By: Toby Martin-Kohls

The NFL draft concluded last weekend in Kansas City, with 259 players selected over 7 rounds (compensatory picks are included in this number). Here is a sum-up of the quarterback storyline at this year’s NFL Draft.

Quarterback Drama

As the QB is the most crucial position in football, eyes are usually on the top signal callers when the draft comes around. This year there was no shortage of first-round talent, as 4 QBs were projected to go in the first round by almost every draft analyst.

It was a way stronger QB class than last year when Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett was the only first-round QB selection going to the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick 20. After that, the next QB wasn’t taken until Desmond Ridder in the 3rd round at pick 74 to the Atlanta Falcons.

This year, there was an early run on QB talent, as there were 3 selected in the first four picks. Bryce Young, who won the Heisman Trophy for best college QB in 2021, was selected first to the Carolina Panthers. He was widely expected to be the first pick in the draft, along with fellow QB C.J. Stroud. Young is a natural passer with an instinctive feel for throw location and play extension. He has the high-end intangibles and talent required to become an impact starter in the NFL. The one knock on Young is his size and durability, as he is vastly undersized standing at 5’10” and 204lbs.

The second QB taken was C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State with pick 2 to the Houston Texans. He was also considered to be a possible choice for the number 1 selection. As a redshirt freshman at Ohio State, Stroud was a Freshman All-American and First Team All-Big 10. He followed that up with his redshirt sophomore season getting named Second Team All-American, Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year, and First Team All-Big 10. Stroud is considered an outstanding rhythm passer with great touch, pacing, and ball speed control to carve up a defense. His weaknesses are his need to develop his athleticism and escapability to the modern NFL.

The third QB taken was Anthony Richardson out of Florida with pick 4 to the Indianapolis Colts. Richardson is considered to have the highest ceiling of anybody in the draft, with his freakish, one-of-a-kind, athletic ability. He displayed this superhuman athleticism at the NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in a time of 4.43sec, which was the 4th fastest by a QB at the Combine since 2000. But his size really made this unprecedented, as he stands at a towering 6’4” and 244lbs. He set a new QB Combine record with a 40.5in vertical jump and another QB record in the broad jump, jumping 10’9”.

Unlike the other two QBs picked before him, Richardson had an up-and-down college career, starting only a total of 13 games over two years. He was essentially a one-year starter at Florida, and his 53.8% completion percentage is awfully low for someone picked so high. That being said, the quality of his pass catchers did him no favors. He is also a year younger than Young and Stroud.

Overall, Richardson’s volatile accuracy and decision-making cloud his evaluation, but he is a freakshow talent with special size, speed, and arm strength, and he put enough promising plays on film to be optimistic about his potential ceiling. He fits an RPO or NFL vertical-passing offense that will also utilize his athleticism, but he needs on-field reps and a patient coaching staff willing to weather the early storm. The Colts are running a massive gamble, and we’ll see if it pays off.

The last QB thought to be selected in the first round was Will Levis out of Kentucky. Levis was thought to be one of the most prototypical NFL QBs in the draft, with good size and exceptional arm talent. He struggled with turnovers during his college career and needs to work on his read efficiency and ball placement to succeed at the next level. He has an NFL starter’s skill set with his impressive physical tools (size, arm, athleticism) and exceptional competitive toughness.

This is where the surprise of the first round was. Levis was projected by very nearly all draft experts to go in the first round. A solid amount even had him going top 10. In fact, Levis was the oddsmakers’ favorite to go No. 2 overall in the days leading up to the draft. This obviously did not end up being the case as he slid down all the way to the second round and was picked at pick 33 by the Tennessee Titans. ESPN had given him just a 0.1% chance to still be available at pick 23 of the first round. It will be interesting to see how he can develop behind starter Ryan Tannehill and fight for the backup job with 2022 third-round pick Malik Willis.

Personally, I think the best part of the draft is looking back at the selections in 3-4 years and seeing the inevitable busts and hits of the draft. Especially with this QB class, this year should be no different in the excitement level when looking back at these picks in the future.

By: Abby Altman

At the beginning of free agency, it appeared as though the Minnesota Vikings were looking to rebuild, which is more than rare for a team coming off of a 13-4 season. 

The Vikings have released several key veteran players, including Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, and Cam Dantzler in the last few weeks, and have 11 free agents they have not yet re-signed. Free agents Patrick Peterson and Dalvin Tomlinson have joined the AFC North with the Steelers and Browns. 

Minnesota has re-signed 7 free agents, including first-team all pro long snapper Andrew DePoala and kicker Greg Joseph on special teams. The Vikings also re-signed backup QB Nick Mullens and RB Alexander Mattison for offensive skill positions, and Austin Schlottmann and Garrett Bradbury on the offensive line. Jonathan Bullard is the only re-signed defensive player so far. 

Second round draft pick TE Irv-Smith Jr is one free agent the Vikings will likely not resign. After the week 7 trade for TJ Hockenson, the Vikings filled in the gaps Smith Jr was leaving at the TE position. Even with a top 5 TE, Minnesota signed TE Josh Oliver from Baltimore. 

Oliver is best known for his blocking abilities, so combined with Hockenson’s routes and hands, the TE position should flourish without the need for Irv Smith Jr. 

Free agency is far from over, and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings should be looking at signing some more players before the draft. Here are some of Minnesota’s biggest needs this offseason. 

Positional Needs

Cornerback: One of the most important additions the Vikings need to find is cornerbacks. Minnesota released CB Cameron Dantzler Sr, after he failed repeatedly in coverage. The Vikings signed Byron Murphy Jr from Arizona on a 2 year deal. Murphy is a top man-to-man coverage defender. 

Chandon Sullivan and Duke Shelley are both unsigned free agents as of now. Duke Shelley started 5 games at the end of the season, and exceeded expectations. Shelley is currently asking for more money than the Vikings are currently able to offer him. 

Center: The 2022 season showed lots of issues for Minnesota at center. Starter Garrett Bradbury had struggled in past years, but showed real potential last season, before a car accident re-aggravated a back injury and took him out for the end of the season. Backup Austin Schlottmann started behind Bradbury, but suffered a season ending fibula fracture in week 17. Guard Chris Reed was forced to start at center, causing many issues and several delay of game calls. 

Minnesota has re-signed both Bradbury and Schlottmann, but finding a new center to ensure stability is key for the Vikings offensive line. 

Linebacker: The Linebacker position for Minnesota is appearing to look like a waiting game. Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter held down the position very well this past year, recording 20.5 total sacks between the 2 of them, however, Za’Darius Smith has recently requested to be released. It seems unlikely that the Vikings organization will release him, but a trade may be an option for the veteran outside linebacker. Danielle Hunter is injury prone, after undergoing multiple shoulder surgeries in recent years. Brian Asamoah III, coming off of his rookie season, shows ample potential to be the future for Minnesota’s linebackers, but that is yet to be known for certain. 

Minnesota and LB Jordan Hicks agreed to a restructured contract, allowing him to avoid joining Eric Kendricks on the list of released MN linebackers. 

Safety: Veteran Harrison Smith is still very active as a safety, tied for 1st in the league in interceptions among active players. Smith is 34 years old, and is no longer in his prime, although he’s still an asset to Minnesota’s defense. 

Smith restructured his contract this past week, taking over a $10 million pay cut in order to stay in Minnesota. One of the most beloved players in Minnesota history has earned himself even more respect by taking such a massive pay cut, but one does have to question whether a player of his age will be enough on the field. 

Defensive tackle: Minnesota’s most recent re-signing is DT Jonathan Bullard. Bullard was big at stopping the run game in 2022, but he will most likely not be enough for Minnesota to succeed at DT. Harrison Phillips has been the starter for Minnesota as DT, but drafting a new defensive tackle late in the draft may be necessary for the Vikings. 

Wide Receiver: The Vikings main goal should be to build this franchise surrounding Justin Jefferson. The elite WR needs a wide receiver 2, after Adam Thielen aged out of his position on the MN Vikings. KJ Osborn is a solid WR3, but trading for, or even drafting, a WR2 should be a high priority. Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of Ohio State is a good fit for the Vikings offensive scheme, but it is unlikely he will still be available when the Vikings draft at pick 24. 

Quarterback: It’s no secret that QB Kirk Cousins is getting old. Cousins has been the Vikings quarterback since 2018, and finished the 2022 season 4th in yards and T-5th in touchdowns with the Lions’ Pro Bowl QB Jared Goff. Cousins led the team to a 13-4 season, and was hindered by his defense in the first round of the playoffs. Cousins is 34 years old, and expensive. 

The Vikings announced a cap conversion on Kirk Cousins’ contract that will allow them about $16 million in cap space. Cousins’ contract was going to cost the Vikings $36.25 million in 2023. With the conversion, that number goes down to just over $20.25 million, pushing dead cap money into 2026 and 2027, which are added void years in his contract.

It seems likely that Minnesota will allow Cousins’ contract to expire at the end of the upcoming season. 

The NFC North is expected to turn a new page in NFL history next season. The Green Bay Packers are likely without a franchise QB for the first time in decades, and the Chicago Bears appear to continue their rebuild attempts. 

The Detroit Lions, however, are the favorites take the NFC North for the first time in years. Minnesota and Detroit will likely go head to head for the NFC North title, but Detroit’s offseason has been far more successful than Minnesota’s, thus far. 

By: Nagad Omar

With the end to a very entertaining NFL season, I’ll be ranking my top 7 quarterbacks of the 22-23 season. This list is based strictly off of this season only. Honorable mentions go to Tom Brady, Brock Purdy and Jared Goff.

1.

Coming in at number 1 is 2x MVP, 2x Super Bowl champion, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes display of pure athleticism and quick decision making puts him at the top of this list. Mahomes has demonstrated this season exactly why he deserves to be at the top of this list including winning the Super Bowl on a bad ankle. Throughout the season Mahomes has been a great leader on the field and led his team to Super Bowl victory. Mahomes has also had amazing stats this season. He threw for 5,250 yards with 41 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and rushed for 358 yards and 4 touchdowns.

2.

At close second is Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow has been starting in NFL games for only 3 seasons but took the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl last year all though they did not win. Burrow showed the league what he has with an arm that can throw both quick darts and deep passes. Burrow’s stats can also speak for themselves. Burrow threw for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdowns (second only to Mahomes) and rushed for 257 yards and 5 touchdowns.

3.

Coming in at number 3 is the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles who happened to lose the Super Bowl this year. Jalen Hurts is an insanely talented quarterback who can throw with amazing accuracy to his very talented wide receivers. Jalen Hurts played at a different level this season, not to mention his amazing story of getting benched during the college football championship then a couple years down the road leading his team to the Super Bowl. Hurts threw for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 760 yards and 13 touchdowns.

4.

Although he has fallen just short of the Super Bowl for two years straight, Josh Allen still deserves to be put at the number 4 spot. His flashy, yet effective, throws give him just the confidence he needs. When he’s playing at his best, his passing and rushing is unreal. But his red zone interceptions are what slow him down. Although he didn’t have his best season, Josh Allen still had some great stats to back up his effectiveness at the quarterback position. Allen threw for 4,283 yards and 35 touchdowns. He also rushed for 762 yards and 7 touchdowns.

5.

And at number 5, who happens to be my favorite on this list, is Justin Herbert. A team riddled with injuries, Herbert still makes do. With no top 10 WRs and no top 10 running backs Justin Herbert still put on a show. He also had the highest completion percentage when outside the pocket which goes to show his ability to scan the field and make changes when needed. Herbert has the arm of a beast and took the Los Angeles Chargers to their first playoffs since 2018, despite their terrible loss. All in all Herbert is really a threat and I think we can expect to see him holding the Lombardi trophy within the next 5 years. Herbert threw for 4,739 yards and 25 touchdowns. While having 147 rushing yards and 0 rushing touchdowns

6.

Coming in at number 6 is the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Not much needs to be said about Trevor besides that he took a dying, poverty, franchise to the 2nd round of the NFL playoffs along with overcoming a 27 point deficit to the Chargers. Lawrence has really proved himself, and with more consistency, he really will be a force to be reckoned with. Lawrence had 4,113 passing yards and 25 touchdowns along with 291 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns.

7.

And at my number 7 spot, I have the controversial QB Justin Fields. I think what Fields has done this season with no wide receivers, no running backs and no good coaching staff is impressive. Although his stats might not show it, and his record doesn’t either, Justin Fields is a very dynamic quarterback with an amazing show of situational awareness. Fields isn’t scared to use his legs when he feels the pocket collapsing. Fields had 2,242 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, 1,143 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns.

By: Toby Martin-Kohls

All statistics in this article came from Pro Football Reference. You can find more information here.

The 2017 RB class stands out as one of the best RB draft classes of recent memory, and perhaps all time. When you count the amount of Pro Bowl RBs from each draft class in the 2010s, 2017 clearly stands head and shoulders above the rest.

That 2017 RB draft class produced more Pro Bowlers than any other class during the 2010s with 8 players eventually making it. The next closest was the 2015 class, which produced 4 Pro Bowl RBs.

Two RBs were selected in the first 8 picks of the draft, with Leonard Fournette being the 4th overall pick and Christian McCaffrey the 8th overall pick. 

Fournette has been underwhelming, considering the hype he had around him coming out of college. His most significant moment has arguably been his performance during the 2020 playoffs, as his Tampa Bay Bucs would go on to win the Super Bowl that year. This earned him the nickname “Playoff Lenny.”

His playoff stats from 2020 are shown below:

Besides that, Fournette has been inconsistent, injured, or inefficient for most of his NFL career. He has had two separate 1,000 yeard seasons, but Fournette has one of the lowest career yards per carry of the class.

The other RB selected in the first round was Christian McCaffrey at 8th overall. By 2019, he had showed the league why he was worthy of a top-10 pick. He earned first team All-Pro, with eye popping numbers as both a runner and a receiver. His incredible vision, quickness, and decisiveness made him one of the best offensive players in football.

However, his large usage rate and his smaller frame has made him miss quite a bit of time over his career. If he can stay healthy, McCaffrey should be able to remain as one of the top backs in the league for a few more years. Since being traded from the rebuilding Panthers to a playoff contender in the 49ers, he has showed that 2019 season form again.

The second round also saw two RBs selected, Dalvin Cook coming out of FSU, and Joe Mixon from Oklahoma.

Cook was electric from the gun, and broke the Vikings record previously held by Adrian Peterson for rushing yards in a rookie debut. He rushed 22 times for 127 yards in a 29-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

However, the magic couldn’t last and the injury bug struck. Cook went on to tear his ACL after just 4 games his rookie year and a hamstring injury the following year kept him from playing throughout the season. 

By 2019, Cook emerged as one of the best pure runners in the NFL with over 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns. He improved upon that statline in 2020, finishing only 2nd to Derrick Henry in rushing yards. Since then, Cook has been solid, making 3 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.

He currently leads this loaded class of RBs in total rushing yards, with 5,993.

Second on that list? The other RB taken in the second round, Joe Mixon. Mixon was graded as a first round talent, but fell to the second round likely due to off the field issues. By 2018, Mixon had emerged as one of the better young RBs in football, with the 4th most rushing yards in the league and the most in the AFC. By 2021, Mixon had earned a bid to his first Pro Bowl after posting over 1,500 total yards and 16 total touchdowns. 2021 capped off a 3 out of 4 year run where Mixon was in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing. 

The 3rd round is where this draft really starts to be great. 3 out of the 4 RBs taken in the third round of this draft have turned into Pro Bowl caliber players. 

67th overall pick Alvin Kamara had the best rookie season of any player that year. He was a big threat in the receiving game for Drew Brees, as well as putting up insanely efficient numbers as a runner, posting a crazy 6.1 yards per carry. It is one of the greatest rookie seasons of all-time, and he went on to win 2017 Rookie of the year. 

Kamara started his career so hot, he made the Pro Bowl in his first five season as an NFL starter and he leads this class of RBs in total touchdowns. 

19 picks later was another rookie sensation, Kareem Hunt. Not only did he lead all rookies in rushing yards in 2017, but he also led the entire NFL, only accomplished by a few before him. Hunt had an amazing two year stretch in Kansas City, before his infamous off the field incident that sort of derailed his career. 

Since then, he’s still been a good back paired along with Nick Chubb in Cleveland but he’s definitely fallen off from his first two years in the NFL

Near the end of the 3rd round, the Steelers drafted local Pittsburgh star, James Conner. He grinded his way to the starting job for the Steelers by his second year in the NFL, and he was solid. He had nearly 1,500 total yards and 13 total touchdowns in his first year as a starter. 

Conner is more of an old school, between the tackles type of runner. His career hasn’t been as explosive as Alvin Kamara or Kareem Hunt’s but he’s been a consistent short yardage and goal line threat, boasting two double digit touchdown seasons in 2018 and 2021. This helped him earn two Pro Bowl appearances.

Once you get to the 4th round, it’s already Day 3 at the NFL Draft, where the vast majority of these players are backups, special teamers, or players that don’t last long in the NFL. When it comes to the 4th round specifically, 2017’s class is nothing too crazy, but it does have three names that stand out. 

The 119th overall pick was Tarik Cohen, who was never going to be more than a gadget guy because he’s only 5’6”. However, he was a beast for 3 years as the Bears Swiss Army Knife, especially as a return man and a receiver out of the backfield.

He was named 1st team All-Pro in 2018.

15 picks after Cohen, the Packers drafted Jamaal Williams who has always been a short yardage back due to his bruising play-style. He hasn’t exactly been a dominant statistical player in his career. 

In his 6th season, despite only starting 9 games, he led the entire NFL in rushing touchdowns at a whopping 17. This was more than his previous 5 years combined. Everything considered, Williams has been a solid short yardage RB considering his draft position.

9 picks after Williams, came Marlon Mack. Mack developed into the Colt’s main starter in 2018 and 2019, peaking with an 1,000 yard season and 8 touchdowns. Again, this is pretty good value for a 4th round RB pick.

Overall, the 4th round of the 2017 NFL RB class was a great value round for teams, in comparison to other years in the decade. 

Now with the last three rounds of the draft (5-7) as a GM, you are really just trying to hit on at least a rotational player. If you find a gem and get extremely lucky, you’ll find a Pro Bowler. 

109 RBs were drafted in rounds 5-7 from 2010-2019, and just 6 of them have developed into Pro Bowl level players. The best of all these players came in 2017 and that was 5th round selection, Aaron Jones. 

Aaron Jones has become a massive success, first boasting a 1,500 total yard and 19 total touchdown campaign in 2019. He continued his success with three 1,000 yard seasons in four years, along with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2020. 

As it currently stands, his career yards per carry is 5.1, which among backs with at least 750 carries puts him 6th all time with elite company such as Jim Brown.

The best 7th round RB pick of the decade was also in the 2017 draft class. From 2010-2019 39 RBs were selected in the 7th round of the NFL draft and only 2 of them ever became a majority starter for at least a season.

2017’s Chris Carson was a special 7th rounder. In 2018 and 2019 he rushed for at least 1150 yards and 7 touchdowns. His excellent 2019 campaign ranked him in the top 5 in NFL rushing yards, and looking at that year a little closer, you’ll find that 7 of the top 12 rushing yards leaders that year were from the 2017 class.

By: Toby Martin-Kohls

All stats from this article were from Pro Fooball Reference and Sportrac. You can find more information here and here.

Every year in the NFL, each of the 32 teams has expectations, and their performances fall into three categoried: They perform better than expected, do about as well as predicted, or disappoint. 

However, doing poorly doesn’t just qualify a team as a disappointment. For example, the Bears are one of the worst teams in the NFL, but nobody expected them to be a playoff team in the first place. They traded away a lot of star talent such as Roquan Smith for future draft picks, and Justin Fields looks to be making some promising steps.

Here are three teams that have not lived up to expectations this season.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams were fresh off a Super Bowl victory and even though there were key losses such as WR Odell Beckham Jr. and LB Von Miller, they were still expected to be contenders. According to Pro Football Reference, the Rams were tied for the fourth highest Super Bowl odds according to oddsmakers, only to completely collapse with little hope for the future.

In just one year, the Rams offense went from 7th in the league in scoring averaging 27.1 points per game to this year’s abysmal 26th ranked scoring team, averaging a mere 18.7 points per game. Of course, injuries played a critical role, with key posiiton players such as: Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald all missing time. 

But the biggest issue offensively had been the revolving door of offensive lineman. The Rams became the first team in the Super Bowl era to use a different starting five in each of their first nine games. This was on top of an already patchy unit that had lost starting LT Andrew Whitworth to retirement after last year’s Super Bowl run. Matthew Stafford also saw a regression from his previous seasons stats before he got injured.

Defensively, losing Von Miller to free agency was brutal for the Rams. Without a dominant edge rusher opposite Aaron Donald, this unit was average defending the pass, and Jalen Ramsey’s less than stellar play caused him to miss the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie season back in 2016. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

According to Pro Football Reference, only three teams had better preseason odds than the Rams to win the Super Bowl. Two of them are very much at the top of their game right now, but another team stands out with the Rams.

As the season started, things looked promising for the Bucs. They jumped out to a 2-0 start, but things fell apart quickly. They then lost five of the next six, and squeaked into the playoffs with a losing record. 

In 2021, they were 2nd in the league in scoring, averaging 30.1 points per game. Fast forward to this season and they are 25th in scoring, averaging 18.4 points per game. If it wasn’t for their solid defense, this team would have been even worse off. So, how did they fall off offensively?

Coaching makes a big difference. In a stunning move, head coach Bruce Arians retired during the 2022 offseason. But the biggest problem was the offensive line. It’s become clear that the loss of key interior personnel has crushed this teams ability to run. 

In 2021, the Bucs possessed 3 Pro Bowlers on their offensive line, OT Tristan Wirfs, OG Ali Marpet, and C Ryan Jensen. Ali Marpet surprisingly retired after last season at the age of 28 and Ryan Jensen tore his ACL in training camp before the season even started. So, take away two Pro Bowlers and throw in a bunch of injuries and what you get is the worst rush offense in the NFL, according to stats on Pro Football Reference. This consequently negatively affects the passing game. 

Because of that, Brady has often looked out of rhythm. Also, with the loss of TE Rob Gronkowski to retirement, it’s clear that this offense lacks any sort of punch. The team as a whole looks flat on a consistent basis. Who would have thought that a regular season matchup between future hall of farmers, Aaron Rodgers and Brady would come up with a score of 14-12 on September 24.

The Bucs were dominated by the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in the first round of the NFL Playoffs.

Green Bay Packers

In the recent history of the NFC North, the Packers have reigned supreme over the division, winning 8 division titles since 2011, including the last 3 before this season. This year they finished 3rd in the division, which was a surprise considering they were supposed to be one of the best teams in the NFC. They even got beat out by the 9-8 Lions who were supposed to finish near the bottom of the standings. 

Since Matt LeFleur took over in 2019, Green Bay’s defense has ranged from league average, to above average, with their weakest season coming this year, and offensively what made them elite in the past was all the brilliant production with the lack of turnovers. That all changed this season, with QB Aaron Rodgers throwing double digit interceptions for the first time since 2010. 

It was always known that once Davante Adams was traded, this offense was going to be in a bit of a transitional phase, but now it is evident that it was tougher than expected. Not only did Ridgers not play well this season, but the chemistry between him and his young receiving core has perhaps been the biggest obstacle this season. The Packers also have been one of the most penelized teams in the league this season. 

With Rodgers signing a 3-year, 150 million dollar contract ahead of this season, it’s hard to see how the Packers will be competitive in the coming years with the salary cap. According to Sportrac, the Packers are currently projected to be $14 million over the cap for 2023.

The 2023 NFL playoffs are upon us, starting with the highly anticipated Wild Card weekend. After adding a 7th team to the NFL playoffs, 12 teams will compete in Wild Card weekend, and 2 teams will watch with a first-round bye. 

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs entered the postseason with the best record in their respective conferences. These 2 teams have a first-round bye and wait patiently to see their matchups in the divisional round. 

The other 12 teams that made the playoffs will go head-to-head this weekend. This is just the fifth time that every Wild Card game will feature a regular-season rematch. Here are my predictions for this weekend and my analysis of the team’s seasons thus far. 

AFC: 

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (Sunday 1/15 – 12:00 CT)

The Buffalo Bills have some of the highest expectations from fans coming into the playoffs. They finished the regular season 13-3 and won the AFC East by a wide margin. They played in one of the best games in NFL history in last season’s divisional-round game, just barely losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills are red hot and are looking to take their momentum into this divisional matchup. 

The Dolphins took a different route into the playoffs. They finished the regular season 9-8, finished 2nd in the AFC east, and didn’t clinch a playoff spot until the last day of the regular season. 

With a brand new head coaching staff, it’s understandable that a team would struggle as the Dolphins did, but injuries and concussions are what plagued the team all season. Starting QB Tua Tagovailoa suffered 3 different concussions throughout the season and has missed at least 4 games because of it. Tua is still suffering from his 3rd concussion, and will not play in this game. Miami’s backup QB Teddy Bridgewater is also likely to not play as he is dealing with a fractured pinky. 

It is likely that rookie Skylar Thompson will suit up to try and upset the Bills. 

Because both of these teams are in the AFC East, they have played each other twice this season. Both games were close and came down to the last minute, with Miami coming out on top 21-19 in week 3, and Buffalo taking the win 32-29 in week 14. 

The Dolphins have been struggling as of late, losing 5 of their last 6 games. The Bills, on the other hand, have won their last 7 straight (excluding the canceled matchup in week 17 versus Cincinnati). The Bills offense led by Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs is hard to stop, and I don’t think Miami’s average-level defense and rookie QB are up to the task. 

My prediction: Bills 27-Dolphins 16

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday 1/15 – 7:15 CT)

Much like the Bills-Dolphins matchup, this game is between the 1st and 2nd place teams in the AFC North. The Ravens took a 19-17 win over Cincinnati in week 5, and the Bengals took a 27-16 victory over Baltimore in week 18. 

Both teams should be well prepared for this matchup, as the Bengals and Ravens faced each other in week 18, exactly 7 days before this game. Back-to-back matchups between these teams should provide an interesting watch. 

The Ravens starting QB Lamar Jackson has missed the last 5 games with a sprained PCL, and it is likely that he won’t be able to return in time for the first playoff game. In this scenario, third-string Anthony Brown could suit up, given backup Tyler Huntley misses another game with injuries. 

The Bengals have won their last 8 in a row (excluding the canceled matchup in week 17 versus Buffalo), and are looking for a Super Bowl do-over, after losing to the Rams in Super Bowl LVI. 

Cincinnati is on fire, and Joe Burrow is looking better than ever at quarterback. Offensive weapons like Ja’Maar Chase and Joe Mixon are hard to stop and the Bengals have one of the better defenses of teams in the playoffs. Baltimore is struggling with offensive injuries and has lost 3 of their last 4 games. Because of this, Baltimore will struggle to keep up, and Cincinnati will take the victory. 

My prediction: Bengals 23-Ravens 14

Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars (Saturday 1/14 – 7:15 CT)

Young quarterbacks play a huge role in the future of the NFL, and this matchup is between 2 of the best up-and-coming quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert are both making their playoff debuts this weekend. 

It’s not exactly clear how the Jaguars ended up turning their season around enough to make the playoffs. Jacksonville won the AFC South with a 9-8 record. In the first half of the season, the Jaguars lost to some of the worst teams in the league, including the Colts, Texans, and Broncos. They turned it around quickly, however, beating teams like the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Ravens in the second half of the season. 

The Chargers finished just 1 game higher than the Jaguars, at 10-7, and 2nd in the AFC West. Both teams have had one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this season, with both teams playing only 6 opponents above .500. 

While I don’t believe either team will make it beyond the second round, I think the Jaguars will pull off a first-round upset. Jacksonville has won 6 of their last 7, with Trevor Lawrence having multiple games with 300+ passing yards. The Jaguars defense has been on fire, holding their last 3 opponents to an average of 7.3 points. In my opinion, this should be enough to hold Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, and Mike Williams to a minimal number of points, despite their success this season. 

My prediction: Jaguars 17-Chargers 14

NFC: 

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (Saturday 1/14 – 3:30 CT)

It’s not often that a brand-new rookie quarterback is so highly favored over a veteran quarterback, but 49ers QB Brock Purdy has led the team to a remarkable end of the season and deserves all the praise he’s getting. The 49ers won the NFC West and the second seed with a record of 13-4. 

Brock Purdy didn’t start for the 49ers until week 14 against the Buccaneers, but hasn’t lost a game yet. The rookie “Mr. Irrelevant” stepped up as third-string after multiple QB injuries, and is making the 49ers offense look better than ever. Another thing helping the 49ers offense excel was the trade for Christian McCaffery after week 6. McCaffery has 736 rushing yards since he joined San Francisco. 

On top of the rising offense, the 49ers are widely viewed to have the best defense in the NFL. Defensive end Nick Bosa is leading the defense to one of their best seasons and leading the NFL in sacks with 18.5 this season. 

On the other side of this game, the Seahawks sit at 9-8, second in the NFC West. After trading Russell Wilson in the offseason, many projected the Seahawks to win very few games and be one of, if not the worst team in the league. 

Veteran backup QB Geno Smith stepped up this season, however, and led the Seahawks to the 7th seed. This season, Smith threw for 4,282 yards, which is more than ⅓ of his total passing yards in his 9-year NFL career. 

Geno Smith’s career season won’t be enough to take the Seahawks any farther this season. The 49ers combination of stellar offense and defense makes them the NFC team to beat in the playoffs, and the Seahawks will fall in yet another division matchup. 

My prediction: 49ers 33-Seahawks 14

New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday 1/15 – 3:30 CT)

At 13-4, nobody is quite sure what to think of the Minnesota Vikings this season. The offense has some of the biggest stars in the league, including star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and top-ranked tight end TJ Hockensen, and yet the Vikings have just 2 wins by more than one score. 

The Vikings season has been full of painfully close, heart attack inducing games for Minnesota fans, and yet the Vikings are 11-0 in one-score games. 

With games like week 14 against the Colts, where the Vikings completed the largest comeback in NFL history, and week 9 against the Bills with one of the most shocking endings to a game ever, it’s hard not to think of Minnesota as a true contender. Minnesota’s losses, however, put doubt in many NFL fans. With only 4 losses, the Vikings will finish the season with a point differential of -4. 

The Giants are the third team from the NFC East to make the playoffs, sitting with a record of 9-7-1. First-year head coach Brian Daboll has led this New York team to a season beyond expectations, and Giants fans are more than satisfied with the season they’ve had thus far. 

Minnesota and New York competed on Christmas eve at US Bank Stadium, and Minnesota pulled off a 27-24 win with a game-winning 61-yard field goal. 

I believe the Vikings will come out of this game with a victory, as Minnesota has more playoff experience, veteran experience, and a record that shows they know how to win, no matter how close the games may be. 

My prediction: Vikings 24-Giants 22

Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Monday 1/16 – 7:15 CT)

The Dallas Cowboys have the 4th best record in the NFC, and yet they find themselves in a wildcard position as the 5th seed, while the Buccaneers have the 9th-best record in the NFC, and have home-field advantage as the 4th seed. 

Tom Brady in the playoffs is not an unfamiliar sight, but Tom Brady leading a team to an 8-9 record definitely is. Brady has a stellar 22-year NFL career with 7 Super Bowl victories and 3 MVP awards. This, combined with the Cowboys performance in week 18, is a slight glimpse of hope for Bucs fans when it comes to advancing past this round. 

Tampa Bay’s 8-9 record does not bode well for them in the playoffs, however, the Cowboys have shown signs of weakness as the season comes to an end. Losing to the commanders 26-6 in week 18 what not a positive sign for Dallas fans entering the postseason, and Dak Prescot has struggled. In week 18, Prescot completed 14/37 for a 37% completion rate. 

I have struggled to pick a winner of this game more than any other, despite the vast difference in records this season. Because of the Cowboys’ performances against the Commanders in week 18, I do not have faith that Dallas will be able to turn things around, and Tampa Bay will win in a major upset. 

My prediction: Buccaneers 31-Cowboys 26

By: Abby Altman

For the past 4 seasons, Brock Purdy had been the face of the Iowa State Cyclones football program. The quarterback had been a consistent leader on and off the field, and his impressive performances caught the attention of many NFL scouts. 

As a freshman in 2018, Purdy burst onto the scene by leading the Cyclones to an upset win over the then-No. 6 Oklahoma. He finished the season with 2,250 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. 

Over the next 3 seasons, Purdy continued to improve and establish himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. He set a school record for passing yards in a season with 3,982 in 2019 and led the Cyclones to 3 straight bowl appearances. 

In his senior season, Purdy threw for 3,188 yards and 19 touchdowns, leading Iowa State to a 7-3 record and a victory over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. He was named a team captain and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors for the second time in his collegiate career. 

As the very last pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Brock Purdy inherited the title of Mr. Irrelevent. However, this season has been nothing but relevant for Purdy. After being drafted 262nd in the draft out of Iowa State, Purdy joined the San Francisco 49ers as a 3rd string quarterback behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garrapolo. 

Trey Lance suffered a season-ending injury in week 2, making Jimmy Garrapolo the starter and Purdy the number 1 backup. Then in week 13, Garrapolo suffered a severe ankle injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the regular season. 

Purdy stepped up late in the 1st quarter versus the Dolphins in week 13, completing 29/37 with 210 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Purdy led to 49ers to a 33-17 victory over Miami. 

After his impressive showing, Purdy was set to have his first career NFL start in week 14, against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Purdy’s family bought tickets to this game weeks prior, hoping to see Tom Brady play, not knowing this would be their son’s first career start. And what a start it was. 

Purdy and the 49ers spoiled Tom Brady’s homecoming, beating Tampa Bay 35-7. Purdy threw 16/21, with 185 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 28-yard back-shoulder touchdown pass to RB Christian McCaffrey, and a 32-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Aiyuk. Brock Purdy led the 49ers offense to 4 touchdown drives in the 1st half alone. 

Purdy made sure to find NFL legend Tom Brady on the field post-game. “You played great,” Brady said as the two shook hands. “Good job. Good going.” 

Late into the blowout, Purdy was taken out of the game and replaced by former 4th-string QB Josh Johnson. 

Just a day after Purdy’s historic start, news broke regarding his health and current situation. The rookie QB managed to handily defeat Brady and the Bucs, all while playing through an oblique and rib injury. Purdy underwent an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the situation. The QB was listed as day-to-day following testing, suggesting that Purdy avoided serious injury. 

Purdy stated in a press conference that he could have finished the game, despite being taken out, and appears optimistic about his week 15 status. 

“Yeah, I mean, we’ll see how it goes this week,” Purdy said. “I just felt a little tight at the end, just from taking some hits. But honestly, if I needed to play throughout the rest of the game, I definitely would have. So, I’m going to get some treatment on it and will be ready to roll.”

After a quick turnaround, the 49ers played the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, taking a 21-13 victory. Purdy was cleared to play through his injury, and went 17/26, with 217 yards and 2 touchdowns. With this victory, the 49ers officially clinched the NFC West and secured their spot in the playoffs. 

Now that the NFC West and a spot in the playoffs have been clinched, less pressure currently sits on the 49ers shoulders for the last few games of the season. For Purdy, however, the starting spot is not automatically his going into the playoffs. 

While it is unlikely for veteran QB Jimmy Garrapolo to return in time for the 49ers playoff run, Purdy will need to continue winning in order to secure the starting position in the chance that Garrapolo does return. 

Purdy beat the Commanders 37-20 in week 16, completing 15/22, with 234 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. 

While it seemed as if there wasn’t much change likely in the 49ers playoff scenario, Brock Purdy led San Francisco to yet another victory, this time in overtime against the Raiders in week 17. Combined with a Minnesota Vikings loss to Gren Bay, the 49ers have moved up into the 2nd seed in the NFC. A victory in week 18 will secure the number 2 seed. 

Purdy has played 4 games in the National Football League and is just the 4th rookie quarterback in history to win his first 4 NFL starts. 

San Francisco will finish off the season in week 18 against the Cardinals.

By: Abby Altman

Whether it’s Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady struggling for the first time in their lengthy careers, or the New York teams stepping up in ways nobody expected, the 2022 season has been shocking in many ways. 

Here are some of the biggest surprises, and the biggest disappointments, so far in the 2022 NFL season. 

Surprises:

Geno Smith

After trading away Russell Wilson, the Seahawks new QB has been one of the most shocking performances of the season. So far this season, Smith has a 72.7% completion rate, throwing for 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. His overall quarterback rating (QBR) is 64.1. Many fans expected the Seahawks to be one of the worst in the league this season, but Smith has led Seatle to a 7-5 season, looking to try and take a wildcard spot into the playoffs. 

Philadelphia Eagles

After starting the season 8-0, the Eagles are by far one of the best teams in the league. Philadelphia dropped 1 game to the Washington Commanders in week 9, but havent lost since, and lead the NFL with a 11-1 record. The Eagles finished the 2021 season 9-8, taking the last wildcard spot in the NFC. 

Jalen Hurts has been a huge surprise for Philadelphia fans this season. Hurts finished 2021 with a QBR of 54.6. This season, he currently has a QBR of 68.2. Hurts has thrown for more touchdowns this season already than any other, and he still has 6 games left to play. 

New York Jets

In 2021, the Jets finished dead last in the AFC East, with a 4-13 record. Only 4 other teams had an equal or lower record that season. In 2022, the Jets are now 7-5. They are currently sitting in 3rd place in the AFC East, but are competing behind the Dolphins and the Bills. If the playoffs were to start today, the Jets would hold the 7th seed. 

The sudden change in the Jets success comes from an incredible 2022 draft class. With their 1st pick, the Jets drafted Cornerback Ahmed “Sauce” Gardner. Gardner currently leads the league in passes defended with 15 so far this season. Another excellent draft pick was used to select RB Breece Hall from Iowa State. Hall unfortunately tore his ACL in week 7 against the Broncos, but was a key piece to the Jets 5-2 record before he went out for the season. He finished week 7 with 463 rushing yards and 218 receiving yards. 

The Jets currently find themselves in a quarterback controversy, as previous 1st round draft pick Zach Wilson is heavily underperforming, and was benched for Mike White in week 12. White threw for 315 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Bears, and 369 yards, with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions against the Vikings week 13. As of now, it seems unlikely that Zach Wilson will start in the upcoming weeks. 

New York Giants

The Giants and the Jets are having almost identical seasons so far. Similarly to the Jets, the Giants finished last in the NFC East in 2021, with a record of 4-13. In the offseason, the Giants fired head coach Joe Judge and hired former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll as their new head coach. Daboll has been a huge change for the Giants, as the Giants are now 7-4-1, and 3rd in the NFC East, behind the very successful Eagles and Cowboys. 

The surprising performance from Daniel Jones, combined with RB Saquan Barkely’s excellent season is a large piece of the Giants mild success. Barkley is currently 4th in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,055 yards. 

Minnesota Vikings 

With a brand new front office and coaching staff, the Vikings 2022 season was completely up in the air. Many thought the Vikings would go for a complete rebuild and be non-contenders for the foreseeable future. However, the Vikings did a competitive rebuild. They changed some things around and built a new scheme, all while remaining contenders. 

The Vikings finished the 2021 season with an 8-9 record, 2nd in the NFC North. The Vikings missed the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row. In the offseason, the Vikings fired head coach Mike Zimmer as well as general manager Rick Spielman. The new general manager hire, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, hired the Rams former offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as the new head coach. O’Connell joined the Vikings after winning a Super Bowl with Los Angeles last season. 

The new front office rebuilt Minnesota around an older team, led by several NFL veterans, including Adam Theilen, Patrick Peterson, and Harrison Smith. 

The Vikings are now 10-2 going into week 14, with a massive lead on the NFC North. Minnesota  currently holds the #2 seed in the NFC, behind the Eagles. 

Justin Fields

Since drafting Mitchell Trubisky in 2017, the Chicago Bears have been in a QB drought. In Trubisky’s time in Chicago, the Bears went 33-31, making the playoffs just once, in 2018. 

In 2021, the Bears drafted QB Justin Fields out of Ohio State. Fields has had a slow start, leading the Bears to 6-11 in his first season. While his record is not improving in the slightest, 2022 Justin Fields is a statistical beast, and it proving himself as a solid NFL QB. 

Fields played 12 games in 2021, and finished with 1,870 passing yards. Through 12 games in 2022, Fields has almost identical passing stats, with 1,896 passing yards. The rushing game, however,  is what puts Fields in the surprise category. In 2021, Fields had 420 rushing yards, which was 5th in the NFL for a QB. In 2022, Fields has 905 rushing yards. He has broken multiple records, including his 67 yard touchdown, which is the longest rushing touchdown in franchise history. The previous record was 61 yards, set by Fields 1 week prior.  

Fields is currently 1st in QB rushing yards, and 7th in the NFL in total rushing yards. 

Dissapointments:

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are easily the biggest disappointment this season, and high on the list for all time. In 2021, the Rams had one of the best offenses in the league, and that led them to a Super Bowl title. Less than a year ago, Matthew Stafford and the Rams hoisted the Lombardi trophy, and now they are 3-9 and last in the NFC West. 

Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are both on the IR, and the Rams are in absolutely no position to win. In most cases, teams in this position would likely tank for a higher draft pick, but the Rams traded away most of their draft picks in order to build their Super Bowl winning team, and do not have a 1st round pick. 

This is the first losing season for head coach Sean McVay since he was hired in 2017. 

Aaron Rodgers and The Packers

The Packers rarely find themselves on the disappointing list, and when they do it’s typically because Aaron Rodgers didn’t play. This season, that’s simply not the case. Green Bay is currently 5-8 and 3rd in the NFC North. 

Without Davante Adams, it was expected that Rodgers would have trouble finding receivers to connect with, but many fans still expected to see the Packers atop the division. Quite the opposite has happened, however. rookie WR Christian Watson is stepping up in his 1st season, with 8 touchdowns over the last 4 games. 

The Packers however, can’t seem to get things done, and the playoffs seem to be out of reach, even for Aaron Rodgers. Packers fans at Highland Park decline to comment on the team’s situation. 

Russell Wilson

The Seahwaks trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos was a huge move, and Denver gave up a lot in order to obtain Wilson. Before playing a single snap for Denver, Wilson was paid a pretty penny. Much to the entire Broncos organization’s disappointment, he has not lived up to the hype. At all. The Broncos finished 2021 with a 7-10 record, and as of now, their 3-9 record does not seem to be an improvement. 

A quarterback, even one as accomplished as Wilson is expected to struggle in a brand new offense. But, nobody expected Wilson to struggle as much as he has. 

Wilson has made 9 Pro Bowls in his career and made 2 Super Bowl appearances, winning one of them. And yet, regardless of his career achievements, Wilson is one of the worst quarterbacks in the league right now. Wilson is ranked 17th in passing yards, and 28th in touchdowns and QBR. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This past offseason, Tom Brady kept fans on their toes by retiring and then promptly un-retiring, staying in Tampa for at least 1 more season. This has not turned out to be the relief that many Buccaneers fans originally felt. Brady has a QBR of 53.8, which is 18th in the league. He is 4th in passing yards, and 2nd in fewest interceptions thrown, but he has been unsuccessful in leading the Bucs to a winning season. 

The Buccaneers currently lead the NFC South and hold a playoff spot, with a 5-6 record. No team has ever made the playoffs with a losing record, and most NFL fans would be thoroughly disappointed if Tampa Bay makes the playoffs performing like they have been. 

On top of the struggles on the field, Tom Brady’s personal life has overshadowed anything football related. Also, likely impacting his play, Brady has taken more time off than anyone to attend weddings, go on trips, and deal with many family issues. If the Buccaneers want to be contenders again, something big needs to change, and a QB focused on football might be necessary.