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The street to Tremendous Bowl LX begins this week within the wild-card spherical. The motion begins with a Saturday doubleheader, adopted by three video games on Sunday earlier than a Monday night time finale in Pittsburgh.
The Carolina Panthers will look to shock the world by making a playoff run regardless of ending with an 8-9 file, Josh Allen might have his greatest probability to make the Tremendous Bowl with no Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson standing in his manner, and Aaron Rodgers has what could possibly be his closing probability at NFL glory. We even have two shocking No. 1 seeds with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. How essential will these first-round byes be this yr?
Which groups do you have to choose in Wild Card Weekend, and which do you have to fade? CBS Sports activities writers Jordan Dajani and Jared Dubin are right here to interrupt down the most important video games of the weekend. For readability, traces for these choices have been taken on Jan. 7 over at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS (Stream on Paramount+)
Dajani (Jaguars +1.5): Many view this as Josh Allen’s greatest probability to win a Tremendous Bowl, however I am undecided about that. Buffalo has a really clear Achilles heel within the type of its run protection. The Payments permit 136.2 speeding yards per recreation, which ranks worst amongst playoff groups. In addition they permit 5.1 yards per rush. Just one crew has received the Tremendous Bowl permitting 5 yards per rush, and that was the 2006 Indianapolis Colts. On the flip facet, the Payments have the No. 1 speeding offense within the NFL (159.6 speeding yards per recreation). Nevertheless, the Jaguars boast the No. 1 rush protection within the league (85.6 speeding yards per recreation).
The Jaguars are arguably the most well liked crew within the NFL, having received eight straight video games. Throughout that span, Liam Coen’s crew leads the NFL in factors per recreation (33.6), opponent factors per recreation (14.5) and level differential (+153). Quarterback Trevor Lawrence leads the league in complete touchdowns (24) throughout this win streak, and has been a weapon on the bottom as effectively. Give me the Jaguars in an upset at house … Prediction: Jaguars 24, Payments 21
Dubin (Payments -1.5): As Dajani mentioned, the Jags are arguably the most well liked crew within the NFL. Trevor Lawrence is taking part in the perfect ball of his profession. Liam Coen is an inside circle Coach of the Yr candidate. The protection has compelled at the least one turnover in six straight video games and at the least two in 5 of them. And but… the Payments have Josh Allen, and I can not convey myself to wager in opposition to the perfect quarterback within the AFC facet of the bracket — even when happening the street. Between Allen and James Prepare dinner, I feel Buffalo will be capable of transfer the ball right here, and in an in depth recreation I’m all the time going to experience with the crew that has a greater quarterback. That is Buffalo. … Prediction: Payments 26, Jaguars 23
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox (Stream: Fubo — attempt without cost)
Dajani (49ers +4.5): Do you wish to take essentially the most Jekyll and Hyde crew there may be within the NFL, or a crew with a struggling protection that simply misplaced the within observe to the Tremendous Bowl whereas placing up a measly three factors? Get this: I am taking each. I will take the Eagles to win this recreation, however the 49ers to cowl 4.5 factors. Ignoring what occurred final Saturday night time for a second, the 49ers have made the NFC Championship recreation in every of their final seven playoff journeys. Do we actually imagine they’ll be one-and-done this season? Regardless of the entire accidents on the defensive facet of the ball, Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh discovered a approach to get this crew to 12-5 within the hardest division within the NFL. I feel Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey can sustain with this Eagles offense.
I additionally suppose it is potential Saquon Barkley turns it on within the playoffs once more. This yr total was actually a step again production-wise for him, however Barkley’s 127.5 complete yards per recreation within the playoffs rank second in NFL historical past behind Terrell Davis. Give me the Eagles to win at house, however the 49ers to cowl … Prediction: Eagles 27, 49ers 24
Dubin (49ers +4.5): The Niners have been red-hot earlier than getting stonewalled within the closing week of the season by the Seahawks. They need to get Trent Williams and presumably Ricky Pearsall again for this recreation, which ought to assist them transfer the ball in opposition to Philly’s protection higher than they did in opposition to Seattle. HOWEVER. San Francisco remains to be extremely banged up on each side of the ball, however significantly on protection. I do know the Eagles are maybe essentially the most untrustworthy offense within the league, however I like them to have the ability to get one thing going in opposition to this San Francisco unit that has allowed offenses to maneuver the ball with consistency even earlier than dropping Tatum Bethune (along with Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and extra) for the season. I do not really feel absolutely snug backing a crew that may look so listless, so usually, however that is why I am choosing the Eagles to win and never cowl. … Prediction: Eagles 24, 49ers 20
Sunday, 8 p.m. ET on NBC
Dajani (Chargers +3.5): I am a giant fan of Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye, however there is no getting round the truth that the Patriots will not be battle-tested. New England had the best power of schedule performed for the reason that 1999 Rams. Sure, that crew ended up successful the Tremendous Bowl, however the Patriots went 1-2 vs. groups that completed the common season with a successful file, and 13-1 vs. dropping groups. This Chargers protection would be the hardest protection the Patriots have confronted ALL yr. Maye has been among the finest deep-ball throwers all season, however the Chargers secondary ranks prime two in completions allowed (31), completion share (33%) and passing touchdowns (4) on throws of at the least 15 air yards this yr. I can not in good religion choose the Chargers to win this recreation with how banged-up the offensive line is, however I am going to take Justin Herbert to maintain it shut in a recreation that goes Below the entire … Prediction: Patriots 16, Chargers 13
Dubin (Chargers +3.5): The Chargers most likely want this recreation to be low-scoring to return away with the win, given their points up entrance on offense. If they’ll flip it right into a knock-down, drag-out fist battle, I like their probabilities higher than if it is a extra wide-open recreation with the offenses going score-for-score. That mentioned, it isn’t just like the Pats aren’t nonetheless geared up to win if it does flip right into a lower-scoring contest. They will run the ball higher than can the Chargers and with Milton Williams again, their protection ought to be higher than it was throughout a part of the stretch run of the season. Watching Drake Maye and Justin Herbert trip on this recreation goes to be extremely enjoyable, and it appears like a recreation that’s going to be extremely shut. I am simply going with the house crew to win. … Prediction: Patriots 21, Chargers 20
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC (Stream: Fubo — attempt without cost)
Dajani (Steelers +3): On this matchup, we now have an NFL legend at house going through an elite protection in what guarantees to be a low-scoring affair. The Texans are the one crew in NFL historical past to have by no means received a street playoff recreation, so why not take the Steelers in Pittsburgh with the factors? I did that with the Steelers final week in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens and it labored out. Plus, Aaron Rodgers will get DK Metcalf again. He is the one Steeler to cross 500 yards receiving this yr!
I had enjoyable watching Rodgers in opposition to the Ravens final week. He can clearly nonetheless spin the soccer. The longer term Corridor of Famer is 4-0-1 in opposition to the unfold in his final 5 wild card video games, so I will take him on this spot. What’s going to determine this recreation is definitely the opposite quarterback, C.J. Stroud. If his passing assault can benefit from what was the fourth-worst cross protection within the NFL this season, the Texans will cowl the unfold. I am not so positive that occurs … Prediction: Texans 14, Steelers 13
Dubin (Texans -3): Look, I have been choosing in opposition to the Steelers all season they usually hold making me look silly by pulling video games out of their collective butts. However I am nonetheless choosing in opposition to them right here. I simply can’t see them persistently transferring the ball in opposition to this ferocious Houston protection — particularly if Aaron Rodgers is unwilling to carry onto the ball for lengthy sufficient to even attempt pushing it down the sphere. All of the check-downs he likes to throw to the working backs do not work as effectively in opposition to the Texans as they do in opposition to different groups due to how they rally to the ball. I am undecided Houston can transfer the ball with any diploma of consistency on the opposite facet, however I will again the crew with the perfect single unit within the recreation right here. … Prediction: Texans 16, Steelers 10
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