BREAKING NEWS: Christian McCaffrey is a popular name in 49ers What if he leaves?
Christian McCaffrey (calf) fully participates in 49ers practice.
Santa Clara, California. With the San Francisco 49ers’ playoff adventure beginning on Saturday, running back Christian McCaffrey returned to practice on Tuesday after recuperating from a right calf injury.
In a Week 17 win over the Washington Commanders, McCaffrey suffered what the Niners classified as a “mild” calf injury. He sat out a meaningless Week 18 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in order to be fully prepared for the playoffs.
He returned on Tuesday, as the top-seeded Niners began their week of preparing for the NFC divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.
According to coach Kyle Shanahan, McCaffrey participated fully in the workout and is ready to go on Saturday.
“I think he’s geared up and ready to go, the same way he was last year,” he added. “Probably the same way he was in a playoff game when he was five years old, or a scrimmage. Christian is consistently the same. He’s constantly waiting for that moment, and he’s been waiting for this one for quite some time.
McCaffrey and the 49ers were confident during the last two weeks that he would be good for the start of the postseason, but it’s still a positive outcome given what McCaffrey has meant to them this season. Despite missing the last game of the season, McCaffrey earned his first NFL running title, totaling 1,459 yards on the ground. This was 292 more than Derrick.
The NFL playoffs’ divisional round schedule for the 2023 season is packed with exciting matches, and we’ve got you prepared with everything you need to know before the weekend. Our NFL Nation correspondents provide us with the most important game-day details and a bold prediction for each contest.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information gives a significant stat to know and a betting nugget for each battle, and our Football Power Index (FPI) delves into the data with a game forecast. Seth Walder, an analytics writer, reveals the most important X factor in each matchup, Matt Bowen identifies a critical game-planning matchup to monitor in each game, and Kevin Seifert explains the officiating. Finally, Walder and Eric Moody provide their final score picks for
A frustrating postseason skid will come to an end. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is 0-2 in the divisional round, with one touchdown and three interceptions. However, the Texans are 0-4 in the divisional round, behind by an average of 14.5 points. — Jamison Hensley
Bold prediction: Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will throw for more than 300 yards against the Ravens, becoming the first quarterback to do it since Tom Brady threw for 325 yards on October 27, 2022. Stroud led the league in passing yards per game (273) and had a chance to go over 300 in the wild-card game against the Browns’ top-ranked defense after throwing for 236 in the first half. — DJ Bien-Aime
The Ravens employed play-action at the seventh-highest rate during the regular season (26%), and Jackson flourished with it, finishing in the top seven in the league in QBR, completion percentage, and yards per attempt. However, the Texans were one of the worst defenses against play-action, ranking in the bottom five in QBR, completion %, and yards per attempt.
The Texans’ offensive line is the matchup’s X factor. Throughout the season, the Ravens have successfully employed fake pressure to undermine their opponent’s protection while preserving coverage numbers. The Ravens had the most simulated pressure sacks (27), of any club. Houston’s offensive line must be ready to protect Stroud. — Walder
Game-plan key: I would want to witness Houston offense.
The Niners and Packers will meet for the 10th time in the playoffs, with San Francisco leading 5-4. Furthermore, the 49ers have won six consecutive NFC divisional-round playoff games, the longest active streak in the NFL. The winner will either claim or share the distinction of the most successful postseason club in history. The Packers are tied with the Patriots at 37 points and could move into first position with a win, but a 49ers victory would tie them with Green Bay and New England. — Nick Wagoner
A bold prediction: Jayden Reed will be the Packers’ top receiver. How can a man who hadn’t caught a single pass the week before do that? Well, the Packers have not had the same #1 receiver in terms.
Game-plan key: Deebo Samuel, a San Francisco receiver, led all receivers with an average of 8.8 yards after the catch. Coach Kyle Shanahan will provide open-field opportunities for him, but the Packers must be on their tackling game. To pull off the shock, Green Bay must minimize Samuel’s stats after the catch. Read more on ESPN+. — Bowen
Injuries: Packers, 49ers
Referee Alex Kemp’s regular-season crew topped the NFL in flags per game, averaging 15.3. The 49ers and Packers both finished in the top third of the NFL in terms of flags this season, with 125 and 124, respectively. — Seifert
The Packers have won four straight games as underdogs, their longest stretch since 2011-12
After winning their first playoff game in 32 years, the Lions will host their first NFC divisional round game since 1991. These teams will meet for the second time this season, with Detroit winning the regular-season meeting 20-6 at Tampa Bay. Baker Mayfield of the Buccaneers and Jared Goff of the Lions have both revived their careers in new settings as former No. 1 overall picks, and they will seek to carry their respective clubs with great play. — Eric Woodyard NFL
Bold prediction: The Bucs will keep the Lions under 20 points and win. Tampa Bay will once again be the underdog, Detroit’s going to be as hostile an environment as it gets, and coach Todd Bowles hasn’t beaten Goff since 2019,
Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions edge rusher, is the matchup’s X factor. He has three multisack games in a row and is coming off a 33% pass rush win percentage in the wild card round (more than double his regular-season performance). The Lions’ pass defense is their weakness, but if Hutchinson gets going, the team might pull away quickly. — Walder
Game-plan key: Will Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown go off against Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III in one-on-one man coverage? St. Brown had 124 yards against Tampa Bay in Week 6, so the Bucs must have a strategy here, maybe with Davis in coverage and safety assistance rotating down late. Read more on ESPN+. — Bowen
Injuries: Buccaneers, Lions
Referee Bill Vinovich’s regular-season crew is often one of the
For the first time in this rivalry between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, the Chiefs will visit Orchard Park for the postseason. The quarterbacks have faced off six times, with the Bills winning three of the four regular-season encounters and the Chiefs claiming both postseason games (2020 and 2021). The Bills’ defensive success distinguishes them from regular-season opponents in the playoffs. During the regular season, the Bills kept the Chiefs to 20.8 points per game and nine turnovers, but in the playoffs, Kansas City averaged 40 points and had only one turnover. The Bills defense, which is suffering with a number of ailments, will face a significant challenge. — Alaina Getzenberg.
A bold prediction: Mahomes and Allen will combine for
The Bills cornerback’s health. Taron Johnson (concussion), Rasul Douglas (knee) and Christian Benford (knee) are all injured. While Buffalo appears to be the superior team on paper, a weakened secondary paired with Mahomes appears to be a deadly mix. — Walder
Game-plan key: In the Week 14 game between these teams, Bills running back James Cook had 83 receiving yards. Cook will likely be engaged in the passing game again, thanks to backfield releases and screens by the Bills. Expect Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton to play a crucial role in minimizing these plays. Read more on ESPN+. — Bowen
Injuries: Chiefs, Bills
Shawn Hochuli is one of the NFL’s busiest referees. During the regular season, he issued an NFL-high 14 flags for roughing the passer, five more than the next closest official. Since becoming a referee in 2018, he has led the league with 61 such flags. That might be fascinating, since Allen has been good at earning roughing the passer fouls. He drew six in 2023, the most in the league. Mahomes drew only one. — Seifert
Betting tip: Mahomes is 10-5 ATS in postseason games, including 7-2 ATS when he is not at least a seven-point favorite. Allen is 3-6 ATS in his postseason career.
