The divisional playoffs, if you think about it, make for the most complete weekend of highly competitive football games possible. One week removed from the wild card, the weak teams have been squeezed out, and those who made it past the first round go on to face their respective conference’s best two regular season teams.
Here’s what to expect for the NFC divisional playoffs this week.
New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers
Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
Somehow the two most absolutely opposite teams in the playoffs ended up lined up across from each other, and we’re lucky enough to get to watch it as the first game of the weekend.
Record-setting quarterback Drew Brees heads into San Francisco to face the NFC’s best defense, by far. The Niners surrendered an average of just 308.2 yards per game in the regular season, including just 230.9 through the air. They have two all-pro linebackers in Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman locking down Darren Sproles and Jimmy Graham, as well as an all-pro defensive tackle in Justin Smith.
So it’s safe to say that the Niners will be able to hold the Saints to fewer than the 45 points they scored against Detroit last week. But will it be enough for Alex Smith and the quiet Niners offense to keep up?
San Francisco averaged 23.8 points per game. But that came in the weak NFC West, and wouldn’t have been anywhere near as close without kicker David Akers’ record-setting season. With his 44 field goals ranking far higher than the second-place Mike Nugent’s 33, Akers broke the record for most points by a kicker in a single season, with 165. Without Aker’s 10 points-per-game, the 49ers are a 14-point-per-game team.
The main key to this one is whether San Francisco can keep it within reach. And that’s no easy task with that explosive New Orleans offense on the other side of the ball.
— Colin Neagle (@colinneagle)
