The 2024 NFL regular season is officially over, leaving just 14 teams competing for two spots in Super Bowl LIX. Only two teams get to enjoy a first-round bye, meaning we get to see some of the best NFL teams on Wild Card Weekend. Before the three-day slate of action kicks off, we have NFL Wild Card predictions for every game. Let’s dive into our predictions for NFL Wild Card Weekend.
(5) Los Angeles Chargers 20, (4) Houston Texans 13
Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers drew arguably the easiest matchup of Wild Card Weekend. After jumping out to a 5-1 start, the Houston Texans imploded down the stretch with a 4-5 record in their last nine games and a negative point differential. Houston’s problem? A bottom-five offense in the second half of the regular season.
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However, we do expect the Texans’ defense to at least keep things relatively competitive. The Chargers are a one-man show at receiver, Ladd McConkey, which makes life much easier for Houston’s secondary. The Texans had a top-three pass defense in 2024 and edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. can cause some problems for Justin Herbert. With that said, the Chargers’ run game and defense will control this game and pave the way to a victory.
(3) Baltimore Ravens 27, (6) Pittsburgh Steelers 17
The Baltimore Ravens are one of the hottest teams in the NFL. The four-game win streak to end the regular season provided plenty of momentum heading into Wild Card Weekend. The Ravens offense has everything needed to win any style of game, capable of beating teams with MVP-caliber quarterback play or devastating them on the ground.
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An even bigger difference-maker in this matchup is the recent play from the Ravens’ defense. From Weeks 11-17, opponents averaged just 171.2 passing yards per game (5.9 ypa) and 95.8 rush ypg (3.9 ypc) with a 29.1% third-down conversion rate.
(2) Buffalo Bills 31, (7) Denver Broncos 21
Picking against Josh Allen on Wild Card Weekend would be foolish. From Weeks 6-17, the Buffalo Bills quarterback compiled a 100.9 QB rating with a 20-6 TD-INT ratio and 10 rushing touchdowns with a 4.88 yards-per-carry average. Even against great defenses, Allen played like an MVP and a career 21-4 TD-INT ratio and 100.0 QB rating in the playoffs offer even more reason to believe he’ll shine
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The Bills’ defense is the one thing that could hold them back, but not this early in the playoffs. Denver just doesn’t have the run game nor the consistency in the passing attack to force Buffalo into a shootout. The Bills should win this game comfortably.
(2) Philadelphia Eagles 31, (7) Green Bay Packers 24
It’s hardly worth revisiting the last matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, a 34-29 final on an awful field in Brazil. The Eagles have fielded the best defense in the NFL since November and they have both the talent and depth in the secondary to match up in man coverage versus Green Bay’s young receiving corps. Just as important, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is the perfect play-caller to dial up looks and pressure that will force at least one Jordan Love turnover.
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On the other side of the ball, the Packers’ pass rush simply isn’t good enough. Jalen Hurts is going to have time to throw, making this an even better matchup for A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. While we do expect Green Bay to keep it close for three quarters, a late turnover and the lack of a pass rush doom the Packers in front of a raucous crowd in Philadelphia.
(6) Washington Commanders 34, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31
This could be one of the most exciting matchups on Wild Card weekend. Jayden Daniels’s first-ever start in the NFL playoffs will come on the road, but it’s also a safe bet Washington Commanders fans will find a way to get to SoFi Stadium. Daniels will be in for a battle versus the young Rams’ pass rush, but his stellar play since recovering from a rib injury – 109.8 QB rating and 13-4 TD-INT line from Weeks 13 -16 – bodes well since the Rams’ defense is vulnerable to giving up some big plays.
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On the other side, the focus starts with the health of Marshon Lattimore. A hamstring strain has sidelined him for the majority of the last two months. If he can play, Washington has the No. 1 receiver to line up against Mike Evans and the history of those two bodes well for a fantastic matchup. What could spell trouble for Washington is its run defense. The Commanders finished with a bottom-five run defense in the regular season, whereas Tampa Bay had a top-five rushing attack. In a high-scoring game, we’re giving the edge to Daniels and the Commanders in an explosive affair.
(5) Minnesota Vikings 27, (4) Los Angeles Rams 24
It’s another NFC Wild Card Weekend rematch from earlier in the regular season. Minnesota returns to SoFi Stadium on Monday Night Football, facing a Los Angeles Rams team it lost 30-20 to in October. The Rams had a great recipe for success in the win, with Kyren Williams (23 carries for 97 yards, 4.2 yards per carry) eating up the clock and Matthew Stafford (25-of-34, 279 yards, 8.2 ypa, 4-1 TD-INT) slicing up the Vikings’ secondary with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua having great success.
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It’s worth noting Minnesota’s offense will have Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Addison this time around. That matters because the Rams allowed the fourth-most receiving yards to tight ends during the regular season. Both teams have strong pass rushes and receiving corps, creating an entertaining matchup to see how quickly and accurately Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold can get the football out to their receivers. In a tight battle, Darnold pulls it out back home in Los Angeles.
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