2017 NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Preview
With the Wild Card Round of the playoffs all wrapped-up, attention has turned to the this week’s Divisional Round. With no real surprises or upsets in the opening round, most are anticipating a more challenging and contentious Divisional Round. As each round advances in the postseason, so does the competition, with greater parity amongst the challengers. This week’s games have just that as the outcomes of a number of matchup are just too close to call and could go either way. Regardless of who wins, their promises to be no shortage of big plays and big performances, from some of the NFL’s best.
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Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons
Saturday, January 14th, 3:35 pm, FOX
After defeating the Detroit Lions, 28-6, in the Wild Card Round, the Seahawks will travel to Atlanta to do battle with the Falcons. In October, when these two teams met during the regular season, Seattle won, 28-26, on a controversial no-call, after it looked like Richard Sherman had interfered with Julio Jones. The last time these two faced off in the playoffs, was 2012 and Atlanta came out on top with a late game field goal.
The Falcons enter Saturday’s contest as the league’s most productive offense, averaging 33.8 points per game and will matchup against a Seahawks’ defense that ranks third in points allowed, giving up just 18.3 points per game. Matt Ryan will be looking for his second playoff victory, having won just once in five tries. On the other side, Russell Wilson is 8-3 in the postseason, including a Super Bowl win. Ryan will try to change the story as the Falcons look for revenge on Saturday.
Houston Texans at New England Patriots
Saturday, January 14th, 7:15 pm, CBS
The Texans made it out of the first round of the playoffs with a convincing victory over the Raiders. The win was just their third postseason victory in franchise history, while the Patriots have more than they can count. This week Houston heads to New England to face off with a Patriots’ team that beat them, 27-0, without Tom Brady in week three.
Houston’s top ranked defense will have its hands full trying to keep Brady and the Patriots’ potent offense in check. The Texans will need to limit their mistakes while trying to force the Patriots into committing their own. They won’t have many opportunities as the Patriots had just two interceptions on the year and set a new franchise record with the mark. Houston hasn’t been given much of a chance as they sit as a 15.5 point underdog coming into the contest.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, January 15th, 7:20 pm, NBC
Pittsburgh avenged their regular season loss to Miami, by crushing the Dolphins, 30-12, in the Wild Card Round and now will travel to Kansas City to square off with the Chiefs. The Steelers were victorious the first time these two did battle in the regular season as the Chiefs were dismantled, 43-14, in the beginning of October.
Pittsburgh finds itself a one-point dog in a game that promises to be cold and rainy, despite the earlier defeat. The Steelers are an offensive powerhouse loaded with talented playmakers and the Chiefs have an arsenal to match. There should be no shortage of big plays and big performances on Sunday, as this one could turn into a shootout and come down to whoever has the ball last.
Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, January 14th, 3:40 pm, FOX
The Packers come into Dallas as one of the hottest teams with one of the hottest quarterbacks, fresh off of their 38-13 destruction of the Giants in last week’s Wild Card Round. The Cowboys are no slouch either and have an impressive quarterback of their own, who led them to a, 30-16, victory over the Packers in their week five matchup.
Sunday’s game will be the eighth postseason meeting between these two historic franchises, with Dallas having a slight, 4-3, edge over Green Bay. After a slow start, the Packers turned their season around, capturing the NFC North title and playoff berth in week 17. Led by the rookie-star-duo of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys had one of their best seasons in franchise history, finishing as the top team in the NFC. Dallas’s rookies will do battle on their biggest stage yet, but will have to outduel Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who have done all this before.
– Miles Dittberner, is the National Editor of cover32 and also covers the Minnesota Vikings. Like and follow on Facebook and Twitter.
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