NFL Wild Card Predictions

The NFL playoffs have arrived, which means two consecutive days of nonstop football action and intense head-to-head matchups. In this post, I’m going to predict and explain the teams I think will be advancing to next week’s games. Let’s get into it.

Game 1: Bills @ Texans - The Buffalo Bills have surprised me this year. Josh Allen led his squad to a respectable 10-6 record and secured a spot in wildcard weekend against the 4 seed Houston Texans with the same record. While DeShaun Watson has shown his explosiveness at the QB position, the Texans are one of the weaker and more inconsistent teams in the playoffs this year, in my opinion. JJ Watt’s return isn’t enough to stop the Buffalo Bills from rolling into town and taking this one.

Game 2: Titans @ Patriots - As much as I want to, I can’t bet against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick quite yet. I just can’t. After starting the season strong, the Patriots offense has struggled, as highlighted by their shocking loss to Miami last week in Foxboro. At the same time, Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, and company have been rolling over their competition to the point of securing the 6 seed in the AFC. That being said, I just don’t see Brady’s last game as a Patriot coming in the wild card round of the playoffs at home. NE wins here.

Game 3: Vikings @ Saints - It’s time for New Orleans to redeem themselves. After back-to-back heartbreaking playoff losses in 2018 and 2019, this squad is hungry and has a lot to prove as a 13-3 3rd seed in the competitive NFC Conference. Kirk Cousins is beginning to show that he shrinks in primetime, and barring a miracle or officiating disaster, I see Drew Brees getting the job in New Orleans.

Game 4: Eagles @ Seahawks - This feels like the most obvious pick of the week for me. I don’t see this game being competitive. The Seahawk’s 12th man fanbase will be out in full force in Seattle, and the 9-7 Eagles who scraped by just to make it to the wildcard, don’t have enough talent on their roster to steal one against Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll. It would be nice to see Beast Mode go off, too, in another Seahawks playoff W.

It’s entirely possible that these predictions are totally off-base. I’m pretty sure that if they hold up, next week’s predictions for the Divisional round of the playoffs will be more entertaining, as I won’t choose every clear favorite to get the win. What do you think will happen this week? I’m just rooting for some entertaining, competitive NFL Playoff football.