NFL divisional weekend thread

[Cosmo]

Only seven football games that matter remain this season, so let's get right to it.

SATURDAY
Cincinnati at Tennessee (-3.5/47), 430, CBS
San Francisco at Green Bay (-5.5/47.5), 815, FOX

SUNDAY
L.A. Rams at Tampa Bay (-3/48.5), 3, NBC
Buffalo at Kansas City (-2.5/55), 630, CBS

Picks: TEN, SF, TB, BUF

Let's get weird. My Niners pick is based entirely on Green Bay's struggles to stop the run. If the Packers actually figure out how to do that, they'll win easily. But I suspect we'll see Deebo all over the field, per usual, in run and pass situations, and Jimmy G will only have to do so much to lead his team to a win. Can't wait for Bills-Chiefs. I think we have the right eight teams remaining, and all four games should be pretty interesting.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I can't go along with the 49ers pick. Their weakness is the secondary and that bodes ill against Aaron Rodgers. I honestly have no idea at all about Bengals-Titans.

 

[outofplace]

I certainly wasn't rooting for it to happen, but I am looking forward to Bills-Chiefs. That should be a fun one to watch. Mahomes and Allen can do some amazing things. I just trust the Chiefs a little more in this spot.

Bengals-Titans is a tough one. Often it is a good strategy to go with the better quarterback, and that is clearly Burrow, but I think the Titans match up well and I believe in Vrabel more than Taylor.

My initial thought is to go with the better quarterback theory in both NFC games. Rodgers vs. Garoppolo? That isn't close. I also wonder about Bosa's status for the game. I just think Stafford is a lot more likely to make the big mistakes than Brady in the other game.

 

[DanOregon]

Bills-Chiefs is going to be phenomenal - the AFC Championship game comes a week early.

 

[Batman]

Am I alone in thinking that all of these teams could unravel at any moment?

The Bengals are a great story, but at some point their inexperience will show up.
The Bills were up and down so much in the regular season that I just keep waiting for the Bad Bills to show up again.
The Chiefs seem like they've been on cruise control for a lot of the year. Have they finally turned it on, or do that go into that mode at the wrong time?
How in the hell the Titans wound up with the No. 1 seed in the AFC is one of the great mysteries of the universe.
The Packers are gonna Packer at some point, whether it's this week or next week.
The Buccaneers' roster is becoming a season of "Survivor" where only Tom Brady makes it out alive.
The Rams and 49ers are kind of like the Bills. Huge if not unlimited upside, but they've also got obvious flaws that have shown up before and likely will again. The questions is when?

If I had to guess at this point I guess I'd say it's Chiefs-Bucs in the Super Bowl again, just because the Chiefs are still the most talented AFC team and "never bet against Brady" needs to be added to Coach Finstock's three rules for life.

 

[Songbird]

SATURDAY
Cincinnati at Tennessee (-3.5/47), 430, CBS
San Francisco at Green Bay (-5.5/47.5), 815, FOX

SUNDAY
L.A. Rams at Tampa Bay (-3/48.5), 3, NBC
Buffalo at Kansas City (-2.5/55), 630, CBS

Titans 35-0
Packers 42-7

Rams 9-0
Chiefs

 

[DanOregon]

I'm just shaking my head about how much hype was swirling about regarding the Pats and Jones after that win at Buffalo a month ago, or even the Cowboys a few weeks back - not to mention the Chargers and the Colts.

I do wonder which team is going to be the first to pull the trigger on a QB trade. Stafford was traded on Jan. 31st of last year. A week before the Super Bowl.

 

[goalmouth]

In the past 20 years Green Bay is 7-6 in home playoff games. Just saying.

 

[justgladtobehere]

I would take the favorites except for Cincy on the moneyline.

I think GB, KC, and TB will win easily and the other game is a toss up.

I may be near RI this weekend to test out my picks.

 

[playthrough]

As a Bengals fan I'm still on cloud nine and just happy to end the three-decade run of horror, but I think they've got one more win in them. Should be a decent number of Cincy fans traveling to Nashville.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

As a Bengals fan I'm still on cloud nine and just happy to end the three-decade run of horror, but I think they've got one more win in them. Should be a decent number of Cincy fans traveling to Nashville.

As I said earlier, for me this is a tough game to figure. No possible outcome seems too implausible to happen.

 

[qtlaw]

In the past 20 years Green Bay is 7-6 in home playoff games. Just saying.

GB was home in the NFC Championship in '19 & '20 right? If you're Rodgers and you see McCarthy's latest foibles are you a bit enlightened about having LaFleur instead?

Heart says Bills, head says Chiefs (Chiefs D is better than Bills');
Heart says Bengals, head says Titans (Bengals inexp shows up);
Heart says Niners, head says GB (Rodgers >>>>>Garoppalo);
Heart says Rams, head says Bucs (Brady >> Stafford)

 

[BTExpress]

Snow in the morning in Green Bay but stops eight hours before the game. And while temperatures will dip to 2 in the late night, they'll be in the mid-teens for the game.

 

[Songbird]

Niners will have to beat the Packers thru the air.

Pack gives up 4.7 yards per run but allowed just 13 rushing TDs.

They've given up 31 passing TDs but are top 6 with 18 picks.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

Hoping for 49ers/Rams and Chiefs/Bengals conference championship games.

And if the Bengals somehow make it to the Super Bowl, it just has to be the 49ers waiting there for them.

 

[MileHigh]

GB was home in the NFC Championship in '19 & '20 right? If you're Rodgers and you see McCarthy's latest foibles are you a bit enlightened about having LaFleur instead?

Heart says Bills, head says Chiefs (Chiefs D is better than Bills');
Heart says Bengals, head says Titans (Bengals inexp shows up);
Heart says Niners, head says GB (Rodgers >>>>>Garoppalo);
Heart says Rams, head says Bucs (Brady >> Stafford)

2019 NFC title game was in Santa Clara. If Green Bay wins, that would be three straight NFC title games and four of six.

 

[HanSenSE]

Snow in the morning in Green Bay but stops eight hours before the game. And while temperatures will dip to 2 in the late night, they'll be in the mid-teens for the game.

And NFL logic strikes again: Play a night game in the coldest location without a dome possible.

 

[outofplace]

Niners will have to beat the Packers thru the air.

Pack gives up 4.7 yards per run but allowed just 13 rushing TDs.

They've given up 31 passing TDs but are top 6 with 18 picks.

I'm not sure I get your logic. That 4.7 yards per carry tells me Green Bay is vulnerable against the run and San Francisco has the capability to take advantage.

 

[Spartan Squad]

Niners will have to beat the Packers thru the air.

Pack gives up 4.7 yards per run but allowed just 13 rushing TDs.

They've given up 31 passing TDs but are top 6 with 18 picks.

That's reasonable, but I think it's going to be the other way around. I think because Rodgers is such a big threat, the Niners have to keep him off the field. The key is going to be time of possession. If Samuel and Mitchel can run effectively like the Niners did in the title game in 2020, Green Bay is going to have a rough go. If Rodgers is given extra possessions because the Niners go 3 and out or Jimmy G throws picks, it will be a quick exit for San Francisco.

 

[playthrough]

Hoping for 49ers/Rams and Chiefs/Bengals conference championship games.

And if the Bengals somehow make it to the Super Bowl, it just has to be the 49ers waiting there for them.

Sigh. I was in the end zone about 20 rows up from Montana-to-Taylor. Still see it in my nightmares.