Baltimore Sun staff writers and FOX45’s Patrice Sanders pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in the divisional round:
Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., CBS)
Brian Wacker (5-1 last week, 181-96-1 overall): It’s difficult to pick against Josh Allen in this spot, but the Bills are incredibly banged up — safety Jordan Poyer and corner Maxwell Hairston are out, while a half-dozen others, including Allen, defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Terrel Bernard, are dealing with varying levels of injuries. Denver has also only lost once at home all year, its run defense has been stingy and I’m trusting Broncos coach Sean Payton more than counterpart Sean McDermott. It’ll be close and the Broncos have thrived in those types of games this year. Broncos 24, Bills 20
Sam Cohn (4-2 last week, 180-97-1 overall): I trust the team that has played in January over the one that hasn’t. Josh Allen took a beating last week. But even if the Broncos seem like the better team on paper, clinching the No. 1 seed in a way that has other NFL teams poaching from their staff, Buffalo will prevail. Bills 20, Broncos 17
Mike Preston (4-2 last week, 176-101-1 overall): Bills quarterback Josh Allen is playing extremely well and he doesn’t know when or how to quit. Of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs, he is the most gifted. The postseason is for quarterbacks, and he is the best of the bunch, certainly more accomplished and polished than Denver’s Bo Nix. Bills 24, Broncos 21
Josh Tolentino (5-1 last week, 181-96-1 overall): Along with Los Angeles’ Matthew Stafford and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, Allen is the only seasoned passer with legitimate playoff experience remaining in the playoffs. Allen is always dangerous, but he’s up against a rested Broncos team that possesses a dominant 8-1 home record under veteran coach Sean Payton. It’s your time to shine, Bo Nix. Broncos 27, Bills 24
C.J. Doon (5-1 last week, 177-100-1 overall): Denver was impressive all season in earning the No. 1 seed, boasts a scary defense and has a seasoned coach in Sean Payton. But quarterback Bo Nix is still unproven, while Josh Allen is coming off an impressive performance. Buffalo finds a way to get it done late, just like it did in Jacksonville. Bills 23, Broncos 20
Bennett Conlin (4-2 last week, 180-97-1 overall): My brain is struggling to process Bo Nix and Sam Darnold leading teams to No. 1 seeds in this postseason. While I’m much higher on the Seahawks than the Broncos, Denver is getting overlooked here because of Josh Allen. This pick goes against my brain’s previous beliefs, but the Broncos have looked amazing at home, and the Bills have a knack for losing postseason heartbreakers for reasons other than Allen. Add this to the list. Broncos 28, Bills 27
Tim Schwartz (4-2 last week, 167-110-1 overall): Buffalo went on the road last weekend as Josh Allen rallied the Bills against one of the NFL’s better defenses. Can they do it again? The stakes are higher and the Broncos’ defense is better than Jacksonville’s, but I don’t trust Bo Nix to do enough offensively for Denver. Bills 18, Broncos 14
Patrice Sanders (5-1 last week, 173-104-1 overall): The Broncos earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC for a reason. They’ve been a good team all year. With their home-field advantage, any team would be hard pressed to go to Denver and win. Although the Bills have Josh Allen, they lost one of their starting receivers last week and just won’t be able to match up against Denver’s top-five defense. Broncos 27, Bills 17
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (Saturday, 8 p.m., FOX)
Wacker: The 49ers losing tight end George Kittle is a tactical and emotional blow. It was one thing for San Francisco to go cross country and knock out what has been a wildly inconsistent Eagles team last week. The Seahawks, on the other hand, seem to play better by the week. Expect Mike Macdonald’s defense to make a key play and for Seattle under the lights to click offensively with quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seahawks 23, 49ers 16
Cohn: This has the potential to be such a fun game between two exceptional defenses. Neither team put up many points the first two times they met this year. The 49ers won the first meeting. Seattle won the second. Sam Darnold doesn’t have a reputation for being very good in big games. This year, with this team, he’ll finally buck that trend and get the win in a game decided during the final minutes. Seahawks 14, 49ers 13
Preston: The 49ers are banged up and San Francisco is a scrappy bunch. But Macdonald has the Seahawks defense playing extremely well and Seattle is a tough place to play. I’m not a big Sam Darnold fan, but with a week of rest, the Seahawks will prevail. Seahawks 17, 49ers 14
Tolentino: This divisional round matchup features a pair of Ravens coaching candidates in Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Brock Purdy has shined in the postseason. Will Sam Darnold be ready to create his signature moment? Los Angeles and Seattle ranked fifth and sixth in the league in takeaways, respectively. Whichever defense hunts the football should finish dancing its way into the conference championship game. Seahawks 21, 49ers 17
Doon: All signs point toward Seattle and coach Mike Macdonald advancing after beating up San Francisco in Week 18, holding its division rival to just three points. But history shows that Sam Darnold struggles under the bright lights, while Brock Purdy is 5-2 in the playoffs in his young career. The banged-up 49ers continue to show their resilience and stun the No. 1 seed on the road. 49ers 20, Seahawks 17
Conlin: Give me Nix and Darnold both advancing, I write as I hold my nose. The Eagles had chances to win last week, but an uninspired offense let them down. Seattle’s offense is led by Klint Kubiak, a popular name to fill head coaching vacancies in 2026. Coupled with Mike Macdonald’s shut-down defense, Seattle has more firepower than an injured San Francisco squad. Seahawks 21, 49ers 13
Schwartz: This is the game of the weekend. These teams are very familiar with each other as it’s a rematch of the Week 18 showdown that Seattle won to earn the No. 1 seed. Sam Darnold has not proved that he can win big games in the playoffs. Brock Purdy has. Give me San Francisco. 49ers 24, Seahawks 21
Sanders: Although the 49ers beat the reigning Super Bowl champions, this Seattle team is for real. The 49ers have overcome so many injuries throughout the year, it’s remarkable that they’ve made it this far, but this will be the end of the line for them. Seattle along with the 12th man will be tough to beat. Seahawks 24, 49ers 20
Houston Texans at New England Patriots (Sunday, 3 p.m., ESPN/ABC)
Wacker: Houston’s defense is the best in the sport, allowing the fewest yards and points per game. That will make life tough on quarterback Drake Maye. New England’s defense has been stout at times this season, too. Getting cornerback Christian Gonzalez back to help contain Nico Collins is an added boost. Expect this one to be close and come down to the wire. Patriots 17, Texans 14
Cohn: The Texans defense is a juggernaut. But C.J. Stroud didn’t look ready for playoff football in Pittsburgh. If the Patriots can get a better game from Drake Maye than they did against the Chargers, they’ll edge out a win at home against Houston. New England has the better team, but America wins if the Patriots’ dynasty isn’t rebooted. Patriots 21, Texans 14.
Preston: New England is one of the most balanced teams in the NFL, and Drake Maye is a hot quarterback. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is the X-factor. He played poorly against Pittsburgh on Monday night, but the Steelers didn’t have enough offense to counter. Houston will be competitive because of its defense, but the Patriots have too much overall talent to lose. Patriots 21, Texans 17
Tolentino: Losing star wideout Nico Collins to a concussion during their road victory over the Steelers might be too big of a blow to overcome for the Texans, a team that, unlike the Ravens, successfully rebounded from a disappointing start to the season. MVP candidate Drake Maye must prioritize quick decisions against Houston’s vaunted pass rush. The Texans boast one of the league’s top defensive units, but Houston can be picked at by the way of explosive plays. Patriots 27, Texans 21
Doon: For as good as Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has been all season, he’s faced an extremely weak schedule. That includes a woefully limited Chargers team in the wild-card round. This Texans defense led by star pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter is an entirely different beast. Maye will struggle to handle the pressure, and Houston does just enough on offense to escape with the win. Texans 19, Patriots 16
Conlin: Houston’s defense is among the league’s best, and while the offense is far from elite, it’s better than what the Chargers had last week in New England. I like the road underdog in a close one. Texans 23, Patriots 20
Schwartz: Houston’s defense was lights-out Monday night in Pittsburgh, but Drake Maye is a different type of quarterback. His ability to take off and use his legs will be key in this one. If C.J. Stroud was playing at his best, I might take the Texans to win it all. But he’s playing some poor football right now. New England’s defense will be ready for the challenge. Patriots 21, Texans 20
Sanders: This is a matchup of two well-coached teams. The Texans have the No. 1 rated defense in the league. At this time of the year, defense wins championships. We saw what happened last week; the Steelers didn’t even score a touchdown. Historically, it’s always been tough to win a playoff game in Foxborough, but a great defense travels well. Texans 17, Patriots 13
Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
Wacker: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford can smell another shot at a Super Bowl. So can coach Sean McVay. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been equal parts head-scratching and dazzling this season, but the former will come back to bite him against an intrepid L.A. team that is built to win tough road games in cold weather climates, especially against a Chicago defense that can be had. Sorry, but the magic carpet ride ends here for the darling Bears. Rams 24, Bears 20
Cohn: What the heck is going on in Chicago? One minute, Caleb Williams throws a duck and the next he’s unloading the best throw of any quarterback in I’m not sure how long. My brain tells me Rams. My heart makes it tough to not envision a Bears upset. Bears 30, Rams 23
Preston: The Bears are decent, but not on the same level as the Rams. Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford will chew up Chicago’s defense, and he has plenty of weapons to choose from. Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams might keep the game close for a half, but the Rams will dominate the final two quarters. The Rams appear poised for another Super Bowl title run. Rams 38, Bears 20
Tolentino: Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson have something special brewing in Chicago. The Bears’ never-give-up attitude has led them to a handful of wild comebacks, including their improbable victory over their longtime rivals in the wild card round. Chicago’s defense is deeply battered and bruised, most recently losing defensive captain and middle linebacker T.J. Edwards to a gruesome season-ending leg injury. Will cornerbacks Jaylen Johnson and Kyler Gordon, both of whom were sidelined with injuries during Chicago’s loss to Baltimore in Week 8, be ready to contain one of the league’s most explosive pass-catching duos? And how will the Rams, who’re practicing in 80 degree temps this week in Los Angeles, adjust to and handle frigid conditions with the wind chill expected to drop to single digits on Sunday night in Chicago? Much like they have all year, the Bears will live and die with their ability to force takeaways (league-high 33 in regular season). They’ll likely need to force a few more to pull off another playoff victory at Soldier Field. Bears 33, Rams 27
Doon: There’s just something magical happening with the Bears this season. How else do you explain all these comebacks in the final minutes? If Chicago is trailing or in a tight game in the fourth quarter Sunday, it will feel comfortable for coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. The Rams looked vulnerable against Carolina and haven’t played well down the stretch. Bears 28, Rams 27
Conlin: Chicago is exciting with Johnson and Williams leading the franchise, but the Bears’ defense has legitimate flaws that should end any Super Bowl dreams. The Rams have their own issues, but playoff experience at coach and quarterback gives Los Angeles an edge. Expect a competitive game for 60 minutes, as the Bears are fourth-quarter wizards, but Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay advance to face a divisional foe in the NFC championship game. Rams 38, Bears 28
Schwartz: Can Chicago’s miraculous fourth-quarter comeback against the Packers carry over? I don’t think so, at least not against what could be the most complete team remaining. The Rams needed their own miracle last weekend, but their key players have all been through this type of challenge before. Behind Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles’ offense led the NFL in points per game, and it’ll show up on Sunday. Rams 31, Bears 23
Sanders: The Bears have won seven games this year when trailing with two minutes or less remaining. They have been the comeback kids of the NFL. Between their new coach Ben Johnson and franchise quarterback Caleb Williams, they’ve had a great year on the offensive side of the ball. Although their defense gets a lot of takeaways, it has been a liability in a lot of games this year. On the other hand, Matthew Stafford and the Rams are a complete team. I believe their playoff experience will be a factor in this game. I’m going with Los Angeles. Rams 31, Bears 27
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