A fan’s guide to the 2020 NFL playoffs,
A Steelers fan’s rooting guide to the 2020 NFL playoffs
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers’ season is over, which means it’s time for fans to hop on another team’s bandwagon as the NFL playoff progress over the next couple of weeks. Here’s a look at the most rootable candidates.
Buffalo Bills
Their city has been starved for a winner for decades. And not only is this team now in the playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons, it’s a legitimate threat to win it all. Quarterback Josh Allen is the NFL’S breakout star of 2020, and receiver Stefon Diggs has taken his game to another level after decamping from Minnesota in the offseason. Together, they’ve formed one of the most exciting duos in the NFL. Throw in a defense that’s found it’s stride over the final weeks of the regular season and a fan base that’s infamously passionate, and you have a feel-good story that Steelers fans should be able to rally around fairly easily.
Cleveland Browns
Yes, the Steelers’ division rival and the opponent that ended their season Sunday at Heinz Field deserves to be this close to the top of the list. It comes with the territory of earning the city’s first playoff victory since 1994 and the first playoff win on the road in more than 50 years. While their head coach was stuck in his basement, no less! Granted, defensive end Myles Garrett certainly isn’t the most rootable character. Not after swinging a helmet at Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph’s head last year. And the Baker Mayfield Progressive commercials air way too often, even if they’re usually funny. Still, when compared to this relatively staid playoff field, their story is a needed breath of fresh air. There will be plenty of time to hate this bunch in the years ahead. Enjoy Nick Chubb and this ground-and-pound offensive attack while it still feels novel.
If they keep winning at their current rate, we’re probably only a year or two away from this franchise becoming the dominant force that all NFL fans come to loathe. For now, though, Patrick Mahomes is still a pleasure to watch. The guy is just a big-play machine, constantly challenging opponents downfield and winning with aesthetically pleasing execution far more often than not. The longer he’s in these playoffs, the more entertaining they’ll be, so that’s as good a reason as any to pull for this team. Of course, former Steeler Le’veon Bell is part of this roster, too, and he’s a villain many around here would very much like to root against. But, hey, do you want good TV or not?
New Orleans Saints
Speaking of good TV, Alvin Kamara isn’t bad at producing it himself. He can do it in the running game. He can do it as a receiver. So often, in fact, that the fourthyear back made his closest approach yet to the fabled 2,000 scrimmage yard mark in 2020. He also scored a ton of touchdowns, including a whopping six in a Christmas Day victory against Minnesota in which he wore some sick red and green cleats. He’s the league’s most electric playmaker this side of Mahomes, so yeah, it’d be nice if he was around for a while. Beyond him, Drew Brees and this passing game can still be lethal, too. The veteran quarterback isn’t quite as sharp down the field has he once was, but one mistake is all he needs to make defenses pay.
Los Angeles Rams
The shine has come off this offensive bloom a bit since we saw it in the Super Bowl two years ago. Jared Goff has regressed into a fairly pedestrian signal caller who turns the ball over a lot. The backfield is a muddled glut of options. Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are only slightly more distinguished as receivers.
So let’s be honest. You’re here for former Pitt star Aaron Donald, who’s still getting the job done in his seventh season. He tied for second in the league with 13 1/2 sacks and he forced four fumbles, further burnishing a resume that would probably be enough to get him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, even if he called it quits today. It’d be fun to see him get a ring, even if teammates make for a fairly forgettable lot.
Green Bay Packers
After years of pundits slobbering over him despite clear regression from his prime, Aaron Rodgers actually lived up to the hype this year by throwing for a ridiculous 48 touchdowns against just five interceptions. Davante Adams was the primary beneficiary of the renaissance. He led the league in touchdowns with 18 and his other numbers were just as impressive: 115 receptions for 1,374 yards. And on the ground, Aaron Jones dominated by averaging a spectacular 5.5 yards per carry. Add it up, and there should be plenty of fireworks you can enjoy if you can get past Rodgers’ ornery disposition.
Baltimore Ravens
It’s all well and good that Lamar Jackson is the NFL’S best dual-threat quarterback since Michael Vick was running wild in Atlanta. This is still the Steelers’ primary rival we’re talking about here. And fans won’t soon forget the interminable delays Baltimore’s COVID-19 issues caused to the teams’ scheduled Thanksgiving night game. They were massively disruptive to the Steelers’ planning and seemed to send them into a tailspin that ended with the thud of a playoff loss to Cleveland. So, no. We won’t blame you for picking another group on this list.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady and Antonio Brown are on this team.