Chiefs, Lions Begin NFL Playoff Run; Ravens-Bills Matches MVP QBs

Top seeds Kansas City and Detroit enter the NFL playoffs with home games this weekend, but the game of the week — the game of the year, to date — will be played in Buffalo.

While the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs begin work on a three-peat and the Lions are the new favorite to finally get there, the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills provide a most compelling match. TV knows — the game is scheduled for prime time Sunday night, the weekend finale.

Baltimore and Buffalo rank 2-3 in the league in scoring behind Detroit, and each is averaging more than 30 points per game behind an MVP caliber quarterback. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Bills’ Josh Allen will finish 1-2 in MVP voting. It’s just a matter of positioning.

Jackson was named first-team All Pro ahead of Kelly last week, which adds a little spice to the second meeting of the two this season.

“When we’re older, we’ll probably laugh about it,” Jackson said of the matchup. “But right now, it’s serious.”

Each was selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, and each brings a similar pass/run skill set. Allen was taken seventh while Jackson lasted until the 32nd and final pick. Both embody the new breed, using their athleticism to keep defenses off balance.

Jackson and Allen burnished their resumes in the wild card round, when the Ravens ran through AFC North rival Pittsburgh 28-14 in a game that was more lopsided than the score indicated to win their fifth straight. The Bills dominated Denver 31-7.

Jackson passed for 175 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers, primarily as a wingman to halfback Derrick Henry, who rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

Allen was 20 of 26 passing for 272 yards and two touchdowns and added 46 yards rushing in the victory over Denver. Allen sat out the season-ending loss to New England when the Bills’ No. 2 seed was assured.

Three of the four divisional playoff games are rematches, and the regular-season winner is favored again.

The Chiefs will open their title defense in the first game of the weekend at home Saturday against Houston while Detroit plays at host Washington in the second game Saturday, the only non-rematch.

Philadelphia will play host to the Los Angeles Rams in the other NFC game Sunday.

AFC Division Games

SATURDAY

Houston Texans (11-7) vs Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)

How to watch: ESPN/ABC/ESPN+, 4:30 pm ET

Key matchup: Patrick Mahomes vs Texans D

Early line: Chiefs -8 1/2

The Chiefs used their off week to recharge, and blowing the rust off has never been an issue during their current run. The Chiefs won the 2019 and 2022 Super Bowls as the No. 1 seed and made the 2020 Super Bowl from the same spot. Oddly, No. 1 seeds are only 11-7 in the playoffs since 2020, when the playoff format was changed to add an extra team give only one first-round bye.

Two-time NFL MVP Mahomes had what for him could be be considered a mediocre season, finishing seventh in passing yards and 17th in quarterback rating, but he has won seven straight playoff games and is 15-3 overall.

The Chiefs beat Houston 27-19 on Dec. 21, when Mahomes threw for a touchdown and ran for another. Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud threw two for two scores but had two interceptions. The Chiefs have not had a turnover in their last seven games.

The Texans beat the Chargers 32-12 thanks to a defense that had four interceptions against Justin Herbert.

SUNDAY

Baltimore Ravens (13-5) vs Buffalo Bills (14-4)

How to watch: CBS/Paramount+, 6:30 pm ET

Key matchup: Jackson vs Allen

Early line: Ravens -1 1/2 (from Bills -1)

The Ravens handled the Bills easily in their regular-season meeting, winning 35-10 in Baltimore behind top offseason free agent sign Derrick Henry. As he did against the Steelers last week, Henry ran through the Bills’ defense for 199 yards rushing and a touchdown. He had only 24 carries.

“My dad’s proud,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after the Ravens put up 299 yards rushing against the Steelers. “He likes to pound the rock.”

Jackson also accounted for three touchdowns in the regular-season meeting, two passing and one rushing, and Allen was effectively bottled up. Allen had one of his least effective games, He passed for 180 yards without a touchdown or an interception, the only game this season he did not score. He was sacked three times.

Look for points. The Bills have scored at least 30 points in 10 of the last 11 games Allen has played, and the Ravens have been held under 28 points only twice since the second week of he season.

NFC Division Games

SATURDAY

Washington Commanders (13-5) vs Detroit Lions (15-2)

How to watch: FOX, 9 pm ET

Key matchup: Jayden Daniels vs Lions D

Early line: Lions -9 1/2

Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is the hottest young coach on the market, and it is not difficult to explain. The Lions’ powerful, versatile, motion-forward offense has been the dominant unit in the league this season. The Lions are averaging 33.2 points per game, a jump of almost six from 2023, and are one of two teams averaging more than 400 yards. Baltimore is the other.

Quarterback Jared Goff has multiple, varied weapons in running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta. The have only 15 giveaways — and they won the game (26-23 over Houston) in which Goff threw five interceptions.

Washington is this season’s Cinderella, if Cinderella wears work clothes and is not afraid to play all 60. Consensus Rookie of the Year quarterback Daniels threw for 268 yards and two scores in the 23-20 win at Tampa Bay last week, when Zane Gonzalez’s field goal dunked through as time expired.

The Commanders enter with a six-game winning streak, the longest in the league, and have won five of those by six points or less.

SUNDAY

Los Angeles Rams (11-7) vs Philadelphia Eagles (15-3)

How to watch: NBA/Peacock, 3 pm ET

Key matchup: Saquon Barkley vs Rams D

Early line: Eagles -6 1/2

Barkley single-handedly demolished the Rams in front of a national television audience on Sunday night, Nov. 24, rushing for a career-high and franchise-record 255 yards in the Eagles’ 37-20 victory in Los Angeles. He had touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards, and not once did he slide to a stop in the open field as he did at the end of a 22-10 victory over Green Bay last week.

Barkley’s 2,005 yards rushing was the eighth highest total in league history. The Eagles have won 13 of their last 14 games and won two without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who returned from the conductions protocol against the Packers.

The Rams’ defense appears strikingly different this time. Since a 44-42 loss to Buffalo, the Rams have limited four of their last five opponents to nine points or less, going over that figure only in a meaningless loss to Seattle after their playoff spot was secured. They tied an NFL postseason record with nine sacks in a 27-9 victory over Minnesota last week.

Matthew Stafford threw two touchdowns for the Rams, who led 24-3 at halftime.

“This time of year, it doesn’t really reward you to be timid,” Stafford said. “You’ve got to go out there and make plays.”