Thirty-two groups launched into a mission this season to win Tremendous Bowl LVIII. Eight groups stay.
Jeff Howe breaks down every of the 4 divisional-round matchups this weekend earlier than The Athletic’s projection mannequin, created by Austin Mock, reveals every workforce’s odds of profitable the Tremendous Bowl.
AFC
A have a look at the AFC playoff bracket after the Payments’ win over the Steelers.
◽️ Ravens-Texans: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
◽️ Payments-Chiefs: Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ETWho do you assume advances to the Convention Championships? pic.twitter.com/fsz3vSg6bP
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 16, 2024
No. 1 Baltimore Ravens vs. No. 4 Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday
Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud dazzled in his playoff debut by finishing 16 of 21 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Stroud’s poise has been exceptional at this early juncture of his profession. He has accomplished no less than 75 % of his passes in three consecutive video games and hasn’t thrown an interception in six straight.
Maybe nobody strengthened their head-coaching candidacy extra over wild-card weekend than Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, and groups with vacancies shall be monitoring his chess match in opposition to Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. The Ravens have allowed a median of 15.5 factors over their final 4 video games in opposition to high quality competitors (the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers).
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Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has a robust probability to say his second MVP Award subsequent month, however there’s strain on him to carry out within the playoffs, the place he has misplaced three of his 4 profession begins and accomplished lower than 60 % of his passes in every loss.
The Ravens received these franchises’ solely playoff assembly 12 years in the past.
No. 2 Buffalo Payments vs. No. 3 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, 6:30 p.m. ET, Sunday
The weekend’s marquee matchup will mark Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ postseason highway debut. The Chiefs have been spottier than normal this season, however their protection doesn’t droop; it hasn’t allowed greater than 20 factors in six consecutive video games.
The Payments’ six-game profitable streak started in Kansas Metropolis in Week 14, and so they’ve been knocking off high quality opponents alongside the best way. 4 of these six wins got here in opposition to playoff groups, together with Monday’s victory in opposition to the Steelers.
After all, the largest story right here is the rematch between two of the AFC’s most distinguished powers lately. Mahomes has knocked off quarterback Josh Allen’s Payments twice within the playoffs for the reason that 2020 season, and each video games have been entertaining offensive affairs.
The Chiefs are attempting to succeed in their sixth consecutive convention championship recreation, and the Payments are hoping to keep away from their third straight loss within the divisional spherical.
NFC
The NFC Divisional spherical is ready.
◽️ 49ers vs. Packers
◽️ Lions vs. BuccaneersName it now. Who advances to the NFC Convention Championship? pic.twitter.com/D2RzHcRhYe
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 16, 2024
No. 1 San Francisco 49ers vs. No. 7 Inexperienced Bay Packers, 8 p.m. ET, Saturday
The Packers, who now have as many playoff wins at AT&T Stadium because the Dallas Cowboys (three), delivered the largest upset of the wild-card spherical behind big-time performances from quarterback Jordan Love and working again Aaron Jones. They’d an extremely disciplined recreation plan to regulate the sport on the bottom, take their pictures when needed and stop massive performs on protection, and so they executed it to perfection. The mixture of nice teaching and high-level manufacturing ought to make the 49ers nervous as a result of these traits can carry over within the playoffs.
The 49ers allowed the third-fewest speeding yards within the common season, however that’s as a result of their opponents have been compelled to play from behind so often that the Niners confronted the least quantity of speeding makes an attempt within the league. They allowed 4.1 yards per carry, which ranked 14th and was simply marginally higher than Dallas (4.2).
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The Niners are the well-earned No. 1 seed and have legit Tremendous Bowl aspirations, however there’s trigger for concern as they put together for a sizzling and assured Inexperienced Bay workforce that has received 4 in a row and 7 of 9. The Niners sat a number of of their starters within the regular-season finale, so that they’re about to seek out out in the event that they’re rested or rusty after lots of their stars haven’t performed since New Yr’s Eve.
The 49ers have received 4 consecutive playoff conferences in opposition to the Packers.
No. 3 Detroit Lions vs. No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3 p.m. ET, Sunday
No person threw an even bigger occasion over the weekend than the Lions, who received their first playoff recreation in 32 years and captured simply their second postseason victory since 1957. They’ll host a number of video games in a single postseason for the primary time within the franchise’s 94-year historical past.
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This shall be a rematch between two robust groups, because the Lions received in Tampa 20-6 in Week 6. The Buccaneers simply beat up the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night time and received’t again down in opposition to the favored Lions in a hostile setting. It’s additionally a matchup between quarterbacks Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield, every of whom was taken with the No. 1 decide however has since discovered success with new organizations.
These groups have met as soon as earlier than within the playoffs, with the Buccaneers profitable 20-10 in 1997.
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(Photograph of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen: David Eulitt / Getty Pictures)
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