The NFL playoffs continue on Saturday with a pair of huge Divisional Round games. I know there is still a big contingent of Detroit Lions fans who are refusing to watch the playoffs, and I certainly understand it. But, for me, there are only seven NFL games left before the offseason is here for all 32 teams, and I’m not yet ready to embrace that. I need all the NFL I can get while it’s still here.
One of the biggest problems, however, is there are no clear teams to root for. Everyone is going to have
their own #2 team or specific player they like that may guide their rooting interest, but from a Lions fan perspective, it’s hard to identify which team to ride the rest of the way.
I’m not here to tell you how you should feel. You’re welcome to root for whatever team you want, and I will not judge you for it… unless it’s the Chicago Bears. But if you’re looking for some guidance during the Saturday games, here are the two teams I’m rooting for and why.
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which teams are you rooting for in Saturday’s Divisional Round games?
My answer: Let’s break down each game.
Bills at Broncos — 4:30 p.m. ET — CBS
Who I’m rooting for: Bills
Why:
I’ve always felt a distant connection to the Buffalo Bills. They’re on the other end of the “is it better to have made the Super Bowl and have lost, or is it better to have never made it to a Super Bowl at all?” debate.
Four straight Super Bowl losses and zero other appearances in the Big Game. That is a kind of torture Lions fans can only dream of. And let’s not get it twisted, that is a horrific kind of torture. You thought the NFC Championship loss to the 49ers was bad, can you imagine going through something even more high-stakes and coming up short four straight times?
Meanwhile, the Broncos have three Super Bowl championships. There’s a slight tie-in with Broncos’ coach Sean Payton being one of Dan Campbell’s mentors, but in all honesty, I don’t really like Payton. Seems like kind of a jerk.
49ers at Seahawks — 8 p.m. ET — FOX
Who I’m rooting for: uhhhhhh…. Seahawks, I guess?
Why:
This is the type of game that I will figure out who I’m rooting for when it happens. The Lions and Seahawks have played in a lot of somewhat-recent torturous games, and it’s made me feel vindictive against them as a franchise for a few years. The batted ball games or the Week 18 win over the Rams in 2022 that knocked the Lions out of the playoffs come to mind.
But the aforementioned NFC Championship game wound is still open. With the Lions no longer on this upward trajectory, it just makes that game hurt even more, and so I’m fairly certain I cannot and will not root for the 49ers.
Who are your rooting for on Saturday and why? Scroll down to the comment section and let us know!
