The stage has been set.
The NFL playoffs kickoff at 4:30 EST on Saturday, and while some teams are more favored than others, the chance to go to Vegas in February is alive and well for all 14 teams. This is how every team has the ability to make the Super Bowl and punch their ticket for the chance to be world champions in February, starting in San Francisco Bay
1. San Francisco 49ers
Division: NFC West
Record: 12-5
Seed: 1
The juggernaut in the NFC, the Niners come into postseason play with a rough end to their season, reeling from an embarrassing loss to Baltimore on Christmas Day. However, the Niners still ended up clinching the first seed, mostly due to a weaker NFC prior to a year ago. With the wild card bye week, this week will be time to fix any flaws in Shanahan’s legendary scheme or with sophomore QB Brock Purdy before squaring off in the divisional round with the lowest seed from the three wildcard games (most likely opponent is Philadelphia (11-6, 5 seed).
Keys to winning: Stick to the system. HC Kyle Shanahan’s offensive schemes have birthed many head coaches in the NFL, and is widely praised and regarded as one of if not the best scheme in the current NFL. All that QB Brock Purdy needs to do is stick to that scheme and make that offense look consistently elite like he has been doing all season.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Division: AFC North
Record: 13-4
Seed: 1
Leaders of the north and the AFC, the Ravens come into this game red-hot after a domination of the one seed 49ers on Christmas Day along with an excellent performance in their game versus the sixth seeded Miami Dolphins. With QB Lamar Jackson being the MVP favorite, he has shown to be more balanced with his running and throwing more than ever, even with three running backs out for the year. On the defensive side, the unit led by LB Roquan Smith is also as strong as ever, prepared to make a title run. With the bye week, it should be fine tuning with minimum workload in practice for the Baltimore starters. They are in the same situation as the 49ers in facing the lowest seed to advance in the wild card round. (Most likely possibility is the Cleveland Browns, 11-6, 5th seed)
Keys to winning: Keep pushing the pace. The Ravens are the favorites to go to Las Vegas in February, and all they need to do is keep up their strong defense and speedy offense to puzzle any team that goes against them.
3. Dallas Cowboys
Division: NFC East
Record: 12-5
Seed: 2
Winners of the east, it was widely assumed that the Cowboys would be in the postseason for the third season in a row. They have the star power on offense led by MVP candidate QB Dak Presscott along with the budding third year receiver from Oklahoma, CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys also feature a shutdown defense that includes third year DPOY candidate Micah Parsons, along with DB Daron Bland, who has shined in CB Trevon Diggs’ absence by recording the most pick sixes in NFL season with six this year. The only question that remains is whether or not they can finally deliver for the first time in two decades. The Cowboys are usually in this position; go into the year with a deep roster, breeze through the regular season, become “the team to beat” during the playoffs, and then lose in round two. This cycle has been the embodiment of the Cowboys during the past decade and a half as they look to beat it this year. Their first task will be to face the 9-8 Packers in Arlington, where they are favored.
Keys to winning: Keep rolling on. The Cowboys easily have the talent to take home the Lombardi back to Arlington for the first time since the 90’s. However, it is up to the team to come together at the right time.
4. Buffalo Bills
Division: AFC East
Record: 11-6
Seed: 2
The Bills achieved the second seed in the AFC Sunday night after their victory over the Dolphins. There have been questions on the legitimacy of Buffalo, due to a multitude of reasons. These reasons include Josh Allens interception count, the injuries they have endured, and the amount of moving pieces within the organization. However, they have started streaking at the right time leading into their match up a Pittsburgh Steeler team missing their star EDGE rusher T.J. Watt.
Keys to winning: Take care of the football. Turnovers have been the death of this team all season, and Josh Allen needs to be especially careful of making his correct read. He could also look to Stefon Diggs’ a lot more, he has been begging for the ball since around week 11, and hasn’t been getting the ball as much as a receiver of his caliber should.
5. Detroit Lions
Division: NFC North
Record: 12-5
Seed: 3
The Lions get the advantage of playing a home playoff game for the first time since hall of fame RB Barry Sanders was the talk of Detroit back in 1993. Even better, former Lions QB Matthew Stafford comes back to Detroit to hunt for a wild card victory. Despite the Lions’ record, they have shown to have major flaws and fluke performances against mediocre teams. Losses to teams such as the Bears (5-8), Packers on Thanksgiving (5-6), and winning against the Saints (5-7) 21-0 in the first quarter, and then barely making it out of that game with a 33-28 victory makes me fearful of a wild card exit.
Keys to winning: Stop the passing attack. The Lions are in the bottom four in passing yards allowed, along with the Commanders, Buccaneers, and Chargers. Two of these teams aren’t even in the playoffs (Commanders and Buccaneers), and the other won the NFC South on the last day of the regular season with a 9-8 record. If this team can shell Matthew Stafford on wild card weekend, that will set a tone for not only the defense, but the team as a whole going forward.
6. Kansas City Chiefs
Division: AFC West
Record: 11-6
Seed: 3
In this match, Patrick Mahomes continues his streak of playing in Arrowhead for a playoff game. He is undefeated in the wild card round while playing at home. This is one of the many, many, many, many on and off field stories that have been surrounding the Chiefs all season long. Headlining these is the whole Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce fiasco that cannot stop getting covered everywhere by everyone. The Chiefs play has been seen to hiccup this year on multiple occasions, including embarrassing losses to the Broncos along with a loss on Christmas day to the Raiders at Arrowhead. It’s going to be a low of -2 degrees on Saturday vs. the Dolphins, so they have the advantage in the weather category.
Keys to winning: Help out Mahomes. Your golden goose needs weapons that are not Travis Kelce, and hopefully the Chiefs can have sticky hands throughout what should be their long playoff run.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Division: NFC South
Record: 9-8
Seed: 4
The Buccaneers round out the weakest part of the division winners. Limping into the playoffs with a 9-8 record in an objectively weak NFC South, the Buccaneers will need to beat a regressing Eagles team in round one. Baker Mayfield has proved to critics that he can lead a team into the playoffs, now all that needs to be done is to show how far he can go.
Keys to winning: Utilize, but don’t lean on, Rachaad White. The second year running back has shown how he can play in an increased role. However, receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have proven trustworthy targets for Mayfield, so running a balanced run/pass offense should keep all defenses on their toes.
8. Houston Texans
Division: AFC South
Record: 10-7
Seed: 4
The Texans won the south in dramatic fashion with a win over Indianapolis on Saturday night. With the Titans upsetting Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, the Steelers and Bills clinched playoff spots, with Houston clinching the division. Without rookie standout Tank Dell since week 13, second overall pick C.J. Stroud has had his work cut out for him. He still has Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz, so he has the assets to utilize.
Keys to winning: Let C.J. cook. Even while missing three weeks due to a concussion, Stroud became the fifth QB in NFL history to reach 4,000 passing yards as a rookie. This exclusive list includes names such as Andrew Luck, Justin Herbert, Cam Newton, and Jameis Winston. His first task is to take on a relentless Cleveland Browns defense. If he wins in the wild card, it will be a huge statement to the few critics of him that are left.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
Division: NFC East
Record: 11-6
Seed: 5
The Eagles come into this game in a miserable stretch, losing five of their last six in a row to the 49ers (9-3), Cowboys (10-3) in a huge divisional match, a last second loss to the Seahawks (7-7), a 21-3 lead in the second to go onto lose to the abhorrent Cardinals (4-12), and then this last game, where they were embarrassed in Metlife by the New York Giants (6-11) after barely beating them by eight points a mere two weeks prior. To make matters worse, in the week 18 Giants defeat, QB Jalen Hurts threw a ball downfield and a defender hit him in the right middle finger, dislocating it. A load of off the field issues are also affecting the reigning super bowl runner ups, as claims of loss of chemistry and teammates chewing out each other reach the media
Keys to winning: Come together at the right time. If the media stories are right, the locker room needs somebody or something to get on the same page. You face the 9-8 Buccaneers in the first round, and you have already beat them this year. Get a win, and then go into your next game in the same mindset as the guy right next to you. Just pray that Hurts gets healthy, because backup QB Marcus Mariota isn’t going to win you this game.
10. Cleveland Browns
Division: AFC North
Record: 11-6
Seed: 5
The Browns come into their wild card game with the Texans in a tear of late. Backup QB Joe Flacco has exceeded all expectations at 40 years old throwing the football to former Cowboys star WR Amari Cooper and breakout TE David Njoku. This defensive unit led by All-Pro DE Myles Garrett has consistently been a top five defense in the league week in and week out
Keys to winning: Set the tone early. The Browns are geared up for a long playoff run, they just need to beat the dynamic Texans offense. With rookie QB C.J. Stroud leading the Texans, he will be under pressure from the home crowd in Texas. Therefore, if you shell him early, this will set the stage for the offense to attack the relatively weak Texan defense.
11. Los Angeles Rams
Division: NFC West
Record: 10-7
Seed: 6
The Rams go into the playoffs exceeding the expectations put on them during preseason. An example of a player who has exceeded expectations this year is the fifth round pick out of BYU, WR Puka Nacua. Nacua broke the rookie receiving yard record in his week 18 game versus. San Francisco. Along with star WR Cooper Kupp and breakout RB Kyren Williams, this offense is dynamic and ready to put on a great fight against a weak Lions team.
Keys to winning: Put pressure on offensively. The Rams have a good chance to upset Detroit, who has a notoriously weak pass defense. Attack through the air, and the Lions should crumble.
12. Miami Dolphins
Division: AFC East
Record: 11-6
Seed: 6
In the first NFL game exclusively streamed, the Dolphins will go to Arrowhead to face off against the record-identical Chiefs. However, the weather on Saturday will go down to temperatures of -2 degrees at gametime. The Chiefs regularly play in this weather. On the other hand, the Dolphins don’t. The ‘Phins will need to get used to the tough conditions during the short week after a loss to Buffalo that cost them the division.
Keys to winning: Score points. Sounds easy enough, but the Dolphins easily have one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Over the past weeks, however, they have been kept in check by defenses. They need to become the same team that once put up 70 this year and get out to a big start out of the gate.
13. Green Bay Packers
Division: NFC North
Record: 9-8
Seed: 7
Coming off of a resounding win against Chicago, the Packers snuck their way into the post season at the last second. Their task? Facing Dak Prescotts’s Cowboys. A tough task indeed, but doable, especially considering the Cowboys playoff history. The defensive unit led by Joe Barry, however, is not good. Barry is expected to be fired at the end of this season, and rightfully so. This defense is easily one of the worst in the league, both with the eye test and with statistics. The offensive unit led by Matt LeFleur has been partially banged up, but it still runs strong behind first year starting QB Jordan Love.
Keys to winning: Use the ground game. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon is a lethal backfield combo that can be a torture chamber for many defenses. It’s going to be hard to advance when always facing better teams, but if their cards are played correctly, they can be a real force in the playoffs.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Division: AFC North
Record: 10-7
Seed: 7
The Steelers came into the wild card round with high hopes following a one score win against the Ravens backups on Saturday, and then a Titans victory ensured a playoff spot. The victory came at a cost though; star EDGE rusher T.J. Watt. Watt suffered a grade 2 MCL sprain in the third quarter of that game, and is officially listed as OUT for the teams wild card game facing Buffalo. This is a huge addition to the IL, with QB Kenny Pickett requiring season ending surgery this year, along with star DB Minkah Fitzpatrick being listed as questionable for the wild card match.
Keys to winning: Next man up. Throughout the multitude of injuries the Steelers have faced, they still have made it to the wild card round. While the odds are next to none for them moving on, there is still a chance just like there is for all teams. Walking into Buffalo is a tough task, but tough tasks are nothing foreign to HC Mike Tomlin.
