NFL’s weird wild-card weekend scheduling

classybuzzJanuary 16, 2022

13 4 minutes read

I’ll be sharing my lukewarm takeaways for this weekend’s video games within the Sunday FreakOut: Wild-Card Version. The next is the weekly Soccer Issues preview column, coming to you within the wee hours of Sunday morning as God supposed…

1. It’s unclear how the least intriguing recreation of the weekend would find yourself within the Sunday night time spot*, however I’m guessing you’re going to be tuning in anyway because the solely viable counterprogramming is reruns of Bones. (I believe it’s the episode the place they discover a bone.)

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It’s been the case all season: For the Steelers to stay round in opposition to high quality opponents they should get a pair takeaways and/or one thing like a blocked-punt landing. The Chiefs misplaced an entire heap of weird turnovers early within the season—which precipitated a collective freak out—so it’s inside the realm of risk. However it’s onerous to examine how the Steelers hold it shut on Sunday night time until Chad Henne has to become involved. And even then…

Right here’s what we all know in regards to the Steelers: They rush the passer properly. (“They” being T.J. Watt, plus Cam Heyward getting in passing lanes.) And that’s about it. Their run protection, persistently among the many greatest within the NFL, allowed essentially the most speeding yards per try within the league and in franchise historical past (4.99). Their offense is basically constructed round Najee Harris creating one thing out of nothing; they’ve the league’s largest abomination of a passing offense north of Miami.

Contemplating nearly all of the television-watching world has had their fill of the Ben Roethlisberger Farewell Tour, this threatens to be some very unwatchable programming within the crown-jewel spot.

*—I do know, I do know, Mahomes and the Steelers.

2. Having Nick Bosa main a extremely good entrance 4, in addition to Fred Warner on the second degree, made his life simpler, however first-year 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans deserves credit score for making it work with a disastrous group of cornerbacks. Josh Norman ended up main all their CBs in snaps, and recently they’ve been leaning closely on third-round rookie Ambry Thomas. You’ll be able to’t belief these cornerbacks. And when you may’t belief your cornerbacks, it limits what you are able to do as a defensive coordinator.

So on Sunday it gained’t simply be the truth that the 49ers’ largest weak spot will probably be matched up with one of many Cowboys’ largest strengths, or the truth that the 49ers can’t merely depend on Nick Bosa and Co. wrecking this recreation in opposition to an excellent Dallas offensive line. Ryans should give you one thing inventive to decelerate the Cowboys. In Dallas’s final loss, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph did simply that with a heaping quantity of simulated stress seems to be, persistently throwing Dak Prescott out of rhythm. However I’m undecided somebody will get Dallas with that type of gameplan once more this season, and I’m undecided it performs to the 49ers’ strengths anyway.

3. The absence of Lavonte David will loom particularly massive in opposition to an Eagles workforce that desires to run it many occasions and would favor run it properly. The Bucs have been the very best run protection within the league final season, however they slid again this yr. And within the 5 video games that David missed with harm, they allowed 4.96 yards per rush try.

Throw within the Bucs’ shrinking solid of weapons for Tom Brady, and issues could possibly be extra attention-grabbing than you assume in Tampa.

4a. There are a number of groups who, in a typical yr, can be diving headfirst into the quarterback market this offseason. However this yr is totally different; they perused a pair aisles and realized all they’ve on the cabinets are these pre-mixed containers of ketchup and mayonnaise.

Deshaun Watson will probably be moved, however is just not for everybody (for apparent causes) and in addition has a no-trade clause. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are potentialities however not assured to be obtainable. If you happen to don’t land a type of three and also you’d prefer to win now… Kirk Cousins? Jimmy Garoppolo?

The Colts have been first to trace they’re open to new potentialities. Indy is a good vacation spot for a quarterback; they’re one offensive sort out away from having an excellent offensive line, the protection is championship-ready, and Frank Reich is pretty much as good a head coach as there’s. Maybe there’s a state of affairs the place Russell Wilson forces his means there. However in any other case, and not using a first-round decide (in an underwhelming QB draft class), they’re unlikely to discover a higher possibility than, properly, bringing again Carson Wentz. After which they’re going to simply should hope {that a} conventional offseason (bear in mind, he missed virtually all of final summer time with a damaged foot) permits the teaching employees to wring extra of those disastrous hero performs out of his system.

4b. The Colts, in fact, ought to have simply saved and continued to develop Jacoby Brissett relatively than reducing bait as a result of he couldn’t make it work with a bunch of practice-squad receivers in the course of the one stretch when Matt Eberflus’s protection imploded.