AFC PLAYOFFS
WILD-CARD ROUND
TITANS at CHIEFS: Marcus Mariota, who has been plagued by hamstring and lower leg woes, regressed. With DeMarco Murray out with a knee issue, embattled Titans coach Mike Mularkey will rely on Derrick Henry to pound one of the league’s worst run defense. But game flow figures to be problematic with Alex Smith (right) back in form and targeting Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt. The Chiefs are surging, and they have Andy Reid and a playoff-hardened roster. The Titans lost three of their last four and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2008. CHIEFS 27, TITANS 10.
BILLS at JAGUARS: The Bills will either be happy to be there or playing loosey-goosey with nothing to lose after ending their 17-year playoff drought. And a handful of them might want to stick it to Doug Marrone for walking out on the franchise after the 2014 season. I would like their chances better if LeSean McCoy (ankle) wasn’t a game-time decision, because Blake Bortles will keep the game within striking distance. But Leonard Fournette gashes the 29th-ranked run defense and Sacksonville suffocates Tyrod Taylor. JAGUARS 23, BILLS 17.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
CHIEFS at PATRIOTS: Tom Brady (right) threw a pair of TD passes to Rob Gronkowski in a 27-20 Divisional game victory over the Chiefs two years ago at The Razor. These Chiefs are more explosive. But these rested Patriots will remember the 42-27 beatdown in the Thursday Night home opener, the most points surrendered in the Belichick Era. Watch Brady pick on Darrelle Revis. PATRIOTS 30, CHIEFS 20.
JAGUARS at STEELERS: You better believe Ben Roethlisberger remembers throwing five INTs and a pair of pick-sixes in a 30-9 loss in October to the Jags, which set up Fournette for a 181yard rushing day with two TDs. “For me, personally, I’d love to prove that five interceptions wasn’t me in that game,” Roethlisberger said Tuesday. Antonio Brown is expected back. Ryan Shazier will serve as inspiration. STEELERS 30, JAGUARS 9.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
STEELERS at PATRIOTS: Game of the Year II. The pregame brawl will center around James Harrison, of course. Can #Shalieve carry the Black and Gold? Can the Steelers keep Gronk from wrecking the game? Can Big Ben go toeto-toe with Brady? Can the Steelers get over the psychological hump? The Crystal Ball is clouding up. I think it says: STEELERS 34, PATRIOTS 31 (OT).
SUPER BOWL LII
STEELERS-VIKINGS: The Vikings have been waiting 43 years to avenge Super Bowl IX — Steelers 16, Vikings 6. Bud Grant, the 90-year-old Vikings legend who went 0-4 in the Super Bowl, is a media star. Defense wins championships, but the Steel Curtain is sick of reading about the modern-day Purple People Eaters — opponents have averaged 12.5 points per game against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer struggles to stop Le’Veon Bell (right), Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster. Keenum cannot keep up, and Big Ben captures his third Super Bowl championship. STEELERS 27, VIKINGS 20.