NFL Playoffs 2015: Schedule, Predictions and More for Divisional Round

The divisional round of the NFL playoffs is when Super Bowl dreams start to feel real.

After all, the winners of Saturday’s and Sunday’s contests will be a single victory away from the big game, which puts all the more pressure on every snap. The crowds will be loud, the defenses will be flying around, and the quarterbacks will have to make plays.

Here is a look at the schedule, predictions and postseason bracket for the divisional-round games.

Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Predicted Winner
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots	Saturday, Jan. 10	4:35 p.m.	NBC	Patriots
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks	Saturday, Jan. 10	8:15 p.m.	Fox	Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers	Sunday, Jan. 11	1:05 p.m.	Fox	Packers
Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos	Sunday, Jan. 11	4:40 p.m.	CBS	Broncos

Players to Watch

RB C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos passing attack get most of the attention, but C.J. Anderson has arguably been the team's best player down the stretch of the season.

In his last six contests, he averaged 108 rushing yards a game and scored eight total touchdowns. He completely revamped the Broncos rushing attack and added an extra dimension to the offense to go along with Manning, Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas and Wes Welker. 

Louis Riddick of ESPN noted just how effective Anderson has been:

The Indianapolis Colts are a decidedly mediocre 18th in the NFL against the run, which means Anderson could be the key to the entire game. He carried the ball only four times against the Colts in the season opener, but he did average an impressive 6.8 yards per carry and will look to replicate that success with a much heavier workload Sunday.

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Anderson is so important to Denver’s efforts because the Colts were better against the pass than the run this season. If he can pick up large chunks of yardage early in the game, it could soften up the defense and create openings for Manning and the passing attack to exploit in the second half.

WR Julian Edelman, New England Patriots

Rob Gronkowski is the most important player in the New England Patriots attack outside of Tom Brady, and he proved it this season with 1,124 receiving yards and 12 touchdown catches. Anyone who watched the Patriots this season understands how important Gronkowski is, but that also means the Baltimore Ravens will focus on containing the tight end.

It would not be a surprise if the Ravens double-teamed Gronkowski throughout the game in an effort to take away New England’s best option.

If that is the case, wide receiver Julian Edelman will have to fill the void. He is not a bad secondary option for Brady, as he racked up 972 receiving yards and four touchdown catches, although he has not played since a Week 15 concussion.

Steven Senne/Associated Press

Edelman discussed his rehab process, via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com:

"

We’ve been practicing the last week and a half or something; I know Tom a little bit here now, these last few years. He knows me. There’s a foundation. But even if whatever happened didn’t happen, we still have to continue to try to get better. That’s what we’re trying to do -- staying after, throwing a couple extra routes, bouncing ideas off each other. Like any other week, I guess, but the stakes are a little higher. 

"

Baltimore was only 23rd in the league against the pass this season, so focusing on Gronkowski could stretch this already vulnerable group thin. Brady will look to take advantage of the single coverage facing Edelman on the outside when it presents itself.

RB Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Running back Jonathan Stewart ran for at least 75 yards in four of the last five games of the regular season, including a 155-yard effort against the New Orleans Saints and a 122-yard effort against the Cleveland Browns.

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com noted that few players in the league have been better than Stewart recently:

Stewart kept the momentum going against the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card Round with 123 rushing yards and a touchdown. However, his newfound dominance will be put to the test against the NFL’s stingiest defense Saturday.

The Seattle Seahawks were first in the league in scoring defense, first against the pass and third against the run and will have arguably the NFL's best home-field advantage behind them Saturday. Quarterback Cam Newton is far from 100 percent healthy, and he will need Stewart to take some of the pressure off him against that defense with an impressive performance from the running back spot. 

That is much easier said than done against the mighty Seahawks.

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