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pumathoughts · 5 months

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Super Wild-card Weekend Rundown

It’s that time of year again, NFL Playoffs! We begin as always with Super Wildcard Weekend, here is my rundown of all the games:

NFL Super Wild-card weekend: Jan. 13, 14 and 15

NFC

(7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Dallas Cowboys

Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox

These are 2 teams with different expectations on the season. Jordan Love has played well and the Packers the last 2 games of the season played good defense and got the most out of their young core to make the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys are Super Bowl or bust, CeeDee Lamb is arguably the second best WR in football and the defense overall is a take away machine. The Cowboys I think will try to pressure Love into bad throws, and be opportunistic in creating take aways. This to me is the Cowboys game to lose, only question is can Tony Pollard get going in the run game because he is the home run threat on the ground in space. Green Bay went on a 3 game win streak to end the season and Dallas leaving a lot to be desired to end their season. Dallas won impressively in week 14 against Philadelphia, then a bad loss to Buffalo, another loss to Miami, an illegal touching penalty win against Detroit and a dismantling of Washington to maybe get right? The Cowboys are the better team and they are home. Even with the struggles Dallas should get past the Packers and into the Divisional round.

(6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Detroit Lions

Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC

This one is going to tug on the heart strings. Matt Stafford returns to Detroit to face his old Lions and frankly the Rams might spoil Detroit’s first home playoff game in ages. The Rams are a hot team coming into the playoffs, 7-1 since a week 10 bye, only loss was an overtime loss to Baltimore in week 14. Puka Nacua came out of nowhere and is shattering expectations. He and Cooper Kupp are a formidable duo at WR, and Kyren Williams has brought stability to a ground game that have made the Rams a really tough matchup for anyone and unfortunately it has to be the Lions. I want good things for Detroit, and they deserve to go far in the playoffs. I just don’t see how a defense that is susceptible to the pass can slow down this Rams passing offense. The Lions will have Sam LaPorta but not at 100% which could hinder what the Lions do passing the ball. The 2 headed monster at running back in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs is what the Lions need to control this game. The biggest X factor is how aggressive will Dan Campbell be? Hopefully just enough to get the win, but this is Jared Goff’s chance for redemption. He was traded for Stafford but not only that the Rams GAVE a first round pick just to get rid of him. I want Detroit to win this game because I like feel good stories but the Rams seem to have put it together at the right time and I think will spoil the party in Detroit.

(5) Philadelphia Eagles at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Monday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2 and ESPN+

The Eagles are dragging their asses into these playoffs. Rumors are swirling Nick Siriani might lose his job if the Eagles piss this one away. Crazy to think a team a year removed from a Super Bowl appearance would fire the coach but this is a crazy world we live in. The Eagles also get dealt another low blow by stud WR AJ Brown likely being out for this game due to a knee injury. The hits just keep coming. The Buccaneers on the other hand haven’t been spectacular but haven’t been average. 5-1 in their last 6 to close the season and Baker Mayfield might have found a home in Tampa Bay. Mayfield had 4,044 yards 28 TDs and 10 INTs on this season. Tom Brady last year for these Bucs had 4,694 yards 25 TDs and 9 INTs. The Bucs I think have a better chance to win this game because of the weapons at receiver. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should give Philly all they can handle. The Eagles need to get D’Andre Swift going to take the pressure off of Jalen Hurts. For the Eagles to win they have to establish the run and control clock. I think the Eagles are desperate enough to win this game but it will be closer than people think.

Bye: (1) San Francisco 49ers

AFC

(5) Cleveland Browns at (4) Houston Texans

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC

To me this is the most intriguing matchup of the playoffs. The upstart Texans and CJ Stroud against the resilient Cleveland Browns. The Browns are the first team in NFL history to win at least 10 games in a season with four different quarterbacks earning at least one win, according to OptaStats. They’re also the first team to make the playoffs after starting four different quarterbacks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Joe Flacco is a timeless wonder, and survived a tenure with the New York Jets, EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE. But Cleveland with a steady hand at QB and a stout defense get a rematch with a team they creamed in week 16 BUT CJ Stroud is playing this time. I thought CJ Stroud should’ve been the number one overall pick in the draft but Bryce Young gets to fall on the sword and waste away in Carolina while Stroud thrives. Stroud threw for over 4000 yards and had 25 TDs. Impressive for a team that had 2 wins last season. DeMeco Ryans has transformed this team into one who believes in itself and they are young and growing together. Even Buffalo Bills cast off Devin Singletary took over the starting RB spot and is the steady hand in the backfield. Tank Dell being hurt is a loss but the Texans have other playmakers that have carried them to this point. I like Houston to shock the world and Beat Cleveland at home to advance.

(6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Kansas City Chiefs

Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET on Peacock

Now there is a joke in here somewhere involving Swifties and Peacock…I’m not the one to make it, but there has to be. Now for those of you wondering as you see above it says this game is on Peacock. Yes, Peacock is a streaming service by NBC Universal. Yes, this is streaming ONLY. Yes, the NFL is a money hungry organization that does what it wants and will continue to do so until the end of time. So, get ready to pay $5.99 for this game or just hope a friend or family member has it. ANYWAY, this game is more about 2 teams who are not where everyone thought they’d be. The Chiefs are just reaping what they sewed by not upgrading at WR. This group leads the league in drops. Taylor Swift has garnered a lot of attention and I think it has somehow manifested itself into affecting this team. The Chiefs just don’t have that same mojo this year. Travis Kelce is having his worst statistical year in what feels like forever. If KC survives this game they are likely going on the road to play what would be Patrick Mahomes first ever road playoff game. The Dolphins again fail to reach expectations this season. Did you know they scored 70 points on Denver this season? That was a different time. The Dolphins are “the greatest show on surf” but have been hobbled as of late. Tyreek Hill has been hurt, Jaylen Waddle has been hurt, and the speed the Dolphins were killing people with has been somewhat neutralized. Miami squandered a golden opportunity win the AFC East and to get the 2 seed in the playoffs, all they had to do was win 2 of their last 3. They got waxed by Baltimore at home, and Buffalo beat them for the division and the 2 seed. Ouch. My wife tells me Mike McDaniel is a player’s coach, I say he can’t close. The temperature is expected to be around minus-2 degrees with a wind chill approaching -30, according to the National Weather Service. If that projection remains to be then this will become the coldest game that the Dolphins have ever played in. The Dolphins have lost 10 straight games when the kickoff temperature is 40 degrees or below. With all the struggles this season I think the Chiefs will win this game by the slimmest of margins because of Isiah Pacheco.

(7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Buffalo Bills

Monday, 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS (Postponed due to weather)

We all know my feelings on the Buffalo Bills, I love and hate them all at the same time. But what really grinds my gears is everyone acting like the weather is a real advantage for the Bills. It’s projected to be 40MPH winds, and somewhere between 1-3 feet of snow. I don’t know if you know this but Pittsburgh plays in cold weather too. As does Cleveland, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, New England, Jets, Giants, Baltimore, Washington, Green Bay, and other cold weather teams who play outside. Let’s stop pretending Buffalo weather is different. Cold is cold, snow is snow. The new stadium should be a dome, not have an overhang that causes wind confusion. Who know what else causes wind confusion? A DOME! ANYWAY, this game is moved to monday because of the weather but is a classic Bills trap game. The Steelers are currently a +10 point spread for this game (take the points). The Steelers and Mason Rudolph have found their stride on offense after a tumultuous season the Steelers made their way to the playoffs. They don’t turn the ball over and they don’t commit penalties. George Pickens is my player to watch because he’ll either have a huge day or not be heard from. The Steelers will be able to establish the run but if the Bills can keep a lid on the receivers the Bills will have a great chance to win this game. The Bills problem will be can they get points when points are there to get? The Miami game left potentially 21 points on the field with 2 Josh Allen INT’s and a James Cook fumble all in the redzone. Josh Allen catches a lot of shit for his turnovers, but the national narrative that he’s a liability for his turnovers in outlandish. In his first 6 seasons he has 102 total turnovers, 78 being interceptions. Did you know Peyton Manning and Jameis Winston have 111 total turnovers in their first 6 seasons? In their first 6 seasons Peyton Manning had 110 INT’s, Winston and Eli Manning had 88, Jay Cutler had 86, and Matt Stafford had 85 INT’s. Gun Slingers through INT’s, shit happens. But to lay it all on Josh Allen like he’s a turnover machine is asinine. Josh Allen is the solution to the problem of not having truly elite weapons around him outside of Stefon Diggs. The Bills will win this game if Diggs can get loose and get chunks of yards and you get James Cook in space. The defense needs to keep a lid on the speed of the Steeler receivers. I think the Bills get the win by a field goal.

Bye: (1) Baltimore Ravens

#nfl #bills #ravens #steelers #dolphins #kansas city chiefs #detroit lions #rams #cleveland browns #houston texans #eagles #Bucs #49ers #cowboys #green bay packers #nfl playoffs #Super Wild-card Weekend

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