And now there are 8 people. The 2025 NFL Playoffs have been reduced from 14 teams to eight teams through Wild Card Weekend. And now we turn our attention to the divisional round. That means the No. 1 seed will check back in and begin working toward a Super Bowl title. .
As you can imagine, Wild Card Weekend was just wild. Just when everyone, including you, was expecting the Chargers to get a road win in Houston, the Texans came roaring to victory as home dogs. Meanwhile, the Commanders continued Jaden Daniels’ magical rookie season with a win over the Buccaneers in the playoffs. These were straight-up losses and two ATS losses in the playoffs, but they had a solid overall performance over the weekend, going 3-3 ATS and 4-2 SU.
We want to put even more effort into the postseason.
NFL season record
2025 Playoffs
ATS: 3-3
ML: 4-2
2024 regular season
This week’s Rock ATS: 38-44-2
ATS: 131-135-6
ML: 178-94
All NFL odds from SportsLine Consensus
Saturday, 4:30pm ET (ESPN/ABC, streaming on fubo)
The Kansas City Chiefs have been giving us trouble all season. Despite having just one loss on their resume, there are many questions being asked as to whether this club really has what it takes to advance in the playoffs. I agree. This is a team led by Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, and they were there and won. Mahomes has completely dominated the district rounds during his career, compiling a 6-0 record, totaling 302.2 yards per game, 16 total touchdowns, and zero turnovers. This is when he officially makes the switch, and I expect the Chiefs to look like a powerhouse, especially after this 20-plus day break. Houston bounced back from a sluggish start against the Chargers, but it’s still questionable whether they can defeat a Super Bowl favorite like they did here against the Chiefs.
Predicted score: Chiefs 30, Texans 20
Designated player: Chiefs -8
Washington Commanders (6) vs. Detroit Lions (1)
Saturday, 8pm ET (Stream on Fox, fubo)
The Commanders have been one of the most entertaining storylines in the entire NFL this season and are a dangerous team to play against. Even when a team looks doomed, Jaden Daniels can push his team to victory. Washington should be a postseason threat for years to come, but I think their story ends in Detroit. The key here is the Lions’ ability to bang the football on the ground, especially with David Montgomery ready to return. The manager has the worst rushing defense in the NFL this season, which plays directly into the hands of Jahmil Gibbs and Montgomery. If they have success on the ground, it will not only help the offense push up the field, but it will also keep Daniels on the sideline.
On the other hand, when managers are aggressive, the Lions have the tools to slow them down. Aaron Glenn’s defense is No. 1 in the league on third down, and Amik Robertson just showed his ability to shut down top receiving options like Terry McLaurin in Week 18 against Minnesota and Justin Jefferson.
Predicted score: Lions 33, Commanders 21
Pick: Lions -9.5
Sunday, 3pm ET (NBC, streaming on fubo)
There’s something about this Rams team that makes everyone remaining in the postseason a little nervous, especially the Eagles, who will be hosting them in Philadelphia this weekend. Offensively, Los Angeles is causing a lot of problems against an admittedly solid Eagles defense. When they get within range, Kyren Williams has shown the ability to hit the end zone on the ground, and Matthew Stafford has been playing very efficient football lately. It doesn’t hurt that he has one of the NFL’s best receiver duos in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp at his disposal.
But most importantly, the Rams’ defense is hot. This unit had a nine-sack performance in the wild-card round, and every starter (except Week 18) has stopped opponents from scoring in double digits in the last four games. Philadelphia is causing just as many problems on both sides of the ball, but I think Sean McVay will put together a game plan that will force the Eagles into the ropes and at least cover. The Rams are 5-3 ATS on the road this season, so we love the takeaway here and are going to back them to pull off the upset with an outright win.
Predicted score: Rams 27, Eagles 24
Candidate: Rams +6
This is a heavyweight fight and should be interesting to watch unfold. Notably, oddsmakers have the Bills as underdogs at home at Highmark Stadium. It’s offensive at first glance, but I think it makes sense since the Ravens are a strong team at the moment. The combination of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry as a rushing duo in the backfield was built for playoff games like this. It’s also a favorable matchup as the Bills have allowed 4.5 yards per rush this season, which ranks in the bottom half of the league. Jackson and Henry are rightfully getting a lot of attention, but do you know who is No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense, total defense, and third-down defense since Week 11? Baltimore. Their defensive resurgence could make them legitimate Super Bowl contenders and come home from Buffalo with a ticket to the AFC Championship.
Predicted score: Ravens 27, Bills 23
Pick: Ravens -1
