NFL Expert Picks Divisional Round
Welcome to the NFL Playoffs. We have already witnessed some underdog teams sneak into the divisional rounds as the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars will live to see other week. Now with the big dogs entering the playoffs, who will make it onto the next round?
Saturday Divisional Playoff Football
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs
The Jaguars are much better than the version that showed up in Kansas City in Week 10 and lost 27-17. However, it’s hard to ignore how dominant the Chiefs were in that game. They averaged 7.8 yards per play to Jacksonville’s 5.2 and won by double digits despite being minus-3 in turnover margin and getting surprised by an onside kick. Chris Jones was unblockable. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce faced little resistance.
- Expert Pick: Chiefs ML
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles rolled in the first meeting between these teams by leaning on rushing attack and creating pressure on Daniel Jones, who was sacked seven times. The Giants did a great job planning around that pressure in the rematch and kept Davis Webb relatively clean, and they’ll be executing that gameplan with better personnel this time around. It will be a much closer game this time around, but expect the Eagles to continue to ride high.
- Expert Pick: Eagles ML
Sunday Divisional Playoff Football
Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills
I really have no opinion on this middling spread but will play the ML with the news that Cincinnati has ruled out starting right guard Alex Cappa (ankle) and left tackle Jonah Williams (knee). The Bengals are also without right tackle La’el Collins, who tore his ACL in December. Joe Burrow was under siege against Baltimore and that’s going to continue behind his JV O-Line Sunday. Will definitely be looking at some Buffalo sack props now. The Bills appear healthy for Sunday.
- Expert Pick: Bills ML
Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers
The Cowboys looked like Super Bowl contenders Monday night, but that was against a sub-.500 team that can’t run the ball. San Francisco’s elite ground game should have success versus Dallas’ middle-of-the-pack rush defense (4.4 ypc). That will ease pressure on rookie Brock Purdy. The 49ers’ offensive line, along with Kyle Shanahan’s blocking schemes, will prevent Micah Parsons from wrecking the gameplan, as he did in getting nine pressures and two tackles for loss vs. Tampa Bay.
- Expert Pick: 49ers ML