The first day of the NFL playoffs is over, with two unmemorable games finishing in favor of the Houston Texans (over the Oakland Raiders, 27-14) and the Seattle Seahawks (over the Detroit Lions, 26-6).Let's take a look at the updated schedule and offer some quick-hit predictions for the rest of the playoffs.AFC ScheduleWild Card(6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Pittsburgh Steelers: Sunday, Jan. 8, 1:05 p.m. ET on CBS Divisional Round(6) Miami Dolphins or (4) Houston Texans at (1) New England Patriots: Saturday, Jan. 14, 8:15 p.m. ET on CBS(4) Houston Texans or (3) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Kansas City Chiefs: Sunday, Jan. 15, 1:05 p.m. ET on NBC AFC Championship GameTBA vs. TBA: Sunday, Jan. 22, 6:40 p.m. ET on CBSNFC ScheduleWild Card(5) New York Giants at (4) Green Bay Packers: Sunday, Jan. 8, 4:40 p.m. ET on FoxDivisional Round(3) Seattle Seahawks at (2) Atlanta Falcons: Saturday, Jan. 14, 4:35 p.m. ET on Fox(5) New York Giants vs. (4) Green Bay Packers winner at (1) Dallas Cowboys: Sunday, Jan. 15, 4:40 p.m. ET on FoxNFC Championship GameTBA vs. TBA: Sunday, Jan. 22, 3:05 p.m. ET on FoxSuper Bowl XLINFC Champion vs. AFC Champion: Sunday, Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m. ET on FoxAFC PredictionsWild CardPittsburgh over Miami, 27-13 Divisional RoundNew England over Houston, 31-10Kansas City over Pittsburgh, 20-17 AFC ChampionshipNew England over Kansas City, 28-17Pittsburgh is an 11-point favorite to beat Miami, per OddsShark. It's hard to see the warm-weather Dolphins beating Pittsburgh in frigid Heinz Field, where the Steelers went 6-2 and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 20 touchdowns to only five interceptions.In the divisional round, New England should sleepwalk in a win over Houston, who significantly benefited from facing inexperienced third-string quarterback Connor Cook in its Wild Card Game win.The quarterback upgrade to Tom Brady will be too significant. Also, the Patriots quietly have the best scoring defense in football, allowing only 250 points this season.On the other side, expect a classic in Kansas City when Pittsburgh comes to town. The slight edge goes to the home team, who has two game-breakers in wide receiver/return man Tyreek Hill and safety Eric Berry. They each have each won games by themselves this year.That puts the Chiefs in New England for the AFC Championship Game.It just feels like the Patriots' year. They outscored opponents by 191 points this season. They went 11-1 with Brady at quarterback, with the lone loss coming against a tough Seattle team. They can beat teams on the ground or in the air, depending on the matchups in a given week.K.C. is somehow underrated, even at 12-4, but New England will be too tough for the Chiefs to handle.NFC PredictionsWild CardGreen Bay over New York, 20-17 (OT)Divisional RoundDallas over Green Bay, 27-24Atlanta over Seattle, 30-20NFC ChampionshipDallas over Atlanta, 31-24The Green Bay vs. New York Giants matchup has the potential to be the best game of the entire playoffs. Something's got to give when quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are on offense against the Giants defense, which finished second in scoring in the NFL and picked off 15 passes in their last 10 games.Give the edge to the home team in a close game.In the divisional round, take Atlanta in the dome over Seattle, who only went 3-4-1 on the road this year and misses All-Pro safety Earl Thomas.Green Bay and Dallas should deliver yet another classic game, but the last time these two teams met, the Cowboys exposed the Packers run defense when running back Ezekiel Elliott ran for 157 yards in Green Bay. At home, expect more of the same.Atlanta would then face Dallas in the NFC Championship Game. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones could have a field day in Dallas, as the Cowboys pass defense is the team's weakness (ranked a mediocre 18th, per Football Outsiders), but it won't matter if Elliott, quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys chew up clock and keep the Falcons offense off the field. That will happen as the rookie duo leads Dallas to its first Super Bowl in 21 years.Super Bowl LI PredictionNew England over Dallas, 31-17Brady and Bill Belichick have been to six Super Bowls (and seven, if this prediction comes true). Elliott was six years old when that duo went to their first Super Bowl in February 2002.Dallas has a bright future ahead and perhaps will stake a claim as the next great dynasty someday, but Brady and Belichick will be too much for the inexperienced Cowboys.
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