Super Wild Card Weekend certainly matched its’ name this year. Nearly every game came down to the final 2 minutes of the game, just showing how balanced the NFL is this year.
Heading into the Divisional round, not one team has separated itself from the pack. Each team has shown signs of greatness, while also each having their own flaws. But, let’s dive into each of these teams and explain why each remaining team has a legitimate shot at hoisting a Lombardi this year.
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen
Josh Allen.
Yes, football is a team sport and there are 11 players on the field for a team at a time, but Josh Allen. Each week he continues to put on his Superman cape and carry this Buffalo Bills teams to win.
With a good running game led by James Cook and Josh Allen, the Bills have shown that they are able to gash teams on the ground. They may not have a true #1 receiver or a good receiving core at all, but with Allen at QB it doesn’t seem to matter as much.
In a playoffs without Lamar, Burrow, or Mahomes, Josh Allen has his best shot at bringing that long awaited Lombardi back to Buffalo.
Houston Texans: Best Defense in the League
Best defense in the league
Houston’s defense has continued to get better each week. They are reaching the point where it looks impossible to score on them. Look no further than Monday Night, where the Steelers offense was outscored by Houston’s defense alone.
Led by Will Anderson, Azeez Al-Shair, and Derek Stingley, they have playmakers on each level of the defense. There is no area of the defense that offenses can look to exploit. Combined with a great defensive minded Head Coach in Demeco Ryans, this team can ride the defense all the way to a Lombardi, regardless of the offense’s struggles at times.
Denver Broncos
Sean Payton and Home Field
The Denver Broncos traded away a first round pick for a head coach. That is extremely rare to see in the NFL, but makes sense when the receiving end of it Sean Payton. After just a year with Russell Wilson, the Broncos cut their losses and moved on from Wilson, inheriting an extreme amount of dead cap. For most teams this would be an immediate sign of a rebuild, but not for these Broncos.
Bringing in a QB on a rookie deal allowed the team to spend money elsewhere, and as a result, were able to build an elite defense. Now, Denver is coming off a bye as the #1 seed.
In what is one of the toughest places in football to go in and win, the path to Santa Clara in the AFC goes through Mile High. Don’t be surprised to see this team in the Big Game.
New England Patriots
Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye
This team had 4 wins last year. With Sunday’s win over the Chargers, they now have 15 wins on the year. That is one hell of a turnaround, and look no further than Mike Vrabel coming in as the Head Coach this year as the reason why.
With an elite QB in Drake Maye, this New England team has just simply not lost many games this year. They continue to win, and are now just sitting two wins away from going to Santa Clara.
Seattle Seahawks
Run game and defense
The Seattle Seahawks have quietly won 14 games this year. Now, they are the #1 seed in the NFC, and the road to the Super Bowl goes through Seattle. That’s a scary thought for any team having to go and win inside that stadium.
With Mike MacDonald leading the defense, they have looked elite all throughout the year. Stifling opposing offenses, and giving teams little hope of being able to beat them. Combined with a run game that has come into form in recent weeks, this team will demoralize any team they go against.
With just two wins at home, they will be back in the Super Bowl.
Chicago Bears
Magic of Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson.
The Chicago Bears have won their first playoff game since 2011. That alone would be considered a tremendous season heading into this year. But this team still has more to prove.
Since Ben Johnson’s arrival in Chicago, the culture has shifted. For what has been a dysfunctin
It doesn’t matter how much they’re down by, they can comeback from any deficit, and that’s scary for any team that faces them.
Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford MVP
Stafford is in his late 30s, but for the first time in his career, will likely be bringing home the MVP. It is crazy to think he has played for this long, but has gone without winning this award all this time. But this Rams offense has been brought to another level with his MVP season, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
Losing out on the #1 seed and the division hurt, but this team still feels like the favorite to come out of the NFC. As long as the defense continues to play well, it’ll be hard for any team to knock the Rams out this year.
San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan and the offense.
Ever since Shanahan has begun his tenure in San Francisco all he has done is win. Yet, this year is far and away the best coaching performance he has ever put on display. Purdy, Bosa, Warner, and Kittle have all missed substantial time this year. The defense is completely depleted, yet here they sit one game away from another NFC Championship Game appearance.
The offense has been humming since Purdy’s return from injury, and with Shanahan leading the way, they have a chance against any team.
