Wildcard Roundup

Analysis
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The wild card round of the playoffs completed this weekend with four games that turned into blow outs. Let’s take a look at the results

Raiders at Texans

The Texans advance at home by beating up on the Raiders with their 3rd string rookie QB by a score of 27-14. Connor Cook had a 30 QB rating on the day, which is all you need to know for how the Raiders day was on Saturday.

Texans QB Brock Osweiler managed to look somewhat decent with a 90 QB rating 1 TD and 0 interceptions. Osweiler also ran for a late score. DeAndre Hopkins caught a TD and nabbed a 38 yard completion to set up that TD as well. Lamar Miller had a 4 yard TD run after a Jadeveon Clowney interception set up a first and goal for the Texans at the 4 yard line in the first quarter. The Texans played good defense against the run and the pass and won easily. Houston travels to New England for a very tough divisional game.

Detroit at Seattle

Detroit hung tough down 13-6 in the early 4th Quarter but the Seahawks pulled away with two fourth quarter TDs. Detroit killed themselves with five drops (3 for sure first downs on 3rd down), a terrible play call on a 4th down conversion attempt, four personal foul penalties (3 legit), very poor run defense (allowed 177 yards on 38 carries including 161 to Rawls on 27 carries) and allowing Doug Baldwin to have a huge day (104 yards and 1 TD catching 11 of 12 targets). Seattle made about three miracle one handed grabs (2 TDs), a great bomb to Baldwin on the sidelines with a great toe touch and somehow Baldwin caught a ball with his butt.

The referees didn’t help with allowing Paul Richardson to score while face masking Tavon Wilson and not calling a pass interference on the Seahawks on a clearly catchable deep ball to TJ Jones (down 13-6 at the time). Detroit’s season of glory was robbed from them but they didn’t do themselves any favors.

Seattle advances and will travel to Atlanta to face the red hot Falcons offense. This should be a great game.

Miami at Pittsburgh

The Steelers built a quick 14-0 lead and won easily 30-12. The Dolphins had a chance to get back in the game down 20-6 but they fumbled in the red zone right before half time. Miami was playing with backup QB Matt Moore but Moore posted a 97.8 QB rating. The Dolphins were a good running team but Jay Ajayi was absolutely shut down with only 2.1 YPC on 16 carries. Roethlisberger tallied a 105.3 rating but did throw 2 interceptions with his two TDs. Leveon Bell had a huge game with 5.8 YPC, 167 yard and 2 TDS. So much for Suh clogging the middle for the Dolphins.

Pittsburgh will travel to Kansas City for a great divisional matchup next weekend.

Giants at Packers

Aaron Rodgers is in MVP mode. The Giants played well defensively early but had about 1,000 drops to only build a 6-0 lead. Aaron Rodgers woke up mid way through the second quarter and got a big TD drive to take the 7-6 lead. Green Bay got a stop right before half time which gave Rodgers time for more bullshit hail mary. Cook dropped a 3rd down ball which gave the Packers an extra play. Cobb somehow caught a hail mary despite not jumping and being a midget.

The Giants took momentum back with a big 4th down stuff. The Giants hit a 40 yard bomb to Tavarres King beating Damarius Randall to cut the score to 14-13. That just made Rodgers mad.

Rodgers led a 4 play 63 yard drive hitting Cook for 13 yards, Adams for 20 yards and Cobb for 30 yards and the TD. Green Bay led 21-13. The Giants terrible offense was stopped and Green Bay led another field goal drive starting from the Giants 37 yard line after a good return by Micah Hyde.

New York was stopped for another 3 and out. Rodgers led an 80 yard TD drive with first downs to Adams (10 yards), Montgomery (34 yards), Adams (12 yards) and finally a TD to Cobb after some ninja scrambling. Green Bay was in full control up 31-13. The Giants fumbled on the next drive and Green Bay drove 55 yards to make it a huge blow out with a 1 yard Ripkowski TD run. The Packers own the Giants this season.

Green Bay travels to Dallas for a very tough divisional matchup.

Divisional Rounds

Seattle at Atlanta 4:35 PM Saturday FOX

Houston at New England 8:15 PM Saturday CBS

Pittsburgh at Kansas City 1:05 PM Sunday NBC

Green Bat Dallas 4:40 PM Sunday Fox