NFL Preview: Divisional Round

Jason Darling, Sports Editor

It has been an exciting year in the NFL for sure, but it is winding down. There are only eight teams left with a shot at the Super Bowl, and that will be narrowed down to only four after this weekend.

This weekend, there are two games on Saturday, and two more on Sunday. The first game on Saturday is at 4:35 PM between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles were a favorite to win it all, but many people believe there hopes were lost when their quarterback, sophomore sensation Carson Wentz, tore his ACL, leaving the offense in the hands of backup Nick Foles. The Falcons, after coming off of a big win over the Rams, are looking to take advantage of this situation, and make a run deep into the playoffs, just like last season.

The other game on Saturday is between the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots, at 8:15 PM. The Patriots are a favorite to win the Super Bowl this year, which would give quarterback Tom Brady his sixth championship, easily the most of all time. The Titans should not be counted out, however, as just last week, they completed a comeback victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, another team who was expected to beat them.

The first of the two games in Sunday is at 1:05 PM between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are another favorite to win it all, lead by a combo of wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’veon Bell. The Jaguars, however, did beat the Steelers earlier this year, intercepting Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times. The Jags have one of the best defences in the league and should not be overlooked.

The last of the four games this weekend is between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings at 4:40 PM on Sunday. The Vikings are lead by Case Keenum, who was a backup at the start of the season, and stepped into the Vikings’ offense seamlessly in week two. The Super Bowl is being played in Minnesota’s stadium this year, and they would love to have that home-field advantage if they make it. The Saints also have a serious chance at the Super Bowl this year. Led by their running back duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, a rookie, they have been making waves in the NFL this year for the turnaround they have made since last season.

Those are the eight competitors for the Super bowl, and there is no clear-cut favorite, but who will win it all? Could it be a team who has never won a championship, like the Titans or the Eagles, or could the trophy go to an established franchise, like the Patriots or the Steelers. It is too early to say, and all there is to do is wait and see.