ALL GAS, NO BRAKE ?? pic.twitter.com/cuOXBEOljv
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 30, 2019
11 more games to go for the 100th NFL season!
Welcome to the postseason. Let’s see that board!
During Pro Bowl week, I’ll look back at all 32 NFL teams’ seasons. For now, just be glad that the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC East, while the Tennessee Titans secured the last Wild Card spot. The only team that missed the playoffs with a winning record was the Los Angeles Rams. Super Bowl Hangover achieved.
The Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Green Bay Packers did what they had to do to secure Wild Card byes. The Baltimore Ravens took Week 17 off because they handled their business the previous week. And they still beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On the other side… there are now four teams that have head coaching vacancies entering the new year: Washington, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Brown-Clowns, and New Jersey Giants. That list doesn’t officially include the Dallas Cowboys as of Tuesday afternoon. The Cincinnati Bengals enter the offseason with the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
TEAMS OF THE WEEK:
NYJ, BAL, TEN, KCPHI, GB, NO, SF
TOP PERFORMERS:
NYJ pass rush (OLB Jordan Jenkins)NO run offense (RB Alvin Kamara)
CIN run offense (RB Joe Mixon)
GB pass defense (ILB Blake Martinez)
KC offensive line (QB Patrick Mahomes)
CHI pass defense (FS Eddie Jackson)
MIA pass offense (TE Mike Gesicki)
ATL pass offense (OT Ty Sambrailo)
BAL run offense (RB Gus Edwards)
DAL pass offense (WR Michael Gallup)
TEN pass offense (WR AJ Brown)
JAX pass offense (WR Dede Westbrook)
LA run offense (RB Malcolm Brown)
PHI pass offense (TE Josh Perkins)
SF run offense (RB Raheem Mostert)
Looking ahead to 2019 Wild Card
An overview of the biggest strength and biggest weakness of each unit in the 2019 postseason for each team:
NE (12-4) 
Pass defense (1st in passer rating allowed) [Weakness: Run offense (25th in run yards per attempt)]
BUF (10-6) Pass defense (3rd in passer rating allowed) [Weakness: Pass offense (26th in passer rating)]
BAL (14-2) Run offense (1st in run yards per attempt) [Weakness: Pass rush (19th in sack percentage)]
HOU (10-6) Run offense (9th in run yards per attempt) [Weakness: Pass rush (28th in sack percentage)]
TEN (9-7) Run offense (2nd in run yards per attempt) [Weakness: Offensive line (30th in sacks allowed)]
KC (12-4) Offensive line (3rd in sacks allowed) [Weakness: Run defense (28th in run yards per attempt allowed)]
PHI (9-7) Run defense (12th in run yards per attempt allowed) [Weakness: Pass defense (19th in passer rating allowed)]
GB (13-3) Pass defense (6th in passer rating allowed) [Weakness: Run defense (26th in run yards per attempt allowed]
MIN (10-6) Offensive line (6th in sacks allowed) [Weakness: Run defense (18th in run yards per attempt allowed]
NO (13-3) Pass offense (1st in passer rating) [Weakness: Run offense (19th in run yards per attempt)]
SF (13-3) Pass rush (5th in sacks) [Weakness: Run defense (23rd in run yards per attempt allowed)]
SEA (11-5) Pass offense (4th in passer rating) [Weakness: Pass rush (T-29th in sacks)]
Open Date – Baltimore, Green Bay, Kansas City, San Francisco
Bills at Houston: The Bills haven’t won in Houston since 2006, and have lost four of the last five matchups to the Texans overall. Last season, Buffalo QB Josh Allen was knocked out of the game and backup Nathan Peterman threw a game-sealing pick-six to Houston CB Johnathan Joseph. Both teams should be well-rested after playing meaningless games in Week 17, and the Texans may have DE JJ Watt available to return from injury. I’d pick Houston if Watt is able to make a meaningful impact.
Titans at New England: The Houston Oilers once won a playoff game in New England, but that was in 1978. Past Titans head coaches Jeff Fisher and Mike Mularkey lost playoff games in New England this century, with Mularkey getting replaced by former Patriots OLB and current Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel after losing to the Patriots two years ago. Vrabel now has QB Ryan Tannehill, who had the best view of the Miami Miracle the last time he saw the Patriots. Tannehill is winless in New England, but he has the 2019 NFL rushing champ, RB Derrick Henry. I expect the Titans to keep the ball on the ground to give themselves the best chances of pulling an upset; the Patriots lost 34-10 last year in Tennessee with Henry scoring twice on the ground.
Vikings at New Orleans: Ten years ago, the Vikings lost the NFC Championship in New Orleans. But two years ago, it was DIGGS! SIDELINE! TOUCHDOWN! UNBELIEVABLE! The Saints did win in Minnesota last year, beating the Vikings 30-20. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire. I’d expect the Saints to find a way to solve Minnesota’s pass defense.
Seahawks at Philadelphia: This is the first ever postseason game between these two teams, but it’s the only Wild Card game this year that saw both teams meet in the regular season. The Seahawks beat the Eagles for the fifth straight time this year in November, and the fifth straight time in Philadelphia; the Eagles last beat the Seahawks at home in 1989. Give the Eagles all the credit for getting the NFC East and keeping the Cowboys out, I didn’t think QB Carson Wentz could pull it off with all of the injury loss around him. The Eagles turned the ball over five times against the Seahawks this season, and I just don’t see them stopping Seattle QB Russell Wilson’s receivers down the field.