The NFL playoff weekend is upon us and predictions are set for all four games scheduled. There are historic rematches of previous playoff meetings. It's a weekend of football you will not want to miss. Check out predictions for the NFL Divisional playoff games.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos/ Saturday 4:30 p.m. ET
This one should be a no-brainer, the Broncos are the hottest team in the league and winners of 11 straight games. However, the Ravens are filled with motivation as they would love to prolong the inevitable as Ray Lewis is set to retire at the conclusion of the team's playoff run.
Peyton Manning has proved that he's still elite as he burned secondaries around the league all season long. He has taken the Broncos from just a Wild Card contender to the No. 1 team in the AFC.
Expect this game to be physical. The Broncos have a Top 10 defense and the Ravens have veterans that can knock the daylights out of anybody.
Manning will triumph, cutting up the Ravens' defense into shreds.
Final score: Broncos win 26-19
Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots: Sunday 4:30 p.m. ET
The Texans played very well in the Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the bad news for them is that the Patriots are extremely well rested. Following the 42-14 massacre of the Texans, the Patriots are the heavy favorite.
Tom Brady leads the most successful offense in football to this division game and it looks like the Texans will once again bounce from the playoffs in the second round.
Is there any team that can stop Brady? Back in Week 15, Brady led a charge that helped his team tie their game against the San Francisco Giants after trailing 31-3. The Pats didn't win the game, but they surely got close.
Though Arian Foster is expected to continue his domination on the ground, this one is all Patriots once again.
Final Score: Patriots win 34-20
Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers/ Saturday 8 p.m. ET
Speaking of the 49ers, they are set to meet the Packers in a matchup that sets two of the sports' most storied franchise and revisits a rivalry that sparked in the 90's.
The Packers and Niners always seemed to meet in the playoffs. Back then, Brett Favre always had the edge, until Steve Young hit Terrell Owens for the game-winner.
It seems like 49er receivers just get really emotional when catching a game-winning TD pass in the playoffs. Remember Vernon Davis last year against the New Orleans Saints?
Well the 49ers had internal drama this season that didn't really tear-up anybody's eyes. Not a year removed from this touchdown pass and Alex Smith is now the backup quarterback for the 49ers as coach Jim Harbaugh picked Collin Kaepernick as the team's starter.
However, if the talk is quarterbacks, then Aaron Rodgers deserves all the praise. The 49ers have a great defense, but since they are heavy on the rush and Rodgers is slippery in the pocket, the Packers go into this game with the advantage.
Final Score: Packers win 27-21
Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons: 1 p.m. ET
The final game of the weekend features contradictory teams. The Falcons are a force on offense, meanwhile the Seahawks have one of the best defenses in the game. The Seahawks run on offense and the Falcons let the pass fly.
However, the Seahawks look like the stronger birds on Sunday afternoon. They are winners of six straight and have been playing consistently great football all year long.
The Falcons are trying to prove everybody they are truly the best and not just a team that was favored by a weak schedule. They Falcons have to do one thing they failed to do all season long, pull away late. They can't have the Seahawks lingering around in the score late in the game if they want to win.
Just ask any Washington Redskin what happened to them when they couldn't take advantage of a 14-point first-half lead. Wait, don't call Robert Griffin III, he's probably still recovering from the anesthetics.
Final Score: Seahawks win 29-24
