It’s time to start up a new tradition here at PSF, so let’s begin with a bang. Connor, NFL Editor from PSF here. I’ve gotten together nine staff writers from our NFL section here to make predictions for Wild Card Weekend. We’ll continue to do this once a week throughout the playoffs and less frequently into the offseason with topics like Free Agency, the Coaching Carousel, and the Draft. 

With that being said, let’s get started! The NFL outdid themselves this year with the WIld Card schedule that fell into their laps, five of the six matchups are nearly guaranteed to be fun football games. Let’s hop into the first. 

AFC Wild Card Game: (5) Cleveland Browns at (4) Houston Texans, 4:30 ET, Jan. 13

Two young teams playing for a lot in a Wild Card game bodes well for the future of the Texans and Browns, but one team needs to win this game. Will the insane run of Browns quarterback Joe Flacco continue to torch the Texans’ secondary, or will Texans QB CJ Stroud’s record-breaking rookie year continue with a home win at NRG Stadium? 

Joe Grassano: These two teams meet each other in a rematch of their Week 16 matchup. In that game, the Browns were victorious by a score of 36-22. The end score looks closer than it actually was for most of the game, as the Browns dominated due to the Texans missing rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. However, this matchup will be more even since Stroud is healthy and coming off the most important game of his young career. Even though it is more of an even matchup, the Browns will still end up coming out on top with a 31-21 victory because of their defense. 

Paul Vozzella: The Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans will face off for their second bout this season with a lot more at stake this time around. The first matchup ended in a 36-22 victory for Cleveland, although quarterback CJ Stroud was out with a concussion. If the Browns repeat their performance from the Week 16 matchup - 368 passing yards from QB Joe Flacco and 265 receiving yards from wide receiver Amari Cooper - they should have no problem pulling out a win. However, this will be a tough act to match. Cleveland comes in with more experience, led by Flacco, but the Texans have all the momentum coming off a dog fight victory in Week 18. It’s tough to beat a team twice. Give me the Houston Texans in a 27-24 victory.

James Stowell: Ultimately, this will come down to which team can contain the opposing QB. Last time, as others have stated, Cleveland defeated Houston 36-22. Houston was without Stroud so him being active and ready for the game is critical to Houston’s playoff hopes. I believe Cleveland’s defense will do a better job getting to and containing Stroud than the Texans defense to Flacco. The Browns are the best ranked overall defense, as well as the best passing defense in the league. Their main weakness is the run, in which they are ranked 11th in the NFL. Overall, their defense will be a challenge.The Texans’ main weakness on the defensive side is their passing defense, which is ranked 23rd in the league. The Texans do overall have the better offense, but I feel that the Browns Scorched Earth defense will make life difficult for Stroud and give head coach Kevin Stefanski his second career playoff victory. The final score should be around the 25-17 range, with Cleveland capitalizing off of an interception or two.

Austin Loring: The rookie Quarterback who surprised everyone with his play versus the grizzled veteran who came off the couch to turn a season around, face-off to see who keeps their Cinderella story alive. Both teams will be coming into the playoffs with a head of steam. The winner of this game will be a formidable force and the AFC playoff team that you do not want to see your favorite team play against. The key to this game will be how the Browns' offense plays, if they can score consistently then it will be hard for the Texans offense to keep up with them against a stout Browns defense. This game is a total toss up with neither side having an advantage. Quarterback C.J. Stroud will have a lot of pressure on him, and how he play with the pressure could be the Achilles heel for the Texans in this game. The Browns take this one 24-14 and become a scary team heading into Baltimore the next week.

Samir Ajy: The Texans’ “feel-good” story ends this weekend at the hands of the Cleveland Browns.  A healthy Deshaun Watson would have created quite the storyline for this matchup, but the play of Joe Flacco has elevated this offense.  Nonetheless, the Browns’ defense is the reason this team is in the playoffs.  Led by Defensive Player of the Year candidate Myles Garrett, the Browns have only allowed a scoring drive just 23.8 percent of the time.  The Texans have a young team with a bright future, but I am picking the Browns in this one 24-14.  

AFC Wild Card Game: (6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 ET, Jan. 13

This is a game where a major storyline comes to the forefront: Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s return to Kansas City to take on his former team in the Chiefs. The Chiefs’ biggest issue this season has been a lack of consistency with their receivers, something they’ve wanted to remedy ever since Hill left the team two years ago. Will Hill get revenge on the team that traded him away, or will the Chiefs have the last laugh and carry onto the Divisional Round?

Joe Frescott: Slated to be one of the coldest games in league history, superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill will make his long-awaited return to Arrowhead to take on his former team in the Kansas City Chiefs in the second game of wild-card weekend. I believe the conditions will play a major factor in this contest, as the expected zero-degree weather combined with the ten to twenty-mile-per-hour (mph) winds will make throwing the ball difficult for two of the top passing offenses in the NFL. With the running game being a major factor, the Dolphins will have the edge on the ground with star rookie RB Devon Achane and the likely return of the veteran speedster RB Raheem Mostert. However, injuries have continued to plague this Dolphins team, which lacks playoff experience from a majority of their top personnel and holds a 1-5 record against teams that finished with a winning record this season. I’m gonna take the healthier, more seasoned team to win this one, with the Chiefs narrowly coming away with a 21-17 victory. 

Trent Finnegan: Miami is 8-19 when playing in temperatures below 40 degrees over the last 20 years. Saturday night’s contest on Peacock (who let this happen) looks like it will be around zero degrees most of the night. Pairing that with the fact that Arrowhead is one of the toughest places to play in the postseason, I got Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs winning 23-13.

Sean Salazar: I got the Miami Dolphins winning this one in Arrowhead. If the Dolphins defense steps up to the occasion like how they did in Germany despite losing 21-14 to Kansas City, they have a good chance of winning if the offense can get it together.

Shannen Horan: I have the Kansas City Chiefs winning against the Dolphins to round out Wild Card weekend. The Dolphins have struggled to win against teams with winning records and their struggles will only be heightened as they travel to Arrowhead where the icy weather temperatures will affect them. Both teams have struggled in the second half of the season, so this will be a close game, but I believe the Chiefs will put out a win. 

Anthony Francis: The Miami Dolphins ended the regular season 1-5 against teams over .500. These struggles also continue against teams on the road, as the Dolphins were 4-4 on the road. To make matters worse, the Dolphins were 0-4 on the road versus teams to make the playoffs, losing by double digits to these opponents. Kansas City has averaged 21.8 points per game, far below their league leading average of 29.2 a year ago. However, expect an increase from Travis Kelce, who has 16 postseason TDs in his career and usually catches fire this time of year. Give me Chiefs 24-17.

AFC Wild Card Game: (7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Buffalo Bills, 1:00 ET, Jan. 14

Not many pundits gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a chance down the stretch. Their offense was sputtering, and their record looked like they would be shut out of the playoffs, maybe even suffering their first losing season under head coach Mike Tomlin. They handled business in Week 18 and got the necessary help, and find themselves sitting in this matchup, staring at a Bills team that has caught fire in recent weeks, putting the capstone on their season with a forceful victory at the Dolphins to claim the AFC East Championship. Which team’s run will continue on in the playoffs, and which one’s will end in disappointment at Buffalo? 

Joe Grassano: For the third time in four years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have found their way into the playoffs after struggling on offense all season.  The two prior times this happened, the Steelers got eliminated in the Wild Card round. Why would it be any different this time around, especially since star defensive end T.J. Watt is out. This surging Buffalo Bills team should easily handle business with a 21-10 victory. 

Paul Vozzella: The Buffalo Bills pulled out a gritty win in Miami to win their fourth consecutive AFC East title and earn a home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers snuck into the playoffs after a season filled with mediocre-at-best offensive play. Their defense held them together to get to a 10-7 record. If they want to stand a chance in Buffalo, they are going to have to force several turnovers - not too big of a task facing an offense that committed 26 turnovers.At the end of the day, the Bills are a much more talented team. They do not have much of a problem winning this one, with the final of 24-17 in favor of the Bills.

James Stowell: The only saving grace for the Steelers was the Jaguars being mediocre for the last leg of the season. The Steelers should not be in the conversation for the playoffs. The Bills go into this game with the fourth ranked offense, eighth best passing offense, and seventh best rushing offense in the NFL. The Steelers' offense is in the bottom 10 in the league except their rushing offense, which itself has had inconsistency from their running back core. In terms of defense, the Steelers have fallen off a cliff without Watt. The Bills defense is ranked in the top 10 in both overall and passing defense. Allen will have a field day with the Steelers, but he needs to keep turnovers to a minimum at all cost. The final score should be 26-9 with the Bills moving onto the next round.

Austin Loring: The Steelers somehow made it into the playoffs with the collapse of Jacksonville, and now stare down the barrel of a Buffalo Bills team that has caught fire in the second half of the season. The Steelers' offense has looked competent with Quarterback Mason Rudolph taking the reins (which should have happened sooner) putting up 30 points in two of their last three regular season games. The Bills should easily handle business against the Steelers, especially with pass rusher T.J. Watt being sidelined with his injury he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens. The real question is should Steelers fans be happy with this playoff berth? Does ruining your draft position and being stuck in mediocrity truly help the franchise get better, or do you enjoy finishing one or two games above .500 every season with no real progress to show for. If the Steelers squeak this game out, it will further the acceptance by the front office of the ineptitude of this coaching staff that has been a problem all season, and has solely been overlooked only due to the team winning their final games and holding on to a meaningless record. The Bills win this game 35-17.

Samir Ajy: Not much to talk about here. The Steelers’ sputtering offense has backed their way into the playoffs thanks to a stout defense led by TJ Watt, the odds-on favorite for Defensive Player of the year.  Nonetheless, you just have to tip your cap to Mike Tomlin for finding a way to get the job done once again.  It is very hard to win consistently in the NFL, nonetheless go 17 straight years without a losing record.  However, the Bills are on a roll and on a mission.  Josh Allen was perceived by many to be a Pro Bowl snub, despite his 22 turnovers being second in the league, only behind Sam Howell.  The offense has improved drastically since Joe Brady took over as Offensive Coordinator mid-season, even with the decline in the utilization of Stefon Diggs.  While the Bills have gone on a five game winning streak, including wins against the Chiefs in Arrowhead, a blowout victory over the Cowboys at home, and a victory over the Dolphins on the road to clinch another AFC East division title, they have survived their own mishaps, including nearly blowing a game to a Justin Herbert-less Chargers team, and eeking out a win against the Dolphins, a game in which they dominated on paper.  Nonetheless, despite the Steelers offense looking better with mason Rudolph under center, I do not expect the TJ Watt-less Steelers to put up much of a fight against a Bills team hungry for a deep playoff run after two early playoff exits the last two seasons.  Bills take this one 34-13.  

NFC Wild Card Game: (7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Dallas Cowboys, 4:30 ET, Jan. 14

Nobody knew what the Packers had in QB Jordan Love this year. After Aaron Rodgers left, many fans expected the team to regress from their normal 10+ wins to mediocrity or worse. The Packers, a year after missing the playoffs in Week 18 last season, make it there this year and have a meeting at Dallas against the Cowboys, a team that has week after week feasted on teams with suspect defenses at a certain level. Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry has taken a lot of heat from fans of the team in recent weeks about his defensive scheming, and might be coaching for his job in this game against the high-powered offense of the Cowboys. Will the Packers defy the odds and live to fight for a Divisional Round match against San Francisco, or will the Cowboys clamp down and send Green Bay back to Wisconsin? 

Joe Frescott: Making their unprecedented return to the playoffs in the first year of the Jordan Love era, the Packers are one of the hottest teams entering the NFC playoffs winning six of their last eight. Looking for their first playoff victory since 2020, Green Bay was dealt a difficult hand in a well-rounded Dallas Cowboys team that has dominated in AT&T Stadium as of late. Winner of sixteen straight home contests, the Cowboys bolster a top 5 offensive and defensive unit this season with a league-leading +171 point differential in Jerry World. With a lack of playoff success from both QB Dak Prescott (2-4 record) and Head Coach Mike McCarthy, both could have their jobs on the line this weekend. I expect the explosive Cowboys offense to exploit the inconsistent Packer’s defense and cruise to a 34-20 victory.  

Trent Finnegan: Jordan Love has been amazing down the stretch to help lead his Packers into the playoffs. However, I just don’t think this Packers team has the capabilities to take down the Cowboys on the road this week, unless Aaron Rodgers and Jared Cook walk out of that locker room (sorry Cowboys fans). However, Green Bay will make this one competitive. Dallas wins 35-27.

Sean Salazar: The Packers have a chance if they can shut down the big plays from Dallas offensively because that’s all Dallas has once the Packers defense shuts that down and turn to a clicking offense with Jordan Love, Aaron Jones, and Jayden Reed leading that offense they can steal one like the last time the Packers were at AT&T Stadium in the playoffs.

Shannen Horan: Cowboys fans always say “this is our year” and heck maybe this is the year they can make a real run for it. With a strong, dominant defense led by Micah Parsons, Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense will need to get the ball off quickly if they want to generate anything. Dallas’ versatile offense will give them the edge they need to defeat the Packers and push them toward the Divisional Round. 

NFC Wild Card Game: (6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Detroit Lions, 8:15 ET, Jan. 14

Rams QB Matthew Stafford returns to Ford Field. A trip to the Divisional Round is on the line. A game between the team Stafford spent 10+ seasons with and the team that took him to a Super Bowl ring. How much more drama could there be in a playoff match? Who wins: the Lions team that found trading Stafford got them to the point they’re at now, or the Rams team who is benefitting from Stafford’s services in the best possible way?

Joe Grassano: Oh boy, this game should be a fun one to watch, with both teams having explosive offenses. The Rams' offense has led the team to win seven of their last eight games. Whereas, the Lions offense has been dominant all season with breakouts from rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta. However, LaPorta could potentially miss this game due to the injury he suffered in week 18. If that happens does, then the Lions offense will need to find ways to replace his production at tight end. Although that may slow them down a bit it should not completely put a halt to their offense. This game will come down to the final drive with Lions winning the game 35-28.

Paul Vozzella: Boy, did the scriptwriters do a good job with this one. Quarterback Matthew Stafford will lead the Los Angeles Rams into his old territory of Detroit in what will be the best matchup of the weekend. The Rams have been on a heater, winning seven out of their last eight contests, with their only loss coming against the AFC’s No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens. The Lions have had their ups and downs, but have proven to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They are looking for their first playoff win since the 1991 playoffs. In a game that could go either way, the Lions pull out the win, 24-21.

James Stowell: This game is possibly the biggest coin toss, except for Houston and Cleveland. The Lions have a top two overall offense, top three passing offense, and top 10 rushing offense. The Rams have a top 10 overall and passing offense so this is going to be a clash of who breaks first. Both teams have mediocre passing defenses. Yet both have top 10, in the Lions case the second best, rushing defenses in the league. Ultimately, as I said, it's a who breaks first contest. I think in this case, it’s the Lions. Goff has thrown costly turnovers against teams he should be taking to the cleaners. That and the Lions passing defense has gotten worse and worse as the season has gone on. I think the Rams will get the upset over the Lions and send Campbell and company packing to retool their defense for another go around. The final score will be around the 35-30 range.

Austin Loring: Possibly the most anticipated playoff game of this weekend takes center stage on Sunday Night. Matthew Stafford’s triumphant return to the field he built his career upon will come during a monumental game for both franchises. The Los Angeles Rams, who just a year ago gave the Detroit Lions a top 10 pick, are now fighting for another chance at a Super Bowl run. The Detroit Lions, a franchise that has continued to disappoint fans year after year, have finally broken a 30-year drought and set their eyes on breaking another 30 year drought this weekend. The winner of this game not only will win a playoff game, but also be seen as the winner of the blockbuster trade that transpired only three years ago. Both teams are coming into the playoffs on hot streaks, and this game will be an offensive onslaught that may be decided by just one or two crucial defensive stops. My unbiased opinion of this matchup is the Detroit Lions winning this game similarly to the Los Angeles Chargers game earlier this year with a final score of 45-42. If Matthew Stafford goes into Detroit and defeats the Detroit Lions, I as a Lion fan will feel sorrow that has not been felt since the retiring of Lions great wide receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.

Samir Ajy: When the NFC Playoff picture was starting to develop several weeks, ago, this was the game I most looked forward to.  Matthew Stafford, who had 12 years of his career wasted by a formerly incompetent Lions franchise, now returns to Detroit against a revived version of them, led by Motor City Dan Campbell and General Manager Brad Holmes, who in just three seasons, have assembled a contender Detroit has not seen in 30 years.  Stafford leads an offense headlined by Kyren WIlliams, Cooper Kupp, and Puka Nacua, who set an NFL record for most receptions in a season by a rookie.  The overachieving defense, headlined by surefire Hall of Famer and Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris, has flown under the radar this season.  Jared Goff, who led the Rams to three playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl in 2018, was exiled to Detroit in favor of Stafford, who then led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2021.  Goff has played likely the best football of his career in Detroit under OC Ben Johnson.  A strong offensive line led by Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, and Frank Ragnow, combined with young studs at skill positions, such as Amon-Ra St. Brown, another Rams castoff in Josh Reynolds, David Montgomery, and rookies in Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs.  The defense is headlined by Michigan Native Aidan Hutchinson, Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and DC Aaron Glenn.  It’s the first playoff game in Detroit since the Clinton Administration.  The team has not won a playoff game since 1991.  What a storyline it would be for a familiar face to crash the party for Detroit.  The scriptwriters did a number with this one.  The longest active drought without a playoff win in the NFL will be snapped.  27-21 Lions take it.  

NFC Wild Card Game: (5) Philadelphia Eagles at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 ET, Jan. 15

The Eagles have absolutely imploded in recent weeks, almost losing to the New York Giants on Christmas before suffering losses in two straight weeks to the Arizona Cardinals and those same New York Giants. The two losses at the end of their schedule locked them out of the NFC East Championship, and has forced a travel date for them to Raymond James Stadium to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who under QB Baker Mayfield have defied preseason expectations and won the NFC South for the third straight year. Will the Eagles’ struggles catch up to them and end their season, or will they find their second wind to overcome the Bucs? 

Joe Frescott: There isn’t a team that has looked worse in the final stretch of the regular season than the one favored to win this contest on Monday night. The Super Bowl hangover came into effect during the last six weeks of the season for the Eagles, winning just one game in close fashion against a porous Giants team. Nothing has gone right for Philadelphia since their blowout loss to the No. 1 San Francisco 49ers, with both their offense and defense dealing with injuries and struggling to get into a rhythm. It has been quite the opposite for their opponent, with Tampa Bay winning five of their last six. Impressive on the surface, only one of those victories came against a playoff team with a winning record in an impressive road win against the Packers. With that being said, I expect a significantly different game than the one we saw in September (also on Monday Night Football!), where the Eagles defense held the Buccaneers to less than 200 yards of total offense. Expect a high-scoring game, with the home team pulling off the upset 35-30.  

Trent Finnegan: This one’s going to be ugly, just like their showdown in Week 3 which saw the Eagles win 25-11 (scorigami!). This Eagles team has imploded since Head Coach chirped Chiefs fans after defeating them. On the other side, the Buccaneers looked very uninspiring against Carolina, and I don’t think they have enough to beat Philadelphia. Eagles win 31-20.

Sean Salazar: As bad as they’ve been playing, I got the Eagles taking out the Buccaneers because I don’t think the Bucs can go four quarters with a good offensive team like the Eagles. The only way they win is if the Eagles beat the Eagles.

Shannen Horan: The Eagles have definitely been disappointing recently and with small injuries plaguing their offense I am going to have to take the Bucs for this game. The locker room in KC seems to not be on the same page, giving Tampa Bay the confidence to continue surprising everyone this season. In a hard-fought game, I see the Bucs defeating the Eagles. 

Staff, based off of this set of Wild Card games, what’s your Super Bowl pick?

Joe Grassano: Currently my Super Bowl favorites are the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens, with the Ravens winning the championship. However, I can see a path for the Buffalo Bills to make it to the Super Bowl against the 49ers. If the Bills make it to the Super Bowl i can see them finally winning one with Josh Allen.    

Paul Vozzella: In a year when there seems to be a clear favorite in each conference to go to the Super Bowl - the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers - the NFL does not always work that easily. The Ravens will continue their run in the AFC all the way to the Super Bowl. On the other side, the 49ers will fall to an underdog in the NFC championship game. After starting off the year not-so-hot, the Dallas Cowboys have been tearing teams up. The Cowboys have the best quarterback-wide receiver duo this year in Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. They get their revenge for the blowout loss they suffered against the 49ers at the beginning of the season and finally live up to expectations in the playoffs with a trip to the Super Bowl.

James Stowell: If the script is to be believed, and the colors of the Super Bowl logo. It will be the 49ers and the Ravens in the Super Bowl. I believe the 49ers will win due to having a superior passing offense compared to the Ravens. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will finally win a Superbowl after so many years of offensive collapses. 

Austin Loring: I have the San Francisco 49ers winning it all over the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. The 49ers may have had a rough game against the Baltimore Ravens, but I see them as unstoppable this year and do not think anyone in the AFC could beat them twice, even the Ravens.

Joe Frescott: As mundane as it may be, I have the two #1 seeds in the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers meeting in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. When looking at both the AFC and NFC playoff picture alike, I cannot foresee any teams (outside of division rivals in the Browns and Rams) beating the two consensus best teams in football. When it comes to the matchup itself, I don’t expect a repeat of Christmas Day when QB Brock Purdy gifted the Ravens the victory thanks to four interceptions. This is finally the year when the 49ers get over the hump, defeating the Ravens 34-31 to hoist their sixth Lombardi Trophy and first in nearly three decades. 

Trent Finnegan: This week has no impact on my Super Bowl prediction. I have the Ravens beating the 49ers because those are the two best teams in football, and have shown their superiority over their conference foes throughout the season. We saw on Christmas how good the Ravens match up to the 49ers, and I think Lamar finally gets his ring.

Sean Salazar: I got the Browns winning it all over the 49ers because Joe Flacco is using his experience to lead a strong offense and having Myles Garrett as a general on the defensive side I think the Browns can take it all this season.

Shannen Horan: I believe that the Super Bowl matchup will be the Ravens and the 49ers and have the Ravens being Super Bowl Champions. The Ravens haven’t been in the conversation as long as the 49ers have, but they have dominated in the regular season and I see them winning yet again when matched up against the 49ers. 

Samir Ajy: I’m gonna go with the Bills over the 49ers in the Super Bowl.  Yes. The Bills.  The NFL playoffs are not about who’s the best, but who’s hot.  The Ravens are not only the best team, but also the hottest.  Right behind them is the Bills.  Despite their own shortcomings and off the field theatrics between Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and controversial comments made by Sean McDermott and owner Terry Pegula, the Bills have weathered the storm and found themselves on top of the AFC East once again.  A turnover machine in the first half of the season, Josh Allen’s strong play in the second half has put him into the discussion of one of the bigger pro bowl snubs this season.  The midseason hiring of Joe Brady has helped balance out the offense, helping second year RB James Cook qualify for the pro bowl and WRs Gabe Davis Khalil Shakir have an increased role on the offense.  The front seven, led by Greg Rousseau, Von Miller, and Leonard Floyd is a formidable unit for any team they play and the midseason acquisition of Rasul Douglas from the Packers has done wonders for the secondary in the wake of Tredavius White’s injury.  Buffalo is a city, fanbase, and franchise that’s knocked on the door time and time again, just to come up short.  They are due for a breakthrough.  

That wraps up our staff predictions for this week, follow along as next week we’ll take a look at the Divisional Round matchups, adding the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers back into the mix.