As the NFL Wild Card round of the playoffs concludes, there are several teams who stood out. The Buffalo Bills shocked anyone watching by absolutely annihilating the New England Patriots. Not many were surprised by the dominating win over the Philadelphia Eagles by the reigning Super Bowl Champions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills seemed to almost have like bye weeks the way they dismantled their opponents. The Los Angeles Rams dominated the Arizona Cardinals who just looked as if they were unprepared. The Rams proved to be far more talented on all aspects of the ball than the Cardinals. The most disappointing loss was the Dallas Cowboys who loss to the far less superior San Francisco 49ers at home.
Many hope for the next round to be a bit more competitive; however, there were major takeaways from this week.
Major takeaways from the NFL Wild Card round of playoffs
Buffalo Bills: They are prepared and hungrier than ever for this playoff run. They made a strong statement to the rest of the league with their performance against the Patriots. New England had a top ten ranked defense, yet, Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw five touchdowns and only had four incompletions for the game, per ESPN. They’re offense and score quickly, effectively, and efficiently. Their offense revolves around Allen and they will go as far as he takes them. The Bills have not only put the entire NFL on alert, but they also just proved they can go score for score with the red hot Kansas City Chiefs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brady has been preparing for the playoff run for some time now. He came out with a mission and didn’t want to get off to a slow start and let the Eagles hang in the game. He took it to them early and often. The Bucs at halftime were up 31-0, and shortly after they began winding the reigns down as they know their next opponent is very challenging. The Bucs don’t seem to be as dominant as they once were, however, Brady’s locked in and he’ll give them a fighting chance.
Dangerously talented NFL teams that shocked many this weekend
Los Angeles Rams: The Rams have finally got it clicking on all cylinders. Their define seems to loo like the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defense leads to easy offensive possessions. Not to mention, Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. came alive and showed that he belongs to be considered with the best names in football. As the offense looked efficient, The defense will be the driving force for this team in the playoffs.
Kansas City Chiefs: While they got off to a slower start, they began to quickly build momentum. When the Chiefs get going it’s not too many teams that can stand in front of them. The Chiefs also appear to be healthier on the defensive side of the ball. Their pass rush was electric and helped force some costly turnovers, ultimately leading to easy points for the Chiefs. Overall, they look rejuvenated and similar to the old Chiefs, therefore, the league is in trouble.
Biggest sleeper teams going into the divisional round
Cincinnati Bengals: Here lies a team that is red hot at the moment. However, this team lacks leadership and experience which can be detrimental to the team going forward. The Bengals have a young core that is super talented. If they can continue to force a few turnovers and play with high motor they can be effective. Their offensive is good enough to shoot out with the best of them, and their defense is streaky but they’ve been consistent when it mattered.
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers are a huge sleeper team because they are not better than any team in the playoffs. However, they play hard and if they can hang in the game long enough, Jimmy Garrapolo will deliver a few big throws that can change the outcome of the game. Garrapolo cannot turn the ball over and the run game must dictate the offense. Their run game can set the tone for the entirety of the game. They can keep the Green Bay Packers on their heels. In order to have any shot, their pass rush must be effective. The 49ers must force Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to be uncomfortable.
Super Bowl Prediction
It is likely that it will be a matching between the Green Bay Packers and the Tennessee Titans.