FIRST ROUND (AFC)
Ravens (2) vs. Bills (7): Ravens win
Chiefs (3) vs. Chargers (6): Chiefs win
Texans (4) vs. Bengals (5): Bengals win
* Pass: Dolphins (1)
The most attractive matchup of the bunch will be the one between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans. Two young, dynamic and ambitious teams. In a hard-fought, high-scoring game, Joe Burrow’s Bengals will end up snatching the victory. Simply because in this type of duel, the Cincinnati quarterback relies on experience that his counterpart CJ Stroud is in the process of acquiring. In the other duels, the depth of the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs will tip the scales.
DIVISION FINALS (AFC)
Dolphins (1) v. Bengals (5): Dolphins win
Ravens (2) vs. Chiefs (3): Ravens win
Who’s ready to relive a playoff duel between Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes? This time, Jackson is ready to beat his nemesis. The Baltimore Ravens will benefit from more resources and they now have a team built to win games that don’t last. The Kansas City Chiefs will arrive exhausted from the last two campaigns. In Florida, the Miami Dolphins, fresh and ready, will simply be too strong for the Cincinnati Bengals. It will be interesting to see Tua Tagovailoa evolve in such a context. The system implemented by Mike McDaniel will serve his cause.
ASSOCIATION FINAL (AFC)
Dolphins (1) vs. Ravens (2): Ravens win
At this point, it’s not about talent, depth, or system. The Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens are equivalent in most aspects of the game. Victory will go to the team that shows the most determination to win. With the cruel fate that awaited the Ravens last year, John Harbaugh’s men will be hungry like crows around a carcass. They’ve been there before. Even the Dolphins’ defense can’t stand up to the Lamar Jackson-Derrick Henry tandem.
FIRST ROUND (NFC)
Lions (2) vs. Buccaneers (7): Lions win
Eagles (3) vs. Rams (6): Eagles win
Falcons (4) vs. Packers (5): Packers win
* Pass: 49ers (1)
Only one team will beat a higher ranked team: the Packers. Expect a wild winter for Green Bay. The Atlanta Falcons have a very talented roster, but Kirk Cousins’ playoff history will catch up with them. Young guns like Bijan Robinson and Drake London still have some growing up to do. On the other side, the Packers are getting more and more experienced. The Detroit Lions will make short work of the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Philadelphia Eagles will go through despite a close contest.
DIVISION FINALS (NFC)
49ers (1) vs. Packers (5): Packers win
Lions (2) v. Eagles (3): Eagles win
Let’s not forget that last year, in the division championship, the San Francisco Niners defeated the Packers by only three points. The latter led in the last quarter, but they were fragile at the end of the game. The addition of Josh Jacobs on offense and Xavier McKinney on defense solidifies this team. Especially since Green Bay has the certainty of being able to compete with San Francisco. The Packers will meet the Eagles in the conference final. A team that knows tobacco and is built for the intensity of the playoffs.
ASSOCIATION FINAL (NFC)
Eagles (3) vs. Packers (5): Packers win
Green Bay, led by a Jordan Love who will play with aplomb, will fly over the National League to reach the Super Bowl. The restructuring of the last few years will finally pay off. The Packers have based their ambitions on imposing players who don’t do things by halves. Quay Walker and Rashan Gary will act as two generals on defense. And receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who few people talk about, will make a name for themselves. There are no superstars on this team, but like the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021, the team will rely on the collective.
SUPER BOWL
February 9, 2025
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
Ravens (2) vs. Packers (5): Ravens win
The Packers’ great run will end in the Super Bowl in a loss to the Ravens. After beating the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, Baltimore can’t collapse so close to the truth. Lamar Jackson will have a performance that will be remembered for a long time. In a duel with a thousand restarts, both offensive and defensive, Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love will struggle with his inexperience at the end of the game. On the other side, Jackson and the Ravens are ripe for a title and they will go get it.