MVP favourites set to star as Divisional Round kicks off on TSN
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The quest that ends with an appearance at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9 continues this weekend on TSN, with enticing matchups across two days of action.
With every game available on TSN, find out when and where you can watch each battle.
Chiefs host Texans in end-of-season rematch
Xavier Worthy Kansas City Chiefs Derek Stingley Jr. Houston Texans
NFL Divisional Round action kicks off with the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans on Saturday afternoon.
These two teams met on Dec. 21, when the Chiefs' defence was strong in guiding the team to a 27-19 victory.
Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who threw for 260 yards and a touchdown in that Week 16 victory, told Texans pivot C.J. Stroud that he "[Hopes] to see y'all in the playoffs," on the field after the game.
For their part, the Texans knew there were a lot of lessons to be taken from the close loss against the top team in the NFL.
“This was a great test versus a really good playoff team,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I thought our guys battled the right way. We just have to finish.”
A key storyline in the battle in December was Texans wide receiver Tank Dell, who suffered a season-ending leg injury on a long touchdown reception.
Without Dell in the lineup, the Texans' offence struggled down the stretch, but a 32-point showing in a big win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round may have assuaged some concerns on that front.
As far as recent playoff experience goes, the Chiefs have the heavy edge in that comparison: Kansas City enters this postseason seeking their third consecutive Super Bowl title, a feat never accomplished in NFL history. Houston, on the other hand, has just three playoff game victories over the past six seasons.
Dominant Lions host upstart Commanders Saturday night
Jared Goff Detroit Lions
Two teams in very different situations entering the season meet for the first time in the playoffs in 25 years.
The Washington Commanders entered the year coming off a 4-13 campaign, one year removed from ousting their long-time owner Dan Snyder, with a new head coach in Dan Quinn and a new quarterback in second-overall pick Jayden Daniels.
Expectations were predictably low, but Quinn and Daniels have spearheaded a historic turnaround, with an eight-win jump to 12-5 and a road playoff victory under their belt.
Now a massive test awaits in the form of the top-seeded Lions, who are coming off an NFC Championship game appearance a season ago, have the league's top-scoring offence and were the best team in the conference from start to finish.
“A lot of challenges, whether it’s speed and ability at wide receiver or their running back tandem, the quarterback who can rip it, an excellent O-line, the defence plays a lot of man-to-man and plays aggressive,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said of the Lions. “We’ll definitely have our work cut out for us.”
The Commanders have long been a downtrodden franchise in the NFL annals - since winning three Super Bowl titles from 1982-91, they've won just four playoff games in the 34 years since.
On the other side, Detroit has an even longer history of failure. The team still seeks its first Super Bowl appearance despite existing since the AFL-NFL merger, and are one of three franchises to ever survive a winless season.
Head coach Dan Campbell tries not to let that underdog mentality go, even as the Lions enter as favourites following a dominant season.
“We’ve got a really good opponent here,” Campbell said. “They’ve got a dynamic quarterback. They’re playing good offence, good defence, really good coaching. We’ve got our work cut out for us."
Rams, Eagles kick off Sunday slate
Philadelphia Eagles
The Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles each used strong defensive showings a week ago to book their spots in this Divisional Round matchup.
Philadelphia forced four turnovers in their 22-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, while the Rams sacked Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold a playoff record-tying nine times in their 27-9 victory on Monday night.
“Our defense just went crazy,” Rams quarterback Matt Stafford said after the game.
Jared Verse, one of five rookies making an impact on the defensive side of the ball, scooped up a Darnold fumble and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter that allowed the Rams to coast the rest of the way.
The Eagles are likely to provide more of a challenge at home than the Vikings did on the road. Philadelphia's defence ranked atop the NFL in yardage allowed during the regular season, and their offence finished in the top 10 in yards and points.
Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns in his return to the lineup against the Packers after missing three games with a concussion in December.
“I think it’s been an odd year in a sense of how choppy it’s been, and obviously me kind of being on leave the last couple weeks or so,” Hurts said. "Being back and just getting into that rhythm and leaving it all out there right now, that’s what it’s about.”
The NFL's leading rusher, Saquon Barkley, became just the ninth player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards in a season this year, finishing with 2,005. He ran for 119 yards in the win over Green Bay.
Both the Rams and Eagles have recent Super Bowl titles - the Rams in Super Bowl XVI over the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Eagles in Super Bowl XI over the New England Patriots. Now they battle to book a spot in the NFC Championship game.
MVP favourites meet in headlining Divisional Round clash
Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens
The NFL saved the best for last in the Divisional Round, as the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills meet up in a battle of MVP favourites.
Baltimore's quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo's quarterback Josh Allen were the premier players in the NFL this season, and get a chance to go head to head again after Baltimore handedly won their Week 4 contest.
Baltimore hosted that game and crushed the Bills 35-10. Jackson threw for a pair of touchdowns and scored another on the ground in a game that got out of hand early.
The Ravens are also boosted by the unstoppable force that is running back Derrick Henry, who finished second in the NFL in rushing this year with 1,921 yards. He pounded the Bills defence for 199 yards and a touchdown in their first meeting, and ran for 186 yards and two scores against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their wild-card game.
“We have a lot of competitors on this team, and when juggernauts come to town, the intensity is up and I love it,” Bills lineman Dion Dawkins said. “But we’ll see in a week.”
Allen continues to ascend to new heights for the Bills. After turnover issues plagued the seventh-year man for much of his career, he has cleaned up his play in a shocking way this year.
The Bills' offence recorded eight turnovers this year, tied with the 2019 New Orleans Saints for fewest in a season in NFL history. That play continued against the Denver Broncos in their 31-7 victory a week ago, with the team's 11th game of the year in which they recorded no turnovers.
Allen has also been sacked just three times in his last seven games; negative plays are almost non-existent for the Bills offence.
Sunday night's game pits two Super Bowl-caliber teams against one another, and the NFL world is looking forward to the fireworks.
“I mean, this is what everyone’s been waiting for, right?” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said of the matchup.