Predicting every game of the 2021 NFL Playoffs

AFC Wild Card: Baltimore Ravens (5) at Tennessee Titans (4)

The Titans pulled off a last-second win in Week 17 to avoid playing the Bills in the first round. While that was a small win, they’ll now be matched up with the Ravens in the Wild Card round, a matchup that’ll likely prove to be too overwhelming for Tennessee to handle.

I have a hard time putting much stock in the Titans right now. Yes, they’ve got the league’s best running back, a strong quarterback and plenty of other offensive weapons. Unfortunately, their defense is a mess right now. There’s no way they’re going to find a way to slow down Lamar Jackson and Co. — they nearly fell to Deshaun Watson and the Texans this past Sunday.

As for the Ravens, they’re not far behind the Bills as one of the NFL’s hottest squads. Jackson is nearly back to MVP levels of play, and the Baltimore running game has been dominant. On top of that, the Ravens defense is killing it as of late, which should help them keep Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill from setting the scoreboard on fire.

The Ravens need a bounce-back playoff appearance after last year’s letdown. It’s going to be a rough road through the AFC, but a first-round win could give Baltimore the confidence it needs to pull off another upset or two.

Prediction: Ravens win 27-21