That's it! After 18 weeks of struggling, the best NFL teams can finally rejoice at having qualified for the glorious playoffs. But for 6 of them, the reprieve will only last a week. Losing in a wild card is better than nothing, but some franchises like the Steelers are a little too used to it. At this stage, everyone can believe in a star that may never return. The teams are playing for survival, but so are some players. Even more than Lamar Jackson (QB, Ravens) who must reassure in the playoffs, Sam Darnold (QB, Vikings) has a career revival to confirm.
The match: Faced with the eagles, favor the ground?
Sunday January 12 at 10:30 p.m.
Philadelphia Eagles (2) – Green Bay Packers (7)
14-3 against 11-6, who says better? Person. The clash between the Eagles and the Packers is statistically the most exclusive of the wild cards, and should result in a high-level meeting, especially since both teams were able to rest their starters in week 18.
It's hard not to give Philadelphia the advantage. The Eagles have only dropped one game since September, while the Packers have shown weaknesses against the big guys, with a 1-5 against the teams qualified in the playoffs, including an opening defeat against their rivals of the week. But last year, Green Bay showed its ability to surprise by defeating the Cowboys in Dallas, while the Eagles finished pitifully against the Buccaneers.
On each side, the ground game will be predominant. If all the superlatives have been rightly used on the season of Saquon Barkley (RB, Eagles) and his 2000 yards on the ground, Josh Jacobs (1600 yards and 16 touchdowns in total) is not completely left out for Green Bay. On defense, the Packers only concede 4 yards per carry (2” in the league), the Eagles 4.3 (9th). Suffice to say that this risks hitting hard, especially since the pitchers of each team will be back from injuries and perhaps not at 100%. For the Eagles, Jalen Hurts will be back after his concussion, while Jordan Love (Packers) should also be recovered from his shoulder injury. The second will have work against the best air defense in the league (174.2 yards conceded per game).
The player: Sam Darnold, a match for a career?
Tuesday January 14 at 2 a.m.
Los Angeles Rams (4) – Minnesota Vikings (5)
Let's be honest, it was difficult to decide between Sam Darnold (QB, Vikings) and Lamar Jackson (QB, Ravens) for player of the week, as the Ravens leader is expected to turn the corner this weekend. But Darnold won for a simple reason: the Vikings do not have the luxury of a ground game carried by Derrick Henry. If Jackson misses his game, the Ravens still have a chance. If Darnold misses out, Minnesota is probably doomed.
However, this is precisely the fear of Vikings supporters. Even after his successful year, Darnold failed badly during the regular season “final” against the Lions. Add to that the nasty tradition of the Vikings in the playoffs, the former Jets is expected around the corner.
Especially since opposite, the Rams are a real bad pick. Never stingy in bad tricks for its opponents, Sean McVay's team has weapons that it was able to use to dominate Minnesota in week 8. In attack, Matthew Stafford (QB) has the experience necessary to thwart the traps set by the defense of Brian Florès and potentially avoid the turnovers that the Vikings are fond of. In terms of his targets, Puka Nacua has simply supplanted Cooper Kupp as number 1. On the ground, Kyren Williams was able to rest last week.
Hence again the need for Darnold to play his match against a crumbly opposing defense. This would be the best way for him to establish himself as a franchise quarterback in his own right. Luckily for him, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson will be there. On the Rams side, we will also play for a region devastated by terrible fires. Scheduled for Los Angeles, the match will take place in Phoenix at the Cardinals stadium.
The duel of the North: for whom is Beauty?
Sunday January 12 at 2 a.m.
Baltimore Ravens (3) – Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
It's hard to believe as both franchises are accustomed to success, with two titles each in the 21st century, but both Steelers and Ravens are on a bad run in the playoffs that almost looks like losing. After a victory each this year in the regular season, the two northern rivals will compete to hope to reach a milestone.
For several years, and especially last season, the Ravens have presented themselves as title candidates. Double MVP, Lamar Jackson terrorized the league's defenses during the regular season, before falling from a height in January. In his career, Jackson only has 2 wins for 4 losses in the playoffs, and his personal statistics collapse during these decisive matches. This year he has the opportunity to erase the evil tongues which point the finger at his wanderings at this level. Unlike Darnold, he's already shown he's more than capable of doing it. It will, however, be without Zay Flowers.
On the other hand, the Steelers remain on 4 defeats in a row in the regular season… as in the playoffs, where they have not won since 2016. Disappointing in recent weeks, Russell Wilson, who has not won a match playoff since 2020, will have to show more than during the second meeting between the two teams. However, despite his mistakes, the match was decided in the last quarter. So, expect a close encounter.
The duel of the isolated
Saturday January 11 at 10:30 p.m.
Houston Texans (4) – Los Angeles Chargers (5)
Whoa, whoa abandoned quarterback? With the injuries to Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, CJ Stroud (QB, Texans) is alone in Houston. Not helped by a deficient ground game, the second year is struggling to develop his game. His Texans only have a 1-6 record against a top 10 defense. Against them, he threw 6 touchdowns for 7 interceptions.
This is bad news, the Chargers are one of them. Jim Harbaugh's defensive squad is the one that conceded the fewest points per game (17.7). So, wasted effort for Houston? Not completely, because Justin Herbert (QB, Chargers) also has some work to do. The Texans defense, with its spearheads Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., is the 3rd to generate the most pressure in the league. And Chargers tackles Joe Alt on the right, Rashawn Slater on the left, have been anything but all-risk insurance this year. And when we know that during their last wild card appearance, the Californians sabotaged a 27-point lead against the Jaguars, anything can happen.
The 2018 vintage to thrash the rookies?
Sunday January 12 at 7 p.m.
Buffalo Bills (2) – Denver Broncos (7)
Monday January 13 at 2 a.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3) – Washington Commanders (6)
Bo Nix (QB, Broncos) kept his bet brilliantly. Sparkling against the Chiefs, the former Oregon quarterback qualified his team for the playoffs, a great success for the rookie who was not expected at this level. But there you go, no time to savor, he and the Broncos already have to negotiate a very difficult trip to Buffalo. It is an understatement to say that the Bills are favorites. We would be tempted to say that for Denver, the important thing is elsewhere, in the future, when Nix will be more used to it, when the salary space will no longer be weighed down by Russell Wilson's contract.
But time flies in the NFL, every chance must be exploited to the fullest. The problem is that Denver's strength remains a defense that relies a lot on blitzes, and that Josh Allen (QB, Bills) has the 3rd rating in the league and a touchdown-interception ratio of 16 to 1 against this defensive strategy..
Jayden Daniels will also discover the playoffs. The maturity exuded by the player is impressive. Against the Buccaneers, his Commanders perhaps have a little more margin than the men of Colorado. But the offensive squad led by Baker Mayfield (QB, Buccaneers) remains formidable. Mike Evans (WR) is a reference in the playoffs and Bucky Irving (5WR) shows certain talent. Washington has won 10 of its 12 against teams with a negative record. For him too, it would be a big step, especially since the Buccaneers should get their safety Antoine Winfield Jr back.
The posters
Saturday January 11 at 10:30 p.m.
Houston Texans (4) – Los Angeles Chargers (5)
Sunday January 12 at 2 a.m.
Baltimore Ravens (3) – Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
Sunday January 12 at 7 p.m.
Buffalo Bills (2) – Denver Broncos (7)
Sunday January 12 at 10:30 p.m.
Philadelphia Eagles (2) – Green Bay Packers (7)
Monday January 13 at 2 a.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3) – Washington Commanders (6)
Tuesday January 14 at 2 a.m.
Los Angeles Rams (4) – Minnesota Vikings (5)
