“Pick ‘Em or Kick ‘Em”™: FGT VS. Urban Sports Scene 2023 Divisional Round Playoff Picks

January 20, 2024

By the Football Garbage Time Staff

If you followed last year, you won over 60% of your picks, and we aim to do even better this year.

And if you’ve been following us, you know that we here at Football Garbage Time have gone head-to-head against Wally, Will and Ray at Urban Sports Scene on our NFL Picks for the last 6 seasons. Why? Because they’re awesome competitors, they KNOW their sports, and, heck, they’re just good guys! This year we’ll have their picks up right HERE, so keep it tuned in, to both us and them, because we’ll be picking all season all long.

Without further to do, here we go:

Divisional Round Playoff Games

Ha Kung Wong’s Picks

Ha Kung’s Thoughts:

After a 64.7% record two seasons ago, I ended last season 63.3% (178-103). So that’s eight years in a row with over a 60% pick rate. I also ended up 16-4 for Locks of Week (80%) and 8-12 for Upsets of the Week (40%) which is also eight years in a row of Locks being over 70%. I was 5-1 in Wild Card Weekend making me 176-102 (64.0%) overall for the season. I hit my Lock of the Week (Bills) and my Upset of the Week (Texans), meaning I’m 16-3 (84.2%) for Locks and 8-11 (42.1%) for Upsets so far.

Check out Ryan Whitfield’s and my breakdown of our picks in this week’s podcast!

Also, check out my AFC Divisional Round Playoff Previews and Predictions and NFC Divisional Round Playoff Previews and Predictions for statistics and more about each matchup!

Only a Lock (for Survivor Leagues) for the Divisional Round Playoffs…

Lock of the Week ➡ San Francisco 49ers (-9.5) over Green Bay Packers

Check out my breakdown of the game in my NFC Divisional Round Playoff Previews & Predictions!

Joanne Kong’s Picks

Scott King’s Picks

Scott’s Thoughts:

For the first time since I was high school the Lions advanced in the playoffs. I now have them moving on to the NFC Championship. This Kool aide is going to my head.

Ryan Whitfield’s Picks

Check out Ryan Whitfield’s and my breakdown of our picks in this week’s podcast!

Wole’s Picks

Coming Soon!

Wole’s Thoughts:

Check out Wole’s thoughts on his picks in the recent Urban Sports Scene Podcast!

Ray’s Picks

Coming Soon!

Ray’s Thoughts:

Check out Ray’s thoughts on his picks in the most recent Urban Sports Scene Podcast!

Will’s Picks

Coming Soon!

Will’s Thoughts:

Check out Will’s thoughts on his picks in the most recent Urban Sports Scene Podcast!

George’s Picks

George’s Thoughts:

Went 4-2 against the number and 3-3 straight up thanks to the Rams not pulling the win out at Detroit. I am doing something that’s dangerous this week because 4 home teams rarely win on Divisional round weekend but that’s what I got.

Houston (+9) at Baltimore: The Texans are the best chance for an upset because the Ravens did the same thing they did the last time they had a number 1 seed. They rested all their starters for the last week of the season and got jumped by the Titans and lost. Could it happen again here? Maybe, but talent-wise this is the biggest mismatch this week. No way known should Houston be in round 2 of the playoffs but that’s how good C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans have been. But that talent deficit might be too much for them to overcome. Ravens, barely.

Green Bay at San Francisco (-9.5): I am not going to let recency bias or the fact the 49ers rested all their players in week 18 sway me here. I’ve felt all year the 49ers would win the Super Bowl and they’ve owned the Packers in the playoffs. San Francisco will run the ball and punish the Green Bay defense and Jordan Love will get baited into a couple of INTs. Packers hang around, 49ers pull away in the second half.

Tampa Bay at Detroit (-6.5): Pay no attention to that final score or the people telling you the Bucs were in the game against the Lions. Detroit should’ve blown Tampa out in the regular season they were in control of that game throughout. And the Lions defense were able to contain that Bucs offense when Baker Mayfield was healthier than he is now

And Detroit did not come this far to lose to damn Tampa at home in the playoffs. Lions roll here.

Kansas City at Buffalo (-2.5): The only reason to pick the Chiefs is that the Sean McDermott is a terrible in game coach and if he could screw this up he can. The Bills dominated the Chiefs in the regular season early then let them come back in the game. Except for those fateful 13 seconds in the playoffs, the Buffalo has owned KC. And despite McDermott they will do so again.