NFL Playoffs 2015: Full Schedule, Predictions for Divisional Round

This is where the fun begins.

Sure, last weekend's playoff action was exciting, but we've yet to see the NFL's best teams suit up for postseason action. In this weekend's divisional round, the best the league has to offer will be on the field. As such, we should experience a memorable two days of football.

We have outstanding quarterback matchups galore. Each contest features a bout of top quarterbacks, meaning anything can happen during the 60 minutes of play.

Making predictions is pretty difficult as a result, but of course, we have to try. Below, you'll find predictions for each of the four games on the schedule, including analysis on two particularly compelling contests.

	When	Where	TV Info	Prediction
Ravens vs. Patriots	Saturday, Jan. 10	Gillette Stadium	NBC, 4:35 p.m. ET	Ravens, 24-21
Panthers vs. Seahawks	Saturday, Jan. 10	CenturyLink Field	Fox, 8:15 p.m. ET	Seahawks, 28-13
Cowboys vs. Packers	Sunday, Jan. 11	Lambeau Field	Fox, 1:05 p.m. ET	Packers, 30-28
Colts vs. Broncos	Sunday, Jan. 11	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	CBS, 4:40 p.m. ET	Broncos, 34-24

Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots

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Joe Flacco strikes again.

It was a mini-upset on Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Flacco proved once again that the Ravens are a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. They probably won't blow you out, and the game may not be the prettiest, but Baltimore will find a way to win.

Flacco has 13 touchdowns and no interceptions in his last five postseason games. He's as composed as any quarterback in the league when he steps on the field during the playoffs. That's why the Ravens succeed.

Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman described the way he goes about things and why that's bad news for the New England Patriots: "There is a fighter underneath the cool exterior, and we are seeing the Playoff Joe back in action. Flacco is back in all of his boring awesomeness, and the Ravens are officially the Patriots' worst nightmare."

It's not that the Ravens are a better team than the Patriots. Far from it, actually. New England has more talent at most positions than Baltimore—with running back and wide receiver being the most arguable exceptions—but something can certainly be said for how much momentum impacts the NFL playoffs.

Momentum (and Flacco) powered the Ravens through the Super Bowl in 2012. Very, very few people selected them to win it all. Big wins against the top-seeded Denver Broncos and second-seeded Patriots got them to the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers. All three of those wins were improbable, though each successive win became slightly more likely because of how much momentum was on their side.

It's early in this postseason, but all the makings are there for another unlikely run.

Flacco and the Ravens weren't supposed to beat the Steelers and their offensive juggernaut. Even without Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh was supposed to handle Baltimore with ease. A few missteps by the Steelers and some normal Flacco heroics have brought the Ravens to where they are now.

Brady and the Patriots present a far taller challenge. Nobody on the planet can cover Rob Gronkowski, and Brady has turned a ragtag group of receiving options into competent pass-catchers. The Ravens' secondary isn't exactly a strength, so look for Brady to pick it to pieces.

Baltimore can stop the run game, though, so the Patriots should be pretty one-dimensional.

The deck is yet again stacked against the Ravens. It seems as if that's exactly how they like the pregame story to be written. Until a team proves that it can beat Flacco in the playoffs, it's nearly impossible to pick against him and the Ravens.

Prediction: Ravens win, 24-21

Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers

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The stage is set for a shootout of epic proportions with Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers headlining two of the most explosive offenses in football. NFL on ESPN tweeted how the two juggernauts stack up statistically:

As if that weren't enough, ESPN's John Buccigross was one of many on Twitter to note that each team has been unstoppable in its current situation this season:

Something has to give, right?

This is likely the Cowboys' best chance of the Romo era to win a Super Bowl. The 34-year-old is still at the top of his game, but it's unlikely that he'll stay there for much longer. Despite a brilliant come-from-behind victory against the Detroit Lions last week, Romo still has the stigma of an unsuccessful playoff quarterback.

Jerry Jones told Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that there's only one thing that can make that go away—at least for a little while: "The only thing that will ever get them off his back totally would be to get that Super Bowl win. And I can tell him firsthand you can have Super Bowl wins and they’ll still get back on your back."

This game will be decided by one thing and one thing only. It's not Rodgers, nor is it his deep group of pass-catching options. It's not DeMarco Murray or Eddie Lacy.

It comes down to how well Romo can handle the pressures associated with a second playoff game.

The only other time Romo played in a second playoff game came in 2009, when his team mustered just three points against the Minnesota Vikings. He threw for just 198 yards and lost an interception.

Romo has thrived in pressure situations for most of this season. When talks picked up about yet another 8-8 season in Dallas, he led his Cowboys to four straight wins to close the season.

He has shown that he and his team have fight in them, but will it be enough to take down Rodgers and the mighty Packers?

Romo will put on a show with his offense, but the Packers are simply too deep offensively to account for. Rodgers has Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Lacy, whereas Romo really only has Dez Bryant and Murray. Having two big-threat receivers gives Rodgers the edge against a so-so defense.

Despite a strong season and a strong effort from Romo, he'll be going home early.

Prediction: Packers win, 30-28

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn