Divisional Round Playoffs Thread

[kungfoodude]

It's divisional eve, so let's get some early thoughts and predictions in.

Predictions

Buffalo 24, Denver 23

San Francisco 20, Seattle 12

Houston 27, New England 13

Chicago 31, St. Louis(yes) 28

Thoughts

- Josh Allen has probably never had an easier path of opposing QB's in his NFL career. Nix and Stroud/Maye are all very young, very unproven in the playoffs and haven't been in the same big game situations that Allen has. I am not saying this is his year, but I am not envisioning many years in the future where he is going to avoid Jackson and Mahomes.

- SF vs. Seattle is a fun test of two extremely TO prone gunslingers. I give the edge to SF, despite their elite defense because I suspect that Darnold will be unable to recover from his mistakes the same way Purdy sometimes is. Darnold is averaging 174 yards passing and has 0 total TD's against SF this season.

- CJ Stroud was exceptionally bad versus the Steelers. 3 sacks, 5 fumbles(2 lost) and 1 INT. Maye also struggled tremendously with 3 TO's. Which defense will be able to take advantage of the young QB's more effectively? I am leaning towards Houston and their +17 TO differential defense(2nd in the NFL).

- Bears/Rams just has Rams blowout written all over it. Sound familiar? We also were able to make St. Louis(YES) have to fight and claw for a victory. In a gunslinging battle, that obviously favors Matt Staf....

Caleb Williams has amassed an incredible 7 4th Quarter Comebacks and Game Winning Drives in the 2025 regular and postseason. And these aren't Bryce Young GWDs. He has seemed to have an extra gear that is hard to fathom considering he had the lowest CPOE in the NFL during the regular season and an insane -14.0 CPOE in the comeback win versus Green Bay. There is just something about this kid. Bears win.

[PleaseCutStewart]

NFL has been setting up the Josh Allen super bowl narrative for a while. 

It will either be bills Rams or bills Seahawks in the super bowl. 

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, PleaseCutStewart said:

NFL has been setting up the Josh Allen super bowl narrative for a while. 

It will either be bills Rams or bills Seahawks in the super bowl. 

This isn't a good Bills team, though. That's the rub.

I think if Sean Payton really pushes to run the ball down their throats, they can easilu beat Buffalo. But....I don't think Payton has that in him. He is too arrogant about his offensive playcalling prowess to just sit back and play 3 yards and a cloud of dust.

The NFC is brutal. You have a ton of exceptional defenses but only one elite QB(Stafford) and one potentially elite QB(Williams). Darnold and Purdy are just trying to not fug it up. Purdy can catch some magic but IDK if it can be sustained the whole playoffs. Darnold is just waiting to implode. He has been in the bottom quarter of QB's in the NFL statistically since the 49ers comeback win. 

That is what is gonna be interesting to watch about Houston and Seattle, if they are able to overcome having such bad QB's.

[Joe Bear]

If the defense held, the Panthers would be in Chicago tomorrow, correct?

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, Joe Bear said:

If the defense held, the Panthers would be in Chicago tomorrow, correct?

Correct. Boy wouldn't that be a "bad feelings" game. Interestingly enough, Ben Johnson probably has very little fire about that given that it all happened before his time there. Verus the fire he has for his divisional rivals.

[Bear Hands]

Imagine a team that had some of the players on these remaining squads on one all together.

Caleb, Darnold, CMC, DJ Moore, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, Fiske… could you just imagine if a franchise had all those assets?

 

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, Bear Hands said:

Imagine a team that had some of the players on these remaining squads on one all together.

Caleb, Darnold, CMC, DJ Moore, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, Fiske… could you just imagine if a franchise had all those assets?

 

I mean with Caleb there would be no reason to have Darnold.

That was one hell of a trauma inducing trade. 

[Khyber53]

Buffalo, Seattle, New England, Rams

Buffalo, Rams

Buffalo.

[NAS]

1 hour ago, kungfoodude said:

SF vs. Seattle is a fun test of two extremely TO prone gunslingers. I give the edge to SF, despite their elite defense because I suspect that Darnold will be unable to recover from his mistakes the same way Purdy sometimes is. Darnold is averaging 174 yards passing and has 0 total TD's against SF this season.

Darnold is also questionable with an oblique injury so this makes this even more plausible.  I hate SF so I'll be disappointed. 

[kungfoodude]

1 hour ago, NAS said:

Darnold is also questionable with an oblique injury so this makes this even more plausible.  I hate SF so I'll be disappointed. 

Darnold is such a limiting factor for any playoff team.

[electro's horse]

Collins is out for Houston

that looked bad when he went down. 

[UnluckyforSome]

I'm not convinced the Broncos are a worthy #1 seed. They have a huge home field advantage with the altitude though, and rely on their defense.

This is probably the worst, least-capable Bills playoff team. They will go as far as Josh Allen carries them. 

Those 1-man-centric superstar-making-superplays teams fizzle against a good defense frequently. That's half the AFC field at this point. 

Allen is the best player on the field in any of the remaining possible match-ups on the AFC side.

If the Texans do get the opportunity to host the AFC Championship, I think they win. A dome team, from warm weather, with an average offense, having to go to Denver, just doesn't sound like a good way to make the Superbowl. 

I don't think the Patriots make the Superbowl. No particular reason why, just a gut feeling hunch.

On the NFC, I really don't care. That said, I think the Rams have the best shot at it, but they have some real vulnerabilities and flaws.

Seattle would be the 2nd choice and everyone is waiting/expecting bad Darnold to show up at some point.

Bears 3rd, I think they need a little bit more experience and seasoning.

Niners 4th, they have no defense, and I think were a bit fortunate to draw the schizophrenic Eagles in the midst of seasonal depression or whatever is wrong with that team.

 

[electro's horse]

I want you guys to take a moment, read this multiple times, and understand exactly what I’m saying 

/deep breath 

Id rather have Bryce than bo nix

[PantherChris]

35 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Darnold is such a limiting factor for any playoff team.

The Hawks run the ball more than anyone in the league, and Purdy is just as likely to kill a game,  I think Seatle wins and those two qbs combine for 5+ ints