After a drama-filled Wild Card weekend, The NFL playoffs march on into the Divisional round. The top 4 seeds remain on the AFC side of the equation, creating some fascinating match ups headed into the weekend. The Cincinnati Bengals will look to upset the top-seeded Tennessee Titans, while the Chiefs will look to avenge a regular loss to the Bills. Here is what to watch for in both Divisional round games.
Tennessee Titans Vs Cincinnati Bengals
This game is a tale of two very different teams. The Bengals’ air raid attack by Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase led Cincinnati to a narrow 7 point win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week. On the other hand, the Titans are well rested and get their best offensive weapon back. Running back Derrick Henry has been activated off the IR and is expected to play on Saturday. The stage is set for one of the best rushing teams in the league to lock horns with one of the most dangerous passing attacks..
While the Bengals picked up the win last week, there are still some concerning issues for Cincinnati. Raiders’ running back Josh Jacobs tallied 83 yards on just 13 carries against the Bengals defense. Cincinnati will face an even more formidable challenge in the form of Derrick Henry this week, so defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will have his work cut out for him. The biggest key for the Bengals will be containing the Tennessee run game and limiting their time of possession, giving Burrow and the offense as many possessions as possible to get points on the board.
As for Tennessee, the Titans will need to find out how healthy Henry is as early as possible. Trying to force-feed Henry while his injury is still holding him back could result in disaster and possibly even worsen their star running back’s injury. While Henry is the Titans’ best path forward, Ryan Tannehill is capable of winning the game with his arm if necessary. So if Henry appears to be in pain early, the Titans must resort to plan B quickly. However, if Henry is back to peak form, expect him to get 20-25 carries and the Titans to roll at home.
Kansas City Chiefs Vs Buffalo Bills
Both the Chiefs and the Bills are coming off of dominating wins in the Wild Card round. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes appear to be fully locked in, as both quarterbacks had phenomenal performances. The Bills walked into Arrowhead in week 5 and picked up a 38-20 win, but the playoffs are an entirely different story. Expect this game to be much closer.
Buffalo’s success will rely heavily on Josh Allen. The Bills have been plagued by inconsistency this year both defensively and offensively, so they will need to rely on their leader to keep things on track this weekend. If Allen can settle into a groove early, the Bills can get running back Devin Singletary involved once again, and establish a good balance to keep the Chiefs guessing. If Allen loses control of the game at any point, things could get out of hand quickly for Buffalo.
As for the Chiefs, defense will be key on Sunday. Everyone knows the Chiefs offense will be explosive with Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill on the field. But Kansas City has struggled when they fall behind early this season. If the defense fails to contain Josh Allen and the Bills defense early, the Chiefs offense could find itself one dimensional, which is exactly what the Buffalo defense wants. If the Chiefs are going to advance to their third straight AFC title game, the defense will have to contribute in a major way.
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