Baltimore Beatdown Game Picks: Divisional Round

Following an action-packed slate of Wild Card games, we now enter into the Divisional round of the playoffs with four more enticing matchups on deck. The remaining four teams in each conference are set:

AFC: Ravens, Chiefs, Texans, Titans

NFC: 49ers, Packers, Seahawks, Vikings

Last weekend, more than half of our writers split 2-2 on their picks. So too did you, the readers, who correctly predicted the Texans and Titans to win but missed on the other two games. Vasilis is looking to improve upon his 3-1 playoff pick record, while Frank is searching for his first W of the postseason after missing on all four Wild Card games.

Vikings @ 49ers

The biggest upset of Wild Card weekend came in New Orleans, where the Vikings shocked the Saints in overtime. Minnesota received the ball first in OT and promptly put together a 75-yard touchdown drive in just 4:20. QB Kirk Cousins delivered a 40-yard strike to WR Adam Thielen and followed it up with a walk-off touchdown pass to TE Kyle Rudolph just a few plays later. Now, they’ll look to bust playoff brackets even further by toppling the NFC’s No. 1 seed - the 49ers.

San Francisco is well-rested and relatively healthy across the board, which, on top of playing at home, has made them favored by a touchdown. Our writers don’t exactly agree with this sentiment, though, as four individuals picked the Vikings to win.

Titans @ Ravens

Similar to the other Saturday game, the Titans - fresh off an upset victory over the Patriots - will look to knock off the Ravens on the road. Dating back to midseason, the Titans have been one of the league’s most consistent and well-rounded teams, making them an extremely dangerous No. 6 seed. QB Ryan Tannehill struggled in Foxborough in the Wild Card round but it didn’t matter, as the Titans squeaked out a victory with the same formula they rode to the playoffs: running the ball, playing defense and efficiency in the red zone.

Sound familiar? It should, as the Ravens boast a similar style. RB Derrick Henry, the NFL’s leading rusher, ripped off 182 yards on the ground against the Patriots. It’ll take another heroic effort from “King Henry” for the Titans to have a chance to pull off an upset on Saturday night. Many of the Ravens starters, including Lamar Jackson, have not taken the field since Week 16, meaning the team should be spry and prepared this weekend.

Our writers are leaning homer with their selection, as the Ravens were picked to win across the board.

Texans @ Chiefs

For much of last Saturday afternoon, it looked like the Bills were going to escape their matchup with a victory in their matchup against the Texans. If that had happened, it would be them - not Tennessee - traveling to Baltimore, while the Titans played the Chiefs. Instead, it’s the Texans facing off against the No. 2 seed in the AFC, much thanks to the heroism of QB Deshaun Watson. Watson willed Houston to a miraculous comeback victory against Buffalo and will need more magic out of his hat to defeat Kansas City this Sunday.

Between Watson and Patrick Mahomes, there figures to be plenty of highlight plays from the quarterback position in this game. The difference is, though, that one team has the coaching advantage and better overall roster. That team is the Chiefs, who are playing at home and seeking to return the AFC title game for the second straight season. It should come as no surprise that all nine of our writers are rolling with Kansas City.

Seahawks @ Packers

In perhaps the most confusing yet interesting matchup of the weekend, the Seahawks are traveling to Lambeau Field on Sunday night to take on the Packers, who are fresh off a first-round bye. Seattle managed to squeak by the Eagles last week with a 17-9 victory, although it was far from the most convincing performance. The Seahawks have been hit by injuries a bit recently but even before that, they looked shaky down the stretch of the regular season.

Still, here they are in the second round of the playoffs. Green Bay is favored by a few points but with Russell Wilson at the helm of this Seattle team, anything is possible. Much like the aforementioned game above, this quarterback matchup should be a good one. Whereas Watson and Mahomes represent the new age of the position, Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are at the pinnacle of veteran signal-callers in today’s NFL. All but three of our writers picked the Packers to come out with a victory and advance to the NFC championship.