Correction: An earlier model of this file listed an incorrect opponent for the Texans.<\/em>
The NFL playoffs<\/a> started with 14 groups in competition for Super Bowl LVIII this February in Las Vegas<\/a>. After the wild card spherical, eight groups stay, with 4 video games unfold out over two days within the NFL playoffs’ divisional round.<\/a>
The 4 video games function three rematches from the common season. The primary recreation of the weekend is within the AFC with the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens<\/a> taking up the No. 4 seed Houston Texans<\/a>. The 2 groups met within the season opener with the Ravens winning 25-9<\/a> behind a trio of dashing touchdowns.
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Lots has modified since then with Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud<\/a> rising because the Offensive Rookie of the Yr favourite and the Texans rallying to a division title. Baltimore’s stayed roughly as dominant as proven in Week 1 with an NFL-best 13 wins within the common season behind the top scoring defense<\/a> and MVP favourite Lamar Jackson<\/a> at quarterback.
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As soon as that recreation wraps up, essentially the most storied rivalry in NFL playoff historical past provides a brand new chapter: the NFC’s top-seeded San Francisco 49ers<\/a> host the No. 7-seeded Green Bay Packers<\/a>. That is the tenth time the 2 groups will meet within the playoffs, greater than another matchup in NFL historical past. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan gave Packers coach Matt LaFleur his first NFL teaching job in Houston 15 years in the past. Now, the 2 will face off within the playoffs for the third time within the final 5 seasons.
This is what it’s essential to know concerning the Texans-Ravens and Packers-49ers video games on Saturday.
The Texans and Ravens kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. The sport may also be streaming on ESPN+ and NFL+. Inexperienced Bay kicks off towards San Francisco at 8:15 p.m. ET on FOX and streaming on the Fox Sports activities app in addition to NFL+.
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Houston made the playoffs this season for the primary time since 2019 however were dominant in the wild card round<\/a>. Cleveland managed a 14-10 lead early within the second quarter however Stroud and the Texans scored 35 unanswered factors to place the sport away convincingly. Two passing touchdowns, a dashing landing, and a pair of pick-sixes sealed the win. Stroud turned the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game<\/a> within the 45-14 rout.
When these two groups met in Week 1, it was extra of a defensive battle than the 25-9 ultimate rating could convey. Jackson had simply 207 whole yards and misplaced a fumble. The defenses mixed for 9 whole sacks and three takeaways.
Lots of Baltimore’s starters rested in Week 18 in order that they’re coming into Saturday’s matchup with two weeks of relaxation. Former All-Professional tight finish Mark Andrews<\/a> may return to make the Ravens’ fourth-ranked scoring offense much more harmful at dwelling.
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That is the one recreation of the weekend that is not a rematch from the common season however there’s nonetheless loads of intrigue.
These groups most just lately met within the divisional spherical of the 2021 NFL playoffs. San Francisco received that snow-filled recreation 13-10 on a last-second field goal<\/a> to take down the top-seeded Packers. Two years earlier, the 49ers ran over Green Bay 37-20<\/a> to win the NFC championship recreation.
Green Bay dominated the Dallas Cowboys<\/a> within the wild card spherical at hand the Cowboys<\/a> their first dwelling lack of the season. Quarterback Jordan Love<\/a> and the offense are taking part in their finest soccer of the season with three consecutive 400-yard performances. The protection scored twice final week and tallied 4 sacks.
San Francisco hasn’t had a bye week within the playoffs since that Tremendous Bowl run in 2019. Just like the Ravens, a lot of their starters have had two weeks off due to resting in Week 18. The 49ers are the one crew remaining within the NFL playoffs to boast each a top-three scoring offense and scoring protection from the common season.
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The NFC kicks off Sunday’s motion with the Buccaneers and Lions beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock and NFL+. The Payments and Chiefs recreation finishes off the divisional spherical with kick off set for six:30 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ and NFL+.
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Tampa Bay<\/a> was in management for a lot of the wild card spherical finale final Monday evening. The Buccaneers’ 32-9 win over the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> was quarterback Baker Mayfield<\/a>‘s second-best recreation of the season. Mayfield accomplished 22 of 36 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. The protection held Philadelphia<\/a> scoreless within the second half and 0-for-9 on third down within the win.
Detroit’s win over Los Angeles<\/a> within the wild card spherical marked the franchise’s first postseason win since 1991<\/a>. After scoring 21 factors within the first half, the Lions’ subject purpose with 8:41 left within the third quarter was all they wanted to win. Quarterback Jared Goff<\/a> had a season-best completion proportion (81.5%) because the Lions offense picked up key first downs to safe the win.
These two groups met in Week 6 of the common season and Detroit managed the competition en path to a 20-6 win<\/a>. Tampa Bay’s offense struggled however has improved since that Oct. 15 matchup.
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One other yr, one other Chiefs-Payments playoff matchup. These two groups met within the 2020 and 2021 playoffs within the conference championship<\/a> and divisional rounds<\/a>, respectively. The latter of which led to changes in the NFL’s playoff overtime rules<\/a>.
Kansas City<\/a> is taking part in a highway playoff recreation for the primary time in two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes<\/a>‘ profession. The offense had its finest recreation since mid-October within the wild card round win over the Miami Dolphins<\/a>. Kansas Metropolis’s protection, among the best within the NFL this season, stepped up as effectively within the subzero temperatures<\/a> to carry Miami<\/a>‘s offense to simply 264 yards and 7 factors.
Buffalo<\/a> continued its profitable streak with its sixth victory in a row last week against the Steelers<\/a>. The Payments raced to a 21-0 lead midway by the second quarter and held on from there. They’re coping with lots of injuries<\/a>, although, together with a number of starters on protection. After final week’s recreation was delayed attributable to snow, present forecasts present no indicators of main snow however chilly temperatures as soon as once more.
These groups performed in Kansas Metropolis in Week 14. The Bills won that game 20-17<\/a> to start out their present profitable streak and arrange one other playoff matchup.
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