Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina Panthers (Saturday, 4.30pm ET/9.30pm GMT)
What the Rams need to do to win Catch the ball. In five regular-season losses, Matthew Stafford lost the ball seven times, including six interceptions and a fumble. In November, the Rams suffered their worst loss of the season against the Panthers, with Stafford denying his team a lead with two first-quarter picks. Keep it tight.
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What the Panthers need to do to win The Panthers are huge underdogs but have the advantage of having significant experience already beating the Rams. With a super-aggressive offense, two touchdowns on long passes on fourth down won the game. Head coach Dave Canales will need to deliver a sequel worthy of Paddington 2 to beat the Rams again. More jaw-dropping, all-out plays could quickly destroy Los Angeles’ confidence.
key person Pukanacua, wide receiver, Rams. If Skynet made pass catchers. A relentless, open, one-handed catching machine even when he’s not around. While dominating the Cardinals in Week 14, he was named Pro Football Focus’ Offensive Player of the Year (since records began in 2006). He leads the NFL in receptions (129), yards per game (107.2), first downs (80), 20-plus yard catches (27) and yards after the catch (666).
prophecy Rams beat Panthers
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Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears (8 p.m. ET Saturday/1 a.m. Sunday GMT)
What the Packers need to do to win Suck the life out of Chicago’s big defense. Give them absolutely nothing to use – or at least as little as possible. Get the ball down their throats and let the frustration creep in, even if you’re down by a few points. When the mental fog descends, Jordan Love unleashes the punishing deep threat of Christian Watson to tear it apart. Too many early shots downfield could hurt the Bears’ main advantage.
What the Bears need to do to win Take a history lesson. Beating the Packers in the playoffs is possible. On December 14, 1941, a week after the attack on Pearl Harbor, George Halas’ Bears beat the Packers 33-14, Chicago’s only playoff victory over a division rival. Key to the victory that day was George McAfee, Norm Standley and Bob Swisher combining to rush for over 200 yards and three touchdowns. If D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monange’s tribute performance can recreate that amazing performance, it will take a ton of pressure off Caleb Williams’ shoulders. Let the young quarterback slowly develop into his first postseason appearance.
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key person Kevin Baird, small forward, Bears. The 32-year-old is the leader of Chicago’s turnover factory, leading the NFL in interceptions (23) and total takeaways (33). He contributed seven draft picks, rebounding from his early form with the Titans.
prophecy Bears beat Packers
Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET/6 p.m. GMT)
What the Bills need to do to win Protect Josh Allen. There’s a clue to Buffalo’s five regular-season losses: Allen was feeling a lot of pressure, sacks and fumbles. Houston: Eight sacks, two picks. Atlanta: Four sacks, two picks, two fumbles. Miami: 3 sacks, 1 pick, 1 fumble. New England: One sack, one pick, one fumble. Jacksonville will be keenly aware that this is a way to hinder Allen. The offense needs to be ready to counterattack or help the quarterback escape post-snap pressure.
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What the Jaguars need to do to win “You can’t make the playoffs without a strong defense that can take something away,” Jaguars coach Joe Brady said. Jacksonville needs to stay successful by stopping James Cook. It’s a tough matchup against running backs. Cook wins the 2025 rushing title with 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns, and the Bills lead the NFL in rushing yards overall (160). Jaguars will not be intimidated. They rank first in games allowing the fewest yards per game (86) and in games allowing over 100 yards per game (five). In the previous seven postseason games, the defense was 4-3 between the No. 1 rusher and running backs.
key person Josh Allen, QB, Bills. He’s the most talented player on both rosters who plays in the most impactful position. In what feels like the biggest coin toss of the weekend, having a totem like Allen could be crucial.
prophecy Jaguars beat Bills
San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 4.30pm ET/9.30pm GMT)
What the 49ers need to do to win Play to the immense strength of running back Christian McCaffrey. Run the ball, control the clock, and keep it running in the red zone. A regular dose of McCaffrey will keep Vic Fangio’s defense honest as they also have to protect Brock Purdy’s deep passes. If defenses trigger too far in McCaffrey’s direction, the 49ers will absolutely need to rely on Purdy’s irrepressible passing downfield, as the quarterback has 35 carries of 20 yards or more and ranks first in the NFL in completion rate. If Purdy targets lame duck Adoree Jackson in Philadelphia’s secondary, his numbers could really pop.
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What the Eagles need to do to win Trust Jalen Hurts’ legs. Quarterbacks excel when the run is planned, especially in life-or-death situations. This tactic could be very effective against a group of subpar linebackers. Some notable gains will be money in the bank to remind the quarterback and his offense that even in a down year, they can still produce power. That power defeated Purdy’s 49ers 31-7 in the 2023 NFC Championship Game.
key figures Trent Williams, LT, 49ers. Under Williams’ leadership, the 49ers became an offensive powerhouse. Without their elite pass protector, they only managed three points when they needed to beat the Seahawks. Fortunately for San Francisco, he has returned to practice after a hamstring injury and looks likely to start.
prophecy Eagles 49+
Related: Kicking zones and losing team bans: NFL postseason tweaks we want to see
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Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots (Sunday 8 p.m. ET/Monday 1 a.m. GMT)
What the Chargers need to do to win Justin Herbert needs to get rid of the ball quickly. The Chargers used 25 different offensive line combinations in 17 games, resulting in an amorphous blob in front of the quarterback that allowed the most hits (129) in the NFL. If Herbert holds the ball longer than necessary, New England’s potent pass-rushing duo of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore will blow Herbert away.
What the Patriots need to do to win New England has had great success using giant kits to power the running game. Over the course of the season, they had six offensive linemen on the field for 66 rushing attempts, and they ranked second in the NFL with 6.7 yards per carry when using this setup. In the four games since the bye week in December, the Patriots have used this strategy to great effect, completing 47 of 66 carries for 8.3 yards per carry. The Chargers have a sound defense but may still be outmatched by the strength of Lamond Stevenson and Tre’Vion Henderson behind their six-pack.
key figures Derek Meyer, quarterback, Patriots. The likely MVP’s impressive ball-handling abilities are just as important as his explosive play, as he leads a starting quarterback in yards per attempt (nine) while the Chargers’ defense records the third-most interceptions in the NFL (19).
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prophecy Patriots beat Chargers
Houston Texans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday 8.15pm ET/Tuesday 1.15am GMT)
What the Texans need to do to win Continue to improve red zone efficiency. The Texans have struggled inside the 20-yard line this season, ranking 29th at 46.3 percent. They did improve to 60 percent shooting over the last three games, which showed they were showing promise in a tough encounter with the Steelers. Pittsburgh ranks seventh in red zone defense, giving up the ball on 50.9 percent of opponents’ attempts. You can bet that head coach Mike Tomlin will have his Steelers team playing higher than this level on Monday night. The Texans will need to be prepared with a slew of skills to overcome it.
What the Steelers need to do to win They need their hottest starter to keep up with the Texans’ strong defense. Win the toss, gain possession and do whatever it takes to gain scoreboard advantage with the goal of never giving up. The added bonus is rallying one of the loudest and most passionate home fans in the NFL around the team and Tomlin. The boos started again when the Steelers faced off against the Ravens, but that was about it. Now that Tomlin has led their shaky team into the playoffs, he’ll likely have full support. If not, getting an early lead will help ease the tension.
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key figures Will Anderson Jr., DE, Texans. Houston is a threat. The first is a suffocating secondary that paralyzes the opposing quarterback. The story ends with the sack in Anderson’s tumbling embrace. Regardless of the outcome, Aaron Rodgers is going to have one hell of a night.
prophecy Texans beat Steelers
