Yesterday gave us a great start to the Super Wild Card Round and we are in for 4 more great matchups in the next couple of days. Bengals/Raiders turned out to be a little closer than it honestly should’ve been. The Bengals dominated the whole game practically, but it came down to one play stop in the end. The Bills/Patriots game on the other hand, was never in doubt. Josh Allen and the Bills stomped the Pats in the frigid conditions. I think we’re in for some more great football today also. Keep reading for my preview of all the action in the next couple of days and my predictions.

- Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8)

The 1pm game is starting off pretty strong with the G.O.A.T. vs. the birds. I’m surprised this game is only an 8-point spread, but if you look at the Eagles lately, they have been on a roll. They have won 6 of the last 8. Granted, those 6 wins are against Detroit, Denver, New Orleans, Jets, Giants, and Washington (2x). When I looked at the playoff slate for the first time I literally had to double-take. I didn’t know the Eagles finished 9-8 this season. It’s worth mentioning that these two teams did meet in Week 6. Bucs won 28-22 in Philly.

Tampa Bay are defending their Super Bowl title this season and I don’t think they could’ve had an easier opponent to go against. With that being said, the Bucs have some injury concerns. They will be without Leonard Fournette, Chris Godwin, Ronald Jones, and possibly Lavonte David. Those are some big names that are out of action today. They will be fine though. The biggest blow will be to the run game, but they have had solid output from Ke’Shawn Vaughn and they may get Gio Bernard back.

The Eagles are in the game, so they technically have a chance, but consider it a slim one. While it may not much of a controversy, the Eagles look like they have somewhat of a QB controversy on their hands and they’re in the playoffs. Minshew Mania has ran wild for the last month, but Jalen Hurts is their QB. Overall, the Eagles honestly may have the defensive advantage, but it’s very slight and I can’t imagine it making that much of a difference. They definitely have the RB advantage here, but the Bucs happen to have the 3rd best rush defense in the NFL, so the rushing attack will be rough sledding. Speaking of weather, there will be no worries in Tampa. Low-to-Mid 60s, perfect football weather.

Prediction

Give me the Bucs and the 8 points. I think it could be close at the start, but the Bucs should have no trouble with this matchup.

Buccaneers 38 Eagles 17

- San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys (-3)

If there’s a somewhat safe underdog to take today, this one may be it. The Cowboys have the best offense in football and the 49ers have one of the best defenses. It should be one of the most interesting matchups left. The Cowboys put up 50+ in 2 of their last 3 games and can be successful on offense in a number of ways. The Niners have had a good stretch lately and like the Cowboys, haven’t really had any terrible losses this year.

The Cowboys offensive attack is what everyone talks about, but they have a really solid defense too. Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs became superstars this season and have been a huge part of the Cowboys success this year. The Cowboys led the league in takeaways this year and Trevon Diggs himself had 11 INTs this year. Dallas gives up a lot of yardage and are 19th in Yards Allowed but are 7th in Points Allowed. The Niners are 10th in Points Allowed and 3rd in Yards Allowed.

The 49ers defense is stout, but their offense is really solid. They had somewhat of a QB controversy at the start of the season, but Jimmy Garoppolo has put together a solid season. Trey Lance seems like he will be their guy in the future, but for now, Jimmy G is doing the job. Rookie RB Eli Mitchell has been a nice surprise for the Niners rush attack this season and I think he could have a big game today. Deebo Samuel is their most prolific offensive weapon, but George Kittle is their safety blanket. Both guys should be used quite a lot today.

Prediction

This may be the biggest toss-up of the week, but with that being said, I think if the Cowboys are going to win a Super Bowl, this will probably be the year. Give me the Cowboys and the points, but barely.

Cowboys 27 49ers 23

- Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs (-12.5)

Here’s your Sunday night matchup and I think it has a ton of potential. This could be Big Ben’s final game and I guess if you have to go out losing, the Chiefs aren’t the worst team to lose to. With that being said though, a win against the Chiefs on the road in your QB’s final season would be a huge momentum boost. I don’t have to spend much time discussing similarities, because the Steelers are clearly outmatched here.

The Chiefs high-powered offense is led by Patrick Mahomes and there was serious concern for them after a 3-4 start. Personally, I didn’t understand the concern and people shouldn’t have been. The Chiefs losses have been against the Ravens, Chargers, Bills, Titans, and Bengals. Those aren’t exactly bad teams. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be out of action today and Darrel Williams is questionable, so their rush game has some question marks today, but I don’t think it will be a huge concern because the Steelers are the worst rush defense in football. The pass game is what matters for the Chiefs, but the Steelers have the 9th best pass defense, so it won’t be easy.

The Steelers really have no business being in the playoffs. It was mostly due to ignorance from the Chargers play-calling in Week 18. Nevertheless, the Steelers are in and they’re looking to go on a run. Najee Harris has kept them in a lot of games this season and the rookie looks to do a lot of damage in the NFL for years to come. Considering this is a 12.5-point spread, it would be a big shock if the Steelers win here, but it can happen. The Chiefs have a bad defense, especially considering they were tied for the best team in the AFC. It is mostly going to come down to Big Ben’s QB play. Can he lead the Steelers on another run? I guess we’ll find out.

Prediction

I think the Chiefs will definitely win, but a 12.5-point spread is quite a lot. The Chiefs 36-10 Week 16 win against the Steelers tells me all I need to know though.

Chiefs 37 Steelers 10

- Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (-3.5)

This is a history-making game. This is the first Monday Night Playoff game in NFL history and I think we’re in for a good one. Other than possibly the Cowboys/49ers game, this is the toughest to predict. The Rams have been on a better run lately, but the Cardinals injuries have been the only thing holding them back lately. These two teams are in-division rivals, so they have played each other twice. No team has an advantage over the other. They split the season series.

The Cardinals were the last undefeated team this year and were looking like the early favorite for the top NFC spot, but it didn’t turn out that way. They wound up being the 5 seed. DeAndre Hopkins getting hurt really slowed the Cardinals down and if he would’ve remained healthy, the Cardinals probably would have had a better matchup in their first playoff game. The Cardinals losses this year haven’t been good ones, but something in their favor is the fact that they had the best road record in the NFL. They were 8-1. That one loss came to none other than the Detroit Lions, but disregard that. Their most consistent scoring option has been James Connor this season with 18 Total TDs this season. One potential bright spot for the Cards Defense could be the potential return of JJ Watt. They could really use him in this matchup

The Rams, on paper, should be the best team in the NFL. Well, that isn’t the case. They’re a solid team, but not the best. Could they be the best in the end? It’s very possible. Their defense is good enough to do some damage and their offense is in a similar situation. While I never thought the Rams were bad with Jared Goff, Matt Stafford has been a nice change for them. I can’t say that they’ve been a lot better, but they haven’t been worse and that is the key. Even with Jalen Ramsey leading the secondary, their pass defense isn’t great. That really is their only flaw defensively.

Prediction

Rams are favored here, but I think this will be the only upset of the week. I’ll take the Cardinals in a close game.

Cardinals 27 Rams 23

Yacs

2021-22 NFL Super Wild Card Round Preview (Sunday & Monday)