Wildcard Weekend has come to a close and NFL fans are one round closer to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans. After 6 total games between both the NFC and AFC, the pot of contenders has narrowed. With the result of yesterday’s matchup in Glendale, we have our final 8 contenders for the Lombardi, the Elite 8.
After a 32-12 victory over Justin Herbert and the LA Chargers, The Texans’ run defense looked strong against Gus Edwards and company. But due to greater talent in the league, it makes it difficult to rank them any higher.
The Rams came into Glendale Monday Night searching for a playoff win, hoping to return to the type of Super Bowl-winning team they were in 2022. They came out against Sam Darnold and the Vikings, bringing their fierce young defense. Jared Verse and his teammates truly put on a show, recording a season-high nine sacks. The defense wasn’t the only side of the ball that harnessed the blitz well in the Wildcard victory. Quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for 2 touchdowns while facing the blitz nearly 70% of the time on his dropbacks. With the two-headed monster of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, alongside a Top 5 Running Back in the league, the offense is surely not a problem.
Jayden Daniels is balling out! The first rookie quarterback to win a road playoff game since Russell Wilson in 2012. An impressive feat for the LSU product, and for the Commanders as a whole. After winning 4 games last year, and hiring Dan Quinn in the offseason, Washington has achieved so much with their new culture.
The Back-to-Back champs not in the top 4? Yes, it might seem crazy, but the Chiefs have not been as good as in recent years. Now, this ranking is more geared towards skill and talent. While Kansas City doesn’t have as much as say Detroit or Buffalo, the Chiefs are still the most clutch team in the league, and nobody is better in late-game situations.
The last game had to feel great for Baltimore. The Ravens defeated their much-hated rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, and morale is high as a result. They face a hard challenge in Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the divisional, but the Ravens are more ready than ever to finally reach the Super Bowl in New Orleans
Philly! Philly! The Eagles take care of the Pack in a rematch of the Brazilian Brawl! The Philadelphia secondary was crucial, they recorded 3 INTs against Jordan Love. The Birds take on the Rams in Philadelphia next weekend.
It’s time for the Motor City Muscle to shine! After a truthfully rigorous regular season from Detroit, the Lions faithful are two playoff wins from seeing their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Jared Goff has been an excellent passer all season long, and it seems that every man on this team has a role and they are excelling at it.
Josh Allen and his Western New York squad stare down their best possible chance to get Josh Allen to the Super Bowl. After a solid wildcard performance from all sides of the Buffalo squad, they are the favorites to win this out of the NFL’s Elite 8.
The NFL Divisional round is ahead! While rankings or standings mattered in the regular season, in the playoffs they mean nothing, and the best team will come out on top! Time will tell just who will hoist the Lombardi this February.
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