They are only eight in this frantic race for the title. Now, the marathon that is an NFL season is slowly turning into a sprint. Philadelphia, Kansas City, San Francisco, Buffalo, Dallas, Cincinnati, New York and Jacksonville are the latest contenders. Only half were at this stage of the competition last year. For the first time in history a division, the NFC East, has placed three of its representatives at this level. The 49ers will therefore have to get rid of an entire division to reach the Super Bowl.
On the other side, there are three big favorites, the Chiefs, the Bills and the Bengals, reigning champions in this AFC. In the middle of these big franchises, small new ones, the Jaguars, will try to create a surprise. In any case, all are only three games away from the ring.
The duel: Joe Mixon vs. Devin Singletary
Kick-off Sunday at 9:00 p.m.
Buffalo Bills (2) – Cincinnati Bengals (3)
On paper, it’s the most beautiful match of this superb weekend. On the one hand, Buffalo is the team that everyone saw going to the end at the start of the season. For several years, the Bills have been competing with each other in bad luck and each time coming close to going to the Super Bowl, often barred by the Chiefs, despite an impressive level of play on both sides of the field. On the other, the Bengals managed to do last year what Buffalo can’t do: get rid of Kansas City and win the AFC. Problem, Cincinnati missed the last step and wants to return to play the Big Game. Despite a lackluster start to the season, Joe Burrow’s partners are back in great shape and are once again scary.
This is why this confrontation can start from one side or the other. We could also have had a taste of this playoff match a few weeks ago, but this meeting was ultimately not played after the tragedy suffered by Damar Hamelin. This Sunday, we hope, we will only talk about football and there will be things to say. Both franchises have an exceptional quarterback, but the key could be on the ground. The Bengals and Bills runners must be real threats in this game to leave the defense on the back foot. The team that best sets up their running game will take a noticeable advantage in this encounter.
Player: Lane Johnson
Kick-off in the night from Saturday to Sunday at 02:15
Philadelphia Eagles (1) – New York Giants (5)
Once is not custom, it is an offensive lineman who is in the spotlight in this category. It must be said that Lane Johnson is of paramount importance in the Eagles project. Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith and AJ Brown are certainly crucial in the Philadelphia project, but the right tackle is one of the best players in his position in the NFL. Injured for a month, the All-Pro should start this Saturday. A return that will do good to this whole attack. First in the passing game. As seen since the start of the season, Hurts has made tremendous progress in this area. But to find his targets, he must be protected. Especially since he may not yet be at 100% of his means and especially since he faces a line that has made a specialty of putting pressure on quarterbacks. Ask Kirk Cousins, for example, who had it tough for an hour last weekend. Dexter Lawrence notably delivered one of his best matches since being in New York.
The other aspect of this attack is on the ground. Lane Johnson is going to be important in helping the Eagles offensive line in their quest for dominance in the running game. Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders or even Boston Scott are even more dangerous threats when the line opens the breaches. The Giants defense is warned. The ground will also be one of the keys on the other side of the field. Saquon Barkley is on fire and he’s done some serious damage to the Vikings. But he is no longer alone with a Daniel Jones who is gaining more and more weight in this attack. New York is in any case the outsider of this meeting. Brian Daboll’s men face a side that have brought them down twice this season. Never two without three for the Eagles?
Coach: Mike McCarthy
Kick-off Sunday at 00:30
San Francisco 49ers (2) – Dallas Cowboys (3)
He is certainly the coach who has the most pressure in these playoffs. Yet Jerry Jones assured that Mike McCarthy was not in danger. Which, paradoxically, could be a bad sign. The former Packers coach must indeed have results with the Cowboys. Last week’s win over the Bucs did him good. He now approaches this Divisional Round more calmly. However, it should not be ruled out that a rout in California could again weaken him, especially since his position is coveted.
Dallas will have to pull out all the stops against the 49ers. For his trainer therefore, but also, and above all, to get a title that has eluded them for 1995. For that, we will have to beat one of the most in-form teams in the NFL: San Francisco. Kyle Shanahan’s training has been making a big impression for over a month. Last week’s victory is proof of that. Behind Brock Purdy, the California attack is on fire. The defense is always a wall that is difficult to overcome. The priority for Dak Prescott and his men will be not to lose the ball. This was the big shortcoming of this attack during the end of the regular season. Except that against Tampa Bay, the offensive squad and its quarterback delivered a very clean game. They absolutely must reiterate.
The stat: 9/0
Kick-off Saturday at 10:30 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs (1) – Jacksonville Jaguars (4)
It is said that great players reveal themselves in great games. Since the beginning of his career, Patrick Mahomes has taken this adage literally and raised his level when the playoffs arrive. You just have to see his statistics during the Divisional Round. In four appearances at this stage of the competition, the quarterback has launched 9 touchdowns to no interception. For his 5th, the Chiefs host Jacksonville. A team they beat a few weeks ago in the regular season. The Jaguars, however, seem to have improved since then. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to keep up with the pace imposed by Kansas City.
In this match, the franchise that will take the score is perhaps the one with the least chance of winning. These two franchises have indeed the annoying habit of falling behind in matches. But above all, they have the ability to come back from afar. On the Chiefs side, this trend is no longer to be proven with many examples in the playoffs. For Jacksonville, it has also become a known refrain with several encounters this season where they had 9 dots or more delay. Until the apotheosis, the Wild Card Round and a comeback from 27 dots which will go down in history. For the Jaguars as for the Chiefs, there is no point in running, you have to start on time.
The posters
Kick-off Saturday at 10:30 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs (1) – Jacksonville Jaguars (4)
Kick-off in the night from Saturday to Sunday at 02:15
Philadelphia Eagles (1) – New York Giants (5)
Kick-off Sunday at 9:00 p.m.
Buffalo Bills (2) – Cincinnati Bengals (3)
Kick-off Sunday at 00:30
San Francisco 49ers (2) – Dallas Cowboys (3)
