Trouble Brewing in NFL Playoffs for Wildcard Favorites

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Some favorites tanked last week, while others went all out to win. There is major trouble brewing in the NFL Playoffs for the former greats of the league.

Prepare for the intense sports debate that only sibling rivalry can conjure. Seesaw Sports, where Dan Salem and Todd Salem throw down on the NFL, MLB, NBA and more. Only on BuzzChomp. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate sports.

 

The playoff field is set for the NFL postseason, and we can’t help but feel as though some teams galaxy-brained their pending matchups more than others by losing games an outsider would think they would want to win. Tanking is normally for the weak, but some of our top contenders mailed it in to finish off the season. Resting is not always the best medicine.

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The NFL is not known for such nefariousness, but here we are. There are too few games to mess with matchups unless everything is locked up, so we’re told. And no one actually believes any team did this in Week 18, but didn’t they? Simply playing the results, it sure looks as though losers were better served than winners in some avenues heading into the NFL Playoffs. Who’s truly in trouble?

 

NFL Playoffs: Former Favorites In Trouble

 

Todd Salem: Nothing To See Here

Dallas won its Week 18 matchup and clinched the NFC East title. Philadelphia packed it in, quit midgame, lost to New York, and fell to the wildcard. The Eagles get to face Tampa Bay, while Dallas has to topple the surging Green Bay Packers. According to DVOA, the Buccaneers are the worst team in the playoff field. DVOA isn’t a perfect stat, but it actually says Green Bay is not only better than Tampa Bay, but also better than the Eagles themselves. 

The obvious counter is to point out that Dallas gets a home game while Philly does not. That’s where my conspiracy theory falls apart. But the NFC East isn’t the only spot where matchups fell into place for a loser, screwing over a winner heading into the NFL Playoffs.

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Cleveland rested in Week 18 and was granted a matchup with Houston based on how the seeding fell. The Browns couldn’t win their division, so this one isn’t as egregious. But it seems obvious that anyone would rather be given a wildcard spot against a division-winning Houston than be awarded a matchup with Miami, a la the Chiefs.

Kansas City righted its ship, won the division, reached the three seed, and now has to play who DVOA deems is the sixth-best team in the entire league. We’ve already discussed Miami’s low ceiling against premiere competition multiple times this season, but I can’t imagine preferring to play it than Houston. We all love the Texans story, but this is a ‘happy to be here’ team in every respect.

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Thanks to that opponent, Cleveland is one of two road favorites in the wildcard round. The other? Philadelphia, of course. That’s not to say these games are locks. We know how one-game matchups can develop in all sorts of directions. Besides, with the way the Eagles are playing right now, they would lose to any playoff team.

Getting the house in order is more important than the opponent for Philly. If the Eagles are playing at 100 percent, no one besides San Francisco would even phase them. The same can’t be said for the AFC contenders. Cleveland is all defense, no offense; Miami is mostly the reverse. There are teams who will advance or fall based squarely on how they match up with specific opponents. It is fun to think that teams tried to plan a week ahead to get a first-round matchup more in their favor…even though they probably did no such thing.

 

 

Dan Salem: Home Teams Hold The Edge

Playing at home in the Wildcard Playoffs is infinitely more important than who your opponent is. In addition, the old adage that defense wins championships will be a factor as the NFL Playoffs get underway, because Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and Dallas all have very good defenses. Two of these teams will also be playing at home. Match point?

Not so fast. The Cowboys at home against anyone is a mismatch, so I’m not worried about the currently hot Packers. Green Bay has been way up and way down this season and it’s not like they just beat a great opponent. Chicago is not Dallas, no matter how much the Bears want to make people believe they are a good team. This game has blowout written all over it for the Cowboys. The same cannot be said for Eagles versus Buccaneers.

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I’d like to tell you how Tampa Bay struggled against the worst team in the league in week 18 and that Philadelphia is great, despite coasting for a month. But I can’t bank any of those sentiments. The Buccaneers are certainly more feeble on offense, but they do have Mike Evans and a hot-when-it-counts Baker Mayfield. Plus, the Tampa Bay defense is pretty good. The Eagles are a great unknown, because they’ve been playing down to their competition since Thanksgiving. This will either be a get-right game that proves they are about to legitimately defend their NFC championship, or it will be another arrow in the quiver of Super Bowl hangovers.

Over in the AFC, I would be nervous if I was Cleveland or Miami. Houston is hot and the Browns are banking on Joe Flacco to keep playing great, even after a week off. Their vaunted defense couldn’t truly stop the New York Jets and their third string quarterback. What will they do against CJ Stroud? The Dolphins must face a winning team on the road in cold weather. Uh oh. Injuries have hit at the wrong time for Miami and the Chiefs are now back where it matters, defending their title in the playoffs. The Dolphins’ defense is vulnerable and Kansas City will be licking their chops to get Taylor Swift a win.

Losing is never a good idea, because momentum means everything heading into the NFL Playoffs. Avoiding injury is one thing, but completely resting everyone is a 50/50 gamble. I favor the bold, meaning those teams who played to win in week 18. Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Houston enter with a head of steam. Miami and Philadelphia appear to be floundering. Watch out for fireworks.

 

Meet our Writers:

Dan Salem is Lead Editor and Co-owner of BuzzChomp. He’s an award winning Actor, Director and Producer. Visit M Square Productions for his film work, or get lost in his old-school comedy on Pillow Talk TV. You can follow him on X, TikTok and Instagram. His latest film ‘Alone’ is now on Amazon.

Todd Salem is a Staff Writer and Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp. He’s also a champion of fantasy football and fantasy baseball, dominating leagues for over two decades. Comment below on his unfiltered opinions.

NFL Playoffs Photo Credits: touchdownwire.usatoday.com and pennlive.com via Getty Images

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