Good morning! Tremendous Wild-Card Weekend introduced extra blowouts than drama, although there was nonetheless a lot of each. The divisional spherical is about with matchups that seem extra engaging than watching No. 7 seeds get beat up by No. 2 two seeds.
Earlier than moving into the 4 video games this weekend, a programming be aware: Winners Membership didn’t exit on Monday morning resulting from the vacation and won’t publish this coming Friday or Monday. Make sure you observe @SI_Fantasy and @SI_Betting to remain updated on all of my colleagues’ NFL playoff content material.
Now, let’s discuss soccer and extra.
NFL Divisional Round Matchups
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans
Saturday 4:30 p.m. ET | CBS
Eric Christian Smith/AP
Joe Burrow and the Bengals earned a visit to Nashville following the franchise’s first playoff win in 31 years. The Titans, who earned the sole bye in the convention, hope to get star working again Derrick Henry again in opposition to the Bengals. Henry has not performed since Week 8 and is anticipated to be activated from injured reserve this week. Tennessee is a 3.5-point favorite at dwelling, the place the Titans went 7-2 in the common season with wins over the Payments and Chiefs.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Green Bay Packers
Saturday 8:15 p.m. | FOX
Lon Horwedel/AP
Aaron Rodgers’ 0-3 postseason document in opposition to San Francisco is well-documented. The newest playoff assembly got here in the NFC Championship Recreation in 2020—the Raheem Mostert sport that despatched the 49ers to Tremendous Bowl LIV. Inexperienced Bay beat San Francisco on the street in Week 3 on a last-second discipline aim and has been the most full group in the NFL since Week 1. The Packers count on reinforcements on either side of the ball for this sport and had been put in as 6-point favorites with freezing temperatures projected at Lambeau Subject.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday 3 p.m. ET | NBC
John Munson/AP
The Rams and Buccaneers had been on the proper facet of lopsided wins in the wild-card spherical, which arrange a rematch of their Week 3 assembly in L.A., a 10-point Rams victory. Months later, each groups’ rosters are dramatically totally different – Tampa Bay arguably for worse and Los Angeles for higher. However the Bucs are nonetheless the defending Tremendous Bowl champions with Tom Brady at the helm. They’re 3-point favorites at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday 6:30 p.m. ET | CBS
Adrian Kraus/AP
The Payments pitched an ideal sport of their demolition of the Patriots. After a quarter-and-a-half of hanging round with – and even trailing – the Steelers, the Chiefs adopted swimsuit and gained handily. The primary rematch of final season’s AFC Championship Recreation between these groups got here in Week 5 and Buffalo gained, 38-20. Kansas Metropolis regained its Tremendous Bowl kind as the season went on, making certain that this sport can be at dwelling by locking up the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Chiefs are 2.5-point favorites, the closest line of the weekend.
2021 Fantasy Soccer Fabby Awards
Darron Cummings/AP
Michael Fabiano dishes out superlatives for the longest fantasy soccer season managers have ever endured. See which gamers propped groups up this season and earned MVP, Rookie of the 12 months, Sleeper of the 12 months and extra.
NFL Unfold Breakdown: The oddsmakers at SI Sportsbook are predicting shut video games for the divisional playoffs. Inexperienced Bay is the solely group favored by greater than 3.5 factors.
Wild Card Unhealthy Beats and Massive Payouts: The great, the unhealthy and the ugly from this previous weekend embody participant props narrowly cashing, stunning unders and Cowboys confusion.
Begin ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Fabiano types via the greatest and worst of the remaining postseason gamers to assist determine who to plug into your fantasy lineups and who’s greatest left on the bench.
NBA Motion
All-Star Starters
Jeff Chiu/AP
Chris Mannix explains the troublesome selections that went into selecting 5 All-Star starters from every convention forward of the due date for his poll.
Energy Rankings: The Warriors fall just a few spots in the newest rating, through which Rohan Nadkarni additionally weighs in on what every group ought to do earlier than the commerce deadline. Purchase? Promote? Maintain? See what every group ranked 1-30 ought to do.
That’s all for immediately. I’ll be again in your inbox per week from immediately. Get pleasure from the relaxation of your week and the Divisional Round!
