NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS!!!

As the regular season draws to a close, a new chapter of the NFL season begins. 14 teams remain, but only one will come out as Super Bowl Champions! Will Derrick Henry carry his Titans to the Super Bowl? Can the Chiefs go back-to-back? Who can take down the Packers in the NFC playoff race? All of these questions will reveal themselves to us as the postseason unfolds. Here are my official 2020-2021 playoff predictions!

WILDCARD WEEK:

AFC

7 Colts @ 2 Bills

Bills: 38

Colts: 17

Individual Predictions:

Josh Allen: 25/34 392 yards 3 TD, 3 carries 41 yards TD

Phillip Rivers will be benched in 4th Quarter in potentially his last game ever!

My Take:

I think Josh Allen will take care of business here with the Colts, who's offense has been struggling the past few weeks. The Bills are red hot coming into this game, I believe that will continue as the Bills offense dominates in a rout of the Colts.

6 Browns @ 3 Steelers

Steelers: 27

Browns: 23

Individual Predictions:

Dionte Johnson: 9 rec, 118 yards, 2 TD's

Mayfield: 18/29 217 yards, 2 INTS

My Take:

Before news broke of the COVID outbreak in the Browns organization, I viewed this as a toss-up, but I think playing without their head coach will be too much for the Browns to overcome. Despite ending the 18 year playoff drought, the Browns will exit early in the playoffs, as Mayfield can't get it going against the Pittsburgh defense, throwing 2 interceptions

5 Ravens @ 4 Titans

Titans: 35

Ravens: 31

Individual predictions:

Derrick Henry: 21 carries, 167 yards, 3 TD, 3 rec, 21 yards

Lamar Jackson: 18/26 180 yards, 2 TD, INT 9 carries 96 yards TD

My Take:

This game will be an offensive showdown, and very tight until late in the 4th quarter, the Titans pull away. I think Derrick Henry will continue his record-setting season with 3 TD's, carrying the Titans on his back to their second straight wild card victory. I think Lamar will step up and play better than he has in previous playoff games, but I think the moment will be too big for him, and he will throw a game sealing interception late in the 4th quarter.

NFC

7 Bears @ 2 Saints

Saints: 31

Bears 34

F/OT

Individual Predictions:

Drew Brees: 21/29 251 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT

Mitchell Trubisky: 27/36 341 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

My Take:

This is my upset of the wild card weekend, but I have some reasoning behind it. In the past 6 games, the Bears are averaging 30 points a game! I think we might all be sleeping on the Bears a little bit. On the other hand,

the Saints are averaging 31 points a game in the last 6 games! I think the Saints might get caught looking ahead to next week, and the Bears might just sneak up on them. These are both offenses that are red hot and it will be a close high scoring game, much closer than people expect.

6 Rams @ 3 Seahawks

Seahawks: 18

Rams: 13

Individual predictions:

Seahawks defense will create 4 turnovers

Cooper Kupp: 6 rec, 71 yards, TD

My take:

In a defensive showdown the Seattle defense continues to dominate as they force 4 turnovers to move on to the divisional round. If Jared Goff plays I would say the Rams have a good chance at winning, but with John Wolfard likely at QB, I think the moment will be too much for him, and the Seahawks will win this NFC west rivalry.

5 Buccaneers @ 4 Football Team

Football Team: 10

Buccaneers: 23

Individual predictions:

Alex Smith 19/27 180 yards FUMBLE

Brady: 16/24 241 yards 2 TD 2 INT

My Take:

NFC East woes continues as the Football Team takes an early exit in the playoffs, as their offensive struggles continue to plague them. Brady has a decent game, although takes some sacks and throws 2 INT, he still gets the job done for the Buccaneers as they pull away in the second half.

DIVISIONAL ROUND

AFC

4 Titans @ 1 Chiefs

Chiefs: 41

Titans: 28

Individual Stats:

Mahomes: 25/33 371 yards, 4 TD

Tyreek Hill: 7 rec 121 yards 2 TD

Ryan Tannehil: 18/26 221 yards, 3 TD 1 INT

Derrick Henry: 18 carries, 111 yards, TD

My take:

The Chiefs come out on fire, with a 21-0 run in the first quarter. The chiefs shut down thoughts about the Bills being the team to beat in the AFC with their dominant performance over the Titans. Derrick Henry goes over 100 yards but it's not enough to balance out the chiefs juggernaut of an offense. Tyreek has a monster game, with two 20+ yard TD's. Chiefs advance to AFC championship.

3 Steelers @ 2 Bills

Bills: 33

Steelers 27

F/OT

Individual stats:

Josh Allen: 23/35 291 yards, 3 TD

Stefan Diggs: 8 rec 140 yards, TD

Roethlisberger: 27/34 256 yards, 3 TD, INT

Ebron: 6 rec 57 yards, 2 TD

My Take:

An OT thriller as the Bills get off to a hot start, but the Steelers rally back in the second half, and a touchdown scoring drive in the final seconds to force an OT. However, the Bills get a big play in overtime, and score a TD a few plays later. The Bills hold off the Steelers and advance to the AFC championship to face the reigning champs, the Chiefs.

7 Bears @ 1 Packers

Packers: 31

Bears: 20

Individual Stats:

Rodgers: 21/33 302 yards, 3 TD

Adams: 8 rec 91 yards, TD

Trubisky: 24/34 287 yards INT

Montgomery: 14 carries 147 yards, 2 TD

My Take:

These two NFC North foes face again, in a closer game than the scoreboard indicates. David Montgomery runs all over the Packers defense, but Aaron Rodgers is up to the challenge and tosses 3 TD. The Packers score 14 in the 4th Quarter leading them to their second straight NFC championship, as the Chicago Bears season comes to a close.

5 Buccaneers @ 3 Seahawks

Seahawks: 24

Buccaneers: 27

Individual stats:

Wilson: 19/28 271 yards, 3 TD, FUMBLE

Lockett: 9 rec 87 yards, TD

Brady 21/34 301 yards 3 TD, 2 INT

Gronkowski: 7 rec, 56 yards, TD

My take:

Tom Brady advances to the NFC championship on a game winning field goal as time expires at Lumen field. The buccaneers run defense hold Carson and Wilson to under 100 yards on the ground, and Brady gets it done in the air as well, despite the 2 turnovers. The Brady to Gronk combination continues, as the Bucs prepare to travel to Lambeau field and take on the NFC's 1 seed.

NFC championship:

5 Buccaneers @ 1 Packers

Packers: 45

Buccaneers: 10

Individual stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 28/36 365 yards, 5 TD, 3 carries 22 yards

Aaron Jones 121 yards, TD, 4 rec 31 yards, TD

Devante Adams: 11 rec, 163 yards 2 TD

Robert Tonyan: 3 rec 21 yards, TD

Valdez-Scantling: 6 rec 71 yards TD

Tom Brady: 21/43 193 yards, TD, 3 INT, FUMBLE

Ronald Jones: 10 carries 43 yards, 4 rec 21 yards

Chris Godwin: 7 rec 78 yards, TD

My take:

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers defense embarrasses the Buccaneers in a one sided fashion, and the Packers cruise into the Superbowl. Tom Brady turns the ball over 4 times, giving the Packers a short field, as the Bucs offense struggles, and the Packers offense thrives. This performance by Aaron Rodgers cements his MVP, as the Packers amazing season continues.

2 Bills @ 1 Chiefs

Bills: 27

Chiefs: 34

Individual Stats:

Mahomes: 29/43 314 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

Tyreek Hill: 8 rec, 97 yards, TD

Travis Kelce: 9 rec, 121 yards, TD

Mecole Hardman: 3 rec 61 yards, TD, KICK/PUNT RETURN TD

Josh Allen: 25/36 301 yards 2 TD

Stefan Diggs: 7 rec, 104 yards

Cole Beasley: 5 rec, 67 yards,TD

My Take:

In an instant classic, the Chiefs defeat the Bills on a spectacular game winning drive by Mahomes. I think both teams will play well, and I think it will be a defensive mistake/special teams play that will decide this game, but I think the Chiefs offensive firepower will be too much for young Josh Allen and the Bills to handle.

Super Bowl:

Packers vs Chiefs

Chiefs: 27

Packers: 17

Individual Stats:

Mahomes: 23/31 275 yards, 3 TD, SUPER BOWL MVP

Travis Kelce: 6 rec, 78 yards, TD

Aaron Rodgers: 25/34 306 yards, TD, INT

Aaron Jones: 13 carries 65 yards, TD

My take:

I think this game will be quite close, but not as high scoring as people anticipate. Super Bowl's can often be huge moments for rookies, and a less offensive game is usually what occurs. Despite record breaking number of points this season. I think the game will be close/tied at half time, but I think the Chiefs offense is more dynamic than the Packers, leading them to a second straight Super Bowl victory.

Thank you so much for reading my opinions. Note if my wild card predictions go wrong, I will make updated predictions next week! Apologize for any spelling errors, I am just trying to get this out before the games start! Happy Wild Card Weekend!