The NFL Playoffs kick back into gear with a pair of dandies set for Saturday. The afternoon affair features the Colts at the Chiefs and the Rams host the Cowboys in the night cap. The winners will earn a chance to play for a conference title.
Let’s examine each of the two contests:
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (11-6) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (12-4)
Saturday 4:35 p.m. airing on NBC
Opening line: Chiefs -5
Record against the Spread: Indy (9-7-1), Kansas City (9-6-1)
Series: Colts lead 16-9
Previous week’s result: Colts over Texans 21-7, Chiefs over Raiders 35-3 (Dec. 30)
Chiefs won last matchup with Colts 30-14 (Oct. 30, 2016)
AP Rankings: Colts #8, Chiefs #4
Rankings:
Colts offense: Rush (20), Pass (6), Overall (7)
Colts defense: Rush (8), Pass (16), Overall (11)
Chiefs offense: Rush (16), Pass (3), Overall (1)
Chiefs defense: Rush (27), Pass (31), Overall (31)
Notes and Sundry Thoughts – Indianapolis has won as many playoff games at Arrowhead as Kansas City (2)…Colts are undefeated against Chiefs in the playoffs (4-0)…both teams top-five in scoring, Kansas City No. 1 (35.3) and Indianapolis No. 5 (27.1)…Colts winners of five in a row, nine of last 10…Marlon Mack set an Indianapolis playoff record for rushing yards in a game (148), has rushed for a TD in five-straight games, and now faces Kansas City defense that allowed an average of 132.1 rushing yards a game, in the regular season…Colts had just 22 more yards passing (222) than rushing (200) last week against the Texans…Indy has not allowed a 100-yd rusher all year…Colts led the league in penalties called on the other team (154), Chiefs led the league in penalties called against them (137)…Kansas City 0-5 in Divisional Round playoff games at home…Chiefs were 7-1 at Arrowhead this season…Chiefs set franchise record for points with 565, third-most in the history of the NFL…Patrick Mahomes set franchise record for touchdowns in a season (50), TD-INT difference (plus-38), and 300-yd games (10)…Kansas City had more TD passes than punts (45), third team in NFL history to accumulate more TD passes than punts (’07 Patriots, ’90 Oilers)…Travis Kelce has a catch in 79-straight games and finished second in receiving yards, for tight ends, with 1,336…Kansas City tied for the most sacks, with 52, despite being second-to-last in total defense…Chiefs DE Chris Jones has a sack in NFL record 11-straight games…RT Mitch Schwartz has played in 7,397 consecutive snaps, over 112 games.
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DALLAS COWBOYS (11-6) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (13-3)
Saturday 8:15 p.m. airing on Fox
Opening line: Rams -7.5
Record against the Spread: Dallas (9-7-1), LA (7-7-2)
Series: Cowboys lead 17-16
Previous week’s result: Cowboys over Seahawks 24-22, Rams over 49ers 48-32 (Dec. 30)
Rams won last matchup with Cowboys 35-30 (Oct. 1, 2017)
AP Rankings: Cowboys #11, Rams #2
Rankings:
Cowboys offense: Rush (10), Pass (23), Overall (22)
Cowboys defense: Rush (28), Pass (20), Overall (26)
Rams offense: Rush (3), Pass (5), Overall (2)
Rams defense: Rush (10), Pass (19), Overall (14)
Notes and Sundry Thoughts – Cowboys have played no other team more in the playoffs than the Rams (4-4) with last meeting in 1986, Rams won on the back of Eric Dickerson’s 248 yds and two TDs…due to Cowboys training camp located in southern California, the crowd may be spilt 50-50, or even more in favor of Cowboys…Cowboys Ezekiel Elliot won the rushing title (1434 yds) while Rams Todd Gurley led league in rushing TDs (17)…Cowboys have not won a road playoff games since 1993, or two playoff games in one season since last Super Bowl run…Dallas’ next playoff win will tie Pittsburgh for most in NFL history, with 36…Rams have not won a playoff game since 2004-05…Rams average 32.8 points per game against NFC East…Rams led NFC in offensive yards per game (421.1) and points per game (32.9)…Sean McVay is reported to use both Gurley and CJ Anderson, who rushed for 299 yards in two games, filling in for Gurley…Aaron Donald only unanimous All-Pro selection with 20.5 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss (both tops in NFL)…LA is 7-1 at the Coliseum this year.
