Admin January 6, 2025
NFL Week 18 Overreactions
Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the last week of the 2024 NFL regular season.
Sports Seriously
The 2025 NFL playoffs are set and super wild-card weekend is almost here.
The postseason begins Saturday with the first of six wild-card games over the course of three days. Four of the matchups will be a rematch from the regular season and three games opened with point spreads of a field goal or less, according to the betting odds.
The actions starts with the AFC South champion Houston Texans hosting the Los Angeles Chargers at the same venue (NRG Stadium) in which Jim Harbaugh won a national championship with Michigan almost exactly one year earlier. Then comes a Saturday night AFC North showdown between the surging Baltimore Ravens and struggling Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sunday’s schedule opens with a Week 1 rematch featuring the Philadelphia Eagles at home against the Green Bay Packers followed by a late afternoon matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos. The Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another redux from Week 1 for “Sunday Night Football.” The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams wrap up the wild-card round on “Monday Night Football” from SoFi Stadium.
This is usually one of the best weekends on the sports calendar and these NFL wild-card games have the potential to live up to that reputation. Analysts and experts are already weighing in on what might happen, so here is an early look at picks and predictions for every playoff game on the schedule.
NFL wild-card games predictions, picks
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Jan. 6
Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 11
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
- Location: NRG Stadium (Houston)
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: NFL+, Paramount+, YouTube TV (NFL Sunday Ticket) or Fubo
- Spread: Chargers (-3)
∎ USA TODAY: Chargers 23, Texans 20
“Quentin Johnston is coming off a career game of 13 catches for 186 yards. The Chargers need him to be a reliable receiver if they want to make noise in the postseason. Los Angeles has the NFL’s top scoring defense.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Chargers 27, Texans 17
“The Chargers have won three in a row and gave up an NFL-best 301 points this season. They will be able to outscore the Texans on the road, who interestingly scored 372 points this season, while also giving up 372 points.”
∎ Pro Football Network: Chargers 20, Texans 17
“The Chargers were 100% right to play hard in Week 18 in the hunt for the No. 5 seed. Their reward is shorter travel, a guarantee of good conditions, and a matchup against the lowest-ranked team from the AFC. … Although the Chargers’ offense has been rolling in the last three weeks, they did not score more than 23 points in any of the previous four games. Houston came into Week 18 having scored a total of 41 points in the previous three games.”
∎ FOX Sports: Chargers 23, Texans 20
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 11
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: M&T Bank Stadium
- TV: None
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
- Spread: Ravens (-9.5)
∎ USA TODAY: Ravens 28, Steelers 17
“At the point in (Lamar) Jackson’s career, fair or unfair, he’s going to be judged on his success in the playoffs as the Ravens starting QB. The Steelers have lost four consecutive games and have no momentum entering the playoffs. Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens high-powered offense will overwhelm.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Ravens 30, Steelers 16
“This is the third meeting this season between the AFC North rivals. Pittsburgh won the first at home, 18-16. Baltimore won the second in Week 16 at home, 34-17. The Steelers limped into the playoffs with four straight losses. The Ravens have won four in a row. We expect a result similar to the Week 16 game.”
∎ Pro Football Network: Ravens 24, Steelers 17
“The numbers tell you that the Baltimore Ravens are clearly the better team. They are superior on offense and defense while having played a tougher schedule this season. Baltimore is on a four-game win streak, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are on a four-game losing streak. Everything says Baltimore wins this by at least a touchdown. However, these AFC North games are rarely that cut and dry.”
∎ FOX Sports: Ravens 31, Steelers 17
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 12
- Time: 1 p.m.
- Location: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, New York)
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: NFL+, Paramount+, YouTube TV (NFL Sunday Ticket) or Fubo
- Spread: Bills (-9)
∎ USA TODAY: Bills 30, Broncos 17
“The Broncos are ahead of schedule in their rebuild. It’s an accomplishment for Denver to be in the postseason. On the other side, the Bills are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. … Denver’s stingy defense will make some plays, but the Bills have the more talented roster.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Bills 31, Broncos 20
“The Broncos have surpassed our expectations this season, but it would really surprise us if they won at Buffalo, where the Bills are 8-0 this season. Denver is just 4-5 on the road. Highmark Stadium will provide a rude playoff debut to Bo Nix.”
∎ Pro Football Network: Bills 27, Broncos 21
“Of the three potential No. 7 seeds entering Week 18, this is probably the matchup that the Bills would have wanted the least. The Broncos’ never-say-die attitude on offense, coupled with a strong defense, is something Buffalo would have preferred to avoid.”
∎ FOX Sports: Bills 26, Broncos 22
Watch NFL playoff games with Fubo
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 12
- Time: 4:30 p.m.
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: NFL+, YouTube TV (NFL Sunday Ticket) or Fubo
- Spread: Eagles (-5.5)
∎ USA TODAY: Eagles 28, Packers 24
“These two teams met Week 1 in Brazil. Saquon Barkley rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns in their first meeting. The Eagles rested their 2,000-yard running back in the regular-season finale in preparation for a Super Bowl run. Expect the Eagles to ride their star ball carrier and MVP candidate this postseason. Jordan Love and the Packers will keep this wild-card game competitive.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Eagles 27, Packers 20
“The Packers went 11-6 on the season, yet landed the final NFC playoff berth because they were the third wild-card team. Their reward? A date against the 14-3 Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, a difficult road environment. Green Bay opened the season with a 34-29 loss to the Eagles in Brazil. They’ll close it with a loss in Philadelphia.”
∎ Pro Football Network: Eagles 23, Packers 20
“The Packers are the superior team on offense, but the Eagles are the superior team on defense … Philadelphia will be the better-rested team, and the Packers have yet another injury concern around Jordan Love, which complicates matters some.”
∎ FOX Sports: Eagles 25, Packers 21
Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 12
- Time: 8 p.m.
- Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock, Fubo
- Spread: Buccaneers (-3)
∎ USA TODAY: Commanders 27, Buccaneers 24
“(Mike) Evans should have an advantage versus the Commanders’ secondary, plus Tampa Bay will try to run the football with emerging RB Bucky Irving. Tampa Bay defeated Washington, 37-20, in Week 1, but that was Jayden Daniels’ first career NFL game. The rookie QB has since blossomed into the presumptive NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Commanders 27, Buccaneers 24
“Washington is on a 5-game win streak, going 12-5 this season and 5-3 on the road. Tampa Bay has won two in a row, but it was 10-7 on the year and only went 5-4 at home. Jayden Daniels will lead the Commanders to a playoff upset.”
∎ Pro Football Network: Buccaneers 27, Commanders 24
“Washington played the easiest schedule in the league, while Tampa Bay … has a slight edge both on offense and defense.”
∎ FOX Sports: Buccaneers 30, Commanders 22
Watch Commanders vs. Buccaneers with Peacock
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams
- Date: Monday, Jan. 13
- Time: 8 p.m.
- Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
- TV: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
- Streaming: ESPN+, Fubo
- Spread: Vikings (-1.5)
∎ USA TODAY: Vikings 27, Rams 23
Wide receiver Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams “combined for 227 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown when Los Angeles beat Minnesota in Week 8. The Vikings are coming off disappointing Week 18 loss that snapped their nine-game winning streak. Justin Jefferson was held to only three catches for 54 yards in the regular-season finale. Jefferson and the Vikings bounce back and get revenge Monday night.”
∎ Arizona Republic: Vikings 21, Rams 20
“The Vikings only lost three games all regular season, with two coming against the Lions. The other? A 30-20 loss at the Rams in Week 8. We expect a defensive struggle in this one, with Minnesota pulling out a win in a thriller. That loss to the Lions in Week 18 will serve as a wake-up call for the Vikings.”
∎ Pro Football Network: Vikings 24, Rams 23
“The element of this that is impossible to put a number on is experience. Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford have done the prime-time game with it all on the line a lot in their careers, while Kevin O’Connell and Sam Darnold have less experience.”
∎ FOX Sports: Vikings 24, Rams 21
Watch Vikings vs. Rams with ESPN+
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