The NFL Roundup 2020: Wild Card Weekend Recap

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​Some years, the NFL Playoffs start off in slow and somewhat disappointing fashion. Complete with games that are either blowouts or snoozers and those are the years that we instantly hope for better games down the line. But sometimes, the playoffs kick off in magnificent fashion, and it is clear from the get-go that all the teams involved are hungry to advance and will do whatever it takes to win and thankfully, that’s precisely what this year’s Wild Card Weekend delivered. Because every squad that took the field this past weekend, gave it their all, and that led to some incredible moments, which means its best we get right down to business and recap a thrilling couple of days of quality playoff football.
 
The Houston Texans finally stepped up in a playoff game.
I won’t lie, I started writing this particular blurb early on into the Buffalo/Houston game simply because, it looked like the Texans had given up once again. For they were lethargic and unresponsive to the beating that Buffalo was putting upon them for quite some time. But something clearly changed in the second half since this team pulled themselves out of their funk, and that definitely brought about one incredible game as both of these teams went back and forth for the win. However, what truly put Houston over the top in this one, was the sheer fact that they wanted it more, and for proof, look no further than how hard they played and how they fought for every inch. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the defense finally figured out how to fluster Josh Allen. And for their efforts and their drive, Houston’s Super Bowl hopes are still alive and they’re going to need to hang on to their newfound Moxy tightly, since they are squaring off against the supremely talented Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
 
The New England Patriots season came to a close in fitting fashion.  
Sometimes you just a get a particular feeling about how a game is going to go, and Saturday night’s Titans/Patriots game is a fine reminder of how sometimes those feelings are right. Because this matchup felt ominous for New England from the get-go, especially after that embarrassing loss to Miami a week ago and it was almost too perfect to see a thick fog hanging over Gillette Stadium before this game kicked off. For an ugly air surrounded this team all season long and the Patriots were their same inconsistent selves in this particular game, and they finally paid the price for it and now they head into the offseason with more uncertainty surrounding them. For Tom Brady is an unrestricted free agent who has done little to quell the worry that he is leaving Foxboro for another team, and the coaching staff may see further fracturing if Josh McDaniels leaves and of course, they’re in dire need of a youth and talent injection. And it should be interesting to see what happens with this team in the weeks to come after this devastating loss.
 
Kirk Cousins finally came through in the clutch.
I will be the first to admit, that I have been incredibly hard on Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, simply because… when you sign a deal as massive as he did a couple of years back, your expectations as a player are through the roof. For that was elite money, the kind that the best of the best earn on a consistent basis. So, to see him continuously do so-so in the regular season is frustrating for certain. But it would seem that Kirk is something of a late bloomer in this league because he finally put it all together in Sunday’s matchup against the Saints and his performance was one for the ages. Because he made every big throw in every big moment and he managed to pull off the game winning touchdown. And for his efforts, he now gets a chance to build upon this win in the Divisional Round and he also found a way to expose how badly the Saints are in need of better playmakers in their secondary and well, I tip my cap to #8 because he earned this win and every ounce of praise that is coming his way.
 
The Philadelphia Eagles desperately need depth at quarterback.
Make no mistake about it, the Seattle Seahawks played a solid game on Sunday, one that saw them handily beat the Eagles with minimal fuss. But one has to wonder how this game would have gone with two star quarterbacks taking the field since Eagles QB Carson Wentz left the game early on, thanks to an ugly hit that injured him once again and well, Wentz’s poor luck with his health proves that Philly really needs to have a better contingency plan in place at Quarterback. Because it wasn’t that long ago that a backup named Nick Foles led the team to a Super Bowl Championship. But Nick is gone and Josh McCown is not the answer and really, this team needs to find a high level backup to play under center for this team since their starting QB comes and goes and if they cannot find that, or figure out how to keep Wentz healthy, then expect more heartbreak for the Eagles down the line. 

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