NFL Playoff Bracket 2020: Predictions, Coverage Guide for Divisional Schedule

There are two NFL quarterbacks with Super Bowl titles playing in the divisional round.

Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers finish off the four-game slate in the fourth playoff meeting between the two franchises since 2000. 

Their last postseason clash was the 2015 NFC Championship Game in which Seattle erased a 16-point deficit to win on home soil. 

Rodgers and Wilson are two of the few main figures left on both rosters from that contest, and some of the new faces to the familiar matchup could be the difference-makers at Lambeau Field. 

A quarterback showdown of another generation opens up Sunday's schedule, as Deshaun Watson leads the Houston Texans into Arrowhead Stadium to face Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs should be fresh from their bye and hold home-field advantage in this matchup, but those factors will not guarantee an easy victory. 

Divisional-Round Schedule and Odds

Odds via Caesars; predictions against the spread in bold

All Times ET. 

Saturday, January 11

Minnesota at San Francisco (-7) (Over/Under: 44.5) (4:35 p.m., NBC) 

Tennessee at Baltimore (-10) (O/U: 46.5) (8:15 p.m., CBS) 

Sunday, January 12

Houston at Kansas City (-10) (O/U: 51) (3:05 p.m., CBS) 

Seattle at Green Bay (-4) (O/U: 46.5) (6:40 p.m., Fox) 

Predictions

Green Bay 26, Seattle 20

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

The one asset Rodgers can take advantage of that Wilson can't is the pass-catching ability of his running backs.  

Aaron Jones rushed for 1,084 yards and 16 scores, but he also did a decent job catching balls, as did Jamaal Williams. 

Green Bay's running back tandem produced 747 receiving yards on 88 receptions and scored eight times through the air. 

The Seahawks have allowed the fourth-most receiving yards to running backs this season. Only Kansas City, Houston and the Detroit Lions have conceded more. 

In seven of its nine road games, Seattle let up at least 200 passing yards, with one of the exceptions being the wild-card round, when Josh McCown was forced into action for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Rodgers, who boasts a 10-7 postseason record, threw for 1,004 passing yards and nine touchdowns during his last foray into January. 

The Green Bay quarterback is 4-2 at Lambeau Field in the playoffs, and in his last two home postseason appearances, he eclipsed the 300-yard mark. 

If Rodgers spreads the ball around to Davante Adams, Jimmy Graham and others, there could be space for the running backs to leak out and record a few decent gains on passing plays. 

Wilson does not have that in his passing arsenal with Marshawn Lynch and Travis Homer as the featured backs on a depleted depth chart. 

In the wild-card round, Lynch and Homer earned 30 receiving yards and 19 rushing yards. 

If they are ineffective again, Green Bay can bring more pressure to keep Wilson out of a rhythm, or leave a linebacker back to spy him to prevent any scrambling gains. 

If Green Bay contains Wilson and takes away the running backs, it may hold an opponent under 200 passing yards at home for the fourth time this season. 

Even if the Packers execute their game plan to perfection, they may not create much separation on the scoreboard since two of their eight home contests were decided by double digits. 

That is why the spread remains the lowest of the divisional round and why Green Bay may come away with a one-possession victory.

Kansas City 34, Houston 30

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

The offenses are expected to be more explosive in Sunday's opener since Houston and Kansas City combined for 55 points in Week 6 at Arrowhead Stadium.

In that matchup, Tyreek Hill brought in five passes for 80 yards and two scores for the Chiefs, while DeAndre Hopkins hauled in nine catches for 55 yards. 

The pair of No. 1 receivers could have a similar impact on Sunday's clash, especially after Hopkins recorded a career-high in postseason receiving yards in the wild-card round. 

Travis Kelce is targeted much more than his counterpart Darren Fells, but the Texans have called on their tight end more in the red zone. 

Kelce has the comparative edge with 97 receptions and 1,229 receiving yards, but Fells owns two more touchdowns. 

If Mahomes and Watson utilize all of their offensive weapons, we could be in for a shootout that eclipses the over/under total and allows the AFC South side to cover as an underdog. 

While the Chiefs' offense is a major key to their success, their rushing defense could be the difference-maker Sunday.

In Week 6, Carlos Hyde racked up 116 rushing yards, but since then, he has two triple-digit outings and was held to 48 yards by the Buffalo Bills. 

Since the loss to Houston, Andy Reid's side limited four opponents to under 100 rushing yards and its average ground concession in the last four contests is 88.8 yards. 

If Kansas City takes away one part of Houston's offense and Damien Williams thrives versus a defense that allowed over 100 rushing yards in the last four games, the home side could extend a few drives and come up with crucial late conversions to seal the victory. 

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Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference