Mark Craig's NFL wild-card weekend picks — and Super Bowl prediction

Time (TV): 3:30 p.m. (Ch. 9)

Line: 49ers by 9½

2022 meetings: 49ers won 27-7 at home in Week 2 and 21-13 at Seattle in Week 15.

Key stat: 16.3, the 49ers' league-leading points allowed per game.

Did you know? Seattle held Kansas City's No. 1-ranked offense to a season-low 297 yards on Dec. 24.

Prediction: With only 106 yards rushing in two losses to the second-seeded 49ers, the seventh-seeded Seahawks proved they don't have what it takes to protect quarterback Geno Smith from Nick Bosa (three sacks, eight hits vs. Smith) and the league's best defense. San Francisco 24, Seattle 13

Time (TV): 7:15 p.m. (Ch. 11, Universo, Peacock)

2022 meeting: Jacksonville won 38-10 at Los Angeles in Week 3.

Key stat: Plus-5, Jacksonville's turnover differential, which is tied for seventh with the Chargers. Last year, the Jaguars were a league-worst minus-20.

Did you know? Undrafted rookie kicker Cameron Dicker has won special teams player of the week twice — once in one game with the Eagles and once in 10 games with the Chargers. He has made 21 of 22 field goal attempts, 19 of 20 with the Chargers.

Prediction: Like in Week 3, quarterback Trevor Lawrence will benefit tremendously from Jacksonville's much-improved pass protection (sixth-best, according to Pro Football Focus). The fourth-seeded Jags move on to play the top-seeded Chiefs. Jacksonville 26, Chargers 21

Time (TV): noon (Ch. 4, Paramount+)

2022 meetings: Miami won 21-19 at home in Week 3. Buffalo won 32-29 at home in Week 15.

Key stat: 19.3, points per game the Bills have allowed while going 7-0 since giving up 33 points in an overtime loss to the Vikings.

Did you know? Seventh-seeded Miami ranks 28^th in turnover differential, worst among playoff teams. Only the Buccaneers (minus-2) and Chiefs (minus-3) have negative differentials.

Prediction: The Bills struggled against quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but he's out and rookie Skylar Thompson is about to get steamrolled by second-seeded Buffalo and its rabid Bills Mafia. Buffalo 41, Miami 20

Time (TV): 3:30 p.m. (Ch. 9)

2022 meeting: Vikings won 27-24 in Week 16.

Key stat: 0-6, the Giants' record against NFC playoff teams.

Did you know? This is only the fourth playoff game since 1970 to feature two rookie head coaches.

Prediction: The third-seeded Vikings have only seven takeaways in eight games since posting a season-high four in their signature victory at Buffalo. They had zero takeaways in four of them, going 1-3 while giving up 140 points. The Giants have only five giveaways in their past seven games, including two in losing on a 61-yard walkoff field goal vs. the Vikings. The blueprint is simple: Protect the football and you will outscore a Vikings team that still has a schematically challenged defense. The sixth-seeded Giants pull the upset by doing just that. Giants 31, Vikings 28

Time (TV): 7:15 p.m. (Ch. 11, Universo and Peacock)

2022 meetings: Cincinnati swept, winning 19-17 at Baltimore in Week 5 and 27-16 at home in Week 18.

Key stat: 16-0, Bengals record since 2021 when allowing fewer than three sacks, including 8-0 in their last eight games.

Did you know? Sixth-seeded Baltimore has a league-leading 13 consecutive games with multiple sacks.

Prediction: With better protection for Burrow and no Lamar Jackson to chase, third-seeded Cincinnati cruises against its familiar AFC North foe. Cincinnati 30, Baltimore 17

Time (TV): 7:15 p.m. (Ch. 5, ESPN, ESPN2)

2022 meeting: Tampa Bay won at Dallas 19-3 in Week 1.

Key stat: Dan Quinn's Dallas defense has led the NFL in takeaways each of the last two seasons. The Cowboys hadn't led the league in takeaways since 1971.

Did you know? Tom Brady is 7-0 against the Cowboys. The other teams he's never lost to are the Vikings (6-0), Bucs (4-0) and Patriots (1-0).

Prediction: Brady lost his playoff opener only three times in his first 19 postseasons. Dallas' second-ranked pass rush and Tampa Bay's inability to run the ball will make it four times in 20 postseasons. Dallas 21, Tampa Bay 17

AFC
No. 1 Chiefs 38, No. 4 Jaguars 24
No. 2 Bills 34, No. 3 Bengals 31

AFC
No. 2 Bills 44, No. 1 Chiefs 41

NFC
No. 5 Cowboys 31, No. 1 Eagles 28

Bills 20, Cowboys 19