Another year of NFL regular season play has come and gone, and we’re about to witness the most unpredictable playoff games in any of the four major North American pro sports leagues.
Logic dictates that the higher seeds should be the ones to advance, but as most fans know, chaos often reigns supreme in the NFL post-season. And that chaos also always brings us a few new names to keep an eye on.
Remember Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis in last year’s Divisional Round thriller against the Kansas City Chiefs? Or how Los Angeles Rams defensive end Leonard Floyd was unleashed against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl? (Joe Burrow sure does.)
The NFL playoffs are full of unexpected heroes, and this weekend’s Wild Card action should be no different.
As we tee up the first weekend of playoff football, let’s take a look at one X-factor for each wild-card matchup.
Brock Purdy, 49ers quarterback | vs. Seahawks
Since taking over at quarterback earlier this season, it’s almost impossible not to use the word ‘poised’ when describing Purdy. He has delivered in one big moment after another – his fairytale story almost like you’re watching a Disney play out right before your eyes. Having teammates like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk sure helps, but even the most experienced quarterbacks sometimes struggle. However, the 2022 seventh-rounder has made a difficult transition look relatively easy.
It’s true that in Purdy’s first start of this NFC West rivalry against Seattle, the offence was somewhat sluggish. But don’t forget, that was a Thursday night game in which Purdy was a game-time decision after suffering an oblique/rib injury just days before. This weekend he’ll come into the game with more experience and better health, making it hard to bet against him (or head coach Kyle Shanahan).
Evan Engram, Jaguars tight end | vs. Chargers
Even though teammate Christian Kirk was a trendy off-season breakout pick by many (including yours truly), one of the more reliable targets for Trevor Lawrence down in Duval County was Engram. After being jettisoned by the Giants last offseason, he finished the 2022 regular season with career highs in receptions (73) and receiving yards (766), and was just two touchdowns from tying a personal best in that category.
He’s making difficult catches look routine, and even has Jacksonville’s coaching staff scheming plays specifically for him. He has made quite an impact as a pending unrestricted free agent, and if the Jaguars want any chance of pulling off an upset at home against the 10-6 Chargers, Engram will need to be heavily involved in the passing offence.
James Cook, Bills running back | vs. Dolphins
It often feels like it’s Groundhog Day with the Bills run game, largely because quarterback Josh Allen – all six-foot-five, 237 pounds of him – is so incredibly capable of rushing the ball himself. It’s become almost commonplace to see the big man pulling it down and ripping off a 40-plus yard run. But in the NFL playoffs, teams require balance to succeed.
Cook, a rookie, saw more action when fellow running back Devin Singletary coughed up a fumble vs. the Patriots in Week 18, grabbing a season-high 56 per cent of snap share. Allen is prone to taking some shots down the field, but when he dumps it off, Cook is the safety valve – and the Dolphins are vulnerable in that respect. Miami has allowed the second-most receptions to running backs dating back to Week 12, and Cook is exceptionally talented in this regard.
Wink Martindale, Giants defensive co-ordinator | @ Vikings
Look at the Giants’ defence and you’ll see a roster of what must be dozens of players that have been cycled in and out of the lineup. So, instead of highlighting a handful of names on the field, let’s look at the defensive mind behind it all. Did you know that no team blitzed opposing quarterbacks more in 2022 than the Giants? It’s a trend that has followed Martindale his entire career. He clearly isn’t doing it by accident.
The question is, can that trend continue when the position players on the other side – Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, T.J. Hockenson – are some of the most talented in the league? Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has actually struggled more when not blitzed, so we’ll see if Martindale goes against his usual habits and manages to force Cousins into some costly errors with less man coverage and more varied looks.
Tee Higgins, Bengals wide receiver | vs. Ravens
Despite the improvement made with the deadline acquisition of linebacker Roquan Smith (now the highest paid linebacker in NFL history), the Ravens’ defence is still abysmal against the pass, especially on deep shots down the field. They allowed the seventh-most passing yards in 2022. This sets the stage for a better afternoon for Higgins.
The receiver sometimes gets overshadowed by his talented teammate Ja’Marr Chase but ultimately, he still may be one of the few ‘secondary’ options in the league that would be a No. 1 wideout on most other teams. He enjoys a nearly 20-per-cent target share from QB Burrow, and will likely see the lesser coverage with Chase on the field. If the Bengals decide to step on the gas early, especially with the Ravens ailing and likely unable to keep up on offence, Higgins is going to be one of the primary beneficiaries.
Tyler Biadasz, Cowboys centre | @ Buccaneers
There’s a chance Biadasz plays on Monday night, which would certainly bode well for running backs Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott. It’s important for a number of reasons, but mostly because offensive co-ordinator Kellen Moore really leaned into the run game this year: entering Week 17, the Cowboys featured the fourth-best rushing attack in the NFL. Biadasz suffered an ankle injury during that Week 17 matchup and missed the season finale but practised this week.
His return would also greatly help the interior offensive line, which in turn helps Dak Prescott and the passing game. When you’re facing off against a pretty stout Buccaneers defensive unit – anchored by lineman Vita Vea, who feasts on centers and guards most of the time – well, you’ll need all the help you can get.
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