A Look At LSU Players in Divisional Round of NFL Playoffs
The divisional round of the NFL playoffs usually promises for entertaining matchups as the road to the Super Bowl draws nearer. There will be plenty of LSU talent featured throughout the weekend so here's a preview of each game and the former Tigers expected to play.
Tennessee Titans vs Cincinnati Bengals (Jan. 22, 3:30 p.m.)
Titans: Kristian Fulton (DB), Racey McMath (WR)
Bengals: Joe Burrow (QB), Ja'Marr Chase (WR), Tyler Shelvin (DT), Thaddeus Moss (TE)
Another star studded matchup of former Tigers, it'll be Burrow and Chase looking to bring Cincinnati its first playoff win on the road while Fulton and McMath's Titans look to move to the AFC Championship as the No. 1 seed. Last week in an organization defining win, Burrow threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns in his playoff debut.
"I tried to downplay it because this is how it's gonna be from here on out," Burrow said. "It's a great win for us but this is the standard, the bare minimum going forward."
Chase was the recipient of nine catches for 116 yards but one of the big storylines will be if the former LSU receiver will be in coverage with his former high school and Tigers teammate Fulton. The two are very close friends and it'll be a fun matchup to watch unfold.
The Titans feature one of the best defensive lines in football and could be getting Derrick Henry back for the game. It'll be tough sledding for Burrow, Chase and company but the Bengals offense is about as dynamic as they come.
Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers (Jan. 22, 7:15 p.m.)
Packers: N/A
49ers: Arden Key (DE)
There isn't much in the way of LSU talent in this second game. Key has been a significant rotational piece along the San Francisco defensive line but recorded just one tackle last week in the wild card win over the Cowboys.
This will be another really interesting matchup but not much intrigue if you're watching just to see some former Tigers on the field.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Los Angeles Rams (Jan. 23, 2:00 p.m.)
Buccaneers: Leonard Fournette (RB), Devin White (LB), Cyril Grayson (WR)
Rams: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR), Andrew Whitworth (OT)
Another matchup with multiple LSU players on both sidelines, there are a few lingering questions about a few players' availability for this game. Fournette has been out a while with a hamstring injury and his status is very much up in the air, though it is promising that he returned to practice on Thursday.
Whitworth, one of the oldest players in the league, suffered knee and ankle injuries in the wild card win and is experiencing swelling. There's always the chance he could be ready but at the moment his status is very much in question.
What will be fun to watch play out is how much success Beckham could have on White and this Bucs defense. Beckham caught four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown last week in just his second ever playoff appearance and has caught a touchdown in six of his last eight games. White is one of the games fastest linebackers in coverage so it'll be interesting if the two go head to head in the middle of the field.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Buffalo Bills (Jan. 23, 7:00 p.m.)
Chiefs: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB), Darrel Williams (RB), Tyrann Mathieu (S)
Bills: Tredavious White (IR), Reid Ferguson (LS)
The final game of the weekend will hope to see the return of Edwards-Helaire, who hasn't played since in nearly a month with a shoulder injury. An important part to the Kansas City offense, Edwards-Helaire seemed to be finally settling in as an NFL running back before his injury.
Williams has carried a lot of the load in Edwards-Helaire's absence but one of the real questions will be what impact Mathieu can have on a big play talent like Josh Allen. Allen isn't afraid to take risks, a trait Mathieu loves in an opposing quarterback.
This will be another one of those really fun battles to watch with two great offenses and very solid defenses as well.
