With NFL wildcard weekend all wrapped up, teams are starting to look towards next week and their next opponent. How does each team stack up against one another heading into the divisional round?
The Houston Texans were able to fend off the Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers team, taking a decisive 32-12 win en route to the divisional round of the playoffs. The Texans defense had a great day. They intercepted star quarterback Justin Herbert four times, more than his total interceptions in the regular season, and held the rest of the offense to just 261 yards. The problem now is Houston cannot afford another slow start, especially against the Kansas City Chiefs. The divisional round will arguably be C.J. Stroud’s biggest game of his career, the question is will he be up to the task?
Jayden Daniels is legit. That is what the world saw on Sunday night, as the Washington Commanders barely edged out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 23-20 win. Jayden Daniels led yet another game-winning drive, something that this team has done a tremendous job of this season. The defense came through in big moments, and the offense was clutch. Their first playoff win since 2005 was a promising one. Now they have the tall task of going up against one of the league’s finest, the Detroit Lions in the divisional round. They are playing with house money, and as seen in years past, that can make for a dangerous mix.
The Philadelphia Eagles won Sunday’s football game against the Green Bay Packers in the most difficult way possible. Yes, their defense stood strong against an explosive young offense, but the Eagles could not pull away for the entire game. The Packers turned the ball over four times, giving the Eagles multiple chances to put the game away. A missed field goal also helped build momentum in Philly’s favor, and yet they were still in the game well into the fourth quarter. If Philadelphia wants to make a deep playoff run, the passing offense needs to improve, and A.J. Brown needs to be more involved.
The Los Angeles Rams just upset a 14-win Vikings team that looked solid all year. They have now won 6 meaningful games in a row, and are catching fire at the perfect time. Matthew Stafford is playing mistake-free football, which is the exact formula needed to win playoff games. The defense took advantage of opportunities given to them, a scoop and score and an interception helped immensely. If this team can play like they did against the Vikings, they will have a real shot against Philly in the divisional round.
It seems odd putting the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, and the number one seed at fourth, but we have not seen this team play in a few weeks. The Chiefs have had critics all season long, and for good reason. They have won a total of 11 one-score games this year. The last team to do so where the 2022-2023 Minnesota Vikings, a team that would lose to Daniel Jones and the New York Giants in the first round. Pair that with the fact that both the Ravens and Bills are scorching hot heading into the divisional round, this might not be the Chiefs year.
Josh Allen and the rest of this Bills team put on a clinic against the Denver Broncos this past weekend. They minimized their mistakes, and when the opportunity presented itself, they made sure not to waste it. The Bills have been particularly good when playing at home, which they will do against the Ravens in a high-flying divisional matchup. Back in Week Four, the Ravens took it to the Bills with a decisive score of 35-10. Do the Bills have what it takes to get revenge on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, or will history repeat itself?
Dan Campbell has turned this Lions team from the laughing stock of the NFL, into one of the most formidable and intimidating opponents in recent memory. They are a team that can beat you just about anywhere, and are not afraid to take the risks needed to win playoff games. Even with the injuries to the defense, Aaron Glenn has done a fabulous job of making sure that this defense is prepared for any opponent week in and week out. The Lions are slated to face the Washington Commanders in the divisional round, and will need to keep rookie Jayden Daniels in check if they want to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive.
Lamar Jackson is on a historic run. His regular season stats speak for themselves. Pair that with a never-aging Derrick Henry, and one of the best defenses they’ve put on a field in years, and you have a scary football team. They do have arguably the toughest divisional matchup against the Bills, but with the way this team has been playing, that may not matter. Lamar has a history of crumbling when it matters most, but this season feels different. Everything seems to be going exactly as needed for the Ravens to make it back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2013.
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