NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Viewers Guide for the Sunday Games
Sunday's Divisional playoff games have the potential to produce a lot of points!
In the first one, Cleveland at Kansas City, you have the league's sixth-best scoring offense (Chiefs, 29.6 points per game) going against the 23rd ranked scoring defense of Cleveland (23.8 points per game).
You'll also have the league's 12th best scoring offense (Browns, 26.8 points per game) going against the league's 10th best defense (Chiefs, 22.6 points per game) to kick off the action.
Then in the second and final game of the Divisional Round, the potential for a scoring shootout increased when two of the league's oldest quarterbacks (Drew Brees of the Saints and Tom Brady of the Bucs), leaders of the third- and fifth-best scoring offenses in the NFL this year, take the field.
Brees and the Saints will face a Bucs defense that has allowed 22.2 points per game (eighth), while Brady and the Bucs will go against a Saints defense that allowed 20.4 points per game (third).
How will it all play out? Read on!
Cleveland Browns (12-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
Sunday, January 17, 2021 // 3:05 p.m. ET
(TV: CBS- Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
Postseason Series History: This is the first time these two teams are meeting in the postseason. The Chiefs lead the all-time series 13-11-2 and have won four of the past five games, their last meeting being a 37-21 victor over Cleveland on November 4, 2018.
This Week: This game is a classic "David and Goliath" matchup against a team (Kansas City) who has been there, done that in the playoffs, and a team (Cleveland) who takes on the role of David given their first playoff berth in 25 years, one that's already off to a great start thanks to their win last week against the Steelers.
The Chiefs have the NFL's best offense, averaging 415.8 yards per game during the regular season. Their strength is arguably their passing game, as led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who became the third player in league history to through for 4,000+ passing yards in three of the first four seasons.
His targets include receiver Tyreek Hill, who ranked second among receivers with his career-high 17 touchdowns (15 receiving, two rushing), and tight end Travis Kelce, the Chief's leading receiver in 2020.
The key for Cleveland will be starting fast and then leaning heavily on their running game. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have been the bread and butter for the team, and they're going against a Chiefs run defense that has allowed opponents an average of 4.5 yards per game.
If the Browns can gain a comfortable enough lead to where the running game takes center stage, they'd be doing their defense, which has allowed 300+passing yards in seven of their last eight games, a big favor.
Prediction: Browns over the Chiefs. This game has all the ingredients to be a scoring shootout. Still, it will be a good testament to Giants general manager Dave Gettleman's insistence that to play winning football, a team has to be able to run the ball, stop the run, and pressure the passer.
The Browns are equipped to do two of the three--running the ball and getting after the passer (Cleveland is tied for sixth in the AFC with 38 sacks after recording their third straight season with at least 35 sacks). And if anyone is going to take down the defending Super Bowl champions, the Browns have the best chance.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-5) at New Orleans Saints (13-4)
Sunday, January 17, 2021 // 6:40 p.m. ET
(TV: FOX- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews)
Postseason Series History: This is the first time these two teams are meeting in the postseason. The Saints lead the all-time series, 37-21, which includes sweeping the Bucs in the 2020 regular-season as part of a five-game winning streak they hold over the Bucs.
This Week: This is not the same Bucs team the Saints last saw in Week 8.
Since that Week 8 meeting, the Bucs offense has posted 400+ yards of net offense, going 6-2 over that stretch (including last week's game)
The Bucs have added receiver Antonio Brown to the mix, and he's certainly delivered on heir investment. Brown has caught 47 of 65 pass targets for 532 yards and five touchdowns, giving that Bucs passing offense some additional firepower.
The Bucs also seem to be the only team that had an answer for Saints running back Alvin Kamara. Tampa's run defense, which allowed a league-low 80.6 yards rushing this season, held Kamara to 16 and 40 yards rushing, his second- and third-lowest rushing yardage totals this season.
If the Saints want to top the Bucs, they'll need to get to Brady, who is coming off a postseason single-game franchise-record 381 passing yards in last week's action. Per PFF, Brady completed 70.9% of his pass attempts when not under pressure and wasn't sacked once. When he was pressured, he completed 44.0% of his pass attempts, throwing five of his 12 interceptions.
Prediction: Bucs over the Saints
The Saints became the first team to beat Tom Brady twice in the same season. Can they pull off the hattrick?
I'm not counting on it for the simple reason that the Bucs have been playing some of their best football down the stretch, scoring 30+ points in their last four games, including last weekend's Wild Card win over the Washington Football Team.
This game will be the closest of the four, and it will come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. And my gut feeling is that team will be Brady and the Bucs.
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