WILDCARD CRYSTAL BALL - PART II: A Day to Savor
Published continually since 1994
My friends, THE GURU is basking in the glow of yesterday’s playoff action and ready for more. Another day of opportunity to watch the sport we love and crush the snacks we crave.
My favorite football eats are unlimited but, for THE CHIEF, two elements are needed: pork and mayonnaise. Just give him just a hint of a pig and a jar of Hellmann’s and he will quickly - and capably - do the rest.
We begin today’s action with my pops in his lounge chair and two franchises facing off in Jacksonville. The Bills (12-5, 5-3 away) visit the Jaguars (13-4, 7-2 home) and game time is 1 pm with Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson announcing on CBS.
These squads have met twice before in the playoffs - 1996 and 2017 Wild Card games - with Jacksonville winning each. The overall series is tied 10-101 but, of course, none of that matters today.
I’m envisioning a barnburner and think it’s a tough game to call given how Liam Coen & Co. are rolling. I’ll stick with experience and pick Buffalo, 34-31…
…at 4:30 pm, the Niners (12-5, 7-2 away) visit the Iggles (11-6, 5-3 home) for a doozy of a matchup. Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi are your broadcasters on Fox.
San Fran and Philly have also met twice in the postseason with the Niners winning a 1996 Wild Card game and the Birds besting SF in the 2022 NFC Championship. And just like that matchup in the 2022 postseason - when Niners QB Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his right elbow - injuries could be a factor today.
Specifically, there are major questions on both offensive lines with stalwart tackles Lane Johnson (Philly) and Trent Williams (San Fran) questionable to play. These aren’t mere linemen; they are franchise cornerstones and are to their respective teams what peanut butter and jelly are to the sandwich world.
The latest reports say Williams is almost certain to play while Johnson is likely to hit the field but may be iffy from series to series. So, it could be advantage, Niners, here.
That said, the Eagles are the defending champs and they’re also at the Linc, one of the true home field advantages in the league. Given those factors and Nick Sirianni’s 6-3 mark in the postseason, I’m leaning Philly - and Johnson - but just barely. Call it for the Birds. Let’s say 23-22…
…finally, at 8 pm, Jim Harbaugh’s red-hot Chargers (11-6, 5-3 away) face the Patriots (14-3, 6-3 home) in Foxboro. Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark will be on the mike for NBC.
Despite residing on opposite coasts, these teams aren’t postseason strangers, meeting four times with New England holding a 3-1 edge. The Chargers lone win: a pounding of the Boston Patriots in the 1963 AFL Championship game, 51-10. Indeed, it was a rough day for our man CORKY, who was only 18 at the time.
Unfortunately, this LA outfit is more battered than a Midwestern pork tenderloin and that is likely to hurt the visitors. Sadly, that’s been the case all season as Harbaugh lost superstar left tackle Rashawn Slater in the preseason and his other elite tackle Joe Alt, midway through the campaign, among others.
Harbaugh, of course, is no stranger to the playoffs, posting a 5-4 record as a coach and leading the Niners to Super Bowl XLVII against brother John. Plus, he started five playoff games as a quarterback, posting a 2-3 mark.
His opposite number, Mike Vrabel, also brings a wealth of postseason experience: posting a record of 15-5 as a player - including three Super Bowl wins with the Pats - and a 2-3 mark as a head coach, including an AFC Championship appearance in the 2019 season.
Everything in my chimp-like brain screams “New England in a blowout” but, in a week that brother John was fired by Baltimore, I see Jim being even more fired up than usual. And that’ll keep it very close. Let’s say 31-30, Patriots, and see what happens…
…then, on Monday, we’ve got the weekend finale in Pittsburgh with the Texans (12-5, 5-3 away) playing the Steelers (10-7, 6-3 home). Catch the action at 8 pm on ESPN or ABC with broadcasters Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge.
I love how the Steelers are playing right now and, yes, THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX is riding high but there’s something special about this DeMeco Ryans club. And, in the end, I think his defense delivers. Texans by a field goal.
That’s all for this weekend, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!
Thanks, as always to Pro Football Reference, ESPN and Wikipedia for all of the information in this column.