Reasons to watch Saturday’s round of Wild Cards

The NFL postseason begins and we will preview what we will see in the Wild Card round on Saturday

The NFL playoffs began with a triplet from the Wild Card round on Saturday, after seven teams advanced to the conference for the first time in history, leaving only the number 1 at rest.

Defending champions Kansas City Chiefs have a week off at the American Conference, while Green Bay Packers they stayed on the NFC.

Here are the reasons why you can’t miss the three matches on Saturday:

Plot to follow: Bill hasn’t won a playoff game since Jim Kelly was a quarterback and Bryce Paup won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1995. Sure, Buffalo has done three seasons in the last four years, but the current version of the team seems to be be the best chance for the franchise to end one of the longest successful droughts in active playoffs in the entire league.

Figure to follow: progressively Josh Allen It was just as amazing and unexpected. The transition from less than 60 percent of completions in its first years to nearly 70 percent in 2020 is impressive, plus it has raised its passing averages by more than a yard and nearly doubled its transfers. total touchdown. Even if he plays in one of the less average markets in the NFL, Allen is on the threshold of superstars, and a playoff victory will move him in that direction.

Statistics to follow: Don’t take your eyes off the number of transports by the beginner running back Jonathan Taylor. In four games this season, the Colts have offered him at least 20 ports, with Indy winning them all. In three of those games, he surpassed 100 yards, and in three of those games he scored a touchdown, five in total. If Indianapolis feeds Taylor, it will mean that they did not allow Buffalo to unleash themselves on the scoreboard, giving them the best chance to give Bills a cold start at home.

prognosis: No AFC team has closed the regular season hotter than the Bills, and while the home advantage factor is reduced to empty or semi-empty stands, Buffalo should take advantage of receiving a regular team to play indoors in one of the the most inhospitable stadiums in the league. Invoices are favored with -6.0 points, and the high / low line is at 51.5 for the game. I think Buffalo wins by beating both numbers. – Rafael Zamorano

Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks They are being measured for the third time in the campaign to define, once and for all, who is the best representative of the National Conference since they shared the victories of the regular season with the victory for the team that served at home.

It is the second time they will meet in the playoffs and the only antecedent dates from the same round, but in 2004, when the St. Louis won at Qwest Field 27-20, when the defenders were still Matt Hasselbeck and Marc Bulger.

Plot to follow: While there are many issues that we must not lose sight of, our focus must be on them Jared Goff and his ability to play after surgery just a few days ago for a broken hand. Sean McVay will define until the last moment whether he will be Goff or not John Wolford who controls the crime, but even if the California graduate does, the joke will be to see how limited it will be, despite the fact that the Seattle defense is not the headache that the Rams, who used to brag about spectacular offense, , have now concluded that defense no. 1 of the season in points and yards.

Figure to follow: Jalen Ramsey. It was difficult to choose the defender in front of the defensive attack Aaron Donald – both were named in the All-Pro team – but the high school member will have his hands full DK Metcalf, limited to 87 yards and eight receptions in two games when the sophomore had four games 100 yards or more and one of the worst performances was against Ramsey when he had two catches for 28 meters. In just two games he had fewer yards (week 7 against Arizona Cardinals and week 7 before San Francisco 49ers). Not in vain Rams was the number 1 defense in the air in the 2020 season and the number 3 against the race.

Statistics to follow: Russell Wilson (5-0) in the home playoff games. The Seahawks have 10 straight wins at home – their last loss was the aforementioned loss to the Rams in 2004, according to ESPN Stats & Info – and five of them took 3rd place in control. In the current season, they suffered only four defeats and only one of them was now Lumen Field, when they lost 17-12 to the New York Giants. In turn, the rams were 4-4 in someone else’s yard in the 2020 season.

prognosis: Pete Carroll’s team appears as a four-point favorite in casinos and is probably the closest match in the Wild Card round simply seeing again a compromise between divisional rivals such as the Cleveland Browns of the Pittsburgh Steelers. which offers several arguments to believe that it will be defined in the last possession with a clash in low points that will end up bowing, once again, for the locals.

The Seahawks will advance to the divisional round with a score of 17-14. – Luis Miguel Vasavilbaso

Tom Brady He led the Buccaneers to the playoffs in his first year with the team and now the next challenge is to lead them to their first post-season victory in 2002, when they won Super Bowl XXXVII.

Despite playing on the road, Tampa Bay is a big favorite to overtake Washington, which comes as the third losing division champion since the 1982 strike, joining the 2010 Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers Since 2014.

Plot to follow: Brady. The veteran defender threw for 1,137 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in his last three games of the season. If Washington’s defense can stop Bucs’ running game, he’ll have to face Brady’s arm and it may not be good news.

Figure to follow: Alex Smith. Yes, it’s true, Brady is the man they will have in the spotlight, but we can’t leave out Smith, who returned from 17 operations to become Washington’s starter and lead the franchise to his first playoff appearance in recent years. five years. . Whatever the outcome, Smith will be the winner of the evening.

Statistics to follow: Since 1982, only three teams have won their divisions with a lost record, with the first two (Seattle and Carolina) winning at least one post-season game. This trend may not be as important, if it weren’t for the fact that Brady lost in his last two appearances at the Wild Card Round and will be the first time in his career when he will play on the road in this case.

prognosis: Logic says you shouldn’t bet against Brady and I intend to abide by this maxim. The Buccaneers will win and advance to the divisional round, but it won’t be a walk in the park, Washington has a pretty good defense, and their running game can cause a lot of headaches. – Erick Cervantes