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Boys and girls, more playoff football is upon us. The divisional cycle has arrived. Eight teams. Four confrontations. All in the space of two days filled with drama. And we’ve got just what you need before the action on Saturday and Sunday: Bold Predictions!
Can Lamar Jackson upset Josh Allen on the road? Can Tom Brady finally beat the Saints? Can the Browns actually find a way to topple the defending champions? That’s what these bold predictions are for.
Here are five to get you ready for the weekend:
1. Lamar Jackson and Ravens stun the Bills in Snowy Buffalo
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To be clear, we don’t yet know if Buffalo will receive snow on Saturday night. But here’s what we’re sure of: Lamar Jackson and Co. should be able to throw the ball against Sean McDermott’s defense. The Ravens didn’t exactly explode against the Titans in the wildcard turn, and we still strongly believe in Josh Allen’s playing abilities. But something says Jackson’s Electricity paired with the rest of the Baltimore ground game will be a big hit in the numbers that will be a blow-for-blow fight to the end. Here’s another showdown between the 2018 and 2019 MVPs in the AFC title game!
2. Kareem Hunt scores three times back in Kansas City
The Browns have an uphill battle to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead, to say the least. There’s a good chance Patrick Mahomes and Co. will be back in the AFC Championship. But that doesn’t mean Kevin Stefanski’s side will fall apart without a fight. The Browns are going to build on their ground game as usual, which means a lot of touches for Kareem Hunt, who only had one take against the Steelers – but scored twice. Here, against his former team in the Chiefs, Hunt appears to be just as, if not more, involved as Cleveland looks to hold onto the ball and keep Mahomes away with a methodical attack.
3. Tom Brady throws a winning TD to (finally) beat the Saints
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New Orleans beat Tampa Bay in five straight games. In the last two, Tom Brady combined for two touchdowns, five interceptions and a 0-2 record. Drew Brees and the Saints, who boast one of the NFL’s fiercest defenses, think of the Super Bowl or the bust. But you know what? Brady threw the ball as well as he has all year round, Antonio Brown has quietly returned to get back in shape, and this Bucs attack feels like it’s finally hitting his pace. This game should be nearing the end, but isn’t that exactly the recipe for more TB12 post-season heroics?
4. Drew Brees calls it a career after losing New Orleans
Look, most people would expect number 9 to hang up at this point, but that would still be major news, especially if it comes right after losing a Saints. Brees hasn’t had enough respect for his production this season, but he has had a hall-of-fame career. He also has a locked broadcasting career. If the Bucs bring down his Saints and end his team’s do-or-die race, now will be the perfect time to confirm what we’ve all been waiting for and officially launch the New Orleans adventure into uncharted waters. at QB.
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Sean McVay is not revealing whether Goff or substitute John Wolford will start against Green Bay, largely because the latter is still recovering from a neck injury sustained early in Los Angeles’ win. But here’s the deal: Goff hasn’t been that good, let alone great, in a while. Yes, he’s still freshly had his thumb surgery now, but even if the “D” Rams play Aaron Rodgers hard and keep this thing handy, McVay will be terribly tempted to turn to Wolford or, yes, even Blake Bortles to get a spark.
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