NFL Playoff Wildcard Predictions: AFC Edition

Buffalo Bills vs Houston Texans

This matchup is an intriguing one, to say the least. You have a potent offense against a defense that is legitimately a threat. Deshaun Watson and his arsenal of weapons including Hopkins, Stills, and Fuller are a dangerous matchup for any team. You throw in a complementary running game with Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson Jr. you got an offense that can score at will when fully healthy. On the flip side, you have a defense that has shown to have some of the best pass defense in the league led by Tre’Davious White who leads the league in interceptions this year with six. You mix in a front seven that can stop the run and rush the passer with the best of them and we got a real battle of offense versus defense. Unfortunately, this is not the real key to winning, the key to winning is whose opposite strength can win over the matchup. If it was up to me, I would bet money on the Houston defense holding off the Bills offense. Josh Allen might have a few good throws and runs, but for the most part, the offense will get stalled.

My Prediction: Bills 17, Texans 28

Tennessee Titans vs New England Patriots

Here we go again with another former coach/player of Belichick versus the man himself. These matchups aren’t always so fun for Belichick of recent. In the last two years, he has lost three games of that variety. Even with the recent track record, Belichick in the playoffs is a different animal on its own. He is known for taking away the one thing you do best, in the Titans cases, it’s the running game. Derrick Henry versus a very stout rush defense should be the main matchup, while the secondary one is just as important, the Patriots offense versus the Titans defense. The Pats offense has struggled all year and of late, they have been surviving off of gadget plays and trick plays. The Titans defense has been an under the radar defense when it comes to stops and turnovers. I can see it now, a defensive battle that comes down to who can make the most key plays in the end. My money is always going to be on the Patriots unless they face the Ravens or the Giants. Those two teams just seem to know how to stop the Patriots in the playoffs.

My Prediction: Titans 20, Patriots 24

-By: Darren Baxton