The 2023 NFL Super Wild Card Weekend was one the best weekends of playoff football in recent memory. This year’s Wild Card round saw a historic comeback, a clutch 98-yard touchdown by a defensive end and a lot more postseason wackiness.
Here is a brief recap and review of all six games.
NFC: (7) SEA 23 (2) SF 41
In a not so shocking turn of events, the San Francisco 49ers dominated division rival Seattle 41-23 at home to kickoff the NFL playoffs. Down 17-16 at halftime, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense outscored Seattle 25-7 in the second half to ice the game.
It was a valiant effort by the seventh-seeded Seahawks, but the 49ers’ loaded roster overwhelmed Seattle down the stretch. Running back Christian McCaffery and receiver Deebo Samuel each gained over 130 yards from scrimmage. Purdy threw for 332 yards and accounted for four touchdowns with zero turnovers. On defense, a dominant front racked up three sacks including a game-changing sack-fumble in the third quarter.
Sixth-year head coach Kyle Shanahan was up to his usual tricks, dialing up perfect plays in succession. The most absurd of these play calls was a play-action pass where Purdy performed an unorthodox pivot before throwing to a boundary-side wheel route 30-yards down field.
There isn’t much to say about this one. The 49ers look like a complete team. The offense is loaded with talent, and is commanded by one of the best play callers in football. Brock Purdy has provided stellar play, and has not made the rookie mistakes some might have expected. The defense is the top-ranked unit in the NFL, and is led by a plethora of All-Pro caliber players. San Francisco has a real chance to win it all, and if they do, the reasons shouldn’t be too hard to pin down.
For Seattle, a season of over-achieving comes to an end. The future, however, looks bright in the pacific northwest. The Seahawks possess a stable of budding young stars in players like running back Kenneth Walker III and defensive back Tariq Woolen. Quarterback Geno Smith has been reborn, they have one of the NFL’s best head coaches in Pete Caroll and own the fifth pick in the draft. They will be back.
AFC: (5) LAC 30 (4) JAX 31
Deep breaths. There’s a lot to unpack here.
Saturday’s second Wild Card game turned out to be one of the greatest playoff games of all time. In the playoff debuts of quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence, the Jacksonville Jaguars erased a 27-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30. It was the third largest comeback in NFL postseason history.
It was a nightmarish start for Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence threw four first half interceptions leading to a couple easy rushing touchdowns by the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler. Justin Herbert threw a touchdown, and a muffed punt recovered by L.A. led to even more Chargers points. Before the Jaguars could blink, they were in a 27-point hole.
A late second quarter touchdown pass from Lawrence made it a 27-7 game at halftime, but things still looked bleak for the home underdogs. The Jaguars then flipped the script, and Lawrence torched the L.A. secondary, throwing for three touchdowns in the second half.
Meanwhile, Herbert and the Chargers offense were held to just three second half points. The Jacksonville defense racked up two sacks in the period, and pressured Herbert on nearly every drop back.
The Jaguars offense marched down the field in the final three minutes for what would be the game-winning field goal drive. On fourth and one at the L.A. 41-yard line, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson called a gusty outside run from a three back formation. The defense sold out to stop a quarterback sneak, but Lawrence handed the ball to running back Travis Etienne who gained 25 yards to set up the game-winner.
Usually, comebacks of this magnitude feature a momentum-swinging play. A pick-six or a sack-fumble often turns games around quickly, but the Jaguars didn’t get any plays like that. Instead, they methodically crawled back into the game with a dominating second half.
Jacksonville is a young, but extremely talented group. They’re led by Doug Pederson, a Super Bowl-winning coach that isn’t afraid to call absurd plays. They have a talented receiving core that has built excellent chemistry with Lawrence, Etienne has become a true workhorse back and the defense boasts a nasty front line.
The Jaguars are 7-1 in their last eight contests, and have enjoyed a bevy of clutch performances. The team is playing confidently, and if they weren’t facing the top-seeded Chiefs next weekend, I wouldn’t be surprised if they crashed the AFC Championship. Wherever they end up finishing in these playoffs, I suspect these Jaguars will be around for a few years.
For the Chargers, this is one they will never get over. They have “Chargered” again. Under head coach Brandon Staley, blown leads, questionable calls and gaffes at critical junctures have become habitual for a team that- on paper- should be a contender.
One of Staley’s most controversial calls came just one week ago when his decision to play starters in a meaningless week 18 game led to star wideout Mike Williams being injured and unavailable for Wild Card Weekend. Staley will likely be back on the sidelines next season, but he’ll be on thin ice.
AFC: (7) MIA 31 (2) BUF 34
In another wacky AFC Wild Card game, the Buffalo Bills squeaked by with a 34-31 win over division rival Miami. With quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater dealing with injuries, the Dolphins started third-string rookie Skylar Thompson. Thompson and the Dolphins surprisingly hung around, but the Bills did just enough to advance to the Divisional round.
Buffalo jumped out to an early 17-0 lead, and it seemed like the rout was on. Bills quarterback Josh Allen led three straight scoring drives, while Miami’s offense struggled to get things moving.
Late in the half and down 17-3, Miami finally caught a few breaks. A long interception return and a punt return deep into Buffalo territory set up two field goals. A tipped interception thrown by Allen set up Miami to score a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion. A shocked Bills team added a field goal and took a 20-17 lead into halftime.
Out of the break, Miami defensive tackle Zach Sieler returned a Josh Allen fumble for a touchdown to take a surprising 24-20 lead. The lead wouldn’t last long, as the Bills offense exploded in the middle of the third quarter, scoring on back-to-back drives, both ending with a Josh Allen touchdown pass.
The Dolphins cut the deficit to three, and had a chance to complete a game-winning, or game-tying drive in the final minutes. On the drive, Miami ended up beating themselves with crucial penalties, including a delay of game that turned a fourth and one into fourth and six. The Dolphins could not convert, and Buffalo ran the clock out to end the game.
The Bills are still a legitimate threat to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Josh Allen is a top three quarterback, Stefon Diggs remains one of the league’s elite receivers and the defense is amongst the NFL’s top units despite key injuries. They certainly have the talent to get it done, but they must eliminate sloppy mistakes and turnovers. They can not afford to repeat this performance against the Bengals next weekend.
For Miami, a very strange season comes to a close. The Dolphins were once 8-3, before finishing the year 9-8 and barely clinching the AFC’s seventh seed. Injuries certainly played a role in Miami’s late season collapse, but they still expected a better finish.
Dolphins rookie head coach Mike McDaniel had his ups and downs in year one. It will be interesting to see how the young head coach grows in year two. When healthy, his offense was one of the most dynamic in the league. With the receiving duo of Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill returning next year, Miami will expect to take a leap forward. Of course, it all hinges on the health of starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
NFC: (6) NYG 31 (3) MIN 24
In the least surprising upset seen in recent memory, the New York Giants defeated the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 to move on in the NFL playoffs. The Vikings won a similarly competitive game against “Big Blue” in week 16, and proclaimed themselves “New York’s Favorite Team”. The Giants took that personally.
The Vikings entered this contest with a 13-4 record, the third seed in the NFC and zero respect from anybody. They went an NFL record 11-0 in one-score games during the regular season, but endured two blowout losses and two more double-digit losses.
A 13-4 record is still hard to argue with, and a team with weapons like Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson should be dangerous, especially with quarterback Kirk Cousins playing at a high level under first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell. This team would get a chance to prove their haters wrong by winning a playoff game against the underdog Giants. They proved their haters right.
Quarterback Daniel Jones and the Giants went into Minneapolis and did whatever they wanted to offensively. Jones finished the game with 301 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns and 78 rushing yards on 17 carries, a career day in his first NFL playoff game.
Cousins and the Vikings offense kept it competitive through all four quarters, the Giants would go up, but Minnesota would respond. Eventually, the teams found themselves tied at 24 in the fourth, but Jones led a gutsy 12-play touchdown drive to put New York up seven.
On a potential game-tying drive in the final minutes, Cousins drove the Vikings to the 48-yard line where they eventually faced a daunting fourth and eight. With All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence collapsing the pocket, Cousins threw to a target short of the first down marker, unceremoniously ending Minnesota’s season.
The Giants have impressed all year long under first-year head coach Brian Daboll. What was mostly considered just a decent roster has turned into a dangerous, well-coached team. Daniel Jones has looked comfortable under Daboll, and a healthy Saquon Barkley has brought a dynamic element to the offense. They are not an elite unit by any means, but they execute well enough to win games.
New York will square-off against division rival Philadelphia next weekend, the number one seed in the NFC. The Eagles swept the Giants with ease in the regular season, and I fully expect the Eagles to win a third time, but when division foes meet in the postseason, results can be unpredictable.
The Kirk Cousins era of Minnesota Vikings football remains as chaotic as it ever was. At times, they’ve looked like a team of destiny. Other times, they’ve looked like the league’s doormat. The offense is strong, but has been completely shut down at times, and the defense is among the worst in the NFL.
Still, this is a veteran team with two elite offensive players in Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook. If they can improve on defense, the Vikings could return to the postseason, but I would not count on them contending anytime soon.
AFC: (6) BAL 17 (3) CIN 24
This division will never be normal.
In the first ever playoff matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals came out on top 24-17 in a high-intensity AFC North slugfest.
Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals showed why they were eight-point favorites, jumping out to a 9-0 second quarter lead. The Ravens answered by scoring 10 straight points before halftime with the help of a 17 play, 75-yard touchdown drive that lasted 10 minutes.
Cincinnati scored a touchdown and converted a two-point conversion on its first second half possession, but the Ravens answered back in a surprisingly quick fashion. Quarterback Tyler Huntley- starting in place of an injured Lamar Jackson- threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to cap off a five play drive, tying the game at 17 in the third quarter.
In true AFC North fashion, the game was won on defense. In the fourth quarter, the Ravens called a quarterback sneak on third and goal. Huntley had the ball poked out by linebacker Logan Wilson before reaching the goal line, defensive end Sam Hubbard ended up with the ball and he returned it 98-yards for a big man touchdown. That would be the game’s final score, and the Bengals would survive what was an extremely manly football game.
Cincinnati sure knows how to sweat out tough postseason wins. Going back to their playoff run from a season ago, just about every game was an ugly one. This Bengals team, however, is much better than they were a season ago. In Joe Burrow’s second full season, his chemistry with a lethal trio of receivers has improved, and the defense is as disruptive as ever.
Unfortunately, the Bengals have a banged up offensive line and secondary heading into next weekend’s match with the Bills. Buffalo boasts a ferocious interior pass rush, and possesses an explosive passing game. Cincinnati remains a contender. They are still the defending AFC champions, however, this year’s road to the Super Bowl is more treacherous than the last. It will be a difficult task, not that they’re not up to it.
The Ravens have a tumultuous off season coming up. The elephant in the room is Lamar Jackson’s contract. Every day it seems less likely a deal will get done. The question is whether or not the Raven’s will franchise tag him.
There have been swirling rumors that Jackson has purposefully distanced himself from the team, milking his knee injury. Teammates have defended Jackson, and so did former teammate Robert Griffin III, who suffered a similar injury in his own career.
On top of the Jackson drama, running back J.K. Dobbins has been extremely vocal about his frustrations with the team. Following the game, Dobbins told reporters he was unhappy with the amount of carries he received, and felt he could have made a difference if he had been put in the game more. An interview with Dobbins on Monday confirmed the reports.
Dobbins finished the game with 68 rushing yards on just 13 carries. He also added 43 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.
There is a clear rift within the organization, no one can be certain of everything that has gone on behind the scenes, but the divide keeps growing. The future in Baltimore is murky.
NFC: (5) DAL (4) TB
In the Monday night finale of Super Wild Card Weekend, the Dallas Cowboys dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14. It was the Cowboys’ first road playoff win since 1993. In what could possibly be the last game of legendary quarterback Tom Brady’s career, Dallas made a statement in what was the only real snooze-fest of Super Wild Card Weekend.
After a few shaky drives, Dallas torched the Tampa Bay defense. Quarterback Dak Prescott led his team on four straight scoring drives, with Prescott accounting for touchdowns on all of them.
Meanwhile, the Dallas defense, led by All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons, completely shut down the Buccaneers offense. The Cowboys did not allow a point until the end of the third quarter. Brady led Tampa on one promising drive in the first half, but it ended with an ugly red zone interception by Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse.
Tampa Bay scored some garbage time touchdowns, but this game was over in the third quarter. Dallas had a near perfect night, the major exception being kicker Brett Maher who missed four straight extra points before finally making one at the end.
The Cowboys are officially moving on. After a few weeks of sloppy play towards the end of the regular season, some wondered if Dallas truly had what it takes to win it all. The jury is still out, but for now, the Cowboys look strong.
Dak Prescott had perhaps his best performance of the season as he finished with 305 passing yards, five total touchdowns and zero turnovers. The offense is loaded with weapons like Tony Pollard and Ceedee Lamb, Micah Parsons leads a stout defense and special teams… Well, we might need to keep an eye on that kicker situation.
The Cowboys will have a shot at revenge next weekend. They’ll take on the 49ers who eliminated Dallas from last year’s Wild Card round. Beating San Francisco will be a considerably more difficult task than beating a sub .500 Buccaneers team. The 49ers are the hottest team in the NFL right now, and I don’t expect Dallas to get past them. The Cowboys certainly have the talent to pull it off, but they will need another near perfect performance.
For Tampa Bay, the immediate future is uncertain, but the writing is on the wall. The Tom Brady era is likely coming to a close. After struggling through an 8-9 season where the Buccaneers barely won a weak NFC South division, it’s hard to picture Brady back in Tampa for another year. No one knows what Brady will do next. He may retire, become a broadcaster on FOX or he might come back with another team next season. Like last offseason, everyone will be waiting for his decision.
If Brady is done in Tampa, it won’t be all doom and gloom. The Buccaneers still have a talented defense that has proven to be the team’s focal point, they still have a pair of fantastic receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and they play in the most winnable division in football. They won’t be great, but they shouldn’t fall off a cliff.
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