The Bills sideline and fans were in a frenzy after the return of the opening kick. 0:33 The Lions' victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday night gave them a spot in the playoffs for the second time in three years. Thanks to the overtime win against the Rams, Seattle was in that situation. The Dolphins earned their way into the playoffs with a last-minute victory over the Jets and the Bills losing to the Pats. It's time for the playoffs in the year 2022. The top seeds in each conference will get a bye in the first round. Next week's wild-card games will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and will be broadcasted by ABC/ESPN. The Rams and theBengals went to the Super Bowl after they were upset in the divisional round. The Rams did not return to the playoffs. The table has everything on it. It's time to get ready for some surprises. We will preview the wild-card game and look at what each team needs to do to get to the Super Bowl. There are odds on the site. AFC:
1. Chiefs
2. Bills vs. 7. Dolphins
3. Bengals vs. 6. Ravens
4. Jaguars vs. 5. Chargers NFC:
1. Eagles
2. 49ers vs. 7. Seahawks
3. Vikings vs. 6. Giants
4. Buccaneers vs. 5. Cowboys The odds of a Super Bowl victory are + 330.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 46.4%
AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
The Chiefs aren't as quick as they used to be, but they are still a potent offensive team. The quarterback is the favorite to win the award. They have room for growth if they can improve their field goal percentage and reduce their turnovers.
Some of the league's bottom feeders have hung around in recent games because the Chiefs have the worst kicking game in the league. They forfeited 29 points with their kicking game because they missed eight field goals and five PATs, and their opponents forfeited six because they missed two field goals and one PAT. They face superior opponents in the playoffs.
The toughest tight end in the game isTravis Kelce. Kelce is smart, even though he can't do much physically. If he's looking at a lot of zone looks, he'll find the soft spots over and over, and he knows how Kelce will react to those looks. They know each other so much that even tight windows aren't enough. The idea is to limit damage, make them first downs, and not score a touchdown.
They won't play until the divisional round of the playoffs because they have the top seed. The lowest-seeded wild card could be the Jacksonville, San Diego, Baltimore, or Dolphins. In the 10th week of the season, the Chiefs swept their rivals and defeated the Jags. A return to K.C. for wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was traded to Miami in the off-season, would be interesting.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are +450.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 30.5%
There is a reason for hope. The team is difficult to stop when the quarterback is playing well. In two playoff games last season, Allen threw for more than 600 yards and nine touchdown passes. Allen has struggled with turnovers at times this season. The Bills should win if Allen plays to his capabilities.
The lack of a consistent slot receiver and drop issues are concerning for a Bills offense that has been up and down at times. The Bills have the third most turnovers in the league and are second in the league in drops. The team has tried to address the issue by adding Cole and John to the practice squad, but they might not be enough to help Allen in the playoffs.
How can you keep Allen from beating you? It's the same as Lamar Jackson. It's up to the D-line to keep it locked in. He can't just throw the ball and roll out. They have a lot of weapons with guys likeStefon.
The Dolphins will host the Bills in the first game of the playoffs. The program is hosted by CBS. In the first three weeks of the season, the Bills and Dolphins played each other, with Miami winning 21-19 at home in Week 3 and the Bills winning 32-29 in Buffalo in Week 15.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 11.2%
The reason for hope is that Cincinnati is playing better than it did a year ago when it reached the Super Bowl. The quarterback is playing well. The offense has been more efficient throughout the season and has been able to score more points. The team is in a better position to win the trophy again.
The Cincinnati defense gets creative with a roller coaster ride celebration after a wide openJessie Bates makes a big play.
The offense has not strung two good halves together in the last three games. In the first 15 weeks of the season, it scored three first-half points, zero second-half points and three points in the second half. The offensive line is a reason for that, as right guard Alex Cappa was injured in the Week 18 win. La'el Collins, Cincinnati's right tackle, is out for the rest of the season after he tore his leftACL.
In the fourth quarter, where does the quarterback rank? He is the best. He's called Joe Cool. He's not flustered at all. If the left guard doesn't lose to Donald in the Super Bowl, I think they win. I think he's at the very top because of the confidence he has in putting it out there and giving his guys a chance.
Cincinnati will host Baltimore in the wild-card round of the playoffs, as they just defeated the Ravens. The show is on NBC Cincinnati won 27-16 on Sunday and the Ravens won 19 17 in Week 5 of the season. This is the first time the rivals have met in the playoffs.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are 5000.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 4.1%
There is a reason for hope. He is second in completion percentage, third in passer rating, and eighth in Total QBR since November. Doug Pederson's offense is spread out so they are hard to stop because defenses can't focus on one player. Even though he's only in his second season, Lawrence has plenty of big-game experience from his time at Clemson, where he won a national title as a freshman.
TheJaguars' pass rush has been one of the worst in the league and they are without one of their best pass-rushers in Dawuane Smoot. The pass rush has been better down the stretch, but here's the list of quarterbacks the team faced in the final three games. In the playoffs, they will be dealing with better quarterbacks and offensive lines.
The most difficult thing to face is Lawrence. He is showing more confidence. If he got pressure on him, he would make one of those "Why did he throw that?" passes. He is no longer doing that. His athletic ability doesn't get a lot of attention. He can hurt you with his feet.
The first game of the playoffs will be on Saturday when theJaguars host theChargers. The show is on NBC The teams have never met in the playoffs.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are + 2200.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 3.3%
Hope is based on the fact that the Chargers are getting healthy and peaking at the right time. Several key players, including Joey Bosa, have returned after spending most of the season injured. Despite playing without Bosa and James, the defense began hitting its stride down the stretch. The Bolts are establishing a rhythm of new continuity after the return of receiver Mike Williams, but he suffered a back injury in the final week of the season.
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There is a reason for concern. The Bolts have at times been unable to move the ball and score in the red zone, despite featuring quarterback Justin Herbert who passed Andrew Luck for the most passing yards through the first three seasons. The run must be established and the playmaking ability of Allen and Williams must be utilized.
How does Mack change the defense? He's a good player, but he's not as good as Bosa. When Bosa is in the lineup, he gives them a reliable defensive end from the other side. It's more difficult to come up with a blocking scheme when there's a good rush from both sides. Since they traded for him, they are more dangerous.
The first game of the season will be played on Saturday. The show is on NBC In the third week of the playoffs, Los Angeles was defeated by the Jacksonville team 38-10. This is the first time the two teams have met.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are +3500.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 3.2%
Since the acquisition of Roquan Smith, the Ravens' defense has been very good. Even though quarterback Lamar Jackson did not play in the last five games, Baltimore still secured a playoff spot. The Ravens have excelled against the run, on third downs and in the red zone, thanks to the play of Patrick Queen and Marlon Humphrey. The Baltimore defense needs to be at the top of its game in order to get through the playoffs.
There is a reason for concern. Since Jackson's injury, the Ravens have been the lowest scoring team in the league. No one knows how this injury will affect Jackson's mobility, even if he returns for the playoffs. It's going to be a challenge for a quarterback to move the ball down the field with the league's least productive wide receiver group if defenses can shut down Baltimore's rushing attack.
Smith has done something for the Ravens defense. He is the center of their defense. It's really, really good. Good in both the run game and the pass. It's just an all-around good LB.
After losing in Cincinnati on Sunday, the Ravens will return to Ohio to play the Bengals in the playoffs. The show is on NBC Baltimore beat Cincinnati 19-17 in Week 5, but lost to the Bengals 27-16 the next day. Baltimore and Cincinnati will meet in the playoffs for the first time.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are 6000.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 1.4%
The Dolphins' offense features two of the most exciting players in the league in receiver Jaylen Waddle and quarterback Ryan Tannehill, both of whom can change a game with a single reception. If quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is cleared to return from concussion protocol, Miami will be able to put up points with any team in the league. If he isn't, the Dolphins will either start a rookies or veterans in the playoffs. When Tagovailoa isn't playing, the Dolphins average 16.3 points per game.
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The defense and special teams units have not played well enough over the past month to keep the team competitive. During the last month of the season, Tagovailoa was struggling as opposing defenses took away timing routes over the middle of the field. The Dolphins haven't generated a consistent pass rush all season and their special teams are one of the worst in the league.
How should Hill and Waddle be handled? The horizontal speed is not the only one. The guy gets on one side of the field very fast and can either outflank the defense or draw the defense out to create more space inside. You need to match their speed in both areas.
The Dolphins return to the playoffs for the first time in three years and will play at Buffalo in the wild-card round on Sunday. The program is hosted by CBS. In Week 3, Miami defeated Buffalo 21-19 at home, but lost to the Bills on a walk-off field goal.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are +500.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 49.8%
The reason for hope is that the Eagles have one of the best rosters in football, an offense that should be able to adapt to any style, and an athlete who is a candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. Philadelphia can excel in a shootout thanks to Hurts' development in the passing game, and if it needs to shift to a ground-based attack due to weather conditions or otherwise, it's more than capable. A defense that leads the league in pass defense and sacks is a recipe for success in the playoffs.
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The Eagles, who have looked shaky at times over the last several weeks, are not the reason for concern. There have been injuries at a bad time. All eyes have been on Hurts' throwing shoulder, but the status of other players, such as right tackle Lane Johnson and defensive back Avonte Maddox, is more important.
Hurts is a candidate for the Most Valuable Player this year. He's gotten a lot better. You don't see a lot of people making those types of jumps. The man has been able to do it. It's not a surprise to me. I know how he works and what he demands of himself. He is definitely the Most Valuable Player of the league.
The Eagles will have home-field advantage and a bye to the divisional round so they won't play until January. The lowest remaining seed will be hosted by Philadelphia. The Eagles split with the Cowboys and then beat the Giants in their final game. They were defeated in the wild-card round.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are +450.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 21.7%
The 49ers have won 10 in a row and are the hottest team in football. The defense has been one of the top units in the league all season, despite a couple ofhiccups, but the offense has pulled its share of the weight since Christian McCaffrey came aboard. The special teams have improved a lot. When entering the unpredictable playoffs, the Niners have proven they can win any type of game.
It's not clear what to expect from Brock Purdy when the lights are on. That's not a problem with Purdy, who has answered every question in a more than satisfactory fashion in his five starts. No rookies have ever made the Super Bowl and won it. The Niners have won four playoff games in a row with an average quarterback play. The Niners should be okay if Purdy clears that bar.
This offense has brought in a new player, what has he done? He's brought many things. You are not sure. It's difficult to defend a back like that because you don't know what they're going to do. He's a great weapon to have because he allows them to change up their scheme and use different personnel.
The 49ers will host the Seahawks on Saturday in the first game of the playoffs. It's Fox. San Francisco beat Seattle 27-7 at home in Week 2 and then defeated Seattle 21-13 at home in Week 15.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are 3000.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 3.1%
The Vikings have won all 11 of their games this season that have been decided by a single score. One-score games have historically been random and not Predictive of Future Outcomes. The Vikings have displayed a high-end situational mastery that suggests they are confident and skilled in the small ways that the playoffs are won and lost.
The defense of the Vikings show off their skills.
The Vikings' defense has been the worst in the league in yards allowed. The Vikings have been good at the end of games and opponents haven't converted those yards into more points. They have a plus-9 turnover margin on drives that start in the fourth quarter or overtime. They will be vulnerable in the playoffs if they don't have a crucial fourth-down stop.
Is Jefferson the best receiver in the National Football League? He's one of my top three guys. Adams is the number one. Jaylen Waddle might have snuck in there. Jefferson is a good receiver. He does a great job at the catch point. He has good strength in his hands. He's strong at the catch point and he's good after he catches the ball, so you wouldn't expect it. One of his best attributes is that. He can score and get in the air.
The Vikings will host the Giants in the first game of the playoffs. It's Fox. Greg Joseph kicked a 61-yard walk-off field goal as time expired to give the Vikings a 27-24 victory over the Vikings in Minnesota.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are 3000.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 2.7%
After struggling to field a downfield passing attack and break the 17-point threshold all season on offense, the Bucs put up 30 points against the Carolinas in Week 17 suggesting quarterback Tom Brady and the offense may be getting hot at the right time. Mike Evans had not scored a touchdown since Week 4 but he did score three times.
Health has been an issue all year and still is an issue along the offensive line and in the defensive backfield. The two offensive tackles are getting over their injuries. Cornerback Carlton Davis hasn't practiced because of a shoulder injury, Jamel Dean hasn't practiced because of a toe injury, Mike Edwards hasn't practiced because of a hip/hamstring injury, and Logan Ryan hasn't practiced because of a knee injury. In Week 18 of the year, there were injuries to the center, the tight end, and the safety.
The offense is different. The person is not Tom Brady. I don't think that's something we think of here. He doesn't trust them at all. You can't get your back out or your tight end because you have to push the D-end. It was a big loss.
The Cowboys will play the Buccaneers in the first game of the playoffs. There is an hour on ABC/ESPN and an hour on ESPN. Brady is perfect against the Cowboys in his career, and the Bucs opened the season with a win over the Cowboys.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are + 1300.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 19.8%
The reason for hope is that there isn't a dominant team in the area. The Cowboys have been excellent on third down and averaged the most points per game in the last two weeks. The run defense has not been as good as it could have been, but with the return of defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins, the defense should be close to full strength. The Cowboys have beaten two other teams in the same conference.
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The Cowboys are going to have to win a lot of road games in order to get to the Super Bowl. They have three road playoff wins. They may have to equal it in three weeks. The Cowboys have lost four of their five games on the road. The last time the Cowboys won a road playoff game was 11 years ago.
What could prevent them from going to the big game? Turn overs. He has made a lot of plays this year. Sometimes he tries to make the big play instead of taking the check down. I think they need to run the ball more and use the play action more, because I think they need to run the ball more and use the play action more. It would be a great recipe. He throws a lot of picks.
The Cowboys will play at the Buccaneers in the first game of the playoffs. There is an hour on ABC/ESPN and an hour on ESPN. Tom Brady's seventh win over the Cowboys in as many tries came in Week 1 as the Cowboys were held to a season low in points by the Buccaneers.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are 6000.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 1.9%
The reason for hope is that quarterback Daniel Jones has been playing well. His 77.8 QBR in the 17th and final week of the season was second best in the league. The Giants are getting healthier on the defensive side with the return of their top three players.
The Giants have only won one game this season against a team with a winning record. The game was against Baltimore. In a year that was supposed to be a rebuild, they have struggled. The Knicks had a point differential of minus 6.
How difficult is it to defend Saquon Barkley? He's not easy to find. He goes in and out of cuts. His cut is very good. A lot of contact was made. He's back in the gap you jumped out of when you shed the block to get in it. He's not easy to find. Every defense is challenged by that.
The Giants qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years and will play in the wild-card round on Sunday. It's Fox. The Vikings beat the Giants on a walk-off field goal in the 16th week of the season.
The odds of a Super Bowl victory are 5000.
FPI chance to make Super Bowl: 1.1%
The reason for hope is that the Seahawks have reminded everyone that anything can happen in the NFL. Geno Smith and company have shown flashes of being a good team during their up and down season. Their 6-3 start included a pair of 14 point wins. They seem to be heading into the playoffs on a positive note after they rediscovered their defense and run game.
Their defense has been a problem all season against the run. The improvement in that area has come against teams that don't have a lot of runs. In order to make a deep run, they'll have to get past the strong rushing offenses that they'll have to get past in order to do so, especially since they'll have to do so without the services of JordynBrooks. Bryan Mone was a blow to the run defense.
Is facing Smith different than facing Wilson? Geno had more control over that offense. He was able to get guys in spots and he knew where the ball would go. The command and his overall ability was different.
The 49ers will play the Seahawks in the first game of the playoffs on Saturday. It's Fox. San Francisco beat the visiting Seattle 27-7 in Week 2 and 21-13 in Week 15 of the season.
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