COLTS (10-6) AT
CHIEFS (12-4)
WHEN: Saturday
TIME: 4:35
p.m. ET
WHERE: Arrowhead
Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: NBC
VEGAS: Chiefs by
5 1 / 2
The Chiefs rode 50 touchdown passes from QB Patrick Mahomes
to the AFC West title and a bye. The Colts won their last four regular-season
games, including a road victory against the Titans to clinch a playoff spot. In
the wild-card round, Marlon Mack rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown in a 21-7
win against the Texans. The Colts have won six of the teams’ last eight
meetings.
ALL TIME: Colts, 16-9
PLAYOFFS: Colts, 4-0
FIRST MEETING: 1970
LAST MEETING: Oct.
30, 2016: The Chiefs won 30-14.
Alex Smith and Nick Foles combined for 350 yards and three
TD passes, and Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill had a combined 199 receiving yards.
Colts QB Andrew Luck was sacked six times.
CHIEFS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: Let the personalities
show. Coach Andy Reid has been adamant about allowing Kansas
City’s players to let their personalities show through in their play. When the
Chiefs do that, the entire team is capable of playing its best football, from
QB Patrick Mahomes all the way to the 46th man active.
COLTS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: A balanced offensive
attack. As tempting as it is to put the ball in the hands of QB Andrew Luck, it
might not be the best approach to defeat the Chiefs, especially since CB
Charvarius Ward and S Jordan Lucas have changed the complexion of Kansas City’s
struggling secondary. Finding a balanced approach with a heavy dose of RB Marlon
Mack (nine rushing touchdowns during the regular season) will be
important for the Colts.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: CHIEFS RB DAMIEN WILLIAMS VS. COLTS LB
DARIUS LEONARD. Williams played his way to a contract extension in the last
five weeks of the season after Kareem Hunt was released. Williams has been
crucial in the Chiefs’ ability to score and take pressure off Mahomes. Leonard
has been one of the most impressive rookie linebackers in the league. There is
a reason they call him “The Maniac.” Can the Colts’ rookie linebacker slow down
the Chiefs’ journeyman running back?
WHO WINS AN WHY? Throw out regular season
records. Throw out playoff history. At this point of the year, it’s the teams
with the best quarterbacks that get to the big dance. And that would be
Mahomes. Chiefs, 40-30
COWBOYS (10-6) AT
RAMS (13-3)
WHEN:
Saturday
TIME: 8:15
p.m. ET
WHERE: Los
Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV: Fox
VEGAS: Rams by 7
The Rams won their first eight games and had only one losing
streak to win the NFC West and earn a bye. The Cowboys captured the NFC East
title as Ezekiel Elliott won a second rushing title with 1,434 yards. Elliott
led the way again in a 24-22 wild-card victory against the Seahawks with 137
yards, including a 44-yarder, and one touchdown. The Cowboys have won four of
the teams’ last six meetings.
ALL TIME: Cowboys, 17-16
PLAYOFFS: 4-4
FIRST MEETING: 1960
LAST MEETING: Oct.
1, 2017: Jared Goff passed for 255 yards and Todd Gurley
rushed for 121 in a 35-30 Rams victory. Gregg Zeuerlin went 7-for-7 on
field-goal attempts. Elliott had a rushing and a receiving touchdown in the
game.
COWBOYS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: There’s no question about
what they like to do on offense: run the football. RB Ezekiel Elliott carried
it 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown in the wild-card win against the
Seahawks, which aligns with how the Cowboys have operated on offense all
season. If they can run it successfully, they’ll have a great chance to win,
keeping the ball out of the hands of QB Jared Goff and RB Todd Gurley. Dallas
will need to convert in the red zone, however, which it has struggled to do all
season. The Cowboys have to use QB Dak Prescott’s legs in the
red zone and not settle for field goals.
RAMS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: When they had one or
fewer turnovers in the regular season, they were 9-1. When they
had two or more, they were 4-2. Protecting the football starts with Goff,
who fumbled it eight times in the final six weeks and threw six
interceptions in the last five games. Another key is shutting down the
Cowboys’ running attack, which ranked 10th in rushing attempts this season.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: RAMS DT AARON DONALD VS. COWBOYS LG
CONNOR WILLIAMS. Donald will have a favorable matchup on the interior
against rookie Williams. Williams will get help from C Joe Looney, too,
but this has all the makings of a phenomenal performance by Donald.
WHO WINS AN WHY? The Cowboys simply don’t have
the offense to keep up with the Rams, despite boasting a dominant defense and
two great linebackers. The Rams’ offense will do just enough to come away victorious.
Rams, 27-24
CHARGERS (12-4)
AT PATRIOTS (11-5)
WHEN: Sunday
TIME: 1:05
p.m. ET
WHERE: Gillette
Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
TV: CBS
VEGAS: Patriots
by 4 1 / 2
The Patriots had their most losses since 2009 but still
captured the AFC East title for the 10th season in a row, earning a bye. The
Chargers won four of their last five regular-season games and beat the Ravens
23-17 in the wild-card round with five field goals from Michael Badgley and a strong
defensive effort. They sacked Ravens QB Lamar Jackson seven times, intercepted
him once and recovered two fumbles. The Patriots have won the teams’ last four
meetings.
ALL TIME: Patriots, 24-15-2, including 17 meetings in
the American Football League.
PLAYOFFS: Patriots, 2-1
FIRST MEETING: 1960
LAST MEETING: Oct.
29, 2017 when New England’s Tom Brady had 333 passing
yards to 212 yards for Philip Rivers in 21-13 Patriots win. Each
threw a touchdown pass. Chargers RB Melvin Gordon had 132
rushing yards, compared with 97 for the Patriots as a whole.
Brady was sacked three times, and Rivers
CHARGERS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: The Patriots’ run
defense tightened up in recent weeks, but Los Angeles should test them with RB Melvin
Gordon. After that, QB Philip Rivers should continue
on his brilliant passing season, particularly if he has TE Hunter Henry for
his season debut. The Chargers’ defense needs to disguise its coverages to fool
QB Tom Brady for as long as possible. Brady has looked more human than ever
while throwing 11 interceptions during the 2018 season.
PATRIOTS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: New England will need
to figure out how to block DEs Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. The Patriots have a
capable pair of tackles, but these Chargers’ defensive linemen have challenged
the league’s best. A heavy dose of RB Sony Michel could make
life easier on Brady. A receiver not named Julian Edelman will
also need to step up. Defensively, CB Stephon Gilmore must
shut down WR Keenan Allen, even if the matchup between rookie CB J.C.
Jackson and WR Mike Williams proves to be an advantage for L.A.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: CHARGERS S DERWIN JAMES VS. PATRIOTS QB
TOM BRADY: Rookie James’ abilities are years ahead of his experience
level. Of course, he’s nowhere near Brady, who has almost 20 years in the NFL.
Still, this will be an intriguing matchup of intellect and skill and could well
determine the outcome of the game.
WHO WINS AN WHY? Los Angeles’ defense might
prove too much for Brady and Rivers’ offense will get enough production against
New England. Chargers, 24-17
EAGLES (9-7) AT
SAINTS (13-3)
WHEN: Sunday
TIME: 4:40
p.m. ET
WHERE: Mercedes-Benz
Superdome, New Orleans
TV: Fox
VEGAS: Saints
by 8 1 / 2
The Saints won the NFC South and a bye, aided by a 10-game
winning streak from Week 2 to 12. The Eagles have won four in a row and beat
the Bears 16-15 in the wild-card round when Golden Tate caught a touchdown pass
from Nick Foles on fourth down and Chicago kicker Cody Parker’s field-goal
attempt was tipped by the Eagles’ Treyvon Hester hit the upright and crossbar
and bounced out. The Saints have won six of the teams’ last eight meetings.
ALL TIME: Eagles, 17-14
PLAYOFFS: Saints, 2-1
FIRST MEETING: 1967
LAST MEETING: Nov. 18: New Orleans’ Drew
Brees threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-7 rout. RB Mark Ingram
rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns. The Saints intercepted Eagles QB
Carson Wentz (currently injured) three times and sacked him three times.
SAINTS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: Getting back to their
strengths. The return of WR Ted Ginn Jr. was enlightening, as he
finally gave the Saints a second receiver to pair with all-pro WR Michael
Thomas. Teams respect Ginn’s speed and savvy too much to try to jam
him at the line of scrimmage, opening free releases for him to make life easier
on QB Drew Brees. An improved pass rush led by DE Cameron
Jordan and DT Sheldon Rankins must see new additions
DE Marcus Davenport and LB Demario Davis make
some splash plays.
EAGLES’ KEYS TO VICTORY: Airing it out. QB
NIck Foles was sacked just once by the Bears and made enough plays to
move the ball. He completed 62 percent of his passes and threw for 266 yards,
scoring twice, but the Bears still had two interceptions. He must limit those
mistakes and continue hitting WR Alshon Jeffery, TE Zach
Ertz and WR Golden Tate. It’s also vital that
the Eagles’ secondary doesn’t get fooled by New Orleans’ complex passing
patterns.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: SAINTS’ RECEIVERS VS. EAGLES’ DEFENSIVE
BACKS. The Saints will benefit from Ginn, who spent most of the year
on injured reserve. He will put WRs Thomas, Tre’Quan Smith and Keith
Kirkwood in good spots. The Eagles need Malcolm Jenkins, Avonte
Maddox and Rasul Douglas to step up.
WHO WINS AN WHY? The Saints have never lost a
home playoff game. The Eagles bring plenty of experience as defending champs.
But the Saints have a better résumé and should outlast the scrappy Eagles. Saints,
28-20
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