Wild Card Weekend Review

It wasn't the greatest set of games in the history of Wild Card weekend in the NFL. In fact, the total combined margins of victory were the highest ever since they expanded to this playoff format in 1990. There were three teams that looked like they didn't belong in the playoffs, and the big showdown between the Packers and Giants in Lambeau didn't exactly live up to the hype. Let's hope next week's Divisional games are much better. Here is the breakdown of the Wild Card games from this past weekend...

AFC Wild Card Game
Houston-27 Raiders-14
1)You could just tell how much the Raiders missed Derek Carr. Not only from an offensive standpoint, but from a leadership aspect as well. He was the heart and soul of the team. They looked like a dog who lost its owner. Connor Cook struggled all day and the only way they kept it close at 10-7 early was a drive set up by a big punt return. Going into Christmas Eve, the Raiders looked like they were poised for a #2 seed and a first round bye. Now, two weeks later, they are done and heading home after one playoff game.

2) The Texans did what they had to do. They knew the Raiders were limited on offense, and they were able to control the ball and not make any mistakes on offense. Brock Osweiler played pretty well and made the throws that he is capable of making. He hit DeAndre Hopkins on a sweet go route right before the half and he hit him again for a 2-yard TD to make it 20-7 going into halftime. That was pretty much the game right there.

3) Jadeveon Clowney made a great play on an interception of a screen pass early in the game and that set up a Lamar Miller touchdown run to give the Texans the early 10-0 lead. It was nice to see Clowney make a big play in a big game considering how much hype he received for so long. He has had a very good year.

4) The Raiders offensive possessions on Saturday: Punt, Interception, Punt, TD, Punt, Punt, Punt, Punt, End of Half.  Punt, Punt, Punt, Punt, TD, Interception, Interception. That's a tough way to go out. I guess Matt McGloin really wasn't healthy enough to play because Cook was so ineffective. I also don't think the Raiders offensive staff helped him very much.

5) The Texans benefitted from a weak division and a first round opponent who lost their MVP. Now, they have to travel to Foxboro to take on the #1 seed Patriots next Saturday night. The road for Houston will end there without a doubt.

NFC Wild Card Game
Seattle-26 Detroit-6
1) Here is another game that wasn't that competitive. Seattle built a lead and once they were ahead, there was nothing the Lions could do. They had no way of coming back. They grinded them out in the 4th quarter and pulled away at the end. It was a nice win for Seattle and it was something we hadn't seen from them in a few weeks.

2) The catch that Paul Richardson made to make it 7-0 in the 2nd quarter was amazing. It was a one-handed catch with a defender draped all over him. Might be the catch of the year.

3) It was only 10-6 heading into the 4th quarter, but from there the Seahawks turned it on. Thomas Rawls took the game over and had 161 yards rushing on 27 carries and a touchdown. His 4 yard TD run gave the Seahawks a 19-6 lead with just under 9 minutes to go in the game.

4) The Lions couldn't get back into the game at that point. A quick score would have cut it to a one score game, but it was too much for them to overcome. I think Matt Stafford's late season finger injury really derailed him and their season.

5) The Seahawks put the finishing touches on the game when Doug Baldwin hauled in a 13 yard pass from Russell Wilson to make it 26-6 with 3:36 left in the game. That was the final dagger in the hearts of the Lions.

6) As I said earlier, it was a solid win for the Seahawks and now they travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons and their red-hot offense in the Georgia Dome on Saturday afternoon.

AFC Wild Card Game
Pittsburgh-30 Miami-12
1) The Steelers came into the game as heavy favorites and they started about as well as you could start a playoff game. Ben Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown on screen pass that turned into a 50 yard touchdown to give them a 7-0 start. After a Miami punt, Big Ben hit Brown on a slant over the middle and he took it the distance for a 62 yard touchdown catch and run. That made the game 14-0 and it was pretty much over from there.

2) Miami looked like a team making their first playoff appearance in eight years. They looked cold and step slower than Pittsburgh and they just got steamrolled right out of the gate. Miami had a nice year to make the playoffs at 10-6, but you could tell they were no match and they benefitted from a weak schedule to make it in.

3) LeVeon Bell was spectacular. He ran for 167 yards on 29 carries and capped off a 83 yard drive in which he ran the ball every play and scored a 1 yard TD to make it 20-3. The Steelers got a terrific performance from Bell and Brown, and if they are on their game, then the Steelers are tough to beat.

4) The only time Miami had a sliver of hope was when it was 20-6 late in the 2nd quarter and they had picked off Big Ben deep in their own end and drove down into Pittsburgh territory. They had a 1st and Goal from the 8, but Matt Moore got sacked by James Harrison and Harrison recovered the fumble to kill the drive. That was a killer turnover. Miami was getting the ball in the second half and a score there turns it into a game at that point.

5) The Steelers put the game away for good when Miami drove down to the Pitt 37 to start the 3rd quarter, and Moore got sacked by Mike Mitchell and he fumbled again and the Steelers recovered again. That pretty much ended the Dolphins chances of winning the game.

6) Pittsburgh looked really good and now they head to Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. They pounded KC in Pittsburgh in October, but this will be a different game. I do think the Steelers have a very good chance of knocking the Chiefs off and advancing to the AFC Championship.

NFC Wild Card Game
Green Bay-38 NY Giants-13
1) The Giants got a great start. They go right down the field on the second drive of the game but Odell Beckham drops a touchdown pass and they settled for a field goal. They force a 3 and out on the Packers next drive and they drove down and got another field goal to make it 6-0.

2) The Packers punted on their first 5 drives of the game. The Packers finally scored on a sweet play by Aaron Rodgers when he danced around and threw a laser to Davante Adams to make it 7-6 with only 2:20 to go in the half. The key sequence that turned the game was when the Giants had a 3rd and 1 at their own 41 and the Packers stopped the Giants and forced a punt with only 1:46. The Packers drove the ball down field but after a drop by Jared Cook actually stopped the clock, it set up a Hail Mary attempt by Rodgers. Naturally, Rodgers throws it up and Randall Cobb comes down with it in the back of the endzone for the touchdown and a 14-6 GB lead going into the half. That just killed the Giants. Rodgers is unbelievable at these Hail Mary throws. It is just crazy how he makes these plays in these situations. Just incredible.

3) The Giants had a 6-0 lead with less than 4 minutes to go in the first half and then all of a sudden they were down 14-6 at the half.

3) The Packers helped the Giants get back into the game when Mike McCarthy went for it on 4th and 1 at their own 42. The Giants stuffed a Ty Montgomery run and two plays later Eli Manning hit Tavarres King on a 41 yard TD pass to make it 14-13 with 5:16 left in he 3rd quarter. At that point, you had to think that this game might come down to the end.

4) The Packers responded by going right down the field with Rodgers hitting Randall Cobb with a 30 yard bullet to make it 21-13. It was a tremendous response by the Packers and it was the beginning of the end for the Giants.

5) Bobby Rainey made a huge mistake when he fielded the ensuing kick and stepped out of bounds at his own 3 yard line when the kick was clearly going out of bounds. The Giants went 3 and out and punted back to GB and the Packers got a FG to make it 24-13 with 21 seconds left in the 3rd quarter.

6) The Giants went 3 and out again and the Packers put the game away for good with a 10 play 80 yard drive and Rodgers hit Cobb once again for a 16 yard TD to make it 31-13 with 9:19 left and the game was effectively over. It was amazing how much this game turned from near the end of the 1st half to this point in the 4th quarter.

7) Rodgers was playing great coming into this game and he was fantastic on Sunday. He finished 25-40 for 362 yards and 4 TDs and 0 INT. He was even sacked 5 times but it didn't matter at the end.

8) Green Bay has now won seven straight games dating back to when they were 4-6. Now, they are taking their winning streak on the road to Dallas for a matchup with the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:40 on FOX. This is a classic matchup and the Packers and Rodgers will be a very dangerous team for Dallas in this game and it will be a very fun game to watch.