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MeThis weekend’s NFL playoffs aren’t going as well as usual. Buffalo Bills safety Dumar Hamlin will be hampered by the proceedings despite a near-miraculous recovery from on-field cardiac arrest earlier this month. How could he not? If there’s one thing that has to be taken away from the past few weeks, it’s that the league is occupied by humans, not abstract numbers on stat sheets. It is expected to be more subdued than in previous years. And let’s hope the drama remains entirely soccer-related.
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 4:30 PM EST/9:30 PM GMT)
What the Seahawks need to win: The Seahawks have to act like a team playing house money. Seattle, Green Bay, made the playoffs thanks to the Packers collapsing, and he’s lost twice to the 49ers already this season. Maybe that will give the best results. In the past, we’ve seen “nobody believe” teams pull off big upsets.
What the 49ers need to win: Brock Purdy needs to stay relevant. The 49ers are built to thrive no matter who is attached to the quarterback, beating up Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo and now Purdy. But now that the playoffs have started, his 10-game winning streak for them doesn’t matter much. With the stakes high, Purdy doesn’t have to step up for San Francisco to win, but he can’t back down.
Key Players: Nick Bosa, DE, 49ers. Possibly the best defensive player in the league, Bosa is the main reason the 49ers have confidence no matter who’s running the offense. Botha leads the league with 18.5 sacks, and the Seahawks’ he is the type of player that could bring a painful end to QB Geno Smith’s comeback.
predict: 49ers from the Seahawks.
Los Angeles Chargers v Jacksonville Jaguars (Saturday, 8:15 PM EST/Sunday, 1:15 AM GMT)
What the Chargers need to win: Look at what these two teams did the last time they met and do the exact opposite. The Jaguars beat the Chargers 38-10 in Week 3 and are the most improved team since am. A healthy Justin Herbert, who was treating a rib injury in that game, should help LA rise.
What it takes for a Jaguar to win: Jacksonville, on the other hand, will have to forget that win entirely. Trevor Lawrence has emerged as one of the game’s greatest talents, but if his QB for the Chargers is making a normal number of big throws, he’ll be in a shootout with Herbert. I can’t afford it. It’s not an easy task, but the Jags defense must keep the number of huge pass plays to a minimum.
Key Players: Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers. Another reason why the Chargers didn’t beat the Jaguars last time? Allen was unavailable. Now he’s back and Denver he’s straight back from his performance of his two touchdowns for 100 yards against the Broncos.
predict: Jaguar than charger.
Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1pm EST/6pm GMT)
What dolphins need to win: The Dolphins’ best chances of winning went out the window with the news that Tua Tagovailoa remained on concussion protocol and rookie Skyler Thompson would likely start in his place. That means that dolphins can make the difference between life and death with a rushing attack. A huge game from them could lead to an upset this year.
What Bills needs to win: The Bills are a better team, especially without Tagovailoa. To win, just play the normal game. But is their first nationally televised game since Hamlin’s collapse really considered “normal”? No one should blame them for affecting their performance (although they were acquitted against the Patriots last week).
Key players: Tredavius White, CB, Buffalo Bills. Buffalo always wants to go offensively, but there was an interesting wrinkle against the Patriots. White had his best performance since returning from his ACL injury. He looks healthy enough to make a difference.
predict: Bill than Dolphin.
New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 4:30 PM EST/9:30 PM GMT)
What the Giants need to win: The Giants should be able to take advantage of Minnesota’s defense, which allowed 25.1 points and 388.7 yards a game in the regular season. The Giants don’t necessarily have a world-beating offense, despite reversing Sakon Barkley’s great year, but they should be able to pick up some points against the Vikings.
What the Vikings need to win: Kirk Cousins needs to take care of the ball. Yes, the Vikings had a 14-3 record in the regular season, but their starting QB threw 14 interceptions on the year. Minnesota is playing at home and has the most talented offensive his players on either team. Cousins need to remember that it’s not him and he doesn’t have to be the hero.
Key Players: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota VikingsOne of the league’s most prolific receivers, Jefferson finished the season with 128 receptions for 1,809 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He broke records by the likes of Chris Carter and Randy Moss. He might be Offensive Player of the Year. His importance to this game is unquestionable.
predict: Giant than Viking.
Baltimore Ravens v Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 8:15 PM EST/Monday, 1:15 AM GMT)
What the Ravens need to win: Baltimore should come up with a game plan that doesn’t involve Lamar Jackson. tweeted on thursday He will be unable to play due to a left knee injury, leaving either Tyler Huntley or Anthony Brown as starters.
What the Bengals need to win: The Bengals have a clear advantage here with Jackson being sidelined. But quarterback Joe Burrow has been sacked 41 times during the regular season, and the offensive line has been pounded. Burrow and O-Line need to raise awareness in-game to prevent a Baltimore upset.
Key Players: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals. The reason Burrow thinks he always has time to throw may be because he’s used to playing with Chase. Chase scored his nine touchdowns and gained 1,046 yards, even though injuries kept him playing only 12 games this season. I can’t imagine the Bengals going out of the postseason without giving him at least one staggering Burrow-to-Chase completion.
predict: Bengal than Ravens.
Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What the Cowboys need to win: I will not look back. The Cowboys are 0-7 against a team led by Tom Brady, and he is on an eight-game losing streak in the road playoffs. The Cowboys are the better team in theory, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t keep your cool and remember they’re playing Old Brady, not Brady-of-Old.
What the Buccaneers need to win: The Buccaneers can keep the cowboy curse alive only by letting the cowboys make mistakes. Dallas was happy with turnovers for most of the season. If the Bucks’ defense capitalizes on Dallas’ mistakes, Brady doesn’t have to do more than rely on the knowledge of the veteran to lead them to victory.
Key Players: Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers. As long as Brady keeps playing, he’s a key player. For most of his career it was a good thing. this year? He is inconsistent and his offensive line leaves him vulnerable. Gear up now for “Is this the last game of Brady’s career?” Chatting.
predict: cowboy from buccaneer
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