🏈🏈🏈🏈
Houston Texans (11-7) at Baltimore Ravens (13-4)
The Texans have enjoyed a remarkably successful season. They have a hot young quarterback who already is considered by many to be the future of the NFL. Their offense is one of the most dangerous and explosive in the league. Just ask the Cleveland Browns, who ranked among the very elites defensively this season, yet were scorched by the Texans in last weekend's Wild Card Game.
Houston managed to win the AFC South division title, against all odds. They knocked off the Browns last weekend, earning a seemingly unlikely playoff win.
However, the Ravens feel like the hottest team in the AFC, and possibly in the entire league. They are well-rested (although historically, that is not actually always an advantage), and seem to be dangerous all around. Lamar Jackson is likely the best quarterback in the league this season.
Also, they get to host this game. The home crowd will be rocking, and temperatures will be bitterly cold. It should be a very unaccommodating weekend for the Texans.
All of which adds up to a convincing Ravens victory, I believe.
My pick: Baltimore
Green Bay Packers (10-8) at San Francisco (12-5)
The Packers pulled off the biggest upset of these playoffs, at least so far. They jumped ahead early and often, and ultimately crushed the Cowboys in Dallas.
However, they now will not be able to sneak up on anybody anymore. Everybody saw what they did to the suddenly hapless, and lifeless, Cowboys. So don't expect it to happen again.
San Francisco earned home field advantage. And while they will not have the weather advantage of cold weather teams, like Buffalo and Baltimore, they nevertheless will take advantage of playing at home.
Yes, the Packers have an explosive offense, and one of the most promising hot quarterback in the league. But the 49ers have a tough defense that will test the young, upstart Pack offense. And the 49ers have some solid offense of their own, with one of the most explosive units. They have a young quarterback of their own, Brock Purdy, who was a serious MVP candidate. They have Christian McCaffrey at running back, also a solid MVP candidate in his own right. And they have plenty of other weapons, giving them a dangerous attack. A pick your poison approach, as they can beat you either by air or on the ground.
All of it should prove just too much for the Packers. Maybe they can pull off another surprise. But they would have to play even better and more impressively in this one than they did against Dallas.
My pick: San Francisco
No comments:
Post a Comment