The NFL playoffs are here once again and it’s time to see what 14 of the best teams in the NFL are made of as they put their seasons on the line for good in Wild Card weekend.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions each won their way to a bye week in the first round of the playoffs, so 12 other teams will be duking it out for a chance to advance to the Divisional Round next weekend and a shot to play for the Conference Championship.
But who is going to win this weekend? We’ve got you covered with our Wild Card Round picks and score predictions for every single game, going in the order in which each game will be played.
NFL Wild Card Round Game Picks and Score Predictions
(5) Los Angeles Chargers @ (4) Houston Texans
Saturday, January 11, 4:30 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)
This is easily my least favorite game to have to pick here in the first round of the playoffs. It just so happens to be the first game on the docket.
Last year’s Houston Texans team was an easy one to want to pick in the postseason. They were hot, CJ Stroud was playing at a very high level, and it took a buzzsaw to get them out of the playoffs. This year, it feels like they just limped into the dance after drifting through the season and benefitting from playing in a terrible division.
The Texans could make me look bad for saying this, but based on what we’ve seen so far, they look like the most overrated team in the postseason to me.
Now watch them go and win this game.
The Los Angeles Chargers not only made it to the playoffs in the first year of the Jim Harbaugh era but they managed to win 11 games and take the #5 seed. This was a coveted spot in the playoffs because the Texans felt like they were going to be a favorable matchup for anyone who could secure the top Wild Card spot.
And the Chargers took this spot from the Steelers.
I’m sticking to my guns on this one that the Texans are the most overrated team in the playoffs and that the Chargers won’t “Charger”, at least not in the Wild Card round.
Prediction: Chargers win 24-20