The highest seed in every Convention – the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers – earned a bye for wildcard weekend, however they return to motion for the divisional play-offs. The Ravens ended the common season with the NFL’s greatest document (13-4) and 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson appears to be like set to win the award for a second time.
However regardless of Baltimore’s commanding wins over San Francisco and Miami in December, the 49ers (12-5) have been favourites to win Tremendous Bowl 58 since late November due to their star-studded roster.
Each groups rested lots of their starters for his or her ultimate recreation of the common season so Ravens quarterback Jackson and 49ers operating again Christian McCaffrey, favorite for Offensive Participant of the Yr, have had a three-week break.
Baltimore host the Houston Texans, who completed 10-7 after simply three wins in 2022. Quarterback CJ Stroud, 22, has loved a record-breaking rookie season and final week’s 45-14 win over Cleveland means he already has as many play-off wins as 27-year-old Jackson, who has received simply one in every of 4.
“That is been the knock on him for the previous few years,” added Umenyiora. “He is been excellent within the common season however as soon as the play-offs come, he is tended to fall off.
“He is been sitting out, so is he going to be rusty? There’s numerous stress on him and the Ravens.
“They face a younger and hungry Texans group and if they will knock the Ravens off, it would put Baltimore’s teaching workers and Lamar Jackson in a really tough scenario.”
The 49ers additionally face a younger group with no concern and few expectations, the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
Jordan Love has impressed in his first season since changing Aaron Rodgers because the group’s beginning quarterback and after a powerful end to make the play-offs, the Packers upset second seed Dallas 48-32 final week.