NFL Divisional round preview

 There are infinite cliches to toss around as we move to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

If Aaron Rodgers had any sense, he'd just walk away now, rather than play the same lame will-he-or-won't-he game that Brett Favre had done before him. His season is over, after Houston blitzed Pittsburgh in the 4th quarter on Monday.

Take a look around the 8 teams that remain. Mixed in with the battle tested veterans like Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen are youngsters like Caleb Williams, a 2nd year QB with the Bears. Drake Maye, New England's quarterback, is likewise in his 2nd year, and Patriot diehards, it wouldn't surprise me, probably see him as the next Tom Brady. Houston's CJ Stroud is only in his 3rd year, and already a playoff perennial.

Now, let's take a look at this weekend's games....

Saturday:

Buffalo @ Denver (4:30 pm, CBS). Bo Nix, another 2nd year QB, leads Denver's revived offense against Allen and the Bills, who don't have the ghosts of past playoff failures vs. Kansas City to worry about this time. This figures to be a shootout right to the end.

Pick: Denver.

San Francisco @ Seattle (8 pm, Fox). 3rd meeting of the season between division rivals. Sam Darnold, now a journeyman who's been with the Jests, Niners, Panthers, and, last year, the Vikings, looks like he'll stick in Seattle, after the Seahawks let Geno Smith, another ex-Jest, walk (Las Vegas) in the offseason. The 49ers eliminated Philadelphia on the strength of their defense, with Robert Saleh back in charge following a failed head coaching stint with the Jests a while back. And while San Francisco welcomed back Christian McCaffrey, they lost George Kittle for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

This season's all about fresh faces in the postseason, so......

Pick: Seattle.

Sunday:

Houston @ New England (3 pm, ABC/ESPN). It used to be that Gillette Stadium was a house of horrors for visiting teams. Not so much anymore, but this game matches up the two hottest teams in the AFC. With the win Monday, Houston has now won 10 in a row, and showing little, if any, signs of slowing down, other than cleaning up the persistent issue of untimely penalties. Of the four home teams this weekend, New England has the best chance of losing. It's good for the league if they do.

Pick: Houston.

Los Angeles @ Chicago (6:30 pm, NBC). Matthew Stafford has a slight injury, but that's still a red flag that Chicago can use to their advantage. 40 years after Mike Ditka's crew dominated the league en route to a Super Bowl, the Bears want to get back to the title game, and, it is, after all, Bear weather. If Stafford can't go, Jimmy Garappolo, formerly with the Niners & Patriots, could go. Not that it'd help the Rams.

Pick: Chicago.

Of course, I could be wrong.