RADIO
No. 10: Jayden Daniels and Cardiac Commanders Shock The World In Detroit
Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders won another game in the final seconds, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. However, this weekend, they have a much more formidable task, traveling to Detroit to face the top seed in the conference.
If there was one quarterback in the NFC who could march into Detroit and win, it might be Jayden Daniels. In their win over the Buccaneers, Daniels went 24-for-35 with 268 passing yards, 36 rushing yards, and two scores. Over his final five games of the regular season, Daniels scored 17 touchdowns and averaged over 300 total yards per game.
No. 9: C.J. Stroud Continues To Catch Fire In The Playoffs
After a disappointing regular season, C.J. Stroud returned to form during their wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers as he went 22-for-33 with 282 passing yards, 42 rushing, and a touchdown. Over his final four games of the regular season, Stroud averaged a mere 152.2 passing yards per game.
If the Texans were to pull off the upset in Kansas City, Stroud would need to continue this elite play. Do not be surprised if Stroud leans on his top wideout Nico Collins and Houston finds themselves in the AFC title game.
No. 8: David Montgomery Scores Twice In Return
The Detroit power back has been sidelined since suffering an MCL sprain during their Week 15 game against the Buffalo Bills. However, Montgomery is expected to return this weekend, giving the Detroit offense another weapon.
Over his first 14 games of the regular season, Montgeromy scored 12 touchdowns and ran the ball within the five-yard line 17 times. I predict that the 27-year-old will return in style, punching in two red zone scores.
No. 7: Houston Defense Forces Three Turnovers In Kansas City
The Houston defense has been one of the sport’s top units over the season’s final month. This unit rose to the occasion last weekend as they held Justin Herbert and the Chargers to 12 points. In addition, they sacked Hertbert four times and forced four interceptions. They also scored two defensive touchdowns.
Over the final four weeks of the regular season, they held their opponent to less than 20 points in each contest. Do not be surprised if the defense stays hot and forces three turnovers against the reigning champions.
No. 6: Saquon Barkley Runs Through The Rams
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley tallied 119 yards on 25 attempts during their wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers. Barkley could have had a lot more but decided to slide down in the game’s final seconds.
During the regular season, Barkley joined the 2,000-club and found the end zone 15 times. Despite facing one of the hottest defensive units in the postseason, Barkley will not only tally 100+ yards for the fourth-straight game but will also break Steve Van Buren’s single-game rushing total and become part of Eagles history.
No. 5: Matthew Stafford Continues To Dominate In The Postseason
Matthew Stafford was sharp in their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles but did not have to do much as he only threw for 209 yards, as the Rams had a sizeable lead all evening. However, he did throw two scores.
Throughout his playoff career, Stafford has risen to the occasion. Across nine career postseason games, Stafford has averaged an impressive 296.9 passing yards per game with 2.8 passing scores per game. Despite being the underdog, do not be surprised if Stafford marches into Philaldpehia and leads the Rams to the NFC title game.
No. 4: Xavier Worthy Shines In Postseason Debut
After scoring two touchdowns in his professional debut in Week 1, the Texas product struggled to find consistency throughout most of the season. During Weeks 2 through 14, Worthy found the back of the end zone just three times and averaged just 33.3 receiving yards per game.
However, during the final three games of the regular season, Worthy tallied 63.3 yards per game and scored twice. Look for the rookie wideout to continue this breakout and shine on the national stage.
No. 3: Derrick Henry Sets Single-Game Postseason Rushing Record
The 31-year-old ran for a stellar 186 yards on 26 carries during their demanding victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round. Henry also found the back of the end zone twice in this contest. During the regular season, Henry averaged 113.0 rushing yards per game and scored 18 total touchdowns.
Facing a Buffalo defense that has struggled to defend the run, I predict that Henry not only leads Baltimore to a victory but puts his name in the history books by beating Erick Dickerson’s single-playoff game rushing record of 248 yards.
No. 2: Josh Allen Flips The Script In Rematch Against Baltimore
Josh Allen was sharp in their opening playoff game as he went 20-for-26 with 272 passing yards and two touchdowns. He added 46 yards on eight rushing attempts. However, this weekend, he has a much tougher task facing the Baltimore Ravens.
When Allen faced this Baltimore defense in Week 4, he struggled as he threw for just 180 yards and ran for 20, and did not find the back of the end zone. However, expect Allen to flip the script in this game and return to his MVP-self in the rematch.
No. 1: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson Combine For Over 60 Points
All eyes will be on Sunday evening’s matchup between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, the two top MVP candidates. Both quarterbacks have put up elite numbers all season long and led their respective teams to decisive victories in the wild-card round.
However, the playoffs have relatively low scoring and are rather one-sided. Do not be surprised if both quarterbacks light up the scoresheet, as both secondaries were within the bottom ten regarding passing yards allowed per game during the regular season. As a result, both teams should spend most of the evening in the end zone, and this game will become one of the highest-scoring in playoff history.
