The NFL playoffs are scheduled to begin Saturday at 4:30 PM ET with the Houston Texans hosting the Los Angeles Chargers. By the end of Monday night, six teams will have advanced to next weekend's divisional round, joining the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions.
you can see All six Wild Card Weekend games on NFL+ will be streamed live on mobile.
Who will win? What is the X factor?
Yahoo Sports NFL writer Frank Schwab breaks down all six games. Click on the matchup links to read individual game previews.
The biggest question is If Jalen Hurts is healthy. And it's effective. Hurts missed his second straight game due to a concussion and remained in protocol earlier this week. He was expected to be ready to play Sunday, but returning as a playoff starter after missing nearly three games due to a concussion is not ideal. The Eagles need some hurt to be effective.
It's hard to find a quarterback who is extremely dangerous as both a runner and a high-end passer. Jayden Daniels is both. He set a rookie quarterback record with 891 rushing yards, which led the Commanders. He also posted a passing percentage of 100.1, fourth best among rookies. The path to victory in Commanders is simple. If Daniels plays like a superstar throughout the season, he could have a good chance.
There has to be some disappointment for the Vikings. They were heading into their bye week with a 15-2 season, an NFC North title and the NFC's No. 1 seed. But they lost their Week 18 game, a second-half blowout, and now have to play at the Rams on Wild Card Weekend. Even if the Vikings don't have a hangover, the Rams don't seem to be an easy opponent. The Vikings are 14-1 against every team except the Lions, with their one blemish being a 30-20 loss to the Rams in Week 8.
The Broncos' pass rush is the team's strength. Denver led the NFL with 63 sacks, nine more than any other team. The Bills, on the other hand, had just 14 sacks allowed, eight fewer than any other team. If the Broncos are going to pull off a comeback, it will be because they can do something no other team has been able to do this season: fire Josh Allen.
The Steelers had success with Lamar Jackson. Before the Ravens' win in Week 16, the Ravens had lost four of Jackson's five career starts against the Steelers, and he had only five passing touchdowns against eight interceptions. Jackson played well against the Steelers in the Ravens' 34-17 win a few weeks ago, but they showed they can make Jackson make mistakes better than any other opponent. There were a few mistakes early on and maybe Jackson will start to feel the pressure again for the playoffs.
Joe Alt turned out to be a good choice for Jim Harbaugh's Chargers. He was fantastic at right tackle, and he and left tackle Rashawn Slater provided the foundation for a good offense. This week, Alt faces a tough challenge against Texas pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, who have 23 sacks this season. Slater has been one of the best tackles in the NFL this season. If Alt plays well on Saturday, the Texans' defense will be neutralized.
2025-01-11 21:38:05
NFL Wild Card Preview: Predictions and 6 Matchup Analysis
