Rejecting the Upset
January 7th—The playoff battles continued with the third and fourth Wild Card games.
Looking at the intensity of the first two Wild Card games—the NFC's sixth-seeded Atlanta Falcons upsetting the third-seeded Los Angeles Rams, and the AFC's fifth-seeded Tennessee Titans nearly toppling the fourth-seeded Kansas City Chiefs—it once again highlighted the biggest charm of the NFL:
Parity makes it unpredictable.
Every season follows the same pattern: the gap between strong and weak teams isn't as wide as it seems. Once in the playoffs, every team has a chance. Simply put:
"It's anybody's game."
Moreover, this year was widely considered by experts to have the most open playoff field in recent memory, meaning the intensity could exceed expectations.
So, could the other two Wild Card games deliver surprises as well?
Yesterday, the NFC game was played first, followed by the AFC game in primetime. Today, the order flipped, with the AFC Wild Card game taking the afternoon slot.
"Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills."
Both teams had long histories of struggles and were returning to the playoffs after years of absence. In an AFC dominated by passing offenses, these two teams unexpectedly leaned on their defenses to make a statement, bringing a fresh dynamic to the season. This matchup was evenly matched, with both teams having a chance to make history.
While the media's attention was largely focused on the Kansas City Chiefs, debating whether they would face the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New England Patriots in the next round, this Wild Card game was largely overlooked. Naturally, both teams were determined to seize the spotlight.
The game was fiercely contested—
But not pretty to watch.
Jacksonville's quarterback, Blake Bortles, and Buffalo's quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, were far from elite passers, both performing well below the league average. In fact, their performances were a disaster.
Bortles: 12 completions on 23 attempts, 87 yards. Taylor: 17 completions on 37 attempts, 134 yards.
Their passing stats looked more like a running back's rushing numbers, which speaks volumes about how dull the game was. Even the running game was sluggish, leading to a game filled with punts and three-and-outs, where defenses took center stage.
In football, a "0-0" draw can take different forms. Sometimes, it's an entertaining back-and-forth with poor finishing. Other times, it's a sloppy affair dominated by defensive plays and constant mistakes.
This game fell into the latter category.
Final score: 10-3.
The Jacksonville Jaguars continued their strong season, defending their home turf against another defensive powerhouse, the Buffalo Bills. Linebacker Telvin Smith played like a man possessed, recording 11 tackles, 2 QB hits, and 1 forced fumble, setting a new Jaguars franchise playoff record and becoming the biggest hero of the game.
On the flip side, running back Leonard Fournette was a disappointment.
Before the game, Fournette, the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, was a major talking point.
He was the highest-drafted running back after Lance, a key member of the NCAA's "Big Three" last season, and one of the biggest competitors to Derrick Henry the year before.
Upon entering the NFL, with Christian McCaffrey underperforming for the Carolina Panthers, Fournette naturally became the center of attention. Jacksonville was still waiting for him to fulfill his potential.
After the Chiefs' comeback win over the Titans, Fournette was swarmed by the media and confidently declared:
"It's coming."
The day he proved himself as good as Henry and Lance was coming.
But that day was not today.
21 carries, 57 yards. Just 2.7 yards per carry.
After the game, Fournette avoided all questions related to Lance. Trapped by reporters, he muttered with a flushed face:
"It's coming… it's on the way."
Blushing like a girl wearing a dress for the first time.
Still, no matter how ugly the game was, the Jaguars survived the challenge and rejected the upset. They advanced—
And in the playoffs, winning is all that matters.
"Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints."
Compared to the earlier game, the night matchup delivered on expectations. Cam Newton and Drew Brees led an all-out aerial battle, turning the game into an electrifying offensive showdown.
Newton, often criticized for being a run-first quarterback with subpar passing, dug deep into his arsenal and put on an impressive passing display. However, he was up against the most accurate passer in the league, Drew Brees. Under head coach Sean Payton's guidance, Brees maximized his passing abilities, making him a nightmare for any defense.
Final score: 31-26.
Despite the Panthers' relentless fight and even holding a fourth-quarter lead at one point, the Saints unleashed a dominant final push to seal the win. They defended their home turf and marched on, crushing the Panthers' Super Bowl hopes.
At the postgame press conference, all eyes were on Newton and Brees. However, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera seemed distracted—
Returning to the playoffs was an accomplishment, but exiting in the Wild Card round was frustrating. In crucial moments, Newton couldn't do it alone. If the Panthers' rushing attack had provided more support…
Hidden behind his sunglasses, Rivera's eyes held a trace of sorrow.
During the press conference, another player unexpectedly became the center of attention.
"How would you grade your performance today?"
"Do you still believe you're the only rookie who can be compared to Lance? Because based purely on stats, the only rookie running back close to him is Kareem Hunt."
The implication?
"You're not even as good as Hunt, let alone worthy of backing up Lance."
Saints rookie running back Alvin Kamara's face turned red, his eyes welling up, as if he was on the verge of tears. Cornered by reporters, he had no escape.
But what could he say?
10 carries, 23 yards. A dismal 2.3 yards per carry.
Even worse than Fournette.
Before the game, "McCaffrey vs. Kamara" was hyped as a key matchup of two promising rookie running backs. But in the end, both were disappointments.
McCaffrey managed just 16 rushing yards, though he was used primarily as a receiver under Rivera, logging 101 receiving yards—showing some promise, but still nowhere near Lance's level.
Meanwhile, Kamara, who had talked a big game, was a complete non-factor.
Muttering under his breath, Kamara finally lifted his head, steeled himself, and declared:
"This is just my first playoff game. I'll show everyone what I can do next time. Lance, I'm looking forward to facing you in the Super Bowl."
No matter what, he had to keep up appearances.
But the reporters weren't buying it.
"Kamara… chokes in the playoffs?"
Upon seeing that headline, Kamara nearly coughed up blood on the spot—
Nonsense! All lies!
Regardless of what happened in the AFC or NFC, the biggest name in these Wild Card games remained Lance.
No matter how many different storylines surfaced, everything always circled back to Lance.
After all, he was the biggest draw in football today.
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