Nick’s Picks: NFL Divisional Round By Nick Fodera
At last the NFL Divisional Round is upon us nationwide, and for the first time in a while, we don’t have to wait until the championship round to get to the good stuff! Heresy it may be to some NFL fans, but to me, this is the first divisional round in a while where I felt that all teams involved have a chance to go to the Super Bowl (some more than others, obviously). We’ve got superb talent on both sides of the ball, young quarterbacks slinging it all over the field, and a chance for some teams to earn redemption. So, without further ado, let’s get into it, matchup by matchup, shall we?
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs: 4:30 PM Saturday- It’s Pat Mahomes against Trevor Lawrence in the first matchup. As good as Lawrence has played and as fantastic a job as Doug Pederson has done as head coach (Seriously. He’d be my pick for coach of the year if not for the existence of one Brian Daboll) I really do think that experience will win the day. Not that this Chiefs team has looked invincible lately, but the X factor is and always will be Mahomes. There exist so many different ways for Mahomes to beat your team, and I do think that he will out-gunsling Lawrence. Chiefs 31, Jags 21
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles: 8:15 PM Saturday- Would saying that I wouldn’t be crushed if the Giants lost this one cause my fan card to be revoked? I’m saying it anyway. The Giants have made leaps and bounds in what was supposed to be a “rebuilding year”, so much so that everything from last week on is kinda just icing on the cake. Can they win this game? Maybe, if Saquon, Danny and the Giants D shows up to play their best, and that’s exactly what will be required of them the rest of the way. Nothing less than their best. The Eagles are on paper the better team, so I’ll play it safe and make it close. Eagles 28, Giants 24
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills: 3:00 PM Sunday- This one here could go either way, folks. While the Bengals and Joseph B. have looked damn fine late in the stretch, the Bills have momentum and all of America by their side. That, and home field advantage ain’t too bad. The two teams are pretty evenly matched in a lot of ways. It will come down, I think, to which quarterback makes the fewest mistakes. Burrow’s got the experience, but Josh Allen’s riding the hot hand. Bills 21, Bengals 17
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers: 6:30 PM Sunday- Call me insane if you wish, but it’s hard for me to not see a bit of Jeff Hostetler and Nick Foles when I look at Brock Purdy. Not because he’s a backup of a backup forced into the spotlight late in the year, even though he is that. Not because he’s been handed the keys to a Ferrari of a football team, even though he has. It’s because he’s done all those things damn well and not immediately crumbled under the pressure like a stale cookie. Yes sir. I believe in Brock. Not that Dak hasn’t done well, but they now have to run headlong into a brick wall. Offense is the key here, and where Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey go, so go the Niners. 49ers 27, Cowboys 14.