Wild Card weekend definitely didn’t disappoint as a number of groups staked their declare as Tremendous Bowl contenders.
The Detroit Lions made historical past with their first playoff victory since 1992, and the Inexperienced Bay Packers shortly dismissed the Dallas Cowboys and, with that, any notion of being an underdog.
Inexperienced Bay Packers security Darnell Savage celebrates with teammates after returning an interception for a landing in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys, Jan. 14, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photograph/Michael Ainsworth)
In the meantime, the Philadelphia Eagles waved goodbye to their probability of redemption, and Joe Flacco’s Cinderella run with the Cleveland Browns got here to a disappointing finish by the hands of Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
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Issues are heating up because the AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens and NFC-leading San Francisco 49ers step again onto the sphere for the divisional spherical matchups.
Learn beneath for a breakdown of this weekend’s video games.
Texans at Ravens – Saturday, 4:30 pm ET
Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a landing in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams at M&T Financial institution Stadium in Baltimore on Dec. 10, 2023. (Michael Owens/Getty Photos)
The Houston Texans discovered themselves again within the playoffs for the primary time since 2019 behind rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. That run continued when Stroud confirmed up within the wild-card sport in opposition to the Browns, finishing 16 passes for 274 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers.
The Texans will undoubtedly face their largest problem of the season after they journey to Baltimore to tackle the well-rested Ravens. Will probably be a rematch of their Week 1 assembly through which Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a 25-9 victory.
The time without work has allowed the Ravens to come back again well-prepared for the playoffs.
Zay Flowers, the crew’s main receiver, was again at follow this week following a calf harm. Exterior linebacker Odafe Oweh and linebacker Malik Harrison additionally returned to follow this week.
“I believe everyone’s actually ready and actually excited to play. Lamar’s able to go, the fellows are able to go. They’ve labored exhausting for this chance to get so far and compete in such a giant sport in opposition to such a worthy opponent,” head coach John Harbaugh instructed reporters on Tuesday.
“We’re taking part in an excellent soccer crew, and we’ve acquired our palms full, and we’re hoping to place our greatest foot ahead.”
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Harbaugh added that the Texans have been a “excellent soccer crew” of their final assembly, however he’s conscious of the distinction 17 weeks of soccer can have.
Houston coach DeMeco Ryans agreed with that evaluation.
“From there to the place we at the moment are, we’ve positively grown,” he mentioned Tuesday. “Utterly completely different crew, they’re a very completely different crew.”
Packers at 49ers – Saturday, 8:15 pm ET
Kyle Juszczyk and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers have a good time after McCaffrey’s receiving landing through the first quarter in opposition to the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Oct. 15, 2023. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Photos)
The Inexperienced Bay Packers scratched their means into the playoffs with a late-season push and entered wild-card weekend with low expectations as they confronted the Dallas Cowboys, who have been undefeated at residence.
Jordan Love and the Packers’ younger roster shortly dismantled the Cowboys and any notion that the Packers didn’t belong within the playoffs.
However they’ll subsequent face a crew in search of redemption within the San Francisco 49ers, who’ve unfinished enterprise after final season’s NFC Championship Recreation.
Brock Purdy’s premature harm within the postseason left the Niners with many what-ifs, one thing they’ll be trying to settle as they host the Packers within the divisional spherical.
This season, Purdy grew to become the primary 49ers quarterback in additional than 20 years to throw for greater than 4,000 yards (4,280) or at the least 30 TDs (31). He led the NFL with a 113 passer score and his 9.6 yards per try have been essentially the most within the league for a qualifying quarterback since Kurt Warner had 9.9 in 2000.
Whereas it’d seem like a mismatch on paper, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan isn’t going into the divisional playoff sport with any preconceived notions about this Packers crew.
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“We clinched the No. 1 seed – it looks like 100 days in the past – and also you’ve acquired all this time and everybody desires to speak about all these items that leads as much as it. There’s numerous stuff to consider, but it surely comes right down to what you do in three and a half hours.”
Buccaneers at Lions – Sunday, 3 pm ET
Detroit Lions’ Sam LaPorta, heart, is greeted by teammate Brock Wright (89) after scoring a landing through the first half of their wild-card playoff sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, Jan. 14, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photograph/Paul Sancya)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers routed the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles behind the beautiful efficiency of quarterback Baker Mayfield on Monday evening. They subsequent play the Detroit Lions.
The Lions, a franchise that has by no means made a Tremendous Bowl look, might be trying to proceed historical past, however they’ll be dealing with a gritty opponent within the divisional spherical.
“We labored extraordinarily exhausting to get an opportunity to be within the playoffs, and we simply wished a possibility,” Mayfield mentioned after Monday evening’s sport. “Our guys got here out and performed actually, rather well. … As soon as once more, the protection performed lights out. We’re completely happy, however we’ve nonetheless acquired extra to go.”
The Bucs might be trying to recreate that efficiency on Sunday.
In a Week 6 matchup between the 2 groups, the Lions protection restricted the Bucs to no touchdowns and two area objectives as Jared Goff led the crew to a 20-6 victory together with his 353 yards and two touchdowns.
Chiefs at Payments – Sunday, 6:30 pm ET
Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen, left, and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes meet after their sport in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, on Dec. 10, 2023. (AP Photograph/Ed Zurga)
This weekend’s schedule might be headlined by an AFC showdown between the Buffalo Payments and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Of their final two playoff conferences, the Chiefs defeated the Payments at residence – as soon as within the AFC Championship and most just lately within the divisional spherical. However for the primary time since 1993, the Payments will host Kansas Metropolis at residence.
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“It’s good that we don’t should journey, I believe that’s massive,” head coach Sean McDermott mentioned Monday after the Payments punched their ticket to the following spherical with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I’ve numerous respect for [Chiefs head coach] Andy Reid and their program, and we’ve had our battles over time, and this might be one other, I’m certain.”
Kansas Metropolis defeated Buffalo, 38-24, within the AFC Championship Recreation on Jan. 24, 2021. A 12 months later, the Chiefs beat the Payments, 42-36, in extra time within the divisional spherical. The Payments acquired revenge in Week 14, profitable at Arrowhead Stadium, 20-17.
Patrick Mahomes will definitely be trying to do the identical when the Chiefs go to Highmark Stadium on Sunday.
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