Winners and Losers of NFL Wild Card Weekend
Image by: Canal Street Chronicles
By: Sam Beard
After a rather boring start to the NFL Playoffs, it’s safe to say we’re ready for some more competitive football in the divisional round. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some winners and losers from Wild Card Weekend.
WINNERS
The clean slate Commanders
What a difference a year makes, This time last year they finished up a 4-13 season with the cloud of Dan Snyder still looming large over their franchise that was in the dumps. Now we have a new owner, GM, head coach, and QB. Truly an impressive turnaround in just one season to grab their first playoff win since 2006. Jayden Daniels had a transcendent rookie season, immediately injecting life into a franchise that needed something to cheer for. I’d say 6 comeback wins after trailing in the 4th quarter is a hell of a start for the young fella. Shoutout to Adam Peters coming from the 49ers and establishing a similar culture. 7 of their 9 draft picks were captains of their respective college teams, he went out and got leaders and they proved their worth immediately. Hard not to root for the teams that turn it around from the ground up.
Texans defense
Well, I don’t think that was on the bingo card for many people during wild card weekend. This was a Texans offense that hadn’t eclipsed 30 points in a game for the last 6 weeks. The offensive line was getting Stroud killed, Tank Dell went down with season ending injury, and Joe Mixon rushed for 25 or less in 4 of the last 6 games. Everyone was on the Chargers and how Jim Harbaugh could elevate Herbert’s postseason play. Nothing says elevated postseason play like 4 interceptions and 4 sacks right?? 18 carries for 50 yards as a team won’t cut it in the playoffs, especially coupled with Herbert throwing more picks than he had all regular season. Safe to say the Texans defense was a winner of wild card weekend…. Your prize? How about a trip to Kansas City for a date with Patrick Mahomes?
Baltimore run game
The reign of King Henry may have come to an end in Nashville, but don’t think for a second that he’s lost a step. Watching Henry in a different uniform this year truly made me appreciate the greatness we have witnessed in his career. This guy has had just about 4,400 carries combining his HS, college, and NFL career. We truly are watching an Iron Man of the sport, and I advise you appreciate him while he’s still here. 28 carries for 186 yards and 2 TDs-just another day in the office for Henry. Oh, and Lamar added another 15 for 81 yards. Every Ravens loss comes in a game where Henry didn’t eclipse the 100 yard mark, and their only wins without him reaching 100 yards came against the Giants and Bengals twice.
LOSERS
Mike Tomlin
The “never had a losing season” banner flies mighty high in Pittsburgh these days. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have just 3 playoff wins since 2011, with the QB of those being AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith (thanks to 6 Chris Boswell FGs). In his 18 years in the playoffs, Tomlin has only won in 4 of those seasons. The offense is evolving into a textbook example of how NOT to run a professional football team. See you back in 2025 for another 9-8 season. Will they run it back with Mr. Unlimited?? Will Justin Fields get another shot?? I’m sure every bridge QB looks at the Steelers offense and says “yep that’s where I revive my career!!”
Sam Darnold
Poor Sam Darnold lost himself a whole bunch of money the last 9 days, and I can’t help but feel bad for the guy. It’s going to be hard to look at the 18- game sample size and not point to his abysmal last two games. 9 sacks in the loss to the Rams. It felt like about 6 of those were attributed directly to Sam Darnold drifting into pressure or holding onto the ball too long. I would expect Minnesota to lean into the JJ Mccarthy experience, which, in turn, makes the Sam Darnold free agent decision a really interesting decision. There are a lot of free agents on that squad, especially on the defensive end of the ball. I would expect Minnesota to invest in those pieces to run it back with Brian Flores’ uber aggressive defense.
Stiff-arm victims
Two brutal stiff arm victims from wild card weekend. Dallas Goedert made Carrington Valentine look like a Pop Warner player, just taking him along for the 25 yard ride into the endzone. Derrick Henry sent Minkah Fitzpatrick into the dirt, adding another play to his stiff arm highlight reel. Trying to stop this dude in the open field must feel like stopping a train going downhill with a pool noodle. He makes elite NFL athletes look like they just picked up the sport. There can’t be a more emasculating feeling as a professional football player than getting smacked into oblivion and eating some dirt as you get up.