After 18 weeks of grueling NFL motion, we’ve made it to Wild-Card Weekend and the primary spherical of the postseason. We frequently hear the time period “must-win” in the course of the common season, however as soon as a workforce makes it this deep into January, each sport is really a must-win situation. Like every other week, there’s at all times an opportunity that the underdog might step up and shock the world. Meaning there are just a few groups on upset watch this weekend.
Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
It’s the sport that might find yourself being essentially the most thrilling as a result of it might turn out to be a shootout. Lions head coach Dan Campbell proved everybody outdoors of Detroit unsuitable final 12 months when he coached the workforce to a nine-win marketing campaign. Campbell and his guys got here again this season and received 12 video games for the primary time in a long time, together with a division title and at the moment are internet hosting their first playoff sport at Ford Area.
Even with all of the sudden fanfare swirling round Detroit, the Rams coming to city ought to be trigger for concern in Motown. LA has been on fireplace since their Week 10 bye, profitable seven of their final eight video games, and snagging a playoff berth. After shedding three in a row to Pittsburgh, Dallas and Inexperienced Bay heading the bye, Sean McVay’s workforce regarded like they had been headed for one more five-win end.
However one thing clicked for one of many youngest groups within the league and now they discover themselves in Detroit with an excellent shot at pulling off the upset. It’s loopy to consider the Lions because the workforce who might be upset, however after the season they’ve had, a loss within the first spherical might be thought-about nothing much less. This isn’t a transparent minimize, line ‘em up and knock ‘em down sure thing like some of the others are expected to be. The trio of Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp should not be taken lightly by any means. Oh, and don’t neglect about Aaron Donald on that line of defense together with his eight sacks in 16 video games.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Payments
After all, you’re studying this and pondering, ‘this guy is crazy.’ Positive, the Payments ran the desk to shut out the 2023 common season, profitable their final 5 and overcoming a three-game deficit throughout the AFC East. Now, Buffalo enters the postseason because the No. 2 seed with a matchup that appears like a cakewalk, on paper. Sadly, for that table-bashing fan base, it isn’t fairly that straightforward.
On the floor, this appears like a sport the Payments ought to simply skate by means of profitable by double digits. Pittsburgh doesn’t precisely have what you’d name a prolific offense. The actual fact they had been capable of win 10 video games this 12 months with three totally different quarterbacks actually is a testomony to Mike Tomlin’s teaching. Tomlin’s protection is often on level, though they’ll be with out T.J. Watt for this sport in Buffalo.
Nonetheless, let’s not act like we didn’t witness the Payments drop some video games they need to’ve received towards supposedly “inferior” groups this season. Amid a four-win marketing campaign, the New England Patriots beat the Payments in Week 7, 29-25. You’ll be able to return to Week 1 as nicely, when Buffalo dropped a sport to the Jets after Aaron Rodgers went down on the primary drive. There’s additionally a loss to Denver at dwelling on Buffalo’s resume. These had been all a lot earlier within the season, however the reality is, they occurred. Buffalo higher rating early and actually because if Pittsburgh can preserve the rating low, we might be trying on the greatest upset of the weekend.
Inexperienced Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys
There’s a Cowboy fan actually throwing their fingers up within the air in disgust proper now. Whereas Dallas tore by means of most of their competitors in 2023, the place they noticed essentially the most pushback was towards groups with profitable information. And that embarrassing loss to Arizona early on, however that’s precisely why there ought to be some fear floating round Huge D. For the easy undeniable fact that they’ve these video games from time to time. Now, they don’t often occur at AT&T Stadium (the Cardinals loss was in Arizona), however there’s no means they need to’ve misplaced to the Cardinals minus Kyler Murray.
For this reason Dallas, or the fan base, shouldn’t be taking Jordan Love and the Packers flippantly. Issues began sluggish and continued by means of the primary half of the season. Inexperienced Bay was 3-6 and regarded like a workforce struggling by means of rising pains that had been going to final one other eight weeks. However Love and crew turned up the warmth from there, profitable six of their remaining eight video games to complete 9-8 securing the final NFC wild-card spot.
In Love’s first 12 months as Inexperienced Bay’s full-time starter, he threw 32 touchdowns and greater than 4,100 yards. Love handed for extra TDs in his first season because the starter in Inexperienced Bay than Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers did in theirs. He additionally completed second within the league in TD passes behind solely Dak Prescott. So, this sport actually might turn out to be a little bit of a shootout.
As proficient as Dallas is, they should be the workforce with a chip on its shoulder Sunday. Neglect about having 5 gamers named NFLPA All-Professional, which led the NFL. For Dallas, it’s an NFC Championship Sport or bust, in any case. All of the accolades and particular person accomplishments will imply little or no in the event that they undergo one other early playoff exit.
