Is it too late for the Eagles to get back to how they were in 2022? Are we in for another heartbreaking postseason for the Lions? Will Mike McCarthy’s tenure as the Cowboys’ head coach end on Sunday?
Just a handful of the queries we have going into Super Wild Card Weekend are listed above. These are our picks for the NFC matchups this weekend.
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No. 7 Green Bay Packers (9-8) at No. 2 Dallas Cowboys (12-5) | Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET
As the Cowboys begin their postseason run, McCarthy faces his old club and may be coaching for his job. The key to this game will be Dallas’s ability to pressure Packers quarterback Jordan Love. In terms of pass-rush win-rate, the Cowboys top ESPN’s rankings, while the Packers rank second in terms of pass-block win-rate. Pro Football Focus statistics shows that Love experienced one of the lowest percentages of pressure in the NFL (30.2 percent); of those pressures, just 15.2 percent resulted in a sack.
Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Cowboys, had a fantastic season. He finished third in passing yards (4,516) and led the league in pass completions (410) and passing touchdowns (36). After recording a league-high 135 catches for 1,749 yards in his greatest season as a professional, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb Jaire Alexander, a standout cornerback for the Packers, had limited practice time on Wednesday due to an ankle injury and was not present on Thursday. Prescott will probably be able to exploit Green Bay’s defense in the absence of a healthy Alexander.
PREDICTION: Cowboys, 31-23
No. 6 Los Angeles Rams (10-7) at No. 3 Detroit Lions (12-5) | Sunday, 8 p.m. ET
Los Angeles, who have gone 7-1 since Week 11, is perhaps the hottest team in the NFC. Matthew Stafford, the quarterback for the Rams, returns to Detroit. In the meanwhile, the Lions’ defense has struggled in the final three games of the season, giving up more than 300 passing yards in two of them against Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens. Stafford is a far more formidable opponent.
PFF reports that cornerback Cameron Sutton and Jerry Jacobs, who have combined to allow 107 catches, 1,491 yards, and 12 touchdowns with only four interceptions this season, present a good matchup for rookie wide out Puka Nacua and seasoned Cooper Kupp. The Rams veterans will be making the big plays in the closing minutes of what looks to be the highest-scoring game of wild-card weekend. Lions quarterback Jared Goff should have success targeting wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
PREDICTION: Rams, 34-31
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No. 5 Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) at No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) | Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Eagles appear to be under the mistaken impression that they may make a run for the Super Bowl if the club that started the season with a 10-1 record shows up in the playoffs rather than the 1-5 squad that finished the regular season. But again, neither was that initial version a contender. While the Bucs almost blew the NFC South with a dismal 9-0 victory over the Panthers in Week 18, wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should have little trouble facing one of the poorest secondaries in the league. Philly’s defense has been an issue all season.
“I understand y’all frustration, but y’all ain’t in that building,” said Eagles edge Brandon Graham earlier this week regarding the fan base’s pessimistic attitude on the team’s postseason chances. Access to the Eagles’ practice facilities is not necessary to determine that they are not a championship contender. This season, the Eagles have been skating on thin ice; on Monday night, it breaks.