The NFL Roundup 2021: Wild Card Weekend – Day 1

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​It is the most wonderful time of the year… if you are a football fan. Because at long last, the NFL Playoffs are upon us and that means we are in for quite the treat. For every team taking the field over the next few weeks, fully understand that it is win or go home and that tends to motivate them to bring their A game. As an added bonus, this is also the first year of the modern era that fourteen teams are in the tournament for a change. Which means that there are #2 seeds playing this weekend, since only the top dog gets a bye and, in the end, all of these elements should provide us with some top-notch football, the kind that will take our breath away. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and preview what we can expect from Day 1 of Wild Card Weekend.

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AFC Wild Card Matchup
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills
Bills Stadium – Orchard Park New York
1:05 p.m. EST – CBS

HOW THESE TEAMS REACHED THE PLAYOFFS
It has often been said that defense wins championships, but sometimes… an ultra-talented quarterback will help with that too. Because both of these teams boast some solid ones for certain since Philip Rivers transformed the Colts into an offensive powerhouse in 2020, the kind that can hang in a shootout and win one, now that he has weapons and, that allowed for them to win some big games and it locked them up a spot in the playoffs. As for the Bills, well Josh Allen is a big reason why they are here as well. Since his dynamic season brought about all kinds of big points for the Bills and his comfort and ability to read defenses, allowed for him to lead Buffalo to victory in critical moments and thanks to his fine play, Buffalo is back in the playoffs for the first time in ages.
 
KEYS TO THE GAME
Make no mistake about it. This game is all about defense. Because that is the Achilles heel for both of these squads. Because the Colts defense is downright sloppy for certain, and that’s why this team is in shootouts often and Buffalo tends to employ the ol’ ‘bend but don’t break defense’, which can cause more harm than good in critical moments. So, the first team that shores that up and locks down receivers and brings a quality blitz, is the one to win this matchup. And if I had to guess, Buffalo is likely the squad that will make that happen. Because their defense might play soft at times, but it does boast some stars and some ferocity, and they know what’s at stake here.

NFC Wild Card Matchup
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
CenturyLink Field – Seattle, Washington
4:40 p.m. EST – FOX

HOW THESE TEAMS REACHED THE PLAYOFFS
The best way to describe the 2020 season for these two teams, is to use the phrase ‘The Hard Way’. Because that’s exactly how they earned their playoff spots. Because both of these squads, once considered to be feared and elite, lost some games they shouldn’t have this year, and saw some drop off from their calling cards. Because clearly defense is no longer the focus in Seattle and the offense leaves something to be desired in Los Angeles. But what matters most, is that both teams figured out how to pull out a big win when it mattered and that allowed for Seattle to lock up the NFC West late in the season and it helped Los Angeles clinch a Wild Card berth and now these two rivals take the field in one important game. 
 
KEYS TO THE GAME
The fact of the matter is that these two teams need their biggest weaknesses to not be a liability today. Which means that Seattle’s defense has to step up, and I mean, STEP UP. Because at times they simply couldn’t stop lesser offenses this season and that simply cannot happen here. For if the Rams get into a rhythm and get some sustained scoring drives going, and their defense steps up, it might be curtains for Seattle. But at the same time, that Los Angeles offense is of concern. Because as of press time, Jared Goff isn’t cleared to play today and will likely be a game-time decision and if backup QB John Wolford stumbles in his first playoff start, then the Seahawks will likely be able to get a confidence boost on defense, by shutting down a #2 guy, on their way to a Wild Card win. 

NFC Wild Card Matchup
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Football Team
FedExField – Landover, Maryland
8:15 p.m. EST – NBC

HOW THESE TEAMS REACHED THE PLAYOFFS
Of all the playoff matchups in round one, this one features some intriguing storylines, when it comes to how these teams arrived here. After all, the Bucs are basically here because they went out and landed themselves a six-time Super Bowl Champion Quarterback in Tom Brady and his shockingly solid season, alongside a decent defense helped them to net a playoff berth. And he will face off against an improbable division winner in the Washington Football Team. A squad that employed a revolving door at quarterback this year, before coming on strong late in the season to lock up the NFC East and they really are quite the miracle, since it is rare for a 7-9 team to make the tournament.
 
KEYS TO THE GAME
Let’s be honest, this is Tampa Bay’s game to lose. They have the better defense, they hands down have the better offense, so it is either going to take a meltdown on their part, or some kind of freakish run of luck for Washington to win. Or… there is a third option to victory for Washington, one that involves taking a page from the New York Giants of old, a team that handily beat Brady often. So, if the WFT can get Alex Smith to pull off some long and sustained scoring drives, the kind that keep #12 off the field and wear out that defense, and if the WFT D can play press coverage and tight man on Brady’s receivers and ramp up the pressure and hit the old man in the pocket, then they’ve got a chance at winning this game. Because Brady struggles when his offense is neutralized. But more than likely, he and his new team will be advancing to the Divisional Round because Washington just isn’t quite ready for the playoffs.