NFL Divisional Round predictions, best bets: Picks for all four playoff games

The NFL begins the divisional round — its Elite Eight — with the top seeds in each conference playing Saturday. Such scheduling is deliberate and should be treated as significant.The Broncos and Seahawks are the only teams that earned byes and thus enter the second weekend of the playoffs rested.Their opponents — the Bills and 49ers, respectively — each played on the East Coast on Sunday, meaning they have to endure cross-country travel and a short week.Maybe these advantages were earned over the course of four months (in addition to the prospect of having an extra day to prepare for a home championship game should they advance).Still, there are no guarantees.

Since 2021-22, when the league began scheduling all No.1 seeds on Saturday, those teams are 5-3 straight up but 3-5 against the spread. DENVER BRONCOS (-1) over Buffalo Bills | Under 46Does this selection ultimately come down to whether you think this is finally the year Josh Allen lifts the Bills to the Super Bowl, with the path cleared of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs?I’m not so sure about that.

Allen is pure magic, and he’s already lifted the Bills out of a tough predicament in Jacksonville.He gives Buffalo a clear edge at quarterback over Bo Nix, and sometimes that’s all you need to know in a playoff game.

Buffalo also crushed Denver 31-7 in last year’s wild-card round at Orchard Park.Still, this feels like a tall order, even for the great Allen.He got banged up in multiple places, and now he’s down to three healthy wide receivers against a Denver defense that led the NFL in sacks (68) and boasts one of the top secondaries in the league. Beyond placing WRs Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers on IR, the Bills list six starters as questionable, while the rested Broncos are at near-full health.

These things figure to matter at high altitude with Buffalo on a short week.Broncos 23-20. San Francisco 49ers (+7) over SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Under 45These teams met just two weeks ago in Santa Clara...