2016 NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Predictions

Chiefs at Patriots (Saturday, 4:35 ET): While the Patriots may not have ended the season how they would have liked, the bye week gave players like Rob Gronkowski, Sebastian Vollmer, Julian Edelman, and Tom Brady additional time to heal from their respective injuries. The Chandler Jones saga that unfolded this past week may have served as a major distraction, but if there's any team capable of winning amidst a controversy, it's the New England Patriots. The Chiefs have to deal with injuries of their own, where Jeremly Maclin, Tamba Hali, and Justin Houston are all questionable and may not be full strength if they end up playing. Under Tom Brady, the Patriots are 14-3 at home in the playoffs, and while the Chiefs have an outstanding pass rush capable of causing trouble for this weak Pats offensive line, I predict the Pats to return to their winning ways.
Patriots over Chiefs 27-17

Packers at Cardinals (Saturday, 8:15 ET): This team played each other in Arizona just three weeks ago, a game where the Cardinals dominated against Rodgers and the Packers in a 38-8 victory. The Cardinals recorded nine total sacks that game, even without their star safety Tyrann Mathieu. Offensively, the Cardinals will rely on Carson Palmer and the passing game, who has a career passer rating of 66.5 in his two playoff games (both losses). This number is very different from Rodgers' career passer rating of 100.3 in his 13 career playoff games, yet this year Packers team is very different from the offensive powerhouses of the past. This game will be much closer than the Week 16 blowout, but Arizona will still find a way to win.
Cardinals over Packers 31-23

Seahawks at Panthers (Sunday, 1:05 ET): The Seahawks honestly have no business playing in this divisional round after Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh missed a chip shot for the win. Yet despite a close game one week earlier in frigid Minnesota weather, I still love the Seahawks to beat the Panthers in Carolina. Marshawn Lynch is "ready" for Carolina tomorrow, which is good for the Seahawks offense since it will be difficult to throw the ball with tomorrow's poor weather conditions. Cam Newton has thrown 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in his three career playoff games, and even though the Panthers beat the Seahawks in Seattle this past October, that was before the Seahawks caught fire later in the season.
Seahawks over Panthers 20-17

Seahawks list Marshawn Lynch as probable against Panthers: https://t.co/dXPMciefJt

— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) January 16, 2016

Steelers at Broncos (Sunday, 4:40 ET): The chances of the Steelers beating the Broncos in Denver are decreasing by the day, where receiver Antonio Brown and running back DeAngelo Williams have both been ruled out for Sunday's game. Even star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is far from full strength, but if there's any quarterback capable of winning a playoff game with a plethora of injuries, it's Big Ben. Peyton Manning for the Broncos likely won't have to carry his team through the playoffs this year thanks to a decent run game and outstanding defense, especially since he his 0-5 in the playoffs when the temperature dips below 40 degrees. If the Steelers were healthy, Pittsburgh would be the pick to win; however, Pittsburgh has too many injuries on offense to win this game.
Broncos over Steelers 21-10

Gronk will play tomorrow. He'll be limited, but he'll play.

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 16, 2016

Chiefs feel good about Justin Houston and Tamba Hali for today. Jeremy Maclin's status not as clear. Might be a stretch for him. We'll see

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 16, 2016

Getting ready for football. Three hours until #KCvsNE. https://t.co/QS47NnDz68

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 16, 2016

Packers are 5-1 as a No. 5 or No. 6 seed with Aaron Rodgers as QB

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 16, 2016

Peyton Manning has gone “one-&-done” in playoffs 9 times, 5 more than any other QB in Super Bowl era (since 1966).

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 15, 2016

Peyton Manning is 0-5 when kickoff temps are 40 degrees or below. Sunday's Denver forecast: 36 high, 21 low. pic.twitter.com/SZoo0es4tL

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) January 16, 2016

WR Antonio Brown has been ruled out for Sunday's game in Denver. MORE: https://t.co/YczMIPd4y8

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 15, 2016

2015-2016 NFL Divisional Round Predictions

(5) Chargers over (1) Colts: The Indianapolis Colts have struggled to stop the run throughout the years, so San Diego's addition of talented running back Melvin Gordon may pose certain problems for the Colts defense. In addition, Gordon will be able to take some pressure off of Rivers, who will also be throwing to their recently acquired receiver, Jacoby Jones.



(2) Patriots over (3) Broncos: In what will likely be the final meeting between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, it is highly unlikely that Manning will be able to travel into Foxboro in the month of January and defeat the Patriots. New England's defensive line has an abundance of young talent (Jones, Brown, and Easley), and the passing game is near unstoppable when Rob Gronkowski is on the field.

(1) Packers over (5) Cardinals: It is difficult to see a team who calls the warm and sunny Glendale, Arizona their home traveling to Lambeau Field and knocking off the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. From a statistical point of view, Rodgers was near perfect last season at home, and a talented Cardinals defense is not enough to stop Green Bay's passing game.

(2) Seahawks over (3) Panthers: The Seahawks beat Cam Newton and the Panthers last season in the Divisional Round, and not much is likely to change this year. The Panthers are very depleted when it comes to their receiving corp following Kelvin Benjamin's injury, whereas Seattle added the elite talent known as Jimmy Graham.

Tom Brady beats NFL in `Deflategate' court case, judge nullifies league's 4-game suspension.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2015

Reunion: James Jones is signing with the #Packers, source said.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2015

2015-2016 NFL Wild Card Round Predictions

(3) Broncos over (6) Bills: Seeing how the Bills have one of the best pass rushes in all of football, it would be tough for the 39-year-old Peyton Manning to complete most of his passes when he's on the ground for the entire game. Luckily, C.J. Anderson will hopefully be there to bail him out.

(5) Chargers over (4) Ravens: The Ravens are always a brutal team to play against in the playoffs, especially with quarterback Joe Flacco at the helm, who has posted a 6-2 record with 18 touchdowns and three picks in his last eight postseason games. The lack of receivers in Baltimore will help a mediocre Chargers defense, and the addition of Melvin Gordon for the Chargers will take some pressure off of Rivers.

(3) Panthers over (6) Giants: While the Panthers won their first playoff game during the Cam Newton-era last season, but similarly to the Ravens, you can never count out the New York Giants when January rolls around. This game could be an absolute bloodbath, but the advantage goes to Carolina due to their punishing defense and home field advantage.

(5) Cardinals over (4) Cowboys: The Cowboys had the opportunity to be one of the best team's in football had they signed DeMarco Murray in the offseason, but instead, they are putting all of their eggs in one basket--the passing game--and hoping it works. Now that Arizona has a talented defense (ranked fifth last year in point allowed), they could be a difficult team to face in the postseason.

Giants among teams reportedly inquiring about trading for Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor: http://t.co/6urokkS0aG pic.twitter.com/TWMx7qMTf5

— SI NFL (@si_nfl) September 6, 2015

Chargers don't see a problem with Melvin Gordon's pass protection http://t.co/AqVqWapvr9

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 28, 2015

Complete 2015 NFL Playoff Predictions

Wild Card Round

(3) Colts over (6) Jets: Andrew Luck, unlike New York's quarterback duo of Geno Smith and Michael Vick, has proven himself as a winner in the postseason with his comeback victory over the Chiefs. The Jets team as a whole is too young to beat Indy and this incredible passing game.

(4) Ravens over (5) Bengals: Just two years ago, Joe Flacco caught fire in the postseason to lead his team over the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Baltimore's passing game may have trouble early against a relatively stingy Bengals defense, but Cincy's horrendous record in the postseason under Marvin Lewis will continue into 2015.

(6) Packers over (3) Bears: Aaron Rodgers, a Super Bowl winning quarterback, has repeatedly proven himself when it comes to clutch situations, as seen when he defeated Chicago in Week 17 of the 2013 regular season. Ironically, we have them playing Chicago once again with the same result.

(5) 49ers over (4) Eagles: The 49ers have made it to three straight NFC Championship Games, and are quite possibly the most talented wild card team of the past 5 years. Philadelphia doesn't stand a chance, even with home field advantage.

Divisional Round

(3) Colts over (2) Broncos: The third year for quarterbacks is almost always a breakout year in the NFL. With Reggie Wayne coming back from injury, and Hakeem Knicks arriving from New York, Luck has the offensive weapons  needed to knock off the Denver Broncos in January.

(1) Patriots over (4) Ravens: The Patriots and Ravens by now are used to playing each other in the postseason, but the Patriots are clearly far more talented than the Ravens, especially with their two new cornerbacks in Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis. Tom Brady is bound for yet another AFC Championship Game.

(1) Seahawks over (6) Packers: In a neutral location, I believe the Green Bay Packers would be capable of beating Seattle during the postseason; however, seeing how the game is in Seattle, it will be extremely difficult for Aaron Rodgers to overpower the Legion of Boom on the road. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense will be able to put up plenty of points against a mediocre Packers defense.

(5) 49ers over (2) Saints: Colin Kaepernick is surrounded by plenty of weapons on offense, including Anquan Boldin, Frank Gore, and Vernon Davis. Jim Harbaugh will find a way to quell the damage done by Drew Brees and New Orleans' passing game, and the 49ers will be playing in their fourth straight NFC Championship Game.

Championship Round

(1) Patriots over (3) Colts: The New England Patriots remain undefeated against Andrew Luck during his time in Indy, yet with Luck bound to improve during the regular season, these games are going to get a whole lot more competitive. With Revis and Browner both on the Patriots' roster, Luck will have more difficulty finding his three most talented targets--Knicks, Hilton, Wayne--but as we've seen, this quarterback can find a way. Tom Brady is becoming more experienced with his young wide receivers, and hopefully, Rob Gronkowski will be healthy for playoffs. The Logan Menkins trade left some people scratching their heads, but the aging offensive lineman was traded for a draft pick and a little-known tight end Tim Wright. Wright had 54 catches as an undrafted rookie, so this could be one of Brady's favorite targets later in the year. In the end, we have Tom Brady advancing to the sixth Super Bowl of his career.

(5) 49ers over (1) Seahawks: These two teams are coming out of the same division, yet clearly, they are the NFC's most talented teams. A rivalry has been born recently between San Francisco and Seattle, seeing how they have two of the league's most stifling defenses and battle within the same division. Luckily, the San Francisco 49ers are expecting to get linebacker NaVorro Bowman by Week 7, so he will be in midseason form just before the postseason. Seattle's offseason losses will have a bigger impact on this team than people seem to think, where receiver Golden Tate has left for Detroit, while Red Bryant and Chris Clemons have left for Jacksonville. Jim Harbaugh will be on the hot seat if San Francisco is unable to make the Super Bowl yet again, but luckily for 49ers fans, we see San Francisco topping their division rivals for a spot in the "Big Game."

Prediction for the Super Bowl will arrive within the next few days

2014 NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Saints @ Seahawks: The last time Seattle played New Orleans, the Seahawks absolutely demolished Drew Brees and the Saints, beating the Saints by a score of 34-7. In that game, Russell Wilson passed for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a passer rating above 135, while Brees passed for 147 yards and a score, both being his lowest totals of the season. The Saints are now trying to plan accordingly for the deafening noise within CenturyLink Field, where the Seahawks have lost only one game at home since December of 2011. Even worse for New Orleans, Brees and the Saints have a history of playing poorly on the road. Not only will the Saints' offense try to beat Seattle's 12 man, but Seattle's stingy defense as well. The Seahawks defensive unit led the league in total defense, passing yards allowed, rushing touchdowns allowed per game, and interceptions. Bottom line: the Saints are in trouble. We predict the Seahawks to roll past new Orleans into the NFC Championship Game.
Seahawks over Saints 30-13

Colts @ Patriots: The Indianapolis Colts were down 28 points to the Kansas City Chiefs in last week's playoff matchup, but thanks to an excellent comeback led by Andrew Luck, as well as a resilient defense, the Colts were able to come from behind and win the game. Last Sunday's win marked Andrew Luck's first career playoff win, and even though he threw 3 interceptions that created the deficit, Luck's five total touchdowns, as well as 443 passing yards, allowed the Colts to advance to the Divisional Round. Now, Indianapolis will travel to Foxboro in order to play Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Ever since the Colts lost Reggie Wayne, Luck's number one target in 2013 has clearly been T.Y. Hilton, who will likely be limited by New England's star cornerback Aqib Talib in Sunday's game. This means Luck will have to rely on his other wide receivers if the Colts wish to win through the air. Even worse for Indy, there is a 100% chance of rain in Foxboro on Sunday, meaning passing the ball will become more difficult. The rainstorm favors New England, whose running back trio of Steven Ridley, Shane Vereen, and LeGarrette Blount have all rushed for more than 100 yards in a single game this season. Lastly, Tom Brady's playoff experience makes New England the favorite to win this game.
Patriots over Colts 23-17

49ers @ Panthers: Colin Kaepernick walked into frozen Lambeau last weekend as the favorite and were able to beat the Packers, even though the temperature reached below zero with the wind. Now, the 49ers are favored to beat the Panthers, just the third time since 1990 that a home playoff team was the underdog in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Everyone expected Cam newton to have a great year statistically, but the main reason why Carolina has been so successful is their punishing defense. Luke Kuechly, a second year linebacker out of Boston College, totaled 156 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 2 sacks in 2013. After winning Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, Kuechly is one of the favorites to win Defensive Player of the Year this season, which would mark the second time a defensive player won Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in their first two seasons (only other player was Lawrence Taylor, who won Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season). The Panthers defense as a whole ranked second in the league in both total defense and run defense, where the 49ers were not too far behind in either category. The two defenses in Sunday's matchup will both play very well, but in the end, we predict San Francisco to win this thanks to their playoff experience.
49ers over Panthers 27-20

Chargers @ Broncos: The San Diego Chargers pulled off the upset over the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend, even though Cincinnati was undefeated at home entering the Wild Card Round. Phillip Rivers has a history of choking in the playoffs, and even though his statistic were not incredible against the Bengas, his numbers are bound to increase now that he is going up against a weaker Broncos' defense. Denver lost star outside linebacker Von miller for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, but this team is 7-0 in games where Miller is not int the starting lineup. Quarterback Peyton Manning finished 2013 with 5,477 passing yards, 55 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 115.1. Because of the first round bye, Wes Welker has had time to recover from his concussion, and he is listed as probable for Sunday's game. Welker, Thomas, and Decker create the best wide receiving corp in the NFL, which is why we predict Denver to beat the Chargers and move on to play Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Broncos over Chargers 27-23

2014 Playoff Predictions: Divisional Round

AFC

Broncos over Bengals: The Denver Broncos offense looked unstoppable against a very respectable Baltimore Ravens defense in Week 1. Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and Eric Decker make up the best receiving corp in the league, and we predict Peyton manning to throw for more than 50 touchdowns in 2013. The Bengals defense is very talented, but their inexperience makes Denver the favorite to win. 

Patriots over Texans: Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola are both expected to be in the starting lineup by October, so Tom Brady will finally have the receivers he needs to win. New England's running game also looks relatively strong with Steven Ridley, Shane Vereen, and Legarrette Blount. The Houston Texans are knocked out of the divisional round for the third straight year.

NFC

49ers over Saints: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has proven he can not only run with the football, but has also found success through the air. Kaepernick dominated the Green Bay Packers in his Week 1 matchup, and the defense fared well against former MVP Aaron Rodgers. The New Orleans Saints defense will be the Achilles heal in this matchup.

Seahawks over Falcons: With Percy Harvin back in the starting lineup, Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch will pick apart Atlanta's defense. The Atlanta Falcons offense is extremely difficult to defend, but Seattle is able to get the job done.

Update: 5 out of the 8 teams that we predicted to play in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs actually made it to the Divisional Round

2014 Playoff Predictions: Wild Card

AFC
Patriots over Chiefs: The Patriots may be lacking talented wide receivers, but Tom Brady is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in playoff history. By the time the playoffs roll around, tight end Rob Gronkowski will hopefully be healthy, and Brady will have adjusted to his young receiving corp. The Chiefs may be talented, but not talented enough to beat the Patriots on the road.

Bengals over Ravens: Both Baltimore's offense and defense looked awful in the second half of their season opener against Denver. Joe Flacco is lacking weapons at wide receiver thanks to the loss of Anquan Boldin and tight end Dennis Pitta. The defense forfeited 7 passing touchdowns against Denver in Week 1, while Cincinnati is the most underrated team in the league.

NFC
Saints over Packers: The return of Sean Payton will propel New Orleans back into playoff contention. We predict quarterback Drew Brees to surpass 5,000 passing yards for the fourth time in his career, while the Saints defense is likely to improve under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers improved their running game with rookie Eddie Lacy, but New Orleans leaves Green Bay with the win in a close match.

Seahawks over Cowboys: By this point in the year, wide receiver Percy Harvin will have been fully healed from his injury, and the Seahawks offense will only become more lethal. Defensively, Seattle has one of the best pass rushing groups in the league. Dallas does not stand a chance.

Update: 8 out of the 12 teams that we predicted to make the playoffs actually made it to the postseason. The teams that we were wrong about were the Texans, Falcons, Cowboys, and Ravens