Cowboys, Bills lead Colin Cowherd's 'Blazin' 5' Super Wild Card Weekend picks
The NFL playoff picture is complete, and Super Wild Card Weekend is right around the corner.
The action kicks off on Saturday as the Seattle Seahawks travel to San Francisco to battle the 49ers at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Super Wild Card Weekend concludes with a much-anticipated matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8:15 p.m. ET Monday.
On Friday's "The Herd," Colin Cowherd shared his Super Wild Card Weekend picks in his latest "Blazin' 5" roundup.
Let's get to it.
No. 7 Seattle Seahawks (+9.5) at No. 2 San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX)
Cowherd's pick, score prediction: Seahawks +9.5, (49ers win 24-16)
Cowherd's thoughts: "This is my favorite pick. I'll take Seattle … to cover. Only one of their losses has been by 10-plus points over the last 15 weeks, and that was against the [Kansas City] Chiefs. … They can pick up four and five yards at a time. The weather is gonna be rainy and windy. Do not expect an aerial circus by either team. Kenneth Walker III — Seattle is 6-1 when he gets 15 carries this year. They're gonna rely on him in awful weather, and rookie quarterback Brock Purdy — six career starts. Rookie quarterbacks have five straight playoff losses, 1-8 in their last nine (games). I think he plays a little tight. … This is a rivalry game. … I think it's choppy, ugly [and] low-scoring."
No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars (+ 2.5) vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers (Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Cowherd's pick, score prediction: Jaguars +2.5, (Jaguars win 27-26)
Cowherd's thoughts: "Mike Williams is out. It is a real deal. Justin Herbert has 10 picks on the year, and without Mike Williams, he can sometimes force it to other people. It worries me. The Jaguars, since Week 14, offensively — they are rolling. They have got an identity, which the Chargers don't have. They've also scored 111 points off turnovers, second-most in the league, and the Chargers can occasionally turn the ball over."
No. 2 Buffalo Bills (-13.5) vs. No. 7 Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cowherd's pick, score prediction: Bills -13.5, (Bills win 33-13)
Cowherd's thoughts: "I hate big favorites, but I'm gonna roll with the Bills. … I think they clobber Miami. Bills [are on a] seven-game winning streak. They've won eight of nine against Miami, and Miami beat them once this year, so they respect the Dolphins. Josh Allen in the playoffs has been sensational — best in postseason history in total yards per game. So far, he [has] really delivered when it matters. Seven seeds, that's the Dolphins, are 0-4 since the NFL adopted this additional playoff team. … They're beat up. Multiple starters are out. I think the Bills win and cover."
No. 6 Baltimore Ravens (+9.5) at No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Cowherd's pick, score prediction: Ravens +9.5, (Bengals win 23-17)
Cowherd's thoughts: "Rematch of Week 18, I have to take the Ravens. … They play defense, they've got a good coach — Harbaugh has always been great in the postseason. The last nine times the Bengals and Ravens have played, the Ravens have won six of them. Harbaugh is 11-8 in the playoffs. They run the ball, they play great defense [and] they're good situationally. Their defense, since trading for Roquan Smith, [is] top three in the league in all the stuff that matters. The Bengals' left tackle is out, Alex Cappa [is] out, the O-line is banged up, and because of that, they have not run the football as well late in the year. … I trust that Joe Burrow wins the game … but I am going to take the points."
No. 5 Dallas Cowboys (-2.5) at No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Cowherd's pick, score prediction: Cowboys -2.5, (Cowboys win 24-20)
Cowherd's thoughts: "I like the Cowboys. … I think they win. They're coming off a 20-point loss. Capable, talented team off humiliating losses generally focus in and play well the following week. Only one team, the [Philadelphia] Eagles, had more Pro Bowlers than Dallas. This is a good football team. … Dak [Prescott] will play better. … The Bucs can't run the ball. [They] average 18 points a game. … I think Dallas has better players, better momentum, better team coming off an ugly loss. They'll be completely, utterly focused."
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