It’s wild card weekend, one of my favorite weekends of the year. The wild card round is intriguing for a variety of reasons. One reason I love it is because any of these eight teams could get hot and make a super bowl run.
Here are our three key previews for this weekend’s games.
1/6 4:30 ET At Kansas City -8.5 Tennessee 44.5
The Titans will try to pull off what could be the biggest upset of the weekend. Here are three keys for the Titans and the Chiefs in this game.
3 Keys for the Titans
1. Run Mariota and Henry: The Titans will need to run both Marcus Mariota and Derrick Henry. Kansas City struggles against the run. The Titans have to keep them off balance.
2. Limit the Big Plays: The Chiefs live and die with big plays offensively. Tennessee has to limit them. Force the Chiefs to have to have to drive the ball in order to win the game.
3. Weather the Storm: The Titans need to get off to a good start. The Chiefs will come out flying. Weather the storm and keep it close early.
3 Keys for the Chiefs
1. Contain Mariota: The Chiefs cannot allow Mariota to break contain and extend plays. Keep him in the pocket and force him to beat you as a passer.
2. Get Kareem Hunt Going Early: New offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has committed to running the ball again. Nagy needs to get Hunt going early. If the Chiefs can establish the run at the start of the game, they can take control early.
3. Dominant the Line of Scrimmage: The Chiefs have to win up front on both sides of the ball. If the can effectively run the ball and keep Derrick Henry in check, the Chiefs will win.
Prediction: Chiefs 31 Titans 17
1/6 8:15 ET At LA Rams -6 Atlanta 48.5
The Falcons are back in the playoffs and will look to make a repeat run to the super bowl. It won’t be easy however because the Rams have different plans and are good enough to make a super bowl run of their run.
Here are three keys for the Falcons and Rams in this game.
3 Keys for the Falcons
1. Matt Ryan Needs to Be Great: Ryan has been inconsistent of late. He needs to play well in this game. He can not force things if they are not there and take care of the ball.
2. Get Pressure on Goff: The Falcons have to get consistent pressure on Jared Goff. They cannot allow him to get off to a good start. Hit him and make him uncomfortable.
3. Win One on One Match-Ups: The Falcons skill group is as good as any in the NFL. Atlanta will get a variety of match ups on the perimeter. Get Julio Jones one on one and get him the ball.
3 Keys for the Rams
1. All Gurley. All the Time: The Rams have to continue to feature Todd Gurley. The MVP candidate has been dynamic and virtually unstoppable this season. The Rams must get him involved early and often.
2. Get Inside Pressure on Matt Ryan: The Rams must get inside pressure on Matt Ryan and throw him off his spot. Don’t allow him to get comfortable and throw on time.
3. Generate Turnovers: The Rams must force turnovers. Ryan will force the ball into areas he shouldn’t. The Rams must hit him consistently and force him to throw into traffic.
Prediction: Rams 34 Falcons 24
1/7 1:00 ET At Jacksonville -8.5 Buffalo 39.5
The Bills are back on the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. It will be interesting to see if they can upend the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that could go either way.
Here are three keys for the Bills and Jags.
3 Keys for the Bills
1. Its a Business Trip: It’s great that the Bills made the playoffs but now they need to focus on the Jags and go win a playoff game. Simply being in the playoffs is not enough.
2. Get Something Out of LeSean McCoy: LeSean McCoy is banged up and will not be one hundred percent. He is the centerpiece of the Bills offense and even if he isn’t healthy, the Bills have to find a way to feature him or at the very least use him as a decoy. The Bills need him to play in this game.
3. The Bills Front Seven Must Dominate: Buffalo must stop the run and force Blake Bortles to beat them. Buffalo’s front seven has to control the line of scrimmage and force Jacksonville into second and long and third and long situations. Make them throw to win.
3 Keys for the Jaguars
1. Do What Got Here Offensively: The Jags need to do what got them here offensively. Pound the football and hit big plays down the field off play action. Buffalo has a good secondary but they are overly aggressive sometimes.
2. Welcome to Sacksonville: The Jags must get consistent pressure on Tyrod Taylor but also keep him in the pocket. They cannot allow Taylor to break contain and extend plays.
3. Play Like You’ve Been There: The Jags haven’t made the playoffs since 2007. They have had an amazing turnaround under first year coach Doug Marrone. Like the Bills, they can’t just be happy to be here. They need to come out aggressive and have a playoff edge.
Prediction: Jags 24 Bills 21
1/7 4:30 ET At New Orleans -6.5 Carolina 48
The surprising Saints will try to beat the Panthers for the third time this season. It won’t be easy. The Panthers are well coached and battle tested.
Here are three keys for the Panthers and Saints.
3 Keys for the Panthers
1. Newton Must Get on Track: Cam Newton has not played well in the past month. He needs to shake the doldrums and play well in this game if Carolina is going to win it.
2. Establish the Ground Game: The Panthers are at their best offensively when they can establish the run early and take shots in play action. Getting Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffery off to a good start is paramount in this game.
3. The Defense Must Hold Up Against the Run:The Panthers must find a way to slow down Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. The dynamic duo has been tough to stop. I don’t think Carolina can stop them but they must find a way to slow them down.
3 Keys for the Saints
1. Brees Needs to Be Brees: Contrary to the national perception that the Saints are a run first team, New Orleans will need Drew Brees to be the focal point offensively if they are going to win this game and make a run to the Super Bowl.
2. Keep Newton in the Pocket: Don’t let Cam Newton beat you by extending plays out of the pocket. The Saints have to keep Newton in the pocket and make him beat them throwing the ball.
3. Protect This House: The Saints have once again made the Superdome a tough place to play. They have to get off to a good start in this game and take advantage of home field advantage.
Prediction: Saints 28 Panthers 24