The NFL playoffs have moved past the Wild Card round, setting the stage for the Divisional Round.
Two NFC matchups headline the quarterfinals. On Saturday evening, the top-seeded Detroit Lions will face the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders. According to ESPN BET, the Lions are 9.5-point favorites.
On Sunday afternoon, the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles will host the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles are favored by 6.5 points, per ESPN BET.
Ahead of each week, ESPN analysts share their game predictions. Among nine experts picking Divisional Round games, senior NFL writer Jason Reid was the only one to choose the Commanders over the Lions.
Reid ranks second among 11 ESPN experts for prediction accuracy, correctly guessing 190 of 272 games in 2024. He also nailed four of six Wild Card picks.
The Commanders have gained momentum with a six-game win streak, including a 23-20 Wild Card victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a last-second Zane Gonzalez field goal.
Under first-year head coach Dan Quinn, Washington finished 12-5—an eight-win improvement from 2023. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels will be key if the Commanders are to upset Detroit.
The former LSU standout has led Washington’s top-ten offense with dual-threat abilities, helping his team average 369.6 yards per game, seventh in the NFL.
In addition to Reid’s bold Commanders pick, four of nine ESPN analysts predict the Rams will upset the Eagles. Yet, most expect an NFC Championship showdown between the Lions and Eagles.
