The NFL’s Divisional Round will produce three great games, not four.

This is one of the best weekends of the sports year, when the NFL playoffs are down to eight teams and four games on Saturday and Sunday. And all four wild card teams are gone-zo, which should make for the best games possible, except of course for the Houston Texans at the New England Patriots Saturday night.

The Texans have, statistically, the best defense in the NFL. The Pats have, statistically, the best offense. So that should make for a fairly even game, right? Wrong. The two teams met early in the season, and the Patriots whitewashed Houston 27-0 with third-stringer Jacoby Brisett at quarterback. With Tom Brady back for New England expect even a bigger blowout. The Pats are 16-point favorites, record high for the playoffs.

Earlier Saturday, third-seeded Seattle faces No. 2 seed Atlanta in one NFC semifinal. The Seahawks have been to two of the last three Super Bowls, but they don’t have the same offense this season while Atlanta is a popular dark horse pick to reach SB 51, with Matt Ryan enjoying the best season of his career. Sorry Russell Wilson, your booby prize is going home to new bride Ciara. Tough on you.

Sunday features the two best games. In the AFC, the No. 3 Steelers visit the No. 2 Chiefs, and in the NFL the No. 4 Packers play America’s team, top-seeded Dallas. The Cowboys have not won a divisional playoff game since before rookie sensations Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott were born, and they are at home in America’s stadium, the massive Jerry Jones dome outside of Dallas.

So which other two teams will move on to Final Four Sunday?

I will be rooting for Kansas City, coming off the bye week and playing at home, to beat the Steelers because the Chiefs are the easier foe for the Patriots. But Pittsburgh and Big Ben are the most dangerous team right now, having won eight straight. Besides the Steelers advancing on Sunday, I like the Cowboys to win a thriller over the Packers and Aaron Rogers, who also haven’t lost since late November. That last game Sunday caps off an awesome weekend.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Fork In The Road
Art Chansky looks back at the head coaching butterfly effect caused by UNC football's upset win against No. 4 Miami at Kenan Stadium in 2004.
Chansky's Notebook: 'No. 3, Get in the Game'
Of the 23 football games Notre Dame and Carolina have played over the years, there is nothing that matches 1975, when an unknown quarterback came off the bench to save the Irish from what would have been an embarrassing upset in Kenan Stadium. I was covering for the Durham Morning Herald and wanted to watch […]
Chansky's Notebook: Hurricane Happiness
With the potential for rain Saturday when UNC hosts No. 3 Notre Dame, Art Chansky remembers a rain-aided upset win for the Tar Heels.
Chansky's Notebook: Snap Decisions
Art Chansky says it may be time for Bill Belichick and UNC to make a change at the quarterback position following Saturday's loss at Clemson.
Chansky's Notebook: Maye's Mission
With an upgraded receiver room and a massive target on his back, Drake Maye is poised for a hugely important 2026 campaign.
Chansky's Notebook: Fool Me Once...
Little Kool-Aid will be consumed by Carolina fans before the noon kickoff from Dublin. Fool me once but not again. It is a great trip to Ireland for the Tar Heels fans who bought the plane tickets and hotel rooms to tour the Emerald Isle and see if their team is any better than Bill […]
Chansky's Notebook: Getting Filthy Rich-er
There are seven teams with $40 million plus rosters and five others just behind the tally from college football as the 2026 season begins. The SEC leads payrolls (LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee), with four from the Big Ten (Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan and USC), one from the ACC (Miami) and […]
Chansky's Notebook: Power to the People!
Wednesday's announcement of a two-year, two-game series between UNC and NC State in Greensboro sent a clear message.
Chansky's Notebook: The Five Stages
Chapelboro's Michael Koh breaks down the stunning news of Seth Trimble's commitment to Louisville via the transfer portal.
Chansky's Notebook: Carolina Conundrum
There is no question Mike Lombardi will lose his job as football general manager and leave Chapel Hill, writes Art Chansky.
›