The NFC Wild Card round did not disappoint. Three close and exciting games. And we are pretty happy to say that we went 3-0 in our predictions here at Tailgater Magazine. The Eagles are already in Cancun while A.J. Brown is looking for a divorce from the team. The Packers are trying to figure out whether to fire everyone involved in their meltdown loss, and the Rams snuck past the Panthers in a game that no one thought would be close. Here’s our preview of the 2025 season NFC Divisional Round games.
San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
For the third time this season, we get to watch the 49ers and the Seahawks. The last time that these two teams played each other in the postseason in Seattle, Richard Sherman did some talking to Erin Andrews about Michael Crabtree. This is an epic rivalry between two teams that hate each other. They split the regular season series 1-1. Week 18 is the most recent meeting, and it did not go well for the Niners. The offense couldn’t muster any points, they were sloppy, and the Hawks shut them down. However, their defense held Seattle to just 13 points. We are at the point in the season where Sam Darnold historically goes from potential MVP candidate to pumpkin.
The 49ers shouldn’t be here, right? It feels like every single one of their stars is injured, they just lost George Kittle, and the odds that Fred Warner comes back this week seem slim. But this team has something special happening for them. They were nearly a touchdown underdog to Philly, and they took them down outright. While everything points to the Hawks winning this game, I have no choice but to go with the Niners whose defense of misfit toys continues to play well. Prediction: 49ers 20 Seahawks 18
Los Angeles Rams vs Chicago Bears
The Rams struggled against the Panthers more than I assumed they would. For the second time this year, they were nearly taken down by Carolina. However, they have played well against everyone else they’ve played. LA has an offense that can play with anyone, but it’s whether their defense shows up that is the real question. If they can, watch out Chicago, you will be in trouble. The Bears continue to score at will. They did it again against the Packers towards the end of the game last weekend. The Bears truly are a cardiac team that can come back from just about anything.
Caleb Williams proved that he can deliver in the clutch not just in the regular season but also in the postseason. The Rams defense sometimes shows up. But other times, they let anyone and everyone run it up on them. The Rams will need their defense to show up. When it comes down to experience and who can dial it up better in this game, I am picking Sean McVay and Matt Stafford. Ben Johnson and Williams will eventually have their run, but not this year. Prediction: Rams 30 Bears 25