Divisional Round weekend of the NFL playoffs is also known as the most effective weekend of the NFL 12 months. This weekend seems to be to be no exception to that rule, given the groups left standing, the quarterbacks we are going to see, and a few of the matchups we are able to count on to see this weekend.
Given the groups left standing, and the expertise we are going to see on the sector this weekend, there is no such thing as a scarcity of storylines to look ahead to when the video games get going. From the place we sit, listed here are the eight greatest storylines to look at throughout Divisional Round weekend.
Kellen Moore vs. DeMeco Ryans
The battle of wits between Kyle Shanahan and Dan Quinn may be the most important storyline of your complete weekend. How will Quinn fight San Francisco’s “21 personnel” bundle of Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk? How will Quinn make the most of Micah Parsons? There are so many storylines to anticipate when the 49ers have the soccer on Sunday.
But the undercard between Kellen Moore and DeMeco Ryans may be simply as fascinating, and will have a good greater affect on the sport.
How will Moore assault one of many NFL’s greatest defenses? How will Ryans make the most of the expertise he has up entrance to strain Dak Prescott? Will Prescott’s skill within the presnap part of performs shine by means of on Sunday, or will the gifted San Francisco protection get the higher of him?
It will likely be simply as fascinating to look at this storyline unfold.
— Mark Schofield
Trevor Lawrence vs. the Kansas City Crowd
There are some guidelines in life.
Don’t poke the bear. Don’t tug on Superman’s cape. Never become involved in a land struggle in Asia. Never go in towards a Sicilian when loss of life is on the road.
And don’t dare an opposing crowd to be loud in case you are an NFL quarterback dealing with your first street playoff recreation.
However, that’s precisely what Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence did this week, when he mentioned this:
Now, it’s fully honest to level out the whole thing of Lawrence’s assertion, the place he famous that the setting in Kansas City is “one of, if not the best, in the NFL.” He additionally famous that the stakes are greater within the Divisional Round, in juxtaposition to when the Jaguars performed in Kansas City earlier this season.
But daring an opposing crowd in the case of noise is commonly a nasty concept.
— Mark Schofield
Brett Maher vs. Himself
This has been one of many wildest single participant tales of the playoffs, and truthfully I’m surprised the Cowboys appear hellbent on making this a problem for themselves. Dallas kicker Brett Maher stunk out loud within the Wild Card Round. His 4 missed area objectives towards the Buccaneers was a horrible efficiency for the ages, and fortunately for Maher it didn’t price his staff.
The response to at least one horrible recreation has been gorgeous. Perhaps it’s Mike McCarthy’s model of motivation, however he determined to mild a fireplace beneath Maher this week by signing a kicker off the road and publicly saying that Maher wanted to “practice well this week” whereas dancing backwards and forwards saying they’ve full religion within the kicker, whereas performing the other.
Know what number of kicks Maher missed this season previous to the playoffs? Six. Three area objectives and three additional factors. His area objective share of 90.6 % was eighth within the NFL. THERE WERE 24 KICKERS WORSE THAN HIM IN 2022!
Instead of claiming “that’s not like Brett,” the staff roughly threw him beneath the bus. An extraordinarily weird determination contemplating that Cowboys vs. 49ers may flip right into a low-scoring, defensive affair that necessitates dependable kicking.
Maher might want to eliminate the yips to play effectively this week. It’s a battle of him towards himself. Assuming the Cowboys resolve to stay with the date they introduced (and they need to, as a result of he was glorious this season), there’s now large quantities of doubt that Maher might want to face each time he traces up for a kick.
Every area objective will likely be one to look at.
— James Dator
Brock Purdy vs. the Cowboys’ go rush
I highlighted it earlier in a chunk this week, however the easiest way to get 49ers QB/obvious subsequent coming of Dan Marino Brock Purdy to come back again all the way down to earth is to get him beneath strain.
Purdy hasn’t been pressured very a lot this season, however what the Cowboys can do will not be solely get strain, however get strain whereas additionally disguising the seems to be they offer Purdy. Not each strain needs to be an all out blitz, however altering the image up entrance may trigger Purdy to revert again into dangerous habits he had in faculty. Cowboys DC Dan Quinn will must be on his A recreation Sunday evening.
— JP Acosta
Dak Prescott vs. Weird Narratives
In case you haven’t heard, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is fairly good. He is also perpetually underrated, which could must do with the truth that he’s enjoying for a staff owned by a man hell-bent on making a operating again the focus of hit offense.
Make no mistake, although, Prescott is simply that. And what he is also is likely one of the greatest QBs left standing within the playoffs, regardless of what sure narratives may need to make you imagine.
That is simply… odd. Brock Purdy is likely one of the greatest tales within the NFL this season — the final choose within the draft getting thrown right into a beginning function and main his staff to the playoffs — however he’s removed from being among the best quarterbacks.
Dak Prescott is. And he has not simply the arm energy and mobility to show it. Unlike what that image above desires to make you imagine, he’s additionally superior to Purdy in the case of these different traits.
But, as at all times, folks have to see it for themselves. That means Prescott can have a first-rate alternative to close a few of these unusual narratives surrounding him down towards Purdy and Co. within the divisional spherical.
— Bernd Buchmasser
Andy Reid vs. Doug Pederson
The relationship between these two coaches dates again to 1997, when Doug Pederson was a backup quarterback behind Brett Favre in Green Bay with the Packers.
And Andy Reid was his quarterback coach.
That was simply the beginning of an extended relationship between the 2, one which started as participant and coach, earlier than evolving into teaching on the identical workers. When Reid was employed to be the pinnacle coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, the staff signed Pederson to be their beginning quarterback, not less than till rookie Donovan McNabb was prepared.
And after Pederson retired and acquired into teaching at the highschool degree, his first NFL job was beneath Reid in Philadelphia. The two then moved on to Kansas City, with Pederson serving because the offensive coordinator beneath Reid with the Chiefs.
Now they meet for simply the third time as head coaches, albeit with the stakes a little bit bit greater. Their first assembly got here again through the 2017 season, when the Chiefs beat the Eagles — with Pederson as the pinnacle coach — by a rating of 27-20 in Week 2. That was earlier than the Eagles turned the staff that might go on to win Super Bowl LII.
They additionally met earlier this season, in a recreation received by the Chiefs by a remaining rating of 27-17.
Does Reid make it three-straight wins over his former QB, or does Pederson get an enormous win towards his former coach?
— Mark Schofield
Daniel Jones vs. town of Philadelphia
If it wasn’t for Geno Smith we’d be speaking about Daniel Jones operating away with the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Jones hasn’t at all times been outstanding this season, however he’s been extraordinarily environment friendly and brought care of the soccer — core tenets for an offense that prioritizes controlling the ball and making good selections over explosive performs.
This season Jones has been higher at residence than away, significantly in the case of scoring and turning the ball over. In 2022 he posted a TD/INT ratio of three.3:1 at residence (10 TD, 3 INT), in comparison with 2.5:1 away (5 TD, 2 INT). The divisional playoffs are going to be in probably the most hostile location Jones has ever performed contemplating the stakes, and the important thing to the Giants having an opportunity towards Philadelphia will likely be managing the group — who’re going to attempt to tear him aside.
If Jones can rise above the noise, the heckling, and the acrimony, New York may need an opportunity. If he can’t, this recreation is over earlier than it begins.
— James Dator
The Bengals’ offensive line vs. the Bills’ go rush
The Bengals’ incapability to guard Joe Burrow deep within the playoffs final season turned their most well-known weak spot on the way in which to a Super Bowl loss to the Rams final season. The Bills knew they needed to tackle their go rush over the offseason after falling to the Chiefs straight away traditional AFC Championship recreation. While each took main steps to enhance their shortcomings, the Bengals’ o-line and the Bills’ go rush are nonetheless beneath the microscope when the 2 sides meet within the Divisional Round.
The Bengals’ line made progress this season, reducing down Burrow’s sacks from a league-high 70 in 2021 to 45 this 12 months. There’s just one drawback: the accidents maintain mounting up late into the season, and now Cincinnati will likely be with out three key starters within the playoff recreation towards Buffalo. The Bills made a splashy transfer to handle the go rush by signing future Hall of Famer Von Miller, however he hasn’t performed since Nov. due to harm and continues to be sidelined. Buffalo has a deep entrance 4 and an excellent defensive deal with in Ed Oliver, however they don’t precisely have world beaters on the go rush with out Miller.
Every week in the past, the Bills’ go rush let Dolphins backup QB Skyler Thompson get method too snug behind his line. The Bengals let Burrow get sacked 4 occasions towards Baltimore, and simply by no means performed as much as their potential offensively because the playoffs opened. Who wins in a battle of weak spot vs. weak spot? That will go an extended strategy to figuring out who advances in Bengals vs. Bills.
— Ricky O’Donnell