Which teams could cause an upset on Divisional Round Weekend?
(Credit: Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
Three teams were selected in the wildcard round to cause an upset and two of the three did just that. The Steelers fell short and that came as no real surprise, going into Buffalo was a tough test and the Bills were simply just a better team.
The Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans, however, showed us that they are more than up to the task. I fancied both teams strongly to cause an upset and move onto the divisional round. The young quarterbacks for each team put in what can only be described as sensational playoff debut performances.
Similar on the numbers front, but when you watch how each conducted themselves and their offenses, you see that these are no ordinary young players. Any time these two are on the field their teams can win.
Now we move onto the upset selections for the Divisional round this weekend…
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield and the Bucs swept the Eagles aside with ease. From the first play of the game, they showed clear intent and desire to win. Their defense made their game plan easily known, that was to blitz and blitz some more, something the Eagles could not deal with.
Tampa travel to Detroit to take on the Lions and I like the chances of seeing them making it through the challenge to return to the NFC championship game. The Lions will put up more points than the Eagles did and they will put up much more fight, but that aggressive defense could cause Goff some real issues. Mayfield is going from strength to strength this season.
To think of how well he is doing taking over from Tom Brady as the QB of this team, I tip my hat to him, because only a select few have the mental toughness to do exactly what he is doing. He has a solid run game to lean on and I’d expect him and Evans to put up some big numbers at Ford Field.
The Lions are a great story themselves, but the Bucs aren’t a bad one either and I see them as a real threat in the NFC.
Houston Texans
The Texans were so impressive against the league’s best defense that I can’t not select them. C.J. Stroud doesn’t look fazed by anything and his Texans team have shown multiple times this season that they can beat the top teams. The Ravens are the best team on paper and are the favourites to win the Super Bowl – rightly so.
But Lamar Jackson, as good as he is, hasn’t shown the same level of play in the playoffs, so until I see that I’m always going to believe that an upset can happen. You add into that, that the Texans defense is tenacious and their offense doesn’t try to stay in games.
From the first play they try to go out and win the game as quickly as they can. Pressure makes diamonds and so far we are seeing a new look Houston Texans side who are sparkling under the limelight. Do they face a huge challenge?
Yes they do, but many said the same for them last week and look at what they did. I’m all in on them to be a wrecking ball yet again and to take themselves into the AFC championship game and only one win away from a Super Bowl appearance.
The other two games are crackers in their own right. The 49ers have had the Packers number the past few years, but this is a very different Green Bay team. It wouldn’t surprise me if either team won, I think it will be a close game that goes down to the wire. The Chiefs travel to Buffalo to play the Bills and I’m behind the Bills to gain a much needed playoff victory against the Chiefs.
The Bills have some injury concerns on defense, but the way the Bills saved their season and the momentum that they have built up, I just don’t see the Chiefs having enough to contain them for four quarters. Josh Allen knows the magnitude of this game and I’m expecting him to give us maybe one of the most memorable performances from himself so far in his career.
