This weekend marks the first week of the NFL playoffs. It will kick off with the Super Wild Card Weekend. There will be six games in total spread across Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. These games will feature the Bengals vs Raiders and Patriots vs Bills on Saturday. Then a triple header on Sunday including: Eagles vs Bucs, 49ers vs Cowboys, and  Steelers vs Chiefs. Then Wild Card Weekend will finish with its first Monday night game which includes the Cardinals vs the Rams.

With these games and the rest of the playoffs comes predictions. Now I am not one much for predictions but this year I have decided to change that. Below is my bracket for the playoffs and who I ultimately think will win the Super Bowl this year.

Wild Card Games:

Bengals vs Raiders

The Bengals play for their first playoff win in three decades while the Raiders play for their first playoff win in nearly two decades. In this game I chose the Bengals because of their offensive weapons. They have an almost unstoppable young wide receiver core in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. They also have a beast of a running back in Joe Mixon in the backfield and not to mention they have a guy named Joe Burrow. I just do not see the Raiders stopping Joe Burrow especially with how he has

played of late. The only two issues I see for the Bengals is in the Raiders defensive ends: Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue. If the Bengals do not find a way to prevent these two from destroying their o-line then I think they will not be able to win this game. It will also depend on the the Bengals defense to show up like they have so many times in the regular season. I believe if the offensive line and defense do their job then Joe Burrow will have no problem in winning this game. The “Jungle” will also have an effect on this game with their fans roaring for their newly unexpected contenders.

Patriots vs Bills

I believe that the Bills will come out with this one especially with it being at Buffalo. I do not trust Mac Jones in pressure situations and I do not think he will be able to handle playing in a rocking Buffalo atmosphere. The only thing stopping the Bills in the playoffs is their inconsistency and unfortunately they have had a lot of that this year.

Eagles vs Bucs

I think this is a fairly simple one in it being Tom Brady against an Eagles squad who have yet to beat a playoff team this season. Bucs by at least 10 in this one even with a depleted offense.

49ers vs Cowboys

While Dak Prescott and the Cowboys have played great recently so have the 49ers. I think this game will come down to whose weapons show up and I think the 49ers do. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle have shown up in big ways this season when healthy and I expect them to eat against an over aggressive Cowboys secondary.

Steelers vs Chiefs

While I think a storybook ending to a great career for Big Ben would be cool, I just do not see them beating the Chiefs. The Chiefs trump them in almost every position and I see them running away with this. Not to mention the Chiefs beat them handedly earlier in the season.

Cardinals vs Rams

After the seventeen point choke by LA, many might wonder why I have them winning this game. I have them winning this game because of their overall talent. They have so many playmakers on both sides and I do not think a Kyler Murray with no Hopkins can keep up.

Divisional Round:

Bengals vs Titans

This is a game where it was hard for me to choose the outcome because of my fandom towards the Bengals but man their run defense is just not that great. If Derrick Henry is healthy then I see the Titans “running” away with the game early. I will say with Joe Burrow behind center anything can happen but I do not think he can dig himself out of a big hole that I anticipate will happen with the Titans run game.

Bills vs Chiefs

This is a game where I think the Bills’ inconsistency catches up with them. The Bills offense in my mind is not built to go toe to toe with the Chiefs offense. I do not think anyone on their offense can step up when Diggs gets all the attention. I also have a hard time betting against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid at home. This game could be a nail biter if the Bills play perfectly or it could be a blowout if they do not.

Bucs vs Rams

I see the Rams being too much for Tom Brady with how limited his weapons are. The Rams are loaded and I think this is where a 44 year old Brady falls short. He has had an outstanding season but due to most of his weapons getting hurt, I do not believe he can keep up with a star studded Rams team. I also believe Sean McVay being the great coach he is will watch the Saints games against Brady this year and apply what they did to their game plan. Before the season if you asked me who I thought would win the Super Bowl, I would of said the Bucs but now with their offense depleted I think this is where their season ends. It is Tom Brady though so I would not be surprised if he finds a way to win this game so definitely do not count them out just yet.

49ers vs Packers

I think the Packers win this game easily. The Packers are one of the most complete teams in the NFL right now and Aaron Rodgers is playing like he is in his twenties. Unlike years before, their defense has been outstanding and I think they cause Jimmy G to turnover the ball one too many times. The only way I see the 49ers win this game is if they can get the ball to Deebo Samuel in open space and I think teams are catching on to that.

Conference Championships:

Chiefs vs Titans

This game was when things got difficult for me because if the Chiefs have made it this far the you can only assume they are playing their best football and if they are then that is a scary team to go up against. I still am picking the Titans though. They have one thing that the Chiefs do not have in my opinion and that is a running game. The Titans also have not been fully healthy all year and have gotten the one seed and now they get back Julio Jones and Derrick Henry for the Playoffs. If both are healthy like I said before then I think the Titans pull this one out and go to the Super Bowl for the first time since they lost to the Rams by inches short of the goal line in Super Bowl XXXIV. Not to mention they will be at home.

Rams vs Packers

When I look at this potential matchup I see a warm weather team coming into a freezing Lambeau Field trying to stop a hot Aaron Rodgers. I think the crowd and weather play a major factor in this game. It is already hard enough to steal a victory in Lambeau Field but with a Super Bowl appearance on the line it becomes almost impossible. Yes, Tom Brady did it last year but Mathew Stafford is no Tom Brady. Stafford also injured his toe this past week and I think that could be a factor if still bothering him especially in the cold. I think the Packers find a way at home to secure a win and stop the Rams from getting a home game in the Super Bowl like the Bucs did last year.

Super Bowl:

Titans vs Packers

This is another game where I see quarterback play becoming a major factor. Aaron Rodgers is significantly better than Ryan Tannehill and in order for the Titans to win I think Tannehill has to make plays which I do not think he can. Yes, I do think Henry will have a monster game vs a poor run defense in the Packers but I do not think the Titans can win the game just off that. A Super Bowl calls for big plays by quarterbacks and I do not think Tannehill can provide those. That is why I am going with the Packers. Except for one awful game against the Saints in the season opener, they have been almost perfect. I think Rodgers takes the Packers to the promise land and in doing so comes home with another Lombardi and another Super Bowl MVP trophy.

Thus, I think the Packers are the most complete team this year and I think they finally jump this hump they have been stuck on for the past couple years in the NFC Championship.

via GIFER