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The NFL regular season is in the books and postseason dreams start this weekend for 14 teams. With the top seeds in each conference earning a bye for the opening round, we have six matchups to analyze for Wild Card Weekend of the NFL Playoffs.
Though this weekend always appears to contain mostly inevitable outcomes, there always seems to be one or two big surprises. We'll try to pinpoint those possibilities here.
We'll answer these questions and more as we go through every Wild Card Weekend game in this article, offering picks, predictions, and analysis for each and every one. Thanks for joining us here at RotoBaller; let's dive into the slate!
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Los Angeles Chargers 27, Houston Texans 20 (Saturday)
We kick off Wild Card Weekend with a matchup between two teams that appear to be headed in different directions entering the postseason. Returning to the NFL Playoffs in Jim Harbaugh's first year at the helm, the Chargers closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak, scoring 34 or more points in each of their last three outings.
The Los Angeles Chargers are entering the playoffs with the fewest points allowed in the NFL. 🔒 pic.twitter.com/NEfWc0kWlR
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) January 7, 2025
Meanwhile, the Texans limp into the postseason both literally and figuratively. With star pass catchers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell lost for the year, Houston went 4-5 across the back half of the season, and they enter into Wild Card Weekend the losers of two of their last three.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud has regressed following a spectacular rookie campaign, thanks in large part to one of the NFL's leakiest offensive lines. Houston allowed the league's fourth-most sacks in 2024 and I don't like their chances of holding up against a group of Bolts pass rushers that tallied 46 sacks during the regular season.
Baltimore Ravens 21, Pittsburgh Steelers 17 (Saturday)
This classic AFC North rivalry spills over into the postseason with the Ravens hosting a Pittsburgh squad that they beat rather handily in Week 16. Despite the outcome of their most recent meeting, the Steelers have dominated this series, winning eight of the last 10 against Baltimore in mostly low-scoring fashion.
Given that history, I expect this to be a physical, hard-hitting battle that ends up tighter than most are projecting. Lamar Jackson has continued playing at an MVP level during the regular season, but it must be pointed out that he's had his share of postseason disappointments.
Pittsburgh will focus on containing both Jackson and Derrick Henry on the ground, forcing Baltimore to beat them through the air. This makes the injury status of top Ravens receiver Zay Flowers loom large ahead of this one.
Ravens rule out WR Zay Flowers (knee) for Wild Card game vs. Steelers on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/gXY7GtEIfd
— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2025
Buffalo Bills 28, Denver Broncos 23 (Sunday)
Under the guidance of Sean Payton, Denver is set to return to the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2015. Their reward for that accomplishment is a trip to Buffalo to face Josh Allen and the Bills in one of the game's toughest road environments.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has been everything the Broncos could have hoped for this season. He has a realistic shot of finding some success against a Buffalo defense that finished the regular season ranked 24th in the NFL in passing yards allowed.
This weekend, Josh Allen could potentially tie or break the record for most career passing touchdowns in the Wild Card round. 👀
🔗 https://t.co/7JZoKww4FW pic.twitter.com/QMLPSaWx6S
— Pro Football Reference (@pfref) January 8, 2025
However, Josh Allen is in the midst of perhaps the finest Superman impression of his stellar career. Allen has thrown for over 3,700 yards, ran for over 500, and accounted for 40 total TDs this season. Even though Denver's defense is stout, they won't be able to contain the Bills in this spot.
Philadelphia Eagles 24, Green Bay Packers 17 (Sunday)
Green Bay was the talk of the NFL Playoffs last year after traveling to Dallas and scoring a huge upset win over the Cowboys in the Wild Card round. They'll look to do the same thing this week in Philadelphia, though they will have their hands full with an Eagles squad stacked full of talent.
Jalen Hurts at practice on Thursday: pic.twitter.com/IwaYqHnqCp
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) January 9, 2025
The Packers made their bones on beating up weaker opponents in 2024. They finished the year just 2-5 against teams that qualified for the NFL Playoffs. Green Bay's 1-6 record within the division is tied for the worst in history for a playoff team. They are also dealing with an injury to quarterback Jordan Love that isn't thought to be serious, as well as one to wide receiver Christian Watson that certainly is.
Philly is not infallible, but the return of Jalen Hurts to a lineup that already features Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith does make an Eagles loss at home seem unlikely.
Washington Commanders 31, Tampa Bay Bucs 28 (Sunday)
Which version of the Tampa Bay Bucs will show up for the NFL Playoffs? The squad that trounced the Chargers 40-17 in Week 15 and poured 48 points on the Panthers in Week 17 or the bunch that lost to the lowly Cowboys in Week 16 and barely squeaked by the Saints last week to clinch a playoff berth? It's a fair question, as the Bucs have been one of 2024's most uneven squads.
Just realized Commanders - Bucs means we get Marshon Lattimore vs. Mike Evans again 🥹pic.twitter.com/OaWeGCULx8
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) January 7, 2025
The Commanders have been a streaky team in what's been a breakout year. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels has the makings of a superstar and led Washington to five straight wins to close out the regular season. Daniels did lose to this Bucs team in his first pro start way back in Week 1, but he's grown by leaps and bounds since then.
Look for a shootout between two explosive offenses with this one coming down to the wire. The Commanders' pass defense relinquished the NFL's third-fewest passing yards per game this season and could slow down Baker Mayfield and company enough to sneak out an upset on the road.
Minnesota Vikings 27, Los Angeles Rams 24 (Monday)
Minnesota must overcome the sort of hangover that comes from a huge loss to Detroit in the regular-season finale. Missing a possibility to grab the NFC's top seed, Kevin O'Connell's squad must now travel to L.A. to face Sean McVay and the dangerous Rams.
Per the NFL, Phoenix would be the alternate venue for Monday night’s Vikings-Rams matchup if wildfires in Los Angeles force a relocation of the game.
The league’s statement: pic.twitter.com/ws9xsg1fez
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 9, 2025
Los Angeles topped the Vikings on a Thursday night way back in Week 8. Believe it or not, Rams stars Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp were at the center of trade rumors at that point. The organization has undoubtedly turned their season around since getting Kupp and Puka Nacua fully healthy, winning five straight prior to resting starters in Week 18.
Both offenses feature star-studded receiving corps, but I trust Brian Flores' aggressive defense to make a couple of game-changing plays in this one.
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