NFL 2023-2024 Wildcard Prequel
The top seeded San Francisco 49ers (NFC) and Baltimore Ravens (AFC) have the week off.
Saturday, January 13, 2024:
4:30pm: AFC: (5)(Cleveland Browns)(-2 1/2) at (4)(Houston Texans) on NBC — The Texans are a feel-good story and CJ Stroud should be the rookie of the year. Houston showed plenty of guts in going on the road against Indianapolis in a do-or-die game and getting themselves a win. Houston will be rocking, but the Browns have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Dawg Pound will get to the quarterback. In a battle of young, inexperienced teams, old man Joe Flacco is playing well enough. He still throws a gorgeous long ball. The Browns can run the football to take the pressure off of Flacco and set up the play-action pass. Stroud is the better quarterback, but go with the Cleveland defense in a street fight. Browns cover
8pm: AFC: (6)(Miami Dolphins) at (3)(Kansas City Chiefs)(-3 1/2) on NBC — The Chiefs have never been more vulnerable. Both of these teams staggered into the playoffs. The Chiefs won the AFC West for the eighth straight year and still have Walrus Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The move of Tyreek Hill from Kansas City to Miami seemed to hurt the Chiefs and help the Dolphins. The Dolphins were cruising when Tua Tagovailoa was throwing bombs to Hill. Yet While both of these teams staggered into the playoff, the Dolphins got carpet-bombed by Baltimore 56-19. Then in a must win home game against Buffalo, the Dolphins fell 21-14 to blow the division. With all things being equal, go with the home field. Chiefs cover
Sunday, January 14:
1pm: AFC: (7)(Pittsburgh Steelers) at (2)(Buffalo Bills)(-10) on CBS — For the second straight year, the Steelers needed every luck break in the book to make the playoffs, and they got it. Never underestimate Mike Tomlin. Yet the Bills have more talent. The Bills have a ferocious defense that got a big win at Miami last week to give the Bills their fourth straight AFC East title. Josh Allen makes mistakes but somehow overcomes them with his ridiculous talent. Forget the high spread. The Steelers like to run the ball, and if they fall behind early they will have to abandon the run. At home, go with the far more talented team that enters the playoffs having won five straight games. Bills cover
4:30pm: NFC: (7)(Green Bay Packers) at (2)(Dallas Cowboys)(-7 1/2) on FOX — These teams had some epic battles in the mid-1990s when both of them were Super Bowl contenders. Neither of these teams is going to the Super Bowl, but the Cowboys have far more talent on both sides of the ball. Dak Prescott is much better than Jordan Love. The Cowboys have the better defense led by Micah Parsons. Tony Pollard runs well. The Packers barely made the playoffs. The Cowboys expect to go on a deep run. mike McCarthy will get his revenge against the team who fired him. Cowboys cover
8pm: NFC: (6)(Los Angeles Rams) at (3)(Detroit Lions)(-3 1/2) on NBC — Mathew Stafford and Jared Goff both face off against the teams who switched them. The Lions won 12 games. The Rams started 3-6 but then went 7-1 down the stretch. Sean McVay is an offensive wizard and Dan Campbell is a master motivator. Stafford is better than Goff but Goff has more weapons. The Lions are a very tough team at home. The rams should be able to move the ball indoors. This could be a track meet that goes down to the final play. Lions win but fail to cover
Monday, January 15:
8pm: NFC: (5)(Philadelphia Eagles)(-3) at (4)(Tampa Bay Buccaneers) on ABC/ESPN — These are the two worst teams in the playoffs. The Eagles started 10-1 but went 1-5 down the stretch to limp into the playoffs as a Wildcard. The Buccaneers won a hideous 9-0 game at bottom dweller Carolina to go 9-8 on the year and win the awful NFC South. Jalen Hurts is better than Baker Mayfield but the Eagles are in free-fall. Each team is playing the only team they could possibly beat in the postseason. Nick Sirianni for now is a better coach than Todd Bowles. This one game will tell us if the Eagles can fix anything or if they are done for good. Eagles cover