There’s no need to sugarcoat this one. The first two days of Wild Card Weekend didn’t exactly inspire much suspense. The first four games all ended in double-digit victories, with not one losing team scoring more than 14 points.
If it weren’t for the Commanders and Buccaneers matching up on Sunday night — a game that ended with Washington kicker Zane Gonzalez banking in a 37-yard field goal for the 23-20 win — then we’d all be praying for something entertaining to happen in the Monday night affair between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams.
So, what did we learn over the last couple days? The first lesson was that the Bills, Eagles and Ravens are exactly as good as we initially expected. Those squads stormed right through their opponents in ways that suggested all three are ready to make a hard run at the Super Bowl.
As good as the top seeds are in both conferences, the Lions and Chiefs better not be thinking a week of rest and home-field advantage is all it takes to slay these heavyweights in a win-or-go-home situation.
The losing teams also taught us a few things. The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers have bright futures, but the bright lights of the postseason were a little too harsh for those squads. The Pittsburgh Steelers just can’t figure out how to elevate their level of play in the playoffs. The criticisms awaiting young quarterbacks like Justin Herbert and Jordan Love also will feel unfair but it’s the byproduct of making a career at that position.
The wild card edition of The First Read will touch on all these topics. There is still one game left in Wild Card Weekend, but we’ve already seen enough to make some legitimate assertions. There is one significant question facing every team that will advance to the Divisional Round.