Sunday night’s match, which was billed as a generational match, didn’t quite live up to the hype. The Lions defeated the Vikings to secure the team’s first top seed in the playoffs and earn the bye week that comes with that honor. But that doesn’t ruin what could have been a great playoff run.
The Lions and Chiefs may be the likely favorites to meet in Super Bowl LIX, but there are heavyweight contenders on both sides of the bracket.
The second-seeded Bills were the only team in the AFC to beat the Chiefs’ starters this season, and the third-seeded Ravens fell just short of accomplishing the same thing. Both men have the extraordinary ability to defeat serial champions who won’t relinquish their titles without a fight.
The field of NFC is likely to expand further. The Eagles were well-rested and dangerous as the second seed, while the fifth-seeded Vikings had won 14 games and had a chance at the top seed. Then there’s the third-seeded Buccaneers, who won a league game in the regular season. Lions and Eagles. They will now face the fearless Commanders and precocious rookie Jaden Daniels, whom Tampa Bay defeated in Week 1.
Four of the six wild-card games are rematches, and all four home teams in those games have already defeated their first-round opponents once. Will things change in the rematch? Or who will win the rubber match in the case of Steelers vs. Ravens?
Wild Card Weekend begins Saturday afternoon with a game between the Chargers and Texans and concludes with a rematch between the Vikings and Rams on Monday night. Three consecutive days of single-elimination football: We are built for this.
In show news, fans of teams that missed the playoffs, please note that we will be reducing the rankings next week (and ultimately reducing the list each week) to focus strictly on the 14 teams that made the postseason. The team will be eliminated). However, there is no need to worry. Once the Super Bowl is over, bring back the other 18 teams and start the process all over again. The offseason is closer than you think. You have to be ready.
