Wildest of Wild Card weekends as NFL season cranks up

Some familiar faces remain but presence of Bills and Browns adds novelty to strange season

is summed up by the remarkable statistic that they ended the season with more touchdown passes than punts, roaring to a 13-3 record to top the NFC North.

Many of the previous year’s play-off regulars didn’t make the grade this time, including the Arizona Cardinals, who couldn’t utilise having the stellar wide-receiver pairing of Larry Fitzgerald Jr and DeAndre Hopkins, who is second in this season’s receiver rankings, and ended up with an 8-8 record. They were pipped to the Wild Card post by the Chicago Bears after losing to the Los Angeles Rams on the last day.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl LII champions, won’t feature in this year’s play-offs, Carson Wentz not impressing as they ended bottom of the NFC East, and last year’s runners-up, the 49ers, were rooted to the bottom of the NFC West, their problems mainly stemming from their inability to rush the ball as effectively as last season.

Arguably the most notable absentees this year are the New England Patriots, who have opened the postTom Brady era by missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008/’09, and just the third time in 20 seasons.

And unlike in 2008/’09, when they were pipped to the post by the New York Jets despite an 11-5 record (which this season would be enough for a Wild Card), they slumped to a losing 7-9 season in 2020.

New quarterback Cam Newton, transferred during the off-season from the Carolina Panthers, plays a David Moyes-esque part in the story of a team that lost an Alex Ferguson-like central figure of consistent success, in a period where squadwide decline was probably inevitable.

And similar to Moyes’ fate at Manchester United, the Patriots aren’t planning on sticking with Newton – it’s already reported that he will be moved on before next season begins, though whether his replacement can find better form in 2021 is debatable.

Meanwhile, Brady has managed to lead the Glazer-owned Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the play-offs for the first time since the 2007/’08 season, and the 43-year-old – with the third highest passing yards of any quarterback this season – could yet claim an unprecedented seventh Super Bowl ring if he drives the team onto the decider, which will, incidentally, be held on home turf for the Bucs.

THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION

AFC: Indianapolis Colts (No 7 seed) @ Buffalo Bills (2), today, 6.05pm (Irish time) It’s going to take quite the defensive effort to stop Allen and the league’s top receiver Stefon Diggs on the Bills’ home turf, where they’ve only lost once this year.

But the Colts, propelled by newly-arrived quarter-back

Phillip Rivers and world-class running-back Jonathan Taylor, have already claimed the scalp of the

Packers this year.

The lack of home advantage means the AFC South runners-up are going to the north-east with a cold mountain to climb. They know how to turn the ball over though, so keeping it out of Allen’s hands will be key to their success but don’t count on it.

Verdict: Bills to spread their wings in Buffalo.

NFC: Los Angeles Rams (6) @ Seattle Seahawks (3), today, 9.40pm

This is one of two fixtures this weekend between divisional rivals who have clashed twice already this season.

So far, the LA-Seattle games in the NFC West have gone in favour of the home team, and it was only in Week 16 that the Seahawks managed to stop the Rams from scoring any touchdowns in CenturyLink Field.

Russell Wilson is already a Super Bowl winner and is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL, displaying his ability to pass and rush in that game against the Rams, where he scored one touchdown by doing each.

The Rams’ hopes will spawn from the lack of the world record-breaking loud crowds in Seattle, and their defensive strength in the secondary – Jalen Ramsey, Jordan Fuller and Darious Williams forming a complete defensive unit in the team that have conceded the fewest touchdowns and points all season.

Verdict: LA will get a touchdown or two this time, but Seattle will win the day in a relatively low-scoring affair.

NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5) @ Washington (4), tomorrow, 1.15am

The American football gods probably blessed the Washington Football Team with such a below-par batch of division rivals in return for changing their controversial ‘Redskins’ name in recent months; the NFC East’s mediocrity allowing a 7-9 team to progress into the postseason. Mind you, the 7-9 Seahawks beat the 11-5 Saints in 2010/’11 thanks to Marshawn Lynch’s iconic ‘Beast Mode’ run.

Washington will need their yearslong investment in defence, which has led to them being the fourth best score-stoppers in the league, to produce the magic, as it is hard to see the star player who could spark a surprise, like Lynch did. In contrast, Brady is Tampa Bay’s not-so-secret weapon, and they also bring top tacklers Devin White and Jason PierrePaul to the game, as well as a well-rounded offence that has no outstanding stars but has consistency in results.

Verdict:

Bucs to book their place in the next round.

AFC: Baltimore Ravens (5) @ Tennessee Titans (4), tomorrow, 6.05pm

The balance between these two evenly matched sides will be tipped by whether Baltimore’s defence can produce again against Tennessee’s dynamic offence. The Ravens won’t make a quarterback’s day a nightmare, but they are excellent at making a team fumble the ball at key moments.

Baltimore boast the defensive trio of cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who have forced 18 fumbles between them this season. But their tendency to blitz might need to be curbed when pitted against the league’s dominant running back, Derrick Henry, who has racked up 2,027 rushing yards (the fifth best season in NFL history) and gives quarterback Ryan Tannehill a lot of options.

The Titans’ defence leaves a lot to be desired, there’s plenty for Lamar Jackson and Co to feed on if the Ravens are motivated to avenge their 28-12 loss to Tennessee in last season’s Divisional Round. The Ravens’ offence will need a good day.

Verdict: The Titans caused a surprise last year by beating the Patriots and Ravens, and they should do it again here.

NFC: Chicago Bears (7) @ New Orleans Saints (2), tomorrow, 9.40pm

Drew Brees is one of the great alltime quarterbacks, but the Saints’ inability to finish the job in the play-offs has kept the 41-year-old behind rivals such as Peyton Manning and Brady in Super Bowl appearances and rings, his only title coming in 2010.

It was reported earlier this week that he will retire and join NBC as an analyst, and he will be desperate to follow in Manning’s footsteps to add a second Super Bowl title as his swansong.

The Saints’ first match-up in that quest is one they should win, despite Chicago’s strength in the rushing game – David Montgomery is the league’s sixth best running back in terms of yards gained and hasn’t fumbled once this season.

This version of the Saints relies on a feisty, physical defence led by defensive end Cameron Jordan and linebacker Demario Davis, and it’s hard to see where Sean Payton’s team can be undone by a Bears team that finished 8-8 this season.

Verdict: Brees and Co to win comfortably.

AFC: Cleveland Browns (6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (3), Monday, 1.15am

The Browns are going into this one after their much criticised quarterback Baker Mayfield led them to a narrow victory against their long-time rivals last Sunday, the 24-22 win eked out despite strong signs of a late Steelers comeback.

But the Steelers rested their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for that game, and instead of playing in front of Ohio fans, the Browns will have to travel to western Pennsylvania where the Steelers have only lost once this season, and already defeated Cleveland 38-7 in Week 6.

The Steelers were 11-0 at the start of the season, but started losing games as injuries mounted in their defence, but the play-off experience of their key players should outwit the freshfaced Browns.

The Browns have been hugely affected by Covid leading up the game and have given up more passing yards than they have gained this year.

With Roethlisberger, the Steelers will have a more potent offence than last week and the Browns may not be able to muster up the offensive power to stay in the game, even with the strong rushing pair of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

Verdict: Pittsburgh to pull away in the second half.