Wild Card Weekend: NFC Preview

The first week of playoffs is upon us. There are four games this weekend, all of which will determine who will be another step closer to Super Bowl LI. Here’s a quick preview and analysis of what we’ll see from the NFC this weekend.

Detroit Lions vs. Seattle Seahawks – Saturday at 8:15 pm EST

The last time we saw these two teams go up against each other was last year during week 4, with the end result being a Seattle victory of 13-10. Seattle made a lot of good plays during that game, but they were still difficult plays to pull off. The Lions defensive line was all over Russell Wilson for the entire game, while their offense put up a pretty lackluster performance. That game was in Seattle, and a Lions team that was much worse than the one that we see today proved that they could hang with the Seahawks in their own stadium. There is no doubt that the Seahawks are a great team, but how much better than the Lions are they?

When thinking about the matchups, I find that the potential seen from both teams favors the offenses of both squads. The Seahawks defense might be one of the best put together in a long time, but without Earl Thomas in the secondary, the experienced and capable receiver corp of the Lions will have the opportunity to shine. Golden Tate has been the Lions top playmaker all season, so expect the Seahawks secondary to be looking at him throughout most of the game. This will open up the likes of Marvin Jones for the deep ball, or in short yardage situations, Stafford will look to some of his most consistent pass-catchers in Anquan Boldin and Eric Ebron. The only questionable part of their offense is their running game, but for the past few weeks, Zach Zenner has been offering a solid ground attack. It most likely won’t be a huge part of their offense, but at the very least it could be used as a tool to keep the defense honest.

The Seahawks on the other hand have an easier matchup for their offense. The Lions have a very capable defense, but if the battle in the trenches isn’t won, then the game will go to the Seahawks. Last year, Ziggy Ansah had an amazing game along with the rest of the Lions D-line. Everybody stuck to their lanes and prevented Russell Wilson from making big plays for a good chunk of the game. However, if Wilson is given enough time, the Seahawks have a lot of big play capabilities. Between Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham, and Jermaine Kearse, the Seahawks offense has the potential to thrive if Wilson can make the throws. The only real way the Lions can shut this down is if they keep Wilson in the pocket and shut down Thomas Rawls (like they did last year). This will make the Seahawks completely one dimensional, which is a death sentence in a game like football. Even the Rams were able to hold Rawls to 34 yards on 21 attempts, so it isn’t too far-fetched to think that the Lions can do the same.

What it will really come down to is how well Russell Wilson will perform. The Seahawks have the big play ability to win the game, but there is no doubt that the Lions will put up a fight. In my opinion, the Lions can win this game easily if they play smart and effective, but if their defense doesn’t hold up, Seattle will take the win. It might just come down to home field advantage, as the Seattle crowd will give their team an extra boost. Not to mention the Lions have only won games played indoors this season. The Lions should be able to hold their own, but with the Seattle defense it’ll be tough nonetheless.

New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers – Sunday at 4:40 pm EST

The New York Football Giants are back in the Wild Card spot in the NFC. In the past decade, the G-Men have done an extraordinary job in the playoffs when starting from this position. Even though Eli Manning is notorious for not being the best regular season quarterback, he has done quite well when it gets to be the postseason. Take Eli and his playoff prowess and combine it with Odell Beckham Jr, arguably one of the most explosive players in the NFL, and the Giants have a decent shot at making another deep run into the playoffs. With a defense that has found their stride in the last half of the season, and a developing running game, the Giants are poised to do well. The problem for them is that the first obstacle in their way: Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers and the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field the two teams play on this Sunday.

This game is likely to be the best playoff game this weekend. In part, this is due to how Aaron Rodgers can make something out of nothing and his ability to make something happen on a broken play. With the help of Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, and the rest of the Packers’ receivers, Rodgers is the key in an offense that should put up plenty of points. The only issue for Green Bay is that they don’t have much of a running game. Although Ty Montgomery and Aaron Ripkowski have filled their spot well, their ground attack still suffers from inefficiency. Ultimately, the Packers will be one-dimensional. If the Giants can figure out how to contain Rodgers in the pocket, then they should be able to stop the Packers, but it might be difficult if Jason Pierre-Paul (groin) doesn’t play. If Rodgers has the option to get out of the pocket and make plays down the field, then it will open up more and more options for Green Bay’s offense and allow the running game to open up. If the Giants can get tricked to exclusively covering the pass, then Green Bay should be able to run up the score. Keep the Giants defense honest and the Packers should be able to win the game.

The Giants might have to work a little bit harder if they want to earn a victory in Wisconsin. The Giants have two very distinct features that have been seen through this season. The first is that they can make huge plays (and by “they” I mean Odell Beckham Jr. can make huge plays). If Eli can hit #13 on a slant route across the field, Odell has the speed and ability to take it to the endzone every time. Combine this with the subpar play of Green Bay cornerbacks, the Giants have a big shot at making plays down the field to OBJ. If the Packers decide to cover him all game, that will leave the likes of veteran receiver Victor Cruz and rookie wideout Sterling Shepard open all day long. The second distinct feature that the Giants have is that they make plenty of mistakes. Between missed throws, fumbles, interceptions, and poor offensive line play, the Giants have a lot to fix. However, if Eli makes smart throws and the offensive line gives him time to make those throws, then the Giants will be able to win. Overall, this game will come down to how smart the Giants play. It needs to be a combined effort from both the defensive side and the offensive side. Rodgers needs to be contained and Eli needs to make smart passes. This is going to be the game of the week, keep your eye on this one.

Written by Rick Wronski