NFL
NFL Major Matchups to Watch in Wild Card Weekend
Breaking down the biggest matchups in Wild Card 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 the first football games of 2020, check out the major matchups that Wild Card Weekend has to offer.
The Tennessee QB Ryan Tannehill is going up against one of the best all-around defenses in the entire NFL, the New England Patriots. When Tannehill has been in the game, he has been producing franchise QB-like numbers. In Week 7, the Titans HC Mike Vrabel chose to bench 1st round QB Marcus Mariota for the former Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill. According to PFF, Tannehill finished the season as the No.1 ranked QB in the NFL, despite only starting ten games in 2019. While Tannehill has been playing like a champ during TEN’s (7-3) run, the team standing in their way this week is the defensing Super Bowl champs.
The New England Patriots defense has been dominant this season. The Pats have forced the 3rd most turnovers in football, 40 total: 25 INTs, and 15 FFs. The Patriots defense has only given up 20 touchdowns all season and has a secondary with four players ranked inside the top-20 at their respective CB/S position, according to PFF. The Titans HC Mike Vrabel played under Patriots HC Bill Belichick for 8 seasons (2001-2008). Can Vrabel’s knowledge of Belichick’s defense give Tannehill an advantage during his first Playoff game? That answer might decide who’s season stays alive after Saturday.
The Purple People Eaters RB Dalvin Cook has a major matchup in this game with one of the best LB’s in the NFL. Cook was on a tear at the beginning of the season as he had 100 rushing yards in four of the first five games. Cook is ranked right outside the top-5 at the RB position with a 81.4 player grade on the season, according to PFF. This would be Dalvin Cook’s first playoff game. When the Vikings last made the playoffs in 2017, Cook was out for the season with a torn ACL. Considering the 2019 Pro Bowler missed the last two games, Minnesota might not feed him early and often like they did in most of their victories.
On the opposite side of the ball, Demario Davis has proved himself to become the QB of this Saints defense week in and week out. Davis played in his first two career playoff games last year after seven seasons in the NFL (w/ NYJ & CLE). Davis made his presence felt in those two games with 22 total tackles and one INT.
Davis is ranked as PFF’s No.2 LB in the NFL, and will be the pinnacle of New Orleans’ game plan to contain one of the most electric runners in the game. The Vikings have to remember that they are playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium which is one of the loudest stadiums in the entire NFL; They can not let the crowd effect them. If the crowd gets to the Vikings top players like Cook, they have already lost the battle.
The Houston Texans 2013 1st-round draft pick DeAndre Hopkins has emerged as one of the best wideouts in the NFL since Clemson alum QB Deshaun Watson took over the reigns in the last few seasons. The 4x Pro Bowler had a slow start to the season but after the Texans bye week, he really turned on the jets. He recorded slightly over 100 catches and more than 1,100 yards receiving on the season. Advanced analytics agree that Hopkins is an elite wideout as well, as PFF has him ranked inside the top-5 this year.
Matching up with Hopkins is one of the NFL’s best CB’s, All-Pro Tre’Davious White. White is one of the leagues best upcoming corners in the game as he tied for the league lead with 6 INTs during his third season. White is known to shadow the other teams’ best WR the entire game so Hopkins is White’s primary focus in what will likely be a physical battle between two of the most aggressive outside presences there is. White loves jamming and pressing WRs at the line of scrimmage, but Hopkins has mastered releasing off of the press. The winner of this matchup can not only help them gain ground on Michael Thomas or Stephon Gilmore at their respective positions, but will also be the primary reason why their team is still playing next week.
The Saints star TE Jared Cook has been on fire over the last few games of the season. Cook finished the season with seven touchdowns over the final six games. The 32-year-old is ranked among the top-10 TE’s in the business, according to PFF. The first-year Saint leads all NFL TE’s with 16.4 yards/reception and 10.8 yards/target. Considering Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara’s presence, the Vikings will have to focus their game plan on other offensive players which makes Harrison Smith’s role of shutting down the 6’5 receiving threat, a key factor to their chances of winning.
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, and will look to create one of those against the physical 254lb pass catcher.
New England’s OG Joe Thuney has been the most consistent player on the Pats O-Line this season. Thuney is ranked in the top-5 at the G position this season (via PFF), and just made the All-Pro 2nd Team. Thuney will have his work cut out for him this week against one of the best interior pass-rushers in the NFL. Jurrell Casey is very aggressive at the snap of the ball and loves to put his hands on opposing OG first. Thuney is going to have to stay very disciplined with his technique to protect the 6x Super Bowl winning QB Tom Brady.
Since Casey was drafted in the 3rd round back in 2011, he’s made his name as an agile 300-pounder who thrives at penetrating opposing backfields, especially during stunts. The 30-year-old has a high IQ as well and will know the top priorities against this Patriots team is to stop the run and force Tom Brady out of the pocket. The 4x Pro Bowler will be anchoring the Titans defense in their efforts of taking down the defending champs.
First of all, let’s be thankful NFL fans get to witness this major matchup. Lane Johnson has been out for a month with a high ankle sprain while Jadeveon Clowney missed three of the final six games with his own injuries. Lane Johnson has been one of the most consistent Tackles in the entire league when he is healthy. The late-season injury was enough to cost Johnson a place on the AP All-Pro team(s), but he still managed to finish the season as PFF’s 2nd best OT. Johnson will have his hands full with one of the game’s most impactful edge rushers in Jadeveon Clowney.
The Seahawks acquired Clowney entering a contract year. Clowney entered the league originally as one of the greatest defensive prospects ever evaluated. The Seahawks defense has transitioned from the Legion of Boom into now running their scheme through Bobby Wagner up the middle and the 2014 1st overall pick’s talents on the outside. If the Eagles want to be successful passing and running the football on Sunday, they are going to have to prevent Clowney from causing his normal havoc on the outside. These players’ health situations will be huge x-factors in the most significant EDGE-OT matchup of the weekend.
Follow me on Twitter @NFL_ChrisReiss.
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