NFL Divisional Round Picks: Could Cowboys at 49ers Be an Epic Battle?

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (-5.5)

Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, CBS

Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals face off on Sunday afternoon in what expects to be a back-and-forth battle. Cincinnati comes in after winning 24-17 against Baltimore last week. It was a closer-than-expected affair. In the end, Joe Burrow and the Bengals prevailed at home with little help from their defense. 

As for Buffalo, the Bills started great last week against Miami. They were up double-digits, and then the second quarter came. Seeing the Dolphins battle back and even take the lead was strange. The Bills made a few too many miscues (three in all). One led to an early second-half touchdown which put Miami up 24-20.

Buffalo and quarterback Josh Allen rallied for two touchdowns then the Bills held off Miami’s fourth-quarter rally to win 34-31. Nothing comes easy in these NFL playoffs. The Bills and Bengals now play for a spot in the AFC Championship. 

Two young quarterbacks are attempting to grind their way with questionable rushing offenses. The Bengals ran for barely 50 yards, while Buffalo managed 107 on 26 carries. Cincinnati’s rush defense is a little better than Miami’s, though.

While everyone knows how the first matchup ended, with defensive back Damar Hamlin suffering cardiac arrest after a tackle, Hamlin will be able to watch the game. It does not matter from where. As for this game, can Cincinnati get its offense going up in Buffalo? The expectation is yes. 

Some are surprised by the Over. It is 48, but it could shift between now and Sunday. The hope is that offense will be more prevalent. Take the Over in this tilt, as Cincinnati is more than capable of going score-for-score with the Bills on Sunday. Also, the Bengals at +5.5 are worth a look too.

Our Pick is to take the Cincinnati getting 5.5 points. 

Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers (-3.5)

Sunday 6:30 p.m. ET, FOX

Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

OK, allow us a selfish moment. Dallas and San Francisco games in the 1990s hit differently. They were an event as much as a game. The ebbs and flows alone were more gripping than any soap opera. Those coaching battles became memories of much lore on networks like ESPN Classic. 

Both teams come off emphatic opening-round wins. The Dallas Cowboys disposed of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 31-14. Dak Prescott threw for five touchdowns in all and not a single interception. Meanwhile, Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to a 25-point second-half surge and a 41-23 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks. 

Seattle showed San Francisco to be a bit vulnerable on defense. How will San Francisco adjust? The key for the 49ers is simple. Keep Prescott out of rhythm. Tampa Bay let the Dallas quarterback shred their secondary. The 49ers pressuring Prescott and slowing down the Cowboys’ running game is vital. 

Dallas must limit mistakes to almost zero on Sunday. Can Prescott and the Dallas offense do it again? Weather shouldn't be an issue with more pleasant conditions and no rain. 

Bluntly, special teams and Dallas’ defense might not be able to handle the balanced nature that is the San Francisco 49ers. The game will stay close longer than expected. However, the 49ers should be able to hold Dallas off late as the Cowboys expect to tire. 

Our Pick is to take San Francisco laying 3.5 points.

All of our numbers are from DraftKings and BetMGM. Good luck this weekend!