Tag: nfc playoffs

Golden Tate believes the Seahawks can ‘shock the world’

Golden Tate believes the Seahawks can ‘shock the world’

It is simply amazing the world of difference even a single win can mean in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks likely saved their season from going under with their 20-17 upset win over the San Francisco 49ers. It may only be a single win, but it was the difference between falling to 4-6 or improving to 5-5, which puts them right back in the middle of the NFC West hunt.

Folks around the league are noticing it, such as former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate. On Good Morning Football, Tate explained how this team can potentially “shock the world” given the opportunity presented to them in the near future.

Namely, the Arizona Cardinals, who Seattle faces twice in the next three weeks. Including this weekend, for a crucial divisional showdown.

When Tate says the next few weeks could “make or break” the Seahawks’ season, he is not exaggerating. Arizona is the only team in the NFC West with a winning record, but they are only 6-4. Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco are all close behind with identical 5-5 records. In fact, the NFC West is the only division in football where not one team is below .500 on the year.

Facing the Cardinals twice in a three-week span is a tall order, but an excellent opportunity to potentially find a way to get back into first place.

Right now, the NFC Playoff picture looks like the North is going to send three teams to the postseason – Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota. In the East, the Eagles look back to their usual winning ways, but the Washington Commanders are perhaps the shock team of the conference. Should all those teams qualify for the playoffs, then the only path for a West team to get in the dance would be to win the division outright.

So, why not Seattle? Like Showtime Tate said, it’s make or break time.

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NFL standings highlight why 49ers loss to Seahawks was so damaging

The 49ers are in last in the NFC West … yikes.

The San Francisco 49ers looked primed to fight their way back to the playoffs like they have multiple times after slow starts under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

They entered Week 11 at 5-4, and a win over the Seattle Seahawks would have put them in a tie for the NFC West and nipping at the heels of a wild card spot if their division hopes fell short.

Instead, they lost 20-17 at Levi’s Stadium and made what was a relatively clear path to the postseason a lot more cloudy.

Here is where the 49ers sit in the NFC West after Sunday:

1. Cardinals (6-4)
2. Rams (5-5)
3. Seahawks (5-5)
4. 49ers (5-5)

While on the surface this doesn’t look so bad, we have to factor in the reality that the 49ers aren’t playing well enough to believe they’ll win the rest of their games. If they did do that, they’d be in a great spot.

Unfortunately this season has shown us these aren’t the 49ers teams of recent history (read: last season).

So what we have is a team that now at best can split with every team in the division. If they do that they’ll be 3-3 overall in the NFC West. The problem with that is division record is the first tiebreaker after head-to-head matchups. In our scenario the 49ers would go to the division record with any team they tie with, and 3-3 isn’t likely going to cut it.

To win the NFC West the 49ers will now have to go on such a tear that they avoid a tie breaking scenario. Given the struggles this club has dealt with since Week 2, we’re not ready to bank on that just yet.

Perhaps there’s a run in them. Maybe injuries hit other teams or they start playing poorly later in the year and the 49ers scoop up a slew of wins in the final seven games. That would change the calculus.

Where they sit after a Week 11 defeat against the Seahawks, however, the path to the postseason by way of winning the division looks darker than it has in a long time.

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NFC playoff picture for Commanders through Week 11

The Commanders are in an excellent position, but there is plenty of work ahead.

Having gone through 11 weeks of the 2024 season, what is the NFC playoff picture look like for the Commanders?

  • Two division leaders are earning the respect of the rest of the NFC as Detroit (9-1) and Philadelphia (8-2) clearly are playing the best football in the conference.
  • One division is literally up for grabs. The NFC West could easily be won by any of the four teams. The Cardinals (6-4) lead, but the Seahawks, 49ers and Rams are all tied only one game back at 5-5.
  • The NFC South is a two-team race between the Falcons (6-5) and the Bucs (4-6).

So, the NFC division leaders and top current top-four seeds along with wildcard seeds are:

  1. Detroit 9-1  (NFC North)
  2. Philadelphia 8-2  (NFC East)
  3. Arizona 6-4  (NFC West)
  4. Atlanta 6-5  (NFC South)
  5. Minnesota 8-2  (NFC North)
  6. Green Bay 7-3 (NFC North)
  7. Washington (7-4) (NFC East)

With the Commanders having lost two consecutive games, they have fallen down to the last qualifying spot, the number 7 seed. What this means is that in the first round of the playoffs, if the regular season were to conclude with the teams in this order, Washington would travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles.

Consequently, as it stands today, the first round of the NFC playoffs would find these match ups:

(7) Washington at (2) Philadelphia

(6) Green Bay at (3) Arizona

(5) Minnesota at (4) Atlanta

(1) Detroit would have the first-round bye and play at home in the second round against the lowest seeded team to advance to the second round.

Dan Quinn refuses to talk to Commanders about standings & playoffs

Dan Quinn does not want his team to miss one step on this journey by talking about the future.

What has Dan Quinn told his Commanders team about the NFL standings or the playoffs?

“Zero, zero,” Quinn replied to the media on Tuesday.

The former Atlanta Falcons head coach won a division and finished second in the division three times. To conclude the 2016 season, he won the NFC title and nearly won a Super Bowl.

So he knows the ropes. He also knows the dangers of allowing players to look too far ahead. They can easily forget what is right in front of them and not being prepared, lose their opportunities.

“That’s not a coaching cop-out either. I just honestly want to stay in the pocket of where we’re at. I don’t want us to miss a step on this journey, and I don’t want to miss the next step that we have to take. And that’s this weekend and then the next one and the next one.”

When the Commanders won their Week 9 game at the NY Giants, they weren’t dominant, but they did do enough to prevent the Giants from having the ball and a chance to take the lead in the second half (27-22 final).

Quinn and Adam Peters have changed this entire culture, from 4-13 in 2023 to talking about how high a seed the Commanders can be in the NFC playoffs in 2021.

“I’m just kind of thinking about today, today’s practice and Thursday’s game, man. And like I haven’t talked to them much past that. It’s just let’s go battle for it this weekend. And I did the same thing last weekend when a lot of talk was, there’s two games in 11 days, and that I said, maybe we just got one game this week, and we got one game next week. And so, we’ll worry about next week then.”

 

Updated NFC Wild-Card Standings following Seahawks’ Week 10 bye

Updated NFC Wild-Card Standings following Seahawks’ Week 10 bye

The Seattle Seahawks sat out Sunday’s festivities via their Week 10 bye. Mike Macdonald’s squad currently sits outside the playoff picture in both the NFC West and a tight-knit race for the conference’s three wild-card positions. Here’s an updated look at the NFC West wild-card playoff picture.

Minnesota Vikings remain in No. 1 wild card spot

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 12-7 on Sunday to remain the NFC’s top wild-card seed. They own an excellent 7-2 record, but trail the 8-1 Detroit Lions in the NFC North. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is overseeing an elite defense that limited the Jaguars to 143 total yards. The Vikings feel like a lock for the postseason.

Washington Commanders No. 2 seed

The Washington Commanders lost 28-27 by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson connected with Mike Williams for a 32-yard go-ahead game-winning touchdown with 2:27 remaining. The Commanders entered the weekend leading the NFC East, but fell down to the No. 2 wild-card seed as the Philadelphia Eagles took over the division lead.

Green Bay Packers remain No. 3 seed

Like the Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers enjoyed a Week 10 bye. Despite the off-week, the 6-3 Packers did not forfeit their current postseason positioning. Matt LaFleur’s squad is the third place team in the NFC North, trailing the Lions (8-1) and Vikings (7-2).

San Francisco 49ers remain in contention

The San Francisco 49ers got Christian McCaffrey back and defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20. The 49ers improved to 5-4 and remained on the Packers’ heels for the final wild-card spot. Kyle Shanahan’s annual contenders will remain in the playoff hunt despite their current outside-looking-in circumstances.

Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football

Seattle’s other NFC West rival, the Los Angeles Rams, play the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. The red-hot Rams are 4-5 and could equal the 49ers’ 5-4 record with a victory. A Dolphins upset would greatly benefit the Seahawks’ postseason positioning.

Chicago Bears free-fall

The Chicago Bears have lost three consecutive contests, equaling Seattle’s current record of 4-5. Former Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is struggling to build a successful offense around No. 1 overall quarterback Caleb Williams.

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NFC wild-card rooting guide for Seahawks’ Week 10 bye

NFC wild-card rooting guide for Seahawks’ Week 10 bye

The Seattle Seahawks enter Sunday’s Week 10 bye at 4-5. They currently sit outside the playoff picture in both the NFC West and a tight-knit race for the conference’s three wild-card positions. With the Seahawks enjoying some down-time, here’s your NFC wild-card playoff rooting guide for the weekend.

Jacksonville Jaguars over Minnesota Vikings

The 6-2 Minnesota Vikings currently own the conference’s top wild card spot, because they trail the 7-1 Detroit Lions in the NFC North. The Vikings are heavy favorites over the 2-7 Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend. The Jaguars would be doing the Seahawks (and the entire NFC) a massive favor by upsetting Minnesota on Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys over Philadelphia Eagles

The 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles own the NFC’s No. 2 wild-card spot because they trail the shocking Washington Commanders in the NFC East. The Eagles have a divisional showdown versus the Dallas Cowboys, who lost starting quarterback Dak Prescott to a multi-week injury. We’re not holding our breath on this hopeful upset.

New England Patriots over Chicago Bears

The 4-4 Chicago Bears are slightly ahead of the Seahawks in the postseason race despite also being outside the playoffs as things stand. Caleb Williams’ Bears host Drake Maye’s New England Patriots in an exciting rookie-vs-rookie matchup. A Patriots upset would be helpful, but qualifies as unlikely.

Miami Dolphins over Los Angeles Rams

The Seahawks trail the Los Angeles Rams in both the NFC West and in the heated wild-card race. A Miami Dolphins victory over the Rams on Monday Night Football would be especially helpful. Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently returned from a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

A San Francisco 49ers-Tampa Bay Buccaneers tie?

It’s difficult to choose between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, because the Seahawks trail both in the current postseason picture. When in doubt, root for the non-divisional option. A Buccaneers victory would be the preferred outcome if a tie feels unrealistic.

New York Jets over Arizona Cardinals

The 5-4 Arizona Cardinals sit atop Seattle’s division at 5-4. Should the Cardinals lose to Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets on Sunday, they’ll fall back into the wild-card hunt. Regardless, a Jets victory would enhance Seattle’s postseason chances.

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Breaking down the final 4 teams in the NFC playoff field

We’re previewing the final four teams in the NFC Playoff field ahead of as the Buccaneers, 49ers, Packers and Lions prepare for action in Saturday and Sunday divisional round matchups

The divisional round matchups are set and ready to begin.

In the AFC, the Texans will travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens, while the Chiefs will head to Buffalo to face the Bills. On the NFC side, the Packers will travel to face the 49ers in San Francisco, and the Lions will host the Buccaneers after Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia on Monday night.

With the week of preparation completed, we can look ahead to the divisional round schedule, which will include the first postseason games for the Niners and the Ravens, who each had a bye.

To get you ready for the Saturday and Sunday slate, we’re breaking down the final four teams in the NFC playoff field.

Lions coach Dan Campbell believes Ben Johnson is ready to be a head coach

Dan Campbell explains why he thinks Ben Johnson is ready to be a head coach.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson shocked everyone last year when he passed on head coaching opportunities to return. Johnson didn’t only interview with teams last offseason, but he could’ve landed a head coaching job.

Johnson, perhaps wisely, chose to return to Detroit, and things couldn’t have worked out better. The Lions won the NFC East, are hosting two playoff games (so far), and have an opportunity this weekend to advance to their first NFC Championship game in 32 years.

A major reason for Detroit’s success is Johnson’s offense. The Lions finished No. 5 in total offensive DVOA, per FTN. Johnson has helped quarterback Jared Goff turn his career around after the Rams gave up on him.

With his success in 2023, Johnson is an even more popular coaching candidate for 2024. Eight teams have coaching vacancies this offseason, with two already filled from within. That leaves six vacancies, and six teams have requested permission to interview Johnson.

Johnson’s decision to return likely helped him find a more ideal situation but has also helped him grow as a coach.

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell spoke on Johnson’s growth since returning to the Lions.

“I think it’s made him a better coach,” Campbell said, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “Yeah, he’s grown as a coordinator. Got a little better. You learn things as you would being in that position, yeah. There’s that, but I think it’s made him a more well-rounded coach. I just think everything has grown. I think he’s got a very good grasp of what we do [with] roster management. I think when you do that, and you get in that, and it’s like, ‘OK, there could be a next step. I’m not ready for that. In my head, I don’t want to do that yet. Yes, I’m a better coordinator,’ but it’s also……he’s starting to look for and ask these questions about roster, game-day, building a team, what you’re looking for, front of the room. And I think it served him well.”

That’s an impressive answer from Campbell explaining why returning to his role as an offensive coordinator will only make Johnson a better head coach whenever he eventually departs.

“It’s a credit to him, man. Not many people would do that,” Campbell said about Johnson turning down head coaching jobs last offseason. “But that’s how he viewed it. It’s an experience for him. It’s a chance to grow, and it’s a chance to grow with people that he appreciates being around.”

Johnson has several options, and many NFL insiders believe the Washington Commanders have him as their No. 1 target. Does that mean Johnson views Washington the same? What helps the Commanders is new GM Adam Peters and his reputation, along with Washington owning the No. 2 overall pick, essentially allowing Johnson the opportunity to groom a rookie franchise quarterback.

Detroit hosts Tampa Bay in the NFC divisional round on Sunday.

Bucs roll past Eagles 32-9, advance to Divisional Round

The Bucs got the job done at home and stay alive after a drubbing of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Buccaneers defied the odds and throttled the Philadelphia Eagles 32-9 to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay held the lead from their first drive and never looked back. The Eagles never really threatened the Bucs at any point and all but self-destructed in the second half.

Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense were far from perfect, but they faced a highly dysfunctional Eagles defense that had serious tackling issues all night. Mayfield completed 22-of-36 passes for 337 yards and two three touchdowns. Tight end Cade Otton led the team with eight receptions for 89 yards.

Tampa Bay’s defense terrorized Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts all night, sacking him three times and recording six QB hits. The defense also avenged their brutal Week 3 outing against the Eagles’ run offense, holding Philadelphia to 42 yards on 15 carries and recording five tackles for a loss.

The Bucs opened the game with a field goal drive that might have been touchdowns if not for a Cade Otton drop in the end zone. Their second drive did end a rare first-quarter touchdown thanks to a huge catch-and-run by wide receiver David Moore, who weaved through the entire secondary for the score:

The Bucs would settle for field goals on their next two drives which were also marred by drops. The defense mostly compensated, holding the Eagles to 26 yards and shutting them out in the first quarter. Down 13-0 at the start of the second quarter, the Eagles got into the game with consecutive field goal and touchdown drives.

After Zyon McCollum was called for offsides on the extra point attempt, the Eagles attempted the two-point conversion with their infamous “tush push.” However, the Bucs defense did the unthinkable and held Hurts out of the end zone. This would all but end Philadelphia’s shot at making the game competitive, entering halftime down 16-9.

The second half began with the Bucs and Eagles trading four straight punts. On Philadelphia’s third drive of the third quarter, the Eagles were backed up in their own endzone when Calijah Kancey flushed Jalen Hurts in the waiting arms of Anthony Nelson. Hurts attempted to get the ball out of his hands but was called for intentional grounding, drawing a safety.

Tampa Bay responded with another scoring drive that all but iced the game. On the second play of the drive, Baker Mayfield hit WR Trey Palmer near the sideline for a small pick-up, but a missed tackle by James Bradberry allowed Palmer to show off his speed, outrunning the entire secondary to the endzone.

Philadelphia’s last attempt at points ended in a sequence of events that ironically punished the Eagles for their customary aggressiveness. After getting Tampa Bay’s 22-yard line, the Eagles made a field goal on fourth-and-10. However, another Zyon McCollum offsides penalty encouraged Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni to attempt the conversion on fourth-and-five. Hurts attempted to connect with Devonta Smith, but Carlton Davis III broke up the pass, turning the ball over on downs.

The Bucs scored one more time on a 23-yard prayer of a pass from Baker Mayfield to Chris Godwin. The game ended with both teams turning the ball over on downs before the Bucs kneeled out the clock.

The Bucs will now face the Detroit Lions in the divisional round. While the Detroit defense has its vulnerabilities, Tampa Bay should not expect the same kind of malaise the Eagles’ defense exhibited. Baker Mayfield and the offense will have to start hot and stay on point to have any shot at winning in Detroit.

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3 bets and one parlay to make in the Eagles-Buccaneers game

Despite a frustrating end, the Philadelphia Eagles (0-0) set themselves up for a postseason run earlier this season.

Despite a frustrating end, the Philadelphia Eagles (0-0) set themselves up for a postseason run earlier this season. The Eagles prepare to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0) in another Wildcard Round matchup. Just two years ago, the Eagles and Buccaneers were in the same position.

Right now, the Eagles are (-150) favorites with the Buccaneers at (+125) underdogs on BetMGM. The over/under is set at 43 total points with (-110) odds in both directions.

Check out these bets to make in the Wildcard matchup.

J. Hurts Anytime Touchdown

I give out this play as an early doubt in the Eagles. I know even in winning situations the Eagles have started slow, and it usually feels like a Hurts touchdown gets things going. There may also be a situation where the Eagles need to deliver in crunch time, where that may rest on Hurts’ shoulders.

M. Evans Anytime Touchdown

The Buccaneers have a handful of great receivers that have experience against the Eagles’ defense. With the way the Eagles have played lately, I think they’re bound to let someone on the Bucs breakthrough and score, and I have confidence in Mike Evans delivering.

D. Swift O 54.5 Rush Yards

For Eagles fans, a perfect world would be to do exactly as they did before and let Swift cook. Better yet, it’s his birthday, so it almost makes a ton of sense for him to celebrate with getting the rock. Whether or not the Eagles decide to run the ball, I think this number is low enough for Swift to hit the over.

Jenn’s Philly-Philly Parlay (+775)

Moneyline – Eagles

Total Points – O 43.5 Points

Player TDs – J. Jones Anytime TD

Player Stats – J. Hurts 2+ Passing TDs

Check out EaglesWire all season long for NFL bets and analysis.