The NFL playoffs are in full swing. Super Wild Card Weekend just got into our rearview mirror and we’re now rocketing toward the divisional round that features some tremendous matchups.
Patrick Mahomes will go on the road for the first time in his playoff career as the Chiefs will travel to Buffalo to face the Bills. Meanwhile, the other matchup in the AFC has a stellar QB head-to-head with MVP favorite Lamar Jackson squaring off against Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite C.J. Stroud. In the NFC, the Niners emerge from the bye week and will host the Jordan Love-led Packers, who just upset the Cowboys in Dallas. Fresh off their first playoff victory since 1991, the Lions will host the Buccaneers, who upset the Eagles at home on Monday night. As I said, we have another awesome weekend of football on deck, and we’re here to give you a first peak into the action.
Here’s an early look at the divisional round and some storylines to keep an eye on.
AFC divisional round lookahead
Texans (4) at Baltimore Ravens (1)
Saturday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, ABC, fubo)
Odds (via Caesars Sportsbook): Ravens -9.5, O/U 45.5
This is a game that features two quarterbacks who will likely be bringing home some hardware at the NFL Honors. Lamar Jackson is the presumptive MVP after leading the Ravens to the No. 1 seed in the conference, while C.J. Stroud dazzled in his first year in the league and is the overwhelming favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. From a quarterback matchup standpoint, it’s a phenomenal head-to-head and one that we could see for years to come with Jackson being just 27 and Stroud a mere 22 years old.
As for their teams, the Ravens were dominant this season, particularly on defense. They were the second-best unit in the league in the red zone, allowing opponents to score on just 40.8% of their trips. They were also tied for a league-best 4.6 yards per play allowed and…
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