Six playoff video games are in books.
Seven video games, and eight groups, stay standing on the street to Tremendous Bowl LIX.
How did the Wild Card spherical affect our considering relating to which of the eight groups left standing have the very best odds of successful the Lombardi Trophy? As we did final week, our employees writers right here at. SB Nation every ranked the groups left standing, and based mostly on the voting outcomes, we’ve got our newest set of rankings.
Listed below are the eight groups left within the chase for Tremendous Bowl LIX, ranked by their odds of successful all of it.
8. Houston Texans
All through the annals of soccer historical past, one factor has been true: when you have a move rush, it’ll take you far. Simply ask the 2007 and 2011 Giants! The Houston Texans have their flaws, particularly offensively, however the one certain factor they’ve is a protection that may completely harass opponents. Of their resounding 31-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston pressured Chargers QB Justin Herbert on greater than half of his dropbacks, and received Herbert to throw 4 interceptions, one among them returned for a landing. I nonetheless have my questions concerning the offense, but when they will get the play they received out of WR Nico Collins and RB Joe Mixon, it’ll make their lives a lot simpler: and their opponents way more troublesome.
7. Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders are off to the Divisional Spherical, because of an environment friendly efficiency from the rookie QB and a doink for the ages from kicker Zane Gonzalez. In his first playoff recreation Daniels linked on 24-of-35 passes for 268 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and confirmed outstanding development when in comparison with his Week 1 outing towards the identical Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Whereas Daniels relied extra on his legs within the face of stress, on Sunday night time he punished the Buccaneers once they introduced 5 or extra rushers, finishing 9-of-14 passes for 140 yards in these conditions.
Issues will get a lot harder for Washington now as they head to Detroit to tackle a rested Lions squad, The Commanders may need the proverbial “puncher’s probability,” however that is additionally a workforce that’s 9-4 in one-score video games this season, and has discovered methods to win all year long. Will that be sufficient Saturday night time?
6. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are a darkish horse in these playoffs to make some noise. Flying underneath the radar for a lot of the season, this well-rounded unit discovered its groove after Puka Nacua returned from harm and Cooper Kupp was at full power as properly.
Los Angeles has the deepest receiver corps within the playoffs by a large margin, and their offense is potent, with Kyren Williams breaking out at operating again. It is a very totally different Rams workforce than the group that gained the Tremendous Bowl. Clearly there’s no Aaron Donald to anchor the protection, and that’s damage them a bit — however the workforce has proven it’s ok to gradual a number of the league’s greatest groups and let their offense take over.
In a short time, the Rams have moved from being a workforce that appeared fortunate to be in these playoffs to a workforce to worry. If they will shock and show themselves with one other win then the sky is the restrict.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
The NFL+ “Comprehend it All” reminded us this weekend that protection nonetheless wins championships within the NFL.
As an apart, when this season is over we have to have an extended dialogue about that advert marketing campaign, however we digress …
However that reality may bode very properly for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Vic Fangio’s protection led the best way for the Eagles of their 22-10 win over the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon, intercepting Jordan Love 3 times and pressuring him all through the competition. The Packers QB completed the sport with an NFL Passer Score of simply 41.5, the second-lowest of his profession and the second-lowest ever from a Packers QB within the playoffs.
Whereas they misplaced Nakobe Dean to a brutal knee harm within the win, which can check their depth at linebacker, this Philadelphia protection seems to be extraordinarily formidable. Whereas the offense sputtered considerably in Jalen Hurts’ first recreation again from a concussion, the Eagles dashing assault can be an issue for opponents. Add in among the finest offensive strains in soccer, and you’ve got a tricky out within the playoffs.
4. Detroit Lions
It might sound ridiculous to have the Lions ranked this low contemplating how stellar they’ve been in 2024, however placing them at No. 4 is a product of two elements: They’re nonetheless combating via a variety of accidents, and the AFC simply seems to be so good this season that it’s robust to place any NFC workforce forward of them at this level.
We additionally now know that stopping Sam Darnold and the Vikings in Week 18 wasn’t that spectacular after being dispatched with ease by the Rams within the Wild Card Playoffs.
Make no mistake: The Lions are nonetheless our decide to make it to the Tremendous Bowl from the NFC, and truthfully, it seems to be like a fairly straightforward street at this level — however with as many accidents as they’ve sustained it’s robust to think about how they’ll match up with the large three of the AFC.
3. Buffalo Payments
At halftime of Sunday’s Wild Card recreation between the Buffalo Payments and the Denver Broncos, the visiting workforce trailed by simply 10-7. The Broncos landed an enormous shot on their first possession of the sport — an extended strike from rookie Bo Nix to former Oregon teammate Troy Franklin — and Tony Romo was within the sales space cautioning Payments followers that they need to be apprehensive.
The sport ended with a remaining rating of 31-7.
That halftime rating did not seize what was taking part in out on the sector: Behind a formidable dashing assault Buffalo held the soccer for practically 20 minutes within the first half, and racked up 128 yards on the bottom. Believers within the “physique blow” concept of operating the soccer rejoiced within the second half because the Payments exploded for 21 unanswered factors en path to their rout.
Up subsequent? A highly-anticipated rematch of a Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Payments followers may need cause to fret for actual this time, because the Ravens’ dashing assault additionally seems to be formidable, however as we noticed within the second half Sunday, when Josh Allen will get his probabilities, he can take over a recreation within the blink of an eye fixed.
2. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
We’ve gotten to the purpose within the season the place the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs sit up within the gaming chair. With the primary total seed in tow and homefield benefit all through the convention, they’re completely set as much as do what everybody thinks they’re going to do: win the entire thing, once more. The factor that most likely holds them this excessive this season is that they’re lastly getting wholesome. RB Isaiah Pacheco is again, in addition to WR Marquise Brown, making their offense way more dynamic. With Brown again within the lineup towards the Steelers and Texans, the Chiefs’ EPA per play was 0.214, a lot increased than their 0.068 EPA per play that they’d all through the season. Brown provides them way more quickness to open up brief areas of the sector, and one other goal for QB Patrick Mahomes, who takes his play as much as one other stage within the playoffs. Add on a protection led by among the finest playoff performers in fashionable NFL historical past in DT Chris Jones, you’ve a method for a three-peat.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Saturday night time’s recreation between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers provided the newest instance but of the outdated soccer adage: “It’s not the Xs and Os, it’s the Jimmies and Joes.”
The Steelers entered Saturday night time’s recreation towards the Ravens with a transparent plan to decelerate Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the vaunted Baltimore dashing assault. They’d “scrape change” Baltimore’s learn possibility designs, with a defensive finish crashing down on Henry to power Jackson to tug the ball and maintain it himself, and a second-level defender would loop across the edge to try to comprise the elusive QB.
That scheme works nice on a whiteboard, however loses a few of its shine on the sector towards two of the very best at their place.
Now the Ravens get a rematch with the Buffalo Payments of a recreation in Week 4, gained in dominant style by Baltimore. If the workforce we noticed Saturday night time exhibits up this weekend, the Ravens could be headed to their second-straight AFC Championship Sport.
