No. 4 Houston Texans vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers
In the first matchup of the NFL playoffs, the Chargers head to Houston to take on the Texans. The Texans started the season strong, winning 5 out of the first 6 games and playing as a cohesive unit. However, after the team suffered significant injuries on both the offense and the defense, they started to stall, and in their last couple of games, they weren’t as productive as in games past. The opposite is true for the Chargers. They looked a little confused after starting the year with a new head coach and playbook. But by the end of the season, they were playing as a unit, and they won four out of their last five games.
C.J. Stroud had one of the best seasons a rookie quarterback has had in 2023. This year looked a little different; Stroud underperformed. With more sacks and interceptions, fewer touchdowns, and fewer passing yards, Stroud will need an amazing game against a disruptive Chargers defense. The Texans offense has lost some of its stars, including Stephon Diggs, taking away Stroud’s number one receiver. This was a gut punch to this team, whose offense is now less effective and balanced. On the other side of the ball, the Chargers defense is the highest-scoring defense in the NFL, and this defense is playing some of the best football it’s played in years. The Chargers are also relying on quarterback Justin Herbert, who has also underperformed this season, similar to Stroud; his passing yards and touchdown stats deflated from years past. When asked who she’s rooting for, Sophia Robertson (12) stated, “I think the Texans are going to win; they are blessed by the Beyoncé Bowl.” These teams are very evenly matched, and both teams have to play cohesively if they want a chance at playing in the next round.
No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 3 Baltimore Ravens
Anytime the Steelers and the Ravens face each other, the game is a thriller! These teams have already played each other twice this year, and they each came away with a victory. The Steelers secured their victory earlier in the year, while the Ravens secured their victory towards the end of the season. The Steelers had a strong start to the season, winning eight out of their first ten games. They were projected to win the AFC North and have home-field advantage for the playoffs, but after losing four out of their last five games, they fell to the 6th seed in the AFC. That allowed the Ravens to claim the AFC North crown and home-field advantage for the wildcard round.
The Steelers need to rely on their seventh-ranked defense to stop the Ravens offense from coming out and getting a strong lead. The Steelers need to be aggressive in the first half to stop the run game and force the Ravens to throw downfield; this allows for players like T.J. Watt to shine in the pass rush. The Ravens aren’t a team that’s built to come from behind in games, so coming out strong will be essential in a Steelers win. The biggest challenge the Steelers will face is Lamar Jackson, who is campaigning for his third MVP this year and feels he has something to prove after the Ravens loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship last year. After a rocky start, Jackson and the Ravens have dialed in and will be prepared for the Steelers on Saturday.
No. 7 Denver Broncos vs. No. 2 Buffalo Bills
The Broncos snuck their way into the playoffs in week 18, winning against the Chiefs backups 38-0. Week 18 for the Bills looked a little different; they rested their starters against the Patriots after already clinching the AFC East and home-field advantage. The Bills are the only team to hand the Super Bowl-favorite Chiefs their only loss (against the starters). Josh Allen is the current MVP favorite, just over Lamar Jackson. Allen has thrown 28 touchdowns, has 3,700 passing yards, and has only 6 interceptions.
The Broncos saving grace will be their defense, as lifelong Broncos fan Elijah Freeman (12) explains, Historically, our defense is why we win. Patrick Surtain II alone has 34 tackles, 4 interceptions, and has broken up 11 passes; he is currently the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Safety Brandon Jones has almost 80 tackles, and linebacker Nik Bonitto has 14 sacks. The Bills offense is bound to make big plays and score points, but the defense needs to hold them back and allow for the offense to have the ball. The Broncos offense needs to work the clock and do their best to keep Josh Allen and the Bills offense off the field.
No. 7 Green Bay Packers vs. No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles
These two teams met earlier this year in Brazil; the Eagles won that game 34-29. At the end of that game, there were complaints by both teams that the field conditions were poor, which resulted in both teams not playing as well as they could. Nae Humphery (12) states, “I watched the game between the Eagles and Packers in Brazil, and they were slipping all over the place!” This game was the first of the season for both teams, and after this game, they both had a rough couple of weeks, both losing two out of their first four. After this start, the Eagles soared, only falling once more to the Commanders, closing their seasons 14-3. The Packers, on the other hand, had their highs of the season and their lows. The Packers haven’t beaten another playoff team since week 7, and they are walking into the playoffs losing the last two games of the season.
The biggest question for the Eagles is whether or not quarterback Jalen Hurts will play. Hurts suffered a concussion on December 22nd in a game against the Commanders. He has not played another snap since, but on Wednesday, January 8th, Hurts returned to practice with limited participation. The Packers defense needs to prepare for both outcomes, if Hurts plays or if he doesn’t. If he does, expect plays from both the run and pass game, with big plays downfield. If Hurts doesn’t play, expect a run-heavy offense; the Eagles have the best running back in the league in Saquon Barkley, who rushed for over 2,000 yards this season. Either way, this Eagles offense will be prepared for the Packers, but the real question is if the Packers are ready for the rematch with the Eagles.
No. 6 Washington Commanders vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Washington Commanders haven’t won a playoff game in 19 years; their last playoff victory came on January 7th, 2006, a win in the wildcard round of the playoffs, but who did they beat? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Almost poetically, the commanders will play the team they beat 19 years ago in the playoffs again. The commanders are 12-5; this time last year their season was over after ending 4-13. A complete shift from last year, many attribute this success to rookie QB Jaden Daniels, who is a frontrunner to win AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year, but many credit the firing of Ron Rivera and the hiring of Dan Quinn for the sudden change. All aspects of the Commanders have improved; their offense, defense, and special teams are all playing at a high level. The commanders won the last five of their games and are going into the playoffs hotter than they have ever been.
The only thing standing in their way is the Buccaneers and veteran QB Baker Mayfield. After floating from team to team for a couple of years, Mayfield has found his home in Tampa Bay. The Bucs offense has been very efficient at moving the ball downfield and scoring points when it mattered. The Bucs started off the season slow and had a four-game losing streak starting in week 7, but since then they have won six out of their last 7 and secured the NFC South. In every game they lost this year, they were within a score of winning. If the defense can slow down the Commanders, then they can let the offense do the talking to secure the win against the Commanders.
No. 4 Los Angeles Rams vs. No. 5 Minnesota Vikings
In the last game of their season, the Vikings had a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a bye week by beating the Lions. However, the Lions came out strong, got up early, and ended up beating the Vikings 31-9, meaning the Vikings now have to travel to L.A. to play the Rams. In the Rams last game, they rested their starters against the Seahawks after clinching the NFC West. The Rams started the season 1-4, but after miraculously winning nine out of the last 12, they smoothly slid right into the playoffs. The Rams have beaten real contenders, but they have also lost to teams they should’ve beaten. The Rams have to play unified on both sides of the ball if they want a chance to beat the number one seed.
The Vikings have had to place pieces together to win. The Vikings were supposed to start J.J. McCarthy as their quarterback this year, but after injuring his knee, he was out for the rest of the season. So the question was asked, Who would be the Vikings quarterback? The answer is Sam Darnold, who is a career backup, but he’s playing like a true starter. However, in the Lions game, there were signs of panic and fluster in his play. If the Rams can pressure him, it won’t allow him to get the ball to his playmakers in the backfield like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The Vikings need to do the same to neutralize Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Both teams need to come out and score and hope their defense can do the rest.