Kansas City Chiefs over Tennessee Titans: I firmly believe that the 2017 Tennessee Titans are the worst team to make the playoffs in my conscious lifetime. Marcus Mariota has played well below-average all season long, their pass-catchers not named Delanie Walker are inconsistent at best and their secondary is once again one of the most burnable in the league. If this mediocre team whose playoff berth can only be described as a miracle comparable to Moses parting the Red Sea can go into the notoriously hostile environment of Arrowhead Stadium and pick up a victory over a Chiefs squad that appears to have regained their mojo over the past month after a really rough mid-season stretch, I'll probably have a shock-induced stroke.
Atlanta Falcons over Los Angeles Rams: To me, this is the biggest coin flip of the weekend. In one corner, you have 2017's most surprising success story headed by a 1st-year head coach and a 2nd-year quarterback that made stunning progress after a disastrous rookie campaign. In the other, you have the defending NFC Champions that have cemented themselves as the posterboys for epic big-game collapses. Despite every sign telling me otherwise, I'm going to give the Falcons a slight edge here. I think they have the speed and proficiency in the front 7 to shut down LA's offensive centerpiece Todd Gurley plus their postseason experience gives them an edge over a young Rams team that very well could be overwhelmed with the magnitude of the moment.
Jacksonville Jaguars over Buffalo Bills: If LeSean McCoy was healthy, this game could've turned into a dogfight. The Jags defense is somewhat vulnerable against the run and in a battle between QB's that are making their 1st-career playoff starts, Blake Bortles' tendency to throw INT's in bunches is a huge disadvantage against the typically turnover-averse Tyrod Taylor. However, with McCoy set to play through a pretty serious ankle sprain and the absence of another player that can be effectively plugged into the workhouse RB role in this firepower-deprived offense, I think that the Bills long-awaited return to the playoffs will be ruined by a talented Jags D that can get to the quarterback and shutdown the pass with relative ease.
New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers: On paper, you would think that the Panthers vaunted defense (3rd against the run, 7th in total yards allowed, 11th in points allowed) allowed would give them the edge in this matchup, but the Saints cruised to wins in both of their regular season meetings this season. I don't expect the tide to suddenly turn in a playoff environment on Sunday afternoon. While the Saints defense can be exposed, Carolina's erratic offense simply can't be trusted to put up a ton of points, especially against a team with a dense arsenal of offensive weapons (Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr.) that possess the explosiveness to break off chunk gains or score long TD's at any given moment.
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