NFL
NFL Major Matchups to Watch in the Division Round of the NFL Playoffs
Breaking down the biggest matchups in Divisional Weekend
USA TODAY Sports
All of these NFL Playoff teams have good players, but there are some that are great players. One of the best parts of watching Playoff football is squaring in on the 1-on-1 matchups between two of the best competitors in the sport going at it. Before watching what many consider the best football weekend of the year, check out the major matchups that the Divisional playoffs has to offer.
Minnesota’s QB Kirk Cousins is going up against one of the best all-around defenses in the entire NFL, the San Francisco 49ers. When the run game starts to get going with Dalvin Cook, the play action passes start to open up which helps Cousins put the ball into his playmakers hands: Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Just last week, Cousins eliminated a powerhouse of a football team, the New Orleans Saints. Cousins threw a touchdown pass to TE Kyle Rudolph in OT to beat the Saints at home. According to PFF, Cousins finished the season as the No.5 ranked QB in the NFL, despite a really slow start to the 2019 season and his WRs dealing with a handful of injuries. Can Cousins come up big against one of the leagues best D-Lines?
San Francisco’s defense has been dominant all season. The 49ers defense has only given up the second-fewest passing yards to their opponents in 2019. The 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan and DC Robert Saleh have assembled one of the leagues best front sevens in all of football. PFF has three players on the 49ers D-Line ranked inside the top-15, one being the rookie out of Ohio State, Nick Bosa. He’s graded as the No.11 DE in the NFL. San Francisco’s ability to limit Kirk Cousins in the pass game will likely be the difference in them advancing to the NFC Championship or Minnesota pulling off another upset victory.
The Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones has a major matchup in this game with one of the best LB’s in the NFL. Jones has been a tear so far this season with 19 total touchdowns on the year. Jones is one of young and up and coming RBs in the NFL, and will have a massive role in this game to keep future HOF QB Aaron Rodgers from taking big hits from the defense. Jones has been ranked the No.5 overall RB in the NFL, with a player grade of 85.1, according to PFF. This would be Jones’ first playoff game in his career. Can Jones help set the tone for the game with some long runs to keep the clock rolling and give Rodgers the option to run a play-action pass to get WR Devante Adams open done the field for a huge gain?
On the opposite side of the ball, Bobby Wagner is the heart and soul of this Seahawks defense. The 5x All-Pro LB has somewhat flew under the radar this season. Wagner has played in 14 playoff games thus far through his career and this will be his 15th playoff game of his career. In just 14 games, the 2x Super Bowl Champ has two interceptions and five tackles for a loss. Wagner was ranked just outside the top-10 for the best LB’s in the NFL, but he is a different animal when the playoffs come around. This season the Hawks are (7-1) on the road and the Cheese Heads are (7-1) at home in Lambeau Field. Whoever wins this game, gets to advance to the NFC Title game against the winner of the 49ers and Vikings game.
The Titans second-round pick out of Ole Miss WR A.J. Brown has emerged as one of the best wideouts in the NFL. The second rounder had a slow start to the season with Marcus Mariota as the starter, but after they put Ryan Tannehill in as the starting QB, Brown started looking like he could be the OROY. Brown will be going up against a veteran CB that has been bullying WRs in the last five years, Marcus Peters. Advanced analytics agree that Brown could become an elite wideout as well, as PFF has him ranked right outside the top-10 as a rookie. This young kid has a bright future with the Titans and in the NFL.
Matching up with Brown is one of the NFL’s best CB’s, All-Pro Marcus Peters. Peters is one of the best corners in the game. Before the trade deadline ended, the Rams shipped Peters to the Ravens to make room for CB Jalen Ramsey, who they acquired a few hours later. Peters is known to shadow the other teams’ best WR the entire game so Brown will be Peters’ primary focus in what will likely be a physical battle between two of the most aggressive outside presences there is. Peters loves jamming and pressing WRs at the line of scrimmage, but Brown is so strong that he can counter the jam at the line of scrimmage. This will be a matchup to watch as the Ravens & Titans both attempt to make it to the AFC title game.
George Kittle finished the season with five touchdowns on the season with another 1,000 yard-receiving season as well. The young Iowa project is ranked among the top-10 TE’s in the business, according to PFF. Going against a 2x Pro-Bowl TE with back to back 1,000 yard receiving seasons, Smith is going to have a hard task trying to neutralize him. This 6’4 TE has the speed of a WR but has the strength of an O-Linemen. If the Vikings want to keep Kittle in check they are going have to double-cover him when he is on the field.
The 5x Pro Bowl S Harrison Smith is the centerpiece of this Vikings secondary. Smith has only allowed 152 passing yards to opposing Tight Ends during the entire season, while bringing in 3 INTs. According to PFF, Smith is ranked as the third overall Safety in the league during his age-30 season. The eight-year veteran has yet to add a Playoff-defining moment to his illustrious career resume. In this game, Smith isn’t just guarding a TE, he is guarding one of the most dynamic TE’s in the league. If he can shut Kittle down, the 49ers offense and game plan will go with him.
Baltimore’s OG Marshal Yanda has been the most consistent player on the Ravens O-Line this season. Yanda is ranked in the top-5 at the G position this season (via PFF), and just made another All-Pro Team. Yanda will have his work cut out for him this week against one of the best interior pass-rushers in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans DT DaQuan Jones is very aggressive at the snap of the ball and loves to put his hands on opposing OG first. Yanda is going to have to stay very disciplined with his technique to protect the future MVP QB, Lamar Jackson.
Since DaQuan Jones was drafted in the 4th round back in 2014 by the Tennessee Titans, he’s made his name as an agile 322-pounder who thrives at penetrating opposing backfields, especially during stunts. The 28-year-old veteran has a high IQ as well and will know the top priorities against this Ravens team is to stop the run and force Lamar Jackson to stay inside the pocket and make him beat you with his arm. Jones is ranked right outside the top-20 at the DT position this season, according to PFF.
First of all, let’s be thankful NFL fans get to witness this major matchup. Texans EDGE J.J. Watt tore his pectoral muscle and was supposedly out for the season, but overcame the odds, and was able to return for last weeks win over the Buffalo Bills.
Mitchell Schwartz has been one of the most consistent Tackles in the entire league when he is healthy. The second-round draft pick in 2012 has been fighting through injury this entire season as he is always on the injury report every single week but still plays. Last week, Watt had two sacks on the day, so Schwartz is going to have to be on his game to make sure his reigningMVP QB Patrick Mahomes has time in the pocket.
JJ Watt proved to be a major force in last week’s Wild Card game. Watt will be on limited snaps again this week, but it’s Watt. When JJ is in the game he will make a difference. The Texans need to put pressure on Mahomes, so Watt cannot let a QB of his caliber sit in the pocket and wait for Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman to get open down the field. Despite their respective injuries, these two tough players will suit up on Sunday and leave it all out there with their seasons on the line. This could be the best matchup to watch of the weekend.
Follow me on Twitter @NFL_ChrisReiss.
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