NFL Playoffs: Cincinnati Bengals face Buffalo Bills just weeks after Damar Hamlin’s collapse

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CNN
 — 

After the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants respectively, all eyes have now turned to the two remaining Divisional Round matchups.

This weekends action concludes on Sunday with the Buffalo Bills facing the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Dallas Cowboys.

Here’s what you need to know.

Sunday’s afternoon slate features two legitimate Super Bowl contenders: the Bengals and the Bills. The game is a rematch of Week 17’s contest, during which the unimaginable happened and the storyline of this season shifted completely.

Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field, causing the game to be paused and eventually canceled. Now, just a few short weeks later, the divisional foes will meet again. But this time, with their seasons on the line.

Both teams possess high-caliber quarterbacks in Joe Burrow and Josh Allen but while both players have been mentioned in most valuable player conversations, each has their limitations.

For Burrow, the biggest concern isn’t his own ability, it’s the offensive line.

A quarterback is only as good as his protection; if he is left exposed, the Bengals will have a huge problem.

For Allen, the biggest concern is his turnover rate. At his best, he is a creative playmaker and a major threat but when he falls victim to the turnover bug (like last weekend against the Dolphins, when he threw away a pair of interceptions and a fumble that was returned for a touchdown), his game is reduced to more of a run game.

The challenge for both teams will be recognizing and exploiting these limitations.

The Cowboys will travel to face the San Fransisco 49ers on Sunday.

To wrap up the weekend, the Cowboys will travel to Santa Clara to take on the 49ers for the second consecutive postseason. Last year, San Francisco ended the Cowboys season in the Wild Card round with a 23-17 victory.

This time, they meet one step further in the Divisional Round. The 49ers are riding an 11-game winning streak, led by “Mr. Irreverent,” quarterback Brock Purdy. The Cowboys are coming off a triumphant Wild Card victory over Tom Brady’s Buccaneers in search of their first NFC Championship showing since 1994.

San Francisco enters this matchup as the slight favorite. They possess the league’s top-scoring defense and best defense in yards allowed, along with the second-best rush defense and turnovers forced.

Despite having quarterback troubles throughout the season, their offense has been electric, having scored 22 points in all but three games.

Their success amidst instability is a testament to the adaptability of this team. With Purdy at the helm, the team has unexpectedly only gotten stronger.

They’re 6-0 with him as a starter, and he has a demonstrated ability of coming back from a slow first half. Ultimately, the 49ers are a team that can not be counted out until the final whistle, no matter what obstacles they might face.

As the underdogs, getting through to the final four would be a bit more of a challenge for the Cowboys. America’s team is more scrappy and less reliable, but still capable of leaving Santa Clara with a victory.

One major concern for the Cowboys is their special teams unit. While special teams are often overlooked, every point and every field goal matters when it comes to the postseason.

Just last week, Dallas kicker Brett Maher missed four extra point tries against the Buccaneers. While they still managed to win the game, it’s unlikely that that will work twice. Getting the ‘easy’ points could be the deciding factor in this game.

Here’s how to catch these teams in action, from wherever you are.

Australia: NFL Game Pass, ESPN, 7Plus

Brazil: NFL Game Pass, ESPN

Canada: CTV, TSN, RDS, NFL Game Pass on DAZN

Germany: NFL Game Pass, ProSieben MAXX, DAZN

Mexico: NFL Game Pass, TUDN, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sky Sports

UK: NFL Game Pass, Sky Sports, ITV, Channel 5

US: NFL Game Pass, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime

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