We are onto the divisional round and for the first time in a long time, we won’t have the New England Patriots involved. The AFC is filled with future rivalries that we could see multiple times over the next few seasons. The NFC is wide open. This week there will be no ESPN/ABC game. We are set with the CBS, Fox, NBC triumvirate.
NFC divisional game 1
(6) Minnesota Vikings at (1) San Francisco 49ers
Saturday, January 11, 4:35 p.m. ET / 1:35 p.m. PT
NBC
It’s our last time to see Al and Chris and they get the top seed in the NFC West facing off against the Minnesota Vikings. No one thought this would be the match up unless you live somewhere near Minneapolis-St.Paul. The Niners are favored as they should be. They’ve had an extra week to prepare. Their defense has been dominant. The only question mark could be how Jimmy Garoppolo performs against the Vikings defense.
AFC divisional game 1
(6) Tennessee Titans at (1) Baltimore Ravens
Saturday, January 11, 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT
CBS
We’re probably going to get Jim Nantz and Tony Romo for the primetime game on CBS. The Titans travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in a game that should feature a whole lot of running the football and just as many play-action passes. The Ravens are heavily favored in this game.
AFC divisional game 2
(4) Houston Texans at (2) Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, January 12, 3:05 p.m. ET / 12:05 p.m. PT
CBS
The second CBS game of the divisional round should be a shootout. The last time these two teams played the Texans beat the Chiefs in Kansas City 31-24. This time around Patrick Mahomes and company should be able to shred the Texans secondary. Kansas City’s defense has played well down the stretch which should be a challenge for Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins.
NFC divisional game 2
(5) Seattle Seahawks at (2) Green Bay Packers
Sunday, January 12, 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT
Fox
This game would be much more intriguing if Seattle wasn’t so banged up. They’ll have to win ugly if they want to come out of Green Bay with a victory. That’s possible. The Packers have been winning ugly for most of the second half of the season. That could come back to bite them. Hopefully, this game goes down in Seahawks-Packers lore like a few of their games in the past.
