NFL 2019 season results and wildcard picks

Interesting conclusion to the season.  Pats did not rest many starters and still lost, costing them a first round bye. Dallas destroyed their rival Redskins, but we don't know if they saved their coach's job.  Oakland and the Colts, needed to impress, failed to do so.  Finally, a ragtag banged-up Packers squad captured the first round bye over a rejuvenated Saints team, which might give them incentive when they meet in two weeks at Lambeau.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1.  Baltimore Ravens (14-2) [1]
2.  San Francisco 49ers (13-3) [3]
3.  New England Patriots (12-4) [2]
4.  Kansas City Chiefs (12-4) [4]
5.  Green Bay Packers (13-3) [5]
6.  New Orleans Saints (13-3) [6]
7.  Minnesota Vikings (10-6) [7]
8.  Tennessee Titans (9-7) [12]
9.  Buffalo Bills (10-6) [8]
10. Dallas Cowboys (8-8) [11]
11. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) [14]
12. Los Angeles Rams (9-7) [13]

Division Rankings [Last week's rank]
1.  NFC West [1] : They ended as the only division with three teams with positive point differentials, and three teams in the top half of the Power Rankings
2.  NFC North [2] : Aside from the NFC West, the only other division that has only one team with a losing record
3 (tie).  AFC East [3] : Two teams going to the playoffs, and perhaps the lower one with the better momentum
3 (tie).  AFC South [5] : The final division with two teams going to the playoffs, but definitely the weaker lot
5.  NFC South [4] : Atlanta pushed at the end, which bodes well for what they can do during the off-season, and perhaps the strongest team in the NFC over the past three weeks
6.  AFC North [7] : Not a great way for this division to close the season
7.  AFC West [5] : Not much without KC
8.  NFC East [8] : Been the pits nearly the whole season

Wildcard round
In a strange quirk this season, the NFL has scheduled the games of each conference on the same day, rather than a game from each conference.  We start with the AFC on Saturday, and close with the NFC on Sunday.

#5 Buffalo Bills (10-6) at #4 Houston Texans (10-6) : The decline on the Texans over the past couple of weeks makes them an underdog.  However, the return of JJ Watt might rejuvenate that team.  Buffalo hasn't had a playoff win since 1995, when Jim Kelly captained the squad.  That's a 25-year drought, the second longest in the AFC.  They want to break that, and this team seems capable of doing that.  BILLS, 23-20

#6 Tennessee Titans (9-7) at #3 New England Patriots (12-4) : Okay, so the Patriots have only looked good in one game out of their last four, but this is the defending champs, at home in the playoffs, where they have one of the best winning percentages in the league.  PATRIOTS, 31-20

#6 Minnesota Vikings (10-6) at #3 New Orleans Saints (13-3) : The Vikings are a strong team, but when it comes to home-field playoff records, only one team exceeds the Patriots -- the Saints.  They get fired up at home.  No matter how good that Vikings defense is, Drew Brees and company will find a way to shred it.  SAINTS, 31-27

#5 Seattle Seahawks (11-5) at #4 Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) : It may surprise longtime Seahawks fans to know that the team had a MUCH better road record than at home this year.  Philly poured it on at the end of the season to beat Dallas for the division title, but they may have pushed themselves a bit too much.  SEAHAWKS, 23-16