The Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs begins soon. Let's look at three teams that are guaranteed to win this weekend. The NFL expanding to a seven-team playoff format a few years ago gives us six Wild Card games total, which is a ton of action.
With 14 teams now in the playoffs in recent years, there is that much more playoff action. The other notable change as we all know is the no. 2 seed in each conference not having that first-round bye into the divisional round.
Six Wild Card games on the schedule gives us endless content, and there are some teams coming into this weekend that are flat-out guaranteed to win. Let's dive into those teams.
3 teams guaranteed to win in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs
Baltimore Ravens
Winning the AFC North with a late-season push and a Pittsburgh Steelers' collapse, the Baltimore Ravens host Pittsburgh for the second time this season. Over the last month or so, the Steelers' offense has hit rock bottom, and it's beginning to look like Russell Wilson's style of play is giving out.
It's sustainable for a few weeks - and that was evidenced earlier in the year when the Steelers were stacking wins with Wilson under center. But Wilson's boom-or-bust style of play and inability to play on time and work the middle of the field is what has been the team's downfall. The Ravens are more talented and dynamic on both sides of the ball and will take care of business at home in the Wild Card Round.
Philadelphia Eagles
Hosting the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, the Philadelphia Eagles are the better team and should take care of business here. The Packers just feel like they are another year away. They do feel a bit better than how they ended the year in 2023, but Green Bay isn't there yet.
The Eagles are the more talented team on both sides of the ball and have the Philly home crowd on their side. Eagles' defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has been feeling himself lately, and Saquon Barkley coming off of some rest is also going to be a major issue for the Packers to deal with.
While Green Bay does have a very bright future, they will get overwhelmed in this game.
Los Angeles Rams
Yes, I am picking the Los Angeles Rams over the high-powered Minnesota Vikings. In Week 18, the Vikings had a shot to earn the no. 1 seed with a win over the Detroit Lions, but they got blown out, and Sam Darnold seemed overwhelmed, honestly, and if that's the type of player that shows up in big games, the Vikes are in trouble.
Contrast that with the steady LA Rams, who have been money in the postseason in the Sean McVay/Matthew Stafford era. Stafford and the Rams won it all back in 2021 and have made the playoffs in two-straight seasons after missing in 2022. The Rams are much more tested for a game like this than the Vikings, and the elite mind of their head coach and QB will be too much for the Vikings to handle.