Wild Card

Niners (2) vs Seahawks (7)

Brock Purdy versus Geno Smith: The star-studded quarterback matchup no one was expecting. 

In his nine seasons in the NFL, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has never established himself as a reliable starting quarterback. When the Seahawks traded away superstar quarterback Russell Wilson in March, many “experts” thought the Seahawks to be doomed. Yet, while Wilson sputters and flails with the Broncos in Denver, Geno Smith has excelled with Seattle, breaking many of Wilson’s own single-season records. 

Purdy, the Niners’ 262nd pick in last year’s NFL draft — the last overall selection — was thrown into the fire after two bona fide starters went down with injury. The storyline is picturesque: Trey Lance, a promising young talent that the team mortgaged their future for, and Jimmy Garoppolo, a consistent winner and a well-seasoned veteran, both ready to drive a playoff-ready team to success. Yet it is Brock Purdy, deemed “Mr. Irrelevant” at the time of the draft, who is now the face of this second-seeded playoff juggernaut.

The 49ers are no doubt the better team in this matchup. The Seahawks barely squeaked  into the playoffs after a stretch of incompetent defense and inconsistent offense. The 49ers, meanwhile, are on a 10-game win streak, with the best defense in the NFL and a young quarterback that has surprised everyone. Although the 49ers have already defeated Seattle twice this season, this may be a trap game. Last year’s playoff loss against the LA Rams — a team they had also swept in the regular season — still hangs in the back of Niner fans’ heads. However, with the likely Defensive Player of the Year winner Nick Bosa and star linebacker Fred Warner leading the best defense in the NFL, Geno Smith and company will have a tough time against San Francisco unless Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll can outsmart 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. 

Prediction: 49ers 30 – 20 Seahawks

Vikings (3) vs Giants (6)

Despite a 13-4 record, the Vikings could prove themselves to be one of the most disappointing teams in the playoffs. At certain points, they have looked to be among the best in the NFL. Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockensen and Dalvin Cook lead one of the most potent offenses in the league. Yet, at other times, the Vikings have looked no better than a bottom-feeding team, getting blown out by the Packers, Cowboys and Lions in recent weeks. Yes, they managed to pull off the largest comeback in NFL history, coming back from a 33-0 deficit against the Colts, but they are still a very unpredictable team that can lose on any given game day. 

The Giants are one of the biggest surprises in the NFL, behind new head coach Brian Daboll who has revolutionized the team. They could easily pull off an upset against an inconsistent Vikings team. 

Prediction: Giants 24 – 20 Vikings 

Buccaneers (4) vs Cowboys (5)

Despite a 8-9 record and one of Tom Brady’s worst seasons in his career, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are headed back to the playoffs as NFC South winners. The Bucs have one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL behind a struggling offensive line. That will be a serious problem for the Bucs against a Cowboys defensive line that has the third most sacks in the NFL behind a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Micah Parsons. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has been inconsistent at times, turning the ball over often at a concerning rate. It is hard to face off against Brady, but the combination of one of the best rushing attacks and offensive weapons like Ceedee Lamb should be enough for the Cowboys to win. 

Prediction: Cowboys 28 – 17 Buccaneers

Eagles: Bye

Bills (2) vs Dolphins (7)

Defensive back Damar Hamlin’s recent cardiac arrest has lit a spark in this Bills team. Behind superstar quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the Bills will have plenty of offensive firepower, along with a defense that gave up a seventh-best 319 yards per game. The Dolphins, on the other hand, are missing their breakout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has revitalized Miami’s offense alongside receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. If Skylar Thompson is at the helm against a stout Buffalo Bills defense, the Dolphins will have a very tough time against a star-studded and motivated Buffalo squad. Expect Buffalo to get out to a big lead early, and make it too difficult for Miami to mount any type of comeback. 

Prediction: Bills 38 – 10 Dolphins

Ravens (3) vs Bengals (6)

There’s nothing like two division rivals facing off in the playoffs. Ravens-Bengals has the potential to be the best game of the first round. Both teams are in conflict over the top spot in their division due to late-season drama after the cancellation of Bills-Bengals due to Damar Hamlin’s injury. This will no doubt add some extra motivation for both teams to bring their best.

The Ravens often look like a one-man show. Lamar Jackson’s supreme athletic talent at the quarterback position gives Baltimore high entertainment value, and, more importantly, the upper hand in any given game. However, his injury status is in question at the moment and his absence would almost certainly leave the team in shambles.

Joe Burrow mans the Bengals’ squad, which is armed with a high powered offense that is largely the same as last years’ AFC championship team. Cincinnati is no doubt trying to return to the show and Burrow has proven he is a gamer. Even if the Ravens are forced to start backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, both teams will bring it in this game. But, the Bengals are the more complete team with more consistent performances down the stretch, and that gives them the advantage in this matchup.

Prediction: Bengals 38 – Ravens 28

Chiefs: Bye

Chargers (4) vs Jaguars (5)

The Chargers rolled into the season with high expectations after adding a number of defensive players  to a squad that already had a dynamic offense with former Rookie of the Year quarterback, Justin Herbert. They didn’t quite live up to all the hype, but they quietly had a great season in a loaded AFC conference.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, on the other hand, are viewed as quite the opposite. The whole team was a huge question mark after possessing the No. 1 overall draft pick two years in a row following two seasons where they went through coaching drama and won a measly 4 out of 33 games. Luckily, all that losing landed Jacksonville a bigger face of the franchise than the team has ever had: quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

If there’s one thing to know about playoff football, the team that gets hot at the right time typically finds the most success. The Jaguars have surprised everyone in the final stages of the season, winning 5 straight games and coming out of nowhere to take the AFC South title, so it may be time to gear up for a Trevor Lawrence breakout performance. Prepare for a down-to-the-wire game, where the Jags will sneak through on a game-winning kick.

Prediction: Jaguars 31 – 28 Chargers