–If the oddsmakers are right, the divisional around of the playoffs will be like the wild card round when only one of the six games was close and the home team won five of the six games.
–The oddsmakers have the two top seeded team, Baltimore and San Francisco, favored by more than a touchdown margin on Saturday. The Ravens are nine point favorites over the Texans and the 49ers are 9.5 points over the Packers.
–The pressure is on the two quarterbacks of the top seeds, Lamar Jackson of the Ravens and Mark Purdy of the 49ers. Jackson has been injured at the end of the last two seasons and hasn’t had much success in the playoffs. He needs to have a big game. Meanwhile, Purdy was hurt in the playoffs last year and wants to show he is more than a game manager surrounded by good talent. The two opposing quarterbacks, C.J. Stroud of the Texans and Jordan Love of the Packers are both in their first year of playing although Love is in his fourth year and have nothing to lose since they are big underdogs.
–In the first game Sunday, the Lions are 6.5 point favorite over the Lions. The Lions are probably the most popular team left in the playoffs because their fans have put up with so much losing and now they are on the cusp of playing in the NFC title game if they beat the Bucs.
–In the best game of the weekend and probably the playoffs so far,the Bills are 3.5 favorites at home over the Chiefs. Both teams are 11-6 and have had up and down seasons although both were impressive last week. The Chiefs are the defending champions and Patrick Mahomes is going for his third title. Buffalo has a history of failing in the playoffs and have yet to reach the Super Bowl since the Jim Kelly days. This could be a classic Mahones-Josh Allen duel.
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