SERBY ’S CRYSTAL BALL

AFC

WILD-CARD ROUND CHARGERS over JETS: Sam Darnold’s first playoff game. Todd Bowles’ first playoff game. Darnold doesn’t have to worry about the crowd noise at the 27,000-seat StubHub Center. But he should have worried about Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, each of whom sack Darnold three times in a 28-0 rout.

JAGUARS over TITANS: In the press box, Tom Coughlin bangs the table in anger when Blake Bortles runs into the butt of LG Andrew Norwell and fumbles. Jalen Ramsey, in an effort to get in Marcus Mariota’s head, predicts there will be a luau in Jacksonville after the game. Ramsey intercepts Mariota twice, one a pick-six, in a 27-13 victory. DIVISIONAL ROUND

CHARGERS over PATRIOTS: Tom Brady’s offensive line bends but does not break against the vaunted Chargers pass rush until the fourth quarter, when Bosa storms in on Brady and forces an interception. While Brady is screaming at OC Josh McDaniels — “You should have taken the damn Colts job” — Rivers hits Mike Williams for an 18-yard TD pass for a 24-21 upset.

STEELERS over JAGUARS: Ramsey’s preseason critique of Big Ben — “He ain’t all that” — hasn’t been forgotten. Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown (two long TD catches) silence Ramsey, and Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt stifle Leonard Fournette and dare Bortles to beat them, which he can’t. Steelers 27, Jaguars 17. AFC CHAMPIONSHIP CHARGERS over STEELERS: Roethlisberger has his two Super Bowl rings, Eli Manning has his two, but the other member of the 2004 QB Class has five empty fingers on his right hand. Le’Veon Bell, playing his last game as a Steeler, puts too much pressure on himself and loses a costly fumble before Rivers hits TE Virgil Green for a 30-27 victory.

NFC

WILD-CARD ROUND PACKERS over EAGLES: With the game tied 24-24 with 53 seconds remaining, Packers coach Mike McCarthy silences a stunned crowd when Randall Cobb takes a direct snap before handing off to Jimmy Graham, who hits a wide-open Aaron Rodgers for the 31-24 victory. Asked for the play’s name, Rodgers smiles mischievously. “Green Bay Special,” he says.

FALCONS over RAMS: A chance for the NFC West champs to avenge last year’s 26-13 playoff loss at the Coliseum. Both elite secondaries keep Matt Ryan and Jared Goff in check. Until volatile personalities Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib squabble on the sideline and Julio Jones beats Talib for the decisive 53-yard TD in overtime for the 26-20 victory. DIVISIONAL ROUND

SAINTS over PACKERS: It is not lost on the proud folks of Titletown that Drew Brees was the only quarterback in NFL history to pass for 300-plus yards in seven consecutive games against one team — their team. Against Rodgers, in the absence of a Green Bay pass rush, he has no choice but to make it eight in a 30-27 thriller at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

FALCONS over VIKINGS: Kirk Cousins was given a fully guaranteed $84 million Super Bowl-or-Bust contract. No Minny Miracle this time as Vic Beasley and Takk McKinley hound him and Ryan hushes the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd with a thirdand-long conversion to rookie Calvin Ridley that sets up Matt Bryant’s 53-yard FG as time expires for 24-21 victory. NFC CHAMPIONSHIP SAINTS over FALCONS: These bitter rivals have met only once in the playoffs, and the Saints have been waiting for this chance to avenge their 27-20 wild-card loss in 1991. This time, Brees’ TD strike to Michael Thomas gives the Saints the 27-20 victory and Mardi Gras starts early on Bourbon Street.

SUPER BOWL LIII

SAINTS over CHARGERS: The storyline all week in Atlanta, of course, is the two years Rivers didn’t play as Brees’ backup in San Diego before Brees signed with the Saints. Brees reiterates to the national media that their relationship was in no way awkward.

Sean Payton opens the second half with a successful onsides kick, and Brees goes deep to rookie Tre’Quan Smith to cut the deficit to 24-21. And then it happens. Cam Jordan lands on Rivers’ shoulder. Anthony Lynn turns to Geno Smith, who looks for Keenan Allen and is intercepted by Marshon Lattimore.

It’s midway through the fourth quarter. Brees is driving. And then it happens. Bosa — an eye for an eye, a shoulder for a shoulder — lands on Brees. And in trots Teddy Bridgewater (left). Who, on the first play, finds Ted Ginn Jr. with an 80-yard TD pass that gives Brees and Payton and the Saints their 28-24 victory and second

Lombardi Trophy.