NFL picks and score predictions for the Wild Card Round as the playoffs get underway.
It’s been 18 long weeks, but the 2021 NFL regular season is officially over and the 2022 NFL Playoffs are set to begin. We witness plenty of twists and turns on our way to this point, and now there are bound to be even more as the postseason kicks off. Buckle up.
As we’ve throughout the regular season, we’ve now got you covered with the Wild Card Round edition of NFL picks and score predictions. As always, I’ll never claim to know what the future holds. As it turns out, odds are high at least a few of my picks will be completely wrong. I will, however, make my selections based on research, experience, and careful consideration.
It’s mind-boggling how unpredictable this season has been. Throughout the year, my picks culminated in a 169-107-1 record. After a strong middle part of the season, the last few weeks were rough. But now that the postseason is upon us, I’m hoping I’ll rediscover some of that success I was enjoying early on.
Just remember that making picks is not a science. Plenty of research goes into it, but there’s no crystal ball — craziness occurs every Sunday. Then again, isn’t that part of the fun of it all?
Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, here are my NFL picks and score predictions for the Wild Card Round. Just keep in mind that I assume no responsibility if you choose to place wagers based on my picks — that’s your decision, not mine.
NFL Picks: Wild Card Round Playoff Predictions
No. 5 Las Vegas Raiders (10-7) at No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals
Saturday, January 15, 4:30PM ET
I’ll admit I’m extremely impressed the Las Vegas Raiders are even in this position. When Jon Gruden was fired mid-season, I assumed it was a death sentence for this franchise. That obviously wasn’t the case, and now they’ll be looking to keep the surprise wins coming.
Unfortunately, I don’t foresee that being the case in the Wild Card Round against a red-hot Cincinnati Bengals club. The Bengals were up-and-down all year long but finally got it going in the final few weeks of the season. Joe Burrow is playing like a superstar, and it’s clear his talent is going to carry Cincinnati deep into the postseason.
That doesn’t mean Derek Carr and Co. will go quietly, though. He’s done some outstanding work in the latter half of the season and has stepped up numerous times when the game was on the line. I don’t doubt that he’ll keep the Raiders in the game, but I’m not sure if he’s got enough weapons around him to keep pace with Burrow and the Bengals.
Kudos to Las Vegas for making it this far, but the bus stops in Cincinnati. Another stellar outing from the duo of Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase allows the Bengals to pull away in the fourth quarter and book their trip to the next round of the playoffs.
Prediction: Bengals win 41-28
No. 6 New England Patriots (10-7) at No. 3 Buffalo Bills (11-6)
Saturday, January 15, 8:15PM ET
Had I been making this prediction a few weeks ago, I’d undoubtedly go with the New England Patriots to topple the Buffalo Bills on the road. However, at this point in time, there isn’t much reason to get behind the Patriots as we head into Wild Card weekend.
New England is hurting right now. They’ve lost three of their last four, with their only win coming against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars. Mac Jones has regressed after a strong middle of his rookie campaign, and the defense hasn’t been nearly as dominant in recent weeks as it was earlier in the year. There’s just no momentum behind the Patriots right now.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills have to be feeling good coming into this one. They defeated the Patriots only two weeks ago, and are riding a four-game winning streak as we head into the playoffs. I regularly dubbed the Bills as AFC favorites earlier in the year, and I’m thinking I might not have been as off as I once thought.
Josh Allen must avoid giving the ball away, and the Bills need to get the ground game going. As long as they can do that while putting pressure on Jones, there’s no reason to believe Buffalo can’t come away with a decisive victory. You can never count out Bill Belichick, but the Patriots don’t have the edge in this one.
Prediction: Bills win 27-20
No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles (9-8) at No. 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-4)
Sunday, January 16, 1PM ET
Honestly, the Philadelphia Eagles have as good of a shot as any team of pulling off a first-round upset. They’ve won six of their last eight games and are coming in hot despite the fact they were trounced in their final contest of the regular season.
It helps their cause that the Buccaneers haven’t exactly been dominant in recent weeks. They were shut out by the New Orleans Saints only a few weeks ago, and got off to slow starts against subpar teams in their final two outings. Despite coming back in convincing fashion, they aren’t going to be as successful playing from behind against the Eagles.
For the Buccaneers, there are two focuses — get consistent production on offense and keep Jalen Hurts from running up the score. The Tampa Bay defense is more than capable of slowing down the Philadelphia ground game, but Hurts has been such a dynamic threat this season. If he gets going, he could turn this into a track meet.
In the end, though, I see the Buccaneers getting the win at home. They’re the defending champs, have an exceptional defense, and Tom Brady is tossing the pigskin. I’m not yet convinced they’re ready to go the distance, but surviving the Wild Card Round seems likely.
Either way, this will be one worth watching with plenty of fireworks expected.
Prediction: Buccaneers win 34-30
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (9-7) at No. 3 Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
Sunday, January 16, 4:30PM ET
There’s going to be at least one upset on Wild Card weekend, and chances are it comes from this game. While the Dallas Cowboys have been great at times this season, they’re beatable — especially against an opponent as well-rounded and consistent as the San Francisco 49ers.
Sure, Dak Prescott is coming off a five-touchdown game and confidence is high. However, they seem to stumble when the pressure is on and they’re forced to slow down electric playmakers. That’s exactly what the 49ers have in Deebo Samuel, who has been one of the scariest weapons in the NFL this season.
I’m just not sure the Dallas defense has what it takes to slow the 49ers down. Between Samuel, George Kittle, Elijah Mitchell, and Jauan Jennings, San Francisco seems able to move the ball with ease. The Cowboys’ defense is exceptional, but it’s going to have its hands full in this one.
I’m predicting Prescott has one of his down games as the Cowboys have a hard time producing points against the 49ers feisty defense. A big game from Samuel allows San Francisco to score at will, and the lower seed comes away with a not-so-surprising upset.
Prediction: 49ers win 35-21
No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7-1) at No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)
Sunday, January 16, 8:15PM ET
Three weeks ago, the Kansas City Chiefs played the Pittsburgh Steelers at home. In that game, they dominant from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. I don’t expect much different in this one, especially with a trip to the next round of the playoffs on the line.
There’s just no slowing down the Chiefs right now. They’ve won nine of their last ten games, and that one loss was a shootout that required a historic effort from the Bengals to get the job done. The Steelers aren’t nearly as intimidating of a foe, and we’ll see evidence of that on Sunday.
Look for the Chiefs to get after Ben Roethlisberger early and often, forcing the aging gunslinger to make plays under pressure. Kansas City will also get their offense rolling early, forcing the Steelers to play catch-up all game long. Despite Pittsburgh’s solid defense, I don’t see them having enough to keep Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce contained.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the Steelers this season — they’re lucky to even be in the postseason. As for the Chiefs, they’ve spent the last three months proving they’re one of the teams to beat as the playoffs get underway. Kansas City starts their campaign for a third-straight Super Bowl appearance run with a big win at Arrowhead Stadium.
Prediction: Chiefs win 36-17
No. 5 Arizona Cardinals (10-7) at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
Monday, January 17, 8:15PM ET
At this point, I don’t have a ton of confidence in the Los Angeles Rams. Oddly enough, I don’t have a ton of confidence in the Arizona Cardinals either. So that presents quite the dilemma as we move into the first round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs.
It’s a bit baffling how far the Cardinals have fallen after starting the 2021 campaign at 9-1. That means they’ve lost six of their last seven, and are coming off another disappointing effort against the Seattle Seahawks. While the Rams were far more successful down the stretch, they have their own concerns coming into the Wild Card Round.
This will come down to whether or Matthew Stafford can take care of the football. He’s become a bit of a turnover machine as of late — in the last three games, he’s thrown seven interceptions. The Cardinals have excelled on the road this season, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to outscore a Rams offense that still produces even with Stafford’s lack of ball security.
Ultimately, I believe this comes down to defense. Even if DeAndre Hopkins returns for the Cardinals, the Los Angeles defense relies on top playmakers like Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey to get the job done. A late stop allows the Rams to move to the next round.
Prediction: Rams win 26-24