are ranked on the lower side in power rankings, and 1st string wide receiver A.J Brown with 1,456 and 7 touchdowns being out due to a sprained ankle and the slight chance that Jalen Hurts will be out as well from a dislocated finger, the eagles will lose this round especially with the Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans
with 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, tied 1st for most touchdowns in the WR position, quarterback Baker Mayfield with over 4,000 passing yards, and 28 touchdowns this season Vs. Jalen Hurts, looking for a championship title who just recently lost Super Bowl 57 to the Chiefs, with only 3,858 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. Not as much as other quarterbacks in the league, still a lot but not enough to help me confidently say Jalen Hurts will lead Philadelphia to the divisional round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The predicted teams in the AFC Wild Card round to advance to the second round playoffs are the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Cleveland Browns. For the NFC Wild Card, I believe the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will all advance into the second round playoffs. Overall kicking out the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Green bay Packers, and Los Angeles Rams. And of course, AFC North champions, Baltimore Ravens and NFC East champions, 49ers getting a bye week.
UPDATE:
Saturday, Jan. 20. Texans at Ravens, 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC) and Packers at 49ers, 8 p.m. ET (Fox)
Sunday, Jan. 21. Buccaneers at Lions, 3 p.m. ET (NBC) and Chiefs at Bills, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)