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Bold predictions. Key stats to know. Matchups to watch. And, of course, final score picks. It's all here for the first six playoff games. How can all 12 teams win this weekend and move on to the divisional round? We outlined keys to victory in each wild-card matchup.

And which underdogs could go on a run? Our experts weigh in. As the Cowboy and 49ers meet yet again in the NFL playoffs, relive some of the best moments from this non-division rivalry. Skip to main content Skip to navigation. Jan 9, AP. Likely playing his last season, Roethlisberger showed Sunday in Baltimore that he isn't ready to ride into the sunset just yet. The Raiders picked up a win last night in part due to a poorly timed timeout call from Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.

How impressive has this season been for the Raiders? Big Ben and the Steelers snuck into the playoffs, extending Big Ben's career by at least one more game. Who has more pressure to win next week: the Chiefs or the Steelers? Plus, the guys go No Huddle!

The NFL playoff field is finally set, and an exciting wild-card slate lies ahead. Who will your favorite teams face in ? Here's a look at every franchise's home and road opponents for next season. The Steelers' T. ESPN's win probability model disagreed with the Steelers' decision to punt on 4th-and-1 with 43 seconds left with the game tied WP go: Ben Roethlisberger , QB.

Najee Harris , RB. Diontae Johnson , WR. Minkah Fitzpatrick , S. Watt , LB. It was something that I'll cherish and remember forever, and I think they will too. I can't say enough thank-you's to everyone who made that night so special. Just the magic of how you can end things.

Obviously, we have another game, but speaking on that home game, it was against Cleveland, which is as close to my hometown as you can get. I was just so proud and thankful for Naj [ Najee Harris ] and the way he played and finished that game for us.

After receiving a long postgame ovation Monday, Roethlisberger met his family in front of the tunnel and hugged his kids and wife before walking arm-in-arm with them off the field. I don't remember a lot from when I was 5, but there's probably one or two things that all of us can remember from when we were really young. I really think and hope this is one of the things. I know the oldest one will, and my daughter will. For them to understand what Dad did and to go fight and compete and win and give everything I have, I hope it's something they understand and will get passed to them as well.

Before he walked through the tunnel with his family, Roethlisberger circled part of Heinz Field, high-fiving fans and soaking in the electric atmosphere created by fans for his farewell. The Steelers still have an outside chance to make the playoffs but need to beat the division rival Ravens to keep that slim hope alive.

To Cam Heyward , the key to avoiding the emotional hangover from Monday's win is to continue celebrating Roethlisberger. I don't think there's going to be a lot of physical demands during the week, but we've got to be our best on Sunday.

In a fitting full-circle moment, Roethlisberger's likely final NFL game will come in the same place where he got his first start in , when he replaced an injured Tommy Maddox. The Steelers lost that Week 2 game , but it was Roethlisberger's only regular-season loss as a rookie. This might be a situation, based on down and distance, where the Patriots use some dedicated doubles or brackets to limit Allen's ability to throw crossers.

And that would put cornerback J. Jackson in single coverage against Bills receiver Stefon Diggs -- a high-profile matchup I want to watch. The run-pass options RPOs are a key element in Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's playbook, and we've seen how Allen can read it out to throw in-breakers against the Patriots.

Go back to the Week 13 game this season or the Week 16 meeting with the Pats last year, which both feature Allen throwing rockets in the red zone off the backfield power action.

He can grab the eyes of the second-level defender and hit the slant ball in the vacated window. But the key here is the leverage we saw from the Bills' defensive backs against the Patriots' receiving targets.

By playing with a heavy inside shade, the Bills put themselves in a position to undercut in-breakers, with safeties dropping down to get extra bodies in the middle of the field. And the rookie quarterback really struggled, completing just 14 of 32 passes for yards with two interceptions. When: 1 p. ET, Sunday, Jan. Use the shotgun run game element with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Tampa Bay allowed 4. With Hurts healthy again, I would expect to see more of the QB run element in this matchup.

Hurts carried the ball 74 times this year on designed rush attempts, and the Eagles can build out their run game this Sunday from shotgun alignments. Look for inside zone with Hurts reading the edge man, or pulling a lineman on QB counter schemes. This Eagles offensive front is one of the best run-blocking units in the league, with plenty of big easy-movers. It's a good matchup against the Tampa Bay front seven. We've seen the Eagles use a five-man front as their base look on defense this season, but that might be trouble when facing Bucs quarterback Tom Brady.

You need numbers in coverage to limit the crossing routes and in-breakers. Let's look for 40 fronts here, and while the Eagles have played more man coverage over the second half of the season, I believe we'll see a lot of zone shells from this Eagles back seven. That will allow the Birds to play the inside verticals and top the in-breakers in both Quarters and Cover 3. Philadelphia's defenders can get to depth, match up underneath and condense the throwing windows. You can't let Brady target second-level windows consistently.

Jeff Saturday and Domonique Foxworth break down whether the Eagles have any advantage against the Buccaneers in Sunday's wild-card matchup. Let's stay with the idea that we could see more zone coverage from Philly on Sunday.

The answer for Brady and Tampa Bay? Run their staple Hi-Lo concepts to influence underneath defenders. When throwing the ball inside the numbers this season, Brady has completed And while we know the Bucs' receiving personnel has changed since the Week 6 win over the Eagles, Brady did complete 26 of 29 passes in that game on throws inside the numbers.

This is where he wants to go with the ball in coach Bruce Arians' system. Limit Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert 's production. The Bucs will have to account for the vertical speed of the Eagles' wide receivers on schemed throws for Hurts, but they can't forget about Goedert in this Philly pass game.

I see Goedert as a top-five tight end in the league who has the run-blocking talent and route-running traits. How will Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles game plan for him? Tampa Bay has been Cover 3-heavy this season Goedert has posted five or more receptions in four of his past six games, but there are ways to disrupt his route stem without using a dedicated double-team.

We know the 49ers are going to run the ball. That's the building block of this offense. But the Cowboys also played single-high man on I would look for Shanahan to bump Samuel inside and also use pre-snap movement.

If you get stuck in a trail position versus Samuel, he can accelerate instantly after the catch, using his physical skills to get loose in the open field.