NFL playoff picture 2018: Picking the Super Bowl champ
By Cody Rivera
Divisional Round
Steelers at Chiefs
The Chiefs obviously have problems on defense. That became all the more apparent when they allowed the pitiful Oakland Raiders to score 33 points on Sunday.
But despite that, Kansas City can easily make up for those defensive woes with its wildly explosive offense. Kareem Hunt will never wear a Chiefs uniform again, but his absence didn’t seem to hinder Patrick Mahomes, as the first-year starting quarterback still helped this team put up 40.
Against Pittsburgh at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs would be just fine.
Pick: Kansas City 35, Pittsburgh 27
Texans at Patriots
Nobody can seem to stop the Texans right now. After starting the season 0-3, they’ve since won nine straight to storm right back into the Super Bowl conversation.
One of those three losses, however, was against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. And here’s the thing: teams don’t just go into Foxborough and win. It’s a very rare and special occasion, and it hasn’t happened yet in 2018.
In a rematch in the playoffs at cold, snowy Gillette, the red hot Texans wouldn’t stand a chance against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Pick: New England 41, Houston 20
Cowboys at Rams
This game would barely be a contest. Sean McVay would coach circles around Jason Garrett, and even though the Cowboys defense is very good, the explosive Rams offense would find a way to crack their code, especially at home.
Pick: Los Angeles 38, Dallas 21
Bears at Saints
As mentioned earlier, we’ve already seen what a great defense can do to this Saints team.
The Bears, anchored by the monstrous Khalil Mack, might possess the best defense in the entire league. In what would be considered an upset, I could see Chicago playing a lights out defensive game and sending New Orleans packing.
Pick: Chicago 24, New Orleans 19