NFL Expert Picks for the Divisional Playoffs

The playoffs are rolling on into the divisional round, where the rubber meets the road for a lot of these teams. Whatever “gimmes” might have been on the schedule are gone, the No. 1 seeds have been thrown into the mix, and this season it’s anyone’s guess what will happen.

In terms of a “lock” this week, the only game we’re close to unanimous on is the Seahawks to beat the 49ers. That could change greatly if Sam Darnold’s injury is worse than expected, but ultimately it’s less of a case of thinking San Francisco is bad, and more the unfortunate reality that they’ve been wrecked by injuries this year. A healthy Niners team would likely dominate the entire NFC, but that’s not the reality we live in.

The AFC matchups are fascinating because they both represent the offense vs. defense sides of the coin. The Broncos and Texans both have great defenses (incredible in the case of Houston), but the other side of the ball can let them down. That makes these games especially difficult to predict.

Here are our picks for this week’s playoff games.