The 2024 common season is formally within the books, which suggests the very best time of the 12 months is lastly right here: the NFL Playoffs have arrived.
What’s going to occur this 12 months? Will a prime seed roll to a Lombardi Trophy, or will a Cinderella story emerge? Which workforce will pull an upset on Wild Card Weekend, and which gamers are poised to turn into family names?
With all that and extra in thoughts, let’s check out one participant from every recreation this weekend who has an opportunity to play hero.
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Matt Marchese and Donnovan Bennett focus on the newest NFL information and analyze the largest video games all through the season on the street to the Tremendous Bowl. Don’t miss The FAN Checkdown, Monday to Friday on the Sportsnet Radio Community.
Joe Alt, OT, Los Angeles Chargers | @ Houston Texans, Saturday 4:30 p.m. ET
The Chargers’ collection of Joe Alt because the fifth general decide final April marked a dedication by then-new head coach Jim Harbaugh to his philosophy of defending the quarterback and operating the soccer.
Whereas the decide was hotly debated on the time, there’s no query it labored out — with Alt and fellow sort out Rashawn Slater offering safety, the Chargers’ offence (when wholesome) has been one of many extra explosive models within the league.
If they need that success to proceed towards a stingy Texans defence, they’ll want the very best out of Alt. He’ll be going through off towards each Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who mixed for 23 sacks this season. It’s no straightforward job, but when he and Slater can proceed to supply Herbert with some cowl, the largest power of Houston’s defence might be minimized, and the Chargers will roll.
Ar’Darius Washington, S, Baltimore Ravens | vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday 8:00 p.m. ET
Early within the season, it was a legitimate query to ask whether or not or not the Ravens’ defence would sink them come playoff time. Whereas Lamar Jackson was placing up MVP-worthy performances on the helm of one of many league’s finest scoring offences, Baltimore’s defence was posting bottom-five numbers towards the move.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr made some adjustments, transferring security Kyle Hamilton again to a full-time free security position, whereas veteran Marcus Williams was benched outright in Week 11. Coinciding with Williams’ benching has been the emergence of Ar’Darius Washington, who has performed almost 100 per cent of defensive snaps since then — a turning level for the unit, which has allowed the league’s fewest factors and fewest internet yards per recreation since Week 11 whereas additionally permitting an NFL-low passer ranking of 75.5 within the six video games over that stretch.
Even with their offence anticipated to maintain rolling, the Ravens are going to wish loads from Washington and firm in the event that they’re to compete within the AFC Championship for a second straight 12 months.
Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Payments | vs. Denver Broncos, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET
Quarterback Josh Allen has authored an MVP-worthy season, and he largely did it with no true No. 1 huge receiver — no pass-catcher topped 1,000 receiving yards on the season.
Khalil Shakir did ultimately emerge to stake his declare as Allen’s most popular choice, nevertheless, and led the best way with 76 receptions for 821 yards and 4 touchdowns. These are comparatively modest numbers in right now’s NFL, however they level to a pattern. Shakir noticed 100 targets this season, 25 greater than the following closest participant (tight finish Dalton Kincaid).
With Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, a lockdown defender and potential defensive participant of the 12 months, lurking on the opposite facet of the road of scrimmage, Allen and the Payments should select their weapons correctly — they usually’ll want each first down they’ll get out of Shakir.
Zach Allen, DE, Denver Broncos | @ Buffalo Payments, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET
If there’s one common reality in soccer, it’s this: video games are received and misplaced within the trenches. Enter the Broncos’ entrance seven, which leads the league in sacks with 63 — 9 greater than another workforce. Among the many many disruptive pass-rushers defensive coordinator Vance Joseph makes use of is Zach Allen, a high-impact participant who doesn’t at all times get the credit score he’s due regardless of posting sturdy numbers. A snub for the Professional Bowl this 12 months, he led all inside defensive linemen with 65 quarterback pressures and had 8.5 sacks in addition.
On the flip facet, Buffalo’s offensive line allowed simply 14 sacks — eight fewer than another workforce. If the Broncos wish to get Payments quarterback and MVP favorite Josh Allen out of rhythm, they’re going to wish Professional Bowl play out of Allen and the remainder of Denver’s move rush.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles | vs. Inexperienced Bay Packers, Sunday 4:30 p.m. ET
It’s straightforward to see why the Eagles’ offence has been buzzing this season, contemplating operating again Saquon Barkley rumbled for over 2,000 yards on the bottom. As you may think, the membership’s passing stats have taken a step again from years previous, throwing virtually 100 fewer passing makes an attempt and tallying 640 fewer passing yards than 2023.
Even with a barely completely different offensive method this season, opposing defences know they’ll’t let the Eagles’ wideouts run wild — and DeVonta Smith is an enormous cause why. Regardless of the elevated give attention to the run recreation (or maybe due to it), Smith racked up 833 yards and eight touchdowns, together with 317 yards and 4 touchdowns within the month of December alone, which additionally noticed three completely different quarterbacks throwing to him.
The well being of quarterback Jalen Hurts will definitely issue vastly for the Eagles, however irrespective of who’s beneath heart, Smith might want to proceed being a focus for this offence.
Zach Ertz, TE, Washington Commanders | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
This season ushered in quite a lot of change in a brief time frame in Washington, which entered the 12 months with a brand new head coach in Dan Quinn, a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels, and loads of unknowns.
We realized fairly early on that Daniels is the actual deal — and, extra not too long ago, we’ve additionally realized that he loves to focus on his tight finish in the long run zone. After catching only one landing by means of Week 10, Ertz noticed an uptick in targets down the stretch. He tallied six landing catches up to now seven video games and completed the 12 months second on the workforce in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns by means of the air.
The Commanders wrapped up the season because the third-highest scoring offence within the NFC behind solely the Lions and their wild card opponents in Tampa Bay. In a recreation the place defence is perhaps non-compulsory, Ertz — the oldest offensive participant on the workforce, at 34 — should use that veteran presence and step up as soon as once more.
Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | vs. Washington Commanders, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
It’s been a 12 months of discovery for the Buccaneers offence. After dropping trusted huge receiver Chris Godwin in Week 7 to a dislocated ankle, quarterback Baker Mayfield appeared to check a wide range of choices behind Mike Evans to be his No. 2 goal. From rookie operating again Bucky Irving to tight finish Cade Otton, the Buccaneers auditioned a number of gamers for the position by means of a lot of the season.
Mayfield might have discovered his reply in rookie Jalen McMillan. After totalling 13 receptions for 145 yards and a landing from Weeks 1 by means of 12, the third-rounder turned his season round in a rush: from Weeks 13 by means of 17, he racked up 24 catches for 316 yards and 7 touchdowns en path to the NFC South title.
McMillan clearly has chemistry with Mayfield, however extra importantly, he has the quarterback’s belief. The Buccaneers are going to wish each to proceed in the event that they wish to make a run to the Tremendous Bowl.
Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams | vs. Minnesota Vikings, Monday 8:00 p.m. ET
In case you’ve watched soccer at any level in the previous few years, you’d know the identify Cooper Kupp. In any case, he’s been one of many league’s most prolific huge receivers for a number of seasons as a focus of the Rams’ offence, together with being named MVP of Tremendous Bowl LVI to cap a 2021 season through which he led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Issues have been completely different 12 months. Regardless of his offensive success beneath head coach Sean McVay, Kupp has turned in simply 710 yards and 6 landing catches over 12 video games this season. The final three video games of the season (earlier than starters had been rested in Week 18) yielded simply 4 complete catches for 53 scoreless yards. If McVay and firm are going to search out success towards a stout Vikings defence on Monday evening, they’re going to wish extra from Kupp.
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